Climate Change
The impact of human activity on earth’s ecosystems has been an issue for at least fifty years, but it is only recently that the magnitude of the problems have become appreciated outside of the scientific community.
A good short book is “How we can Save the Planet” by Mayer Hillman. It costs £8.99.
Also relevant is George Monbiot’s book Heat. It’s a bit more pricey at £17.99 but should be available from your local library. Here’s a detailed review
Science never gives absolute certainty and climate science is a complex business. Could human-induced climate change may be just another armageddon myth designed by people who hate progress? It’s worth checking out the following links and articles;
- modern temperature trends, comprehensive essay covering the cooling predictions of 1970s, Medieval Warming, and what the IPCC did to the hockey stick curve
- a page about ‘contrarians’ on Steven Schneider’s website
- a guide to facts and fictions summary by the Royal Society
- Iain Stewart presented a BBC documentary ‘The Climate Wars’ in September 2008 - this may come out on DVD
If you are wondering whether it is actually possible for a human population heading for 8.9 billion to live sustainably and peacefully on earth then you are not alone. James Martin’s book The Meaning of the 21st Century concludes that the 21st century is make or break, Martin argues that we are technically capable of looking after the planet, avoiding war and building a rich cultural existence. Rob Hopkins takes a more pragmatic and less grandiose view in the Transition Handbook. Either way, it depends on everyone waking up and doing things differently.
Many people say that action is pointless, that “people” will not be prepared to make any changes. But scarcity of fossil fuels will soon make change inevitable, not just optional, so the sooner we start cutting our reliance on fossil fuels the better. If our children were directly threatened what would we not do to protect them?
There is ample evidence that all but a tiny minority of human beings are altruistic given the right conditions. James Surowieki’s book ‘The Wisdom of Crowds’ gives some fascinating information about this. And remember, if you aren’t prepared to help solve things then who are you expecting will do it for you?