Scientists warn us that we should not try to relate any one weather event to the phenomenon of global warming, but what about a whole series of weather events? When does a series of "coincidences" become a pattern? Consider these coincidences:
* The Amazon has just emerged from its second hundred-year drought within the last five years.
* There have been unprecedented floods in Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan in the past year.
* The Arctic has melted for the first time in thousands of years.
* Last month was the most active April in U.S. history for tornadoes. And looking at the Midwest this week, it appears that record of activity is continuing into May.
* Texas and the adjoining parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico are drier than they've ever been. The drought is worse than that of the Dust Bowl years. To make matters worse, much of Texas is being devastated by wildfires.
* This year's record snowfalls and rainfalls across the Midwest have resulted in record flooding along the Mississippi.
* The grain harvest is Russia failed last year because of a record heat wave.
* At the same time, Queensland's grain harvest failed because of its record floods.
* France and Germany are currently suffering drought-related crop failures, as is Texas' winter wheat crop.
* Midwestern farmers have been unable to plant their corn because of their sodden fields.
Of course, all of these crop failures could not have anything to do with record food prices, could they?
And we have the assurance of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that we don't need to worry about the planet heating up because, as they stated in a recent filing with the Environmental Protection Agency, "populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations."
No, we know that nothing is really happening here, especially not global climate change, because this spring the U.S. House of Representatives voted 240 to 184 to defeat a resolution which simply said that "climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for public health and welfare." Our Congress would not mislead us, would they?
Remember that bold denial by Congress when the next wave of freakish weather hits and ask yourself: Are these really coincidences or is there a pattern here? And are we causing or at least contributing to that pattern?
* The Amazon has just emerged from its second hundred-year drought within the last five years.
* There have been unprecedented floods in Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan in the past year.
* The Arctic has melted for the first time in thousands of years.
* Last month was the most active April in U.S. history for tornadoes. And looking at the Midwest this week, it appears that record of activity is continuing into May.
* Texas and the adjoining parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico are drier than they've ever been. The drought is worse than that of the Dust Bowl years. To make matters worse, much of Texas is being devastated by wildfires.
* This year's record snowfalls and rainfalls across the Midwest have resulted in record flooding along the Mississippi.
* The grain harvest is Russia failed last year because of a record heat wave.
* At the same time, Queensland's grain harvest failed because of its record floods.
* France and Germany are currently suffering drought-related crop failures, as is Texas' winter wheat crop.
* Midwestern farmers have been unable to plant their corn because of their sodden fields.
Of course, all of these crop failures could not have anything to do with record food prices, could they?
And we have the assurance of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that we don't need to worry about the planet heating up because, as they stated in a recent filing with the Environmental Protection Agency, "populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations."
No, we know that nothing is really happening here, especially not global climate change, because this spring the U.S. House of Representatives voted 240 to 184 to defeat a resolution which simply said that "climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for public health and welfare." Our Congress would not mislead us, would they?
Remember that bold denial by Congress when the next wave of freakish weather hits and ask yourself: Are these really coincidences or is there a pattern here? And are we causing or at least contributing to that pattern?
Makes me think of the story of the frog in the pot of water, he was heated so slowly that by the time he realized he was in trouble, it was too late.....
ReplyDeleteA very apt analogy, Anonymous.
ReplyDeletesomeone once maliciously told me about a scorpion and a frog... the scorpion asks for the ride across the river.. once the journey ends the scorpion stings the frog. could this just be a long ride across a river?
ReplyDeleteSOMETHING'S happening here. What it is may not be exactly clear... But maybe we'd better start paying attention and try to figure it out.
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