Tag: Climate Crisis

Opinion

The Great Debate

Vice President Kamala Harris ripped the mask off of the former President and revealed a lot about America. What kind of people would place a person of such low character and intellect in the office of the President? We also face a more stark question: What kind of people would return a person of low character, intelligence, and ethics to the presidency after he has tried to overthrow an election? The coming election is an almost biblical mirror on America. We will get the government that we have coming. A government that will have to deal with accelerating climate change, dictators who may choose to use weapons of mass destruction, and a society seemingly ready to be at war with itself. The next president will have a lot to deal with and will need to be smart; with a lot of smart people around them… for all of our sakes.

Opinion

COP28 – Did it make a difference?

A global existential issue like the climate crisis requires honesty, clarity, and large scale commitment from citizens and governments around the world. We need lots of facts and information to create the public will to make difficult decisions. What we have instead are global interests trying to protect themselves while not focusing on the threat. Mass media still holds back on the facts because they don’t want to create panic or feed dysfunction. Markets are the biggest factor working to save humanity, but they may not be enough to overcome mass ignorance and lies. Electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels are in demand and producing more sustainable solutions, but we have to do more in the time we have. Let’s demand coverage of the climate crisis that inspires hope while alerting us to the truth of tipping points that cannot be undone once started. We have more power than we think. With action and faith I believe humanity can save itself from mass destruction. Vote based on facts and science that you have taken the time to understand.

Opinion

Lots of reasons for hope in the Climate Crisis

We have a lot of reasons for hope in the battle for human civilization to survive the crisis we have triggered in our planetary climate. Reasons for hope include available technology to produce water, create clean energy, grow food, and build affordable housing. This does not include artificial intelligence and other breakthroughs. The challenge for humanity is to move fast enough to avoid climate tipping points that will trigger uncontrollable warming of the planet. We don’t know exactly what temperatures will trigger the tipping points but scientists are increasingly alarmed by our current situation. I have read that a doom mentality is as big a problem as denial. We need to be active and focused to save future generations and potentially ourselves. Let’s vote and act to accelerate government and private industry acting to reduce carbon emissions ASAP!

Opinion

El Niño and the long hot summer

As we move into the summer months and hopefully have the ability to stay cool; think about where our climate is heading. People who pay attention to climate news have been receiving warnings to act for a long time – decades. We have more technology and choices to reduce our CO2 footprint today than ever before. Making choices that help reduce carbon will impact everything from catastrophic storms to migration, federal budgets, and wars. No one will care about budget deficits when out of control climate issues are creating wars, mass migration, and widespread die-offs. The dreaded outcomes of failure to reduce carbon are accelerating, but knowing we can act to make survival more likely should motivate us all. Whether the news is directly about climate or not, don’t forget the reality of the climate crisis cannot be escaped. Humanity will be defined by what we do or fail to do in this decade. Research and act to avoid a horrific future that will become increasingly apparent in the coming days, months, and years.

Opinion

Climate Crash and our politics

We live in important times that will either inspire our progeny or seal their doom. The Republicans deny elections, the climate crisis, the January 6 insurrection, Women’s rights to choose, and the truth; but they still have enough support to perhaps win the house and/or the senate. Americans seem to be confused or avoiding the horrible truth of our times. The desire for, and belief in strongmen signals a cowardice or child-like desire for a protector from thinking about the issues. Vladimir Putin has proven that giving power to one person is not a solution but creates more problems and disaster. I am hopeful that our country has enough people of character to make the best decisions about our leaders and our future. The eternal battle that continues today remains: It is a battle between those who want something for nothing versus those willing to work together for success. Between those who believe in themselves versus those who don’t. Insecurity can appear as racism, anti-semitism, nativism, or sexism, etc. but it is really about true confidence. Don’t let the cowardly Republicans fool you; desiring a strong man is not about strength. Research, communicate, and vote for a better future.

Opinion

Climate Crisis Sprint time is here

We live in a time that demands action. Joe Biden and the Democrats have been pushing to address climate change for a long time (since Jimmy Carter) while Republicans have been pretending nothing is going on. It is abundantly clear to rational people that Earth’s climate is turning hostile to human civilization. Most scientist tell us that we have not been responsible in the last few decades and time is running out to avoid catastrophe in coming decades. Republicans want to play games and fool people into spying on their neighbors while never holding politicians accountable. A nightmare in our society, our climate, and in our economy is a real possibility for us if we do not act decisively in the 2022 elections. There are many reasons to vote Democrat in 2022. If you don’t like fascism and lies; vote Democrat. If you believe in women controlling their own bodies; vote Democrat. If you want to live in a world with any hope of a decent future; vote Democrat.

Opinion

Climate Emergency

The issue of our time is making its presence felt. Heat waves due to Climate Change are killing people in “first world” countries as well as the rest of humanity. There is no escape from the damage caused by fossil fuels. Joe Biden has taken on the challenge and is working to do all that he can. He needs help. It is up to the rest of us to vote for the survival of ourselves and our posterity. Republicans have made it clear they do not see fossil fuels or climate as major priorities; meanwhile the window for civilization (as we know it) surviving is closing. Vote and act to support Democrats and President Biden moving quickly to shift our country to less fossil fuel dependence.

Opinion

Pro-Life?

America has a problem. We love to destroy one another. We take issues and divide ourselves over them with a lot of lies thrown in to rationalize our positions; meanwhile reality tells us to stop lying. Deaths due to cigarette smoking continued for years while politicians and corporations lied. Pollution and Climate Crisis kill thousands in America and we still avoid the truth about the depth of knowingly caused destruction. QAnon and White Supremacist lie in a systemic way to point the heavily armed mentally ill at minorities or people they don’t like. Republicans claim to be pro-life but don’t support health care for all, or gun control to stop mentally ill 18 year olds with assault rifles. America is big into death and personal destruction. It is said that courtesy is the lubricant of society, but the “Pro Life” party uses personal attack on any who disagree with them. The January 6 coup attempt should have been enough. The children murdered in Uvalde, Texas are an atrocity that happens because we value the ability to kill and destroy more than the lives of children.

Opinion

Joe Biden is doing a good job

President Joe Biden is doing a good job (not great yet) in leading America to it’s traditional world leadership roles in economic, military, cultural, and geo-political affairs. Donald Trump and the Republicans root against America and democracy in their craven lust for power. President Biden looks out for average Americans in areas from healthcare, to student loans, to baby formula. Republicans talk about inflation and invaders from south of the border; real problems that require thoughtful solutions not victimization. Our problem is that we have a party that is good at attacking others, but has no solutions for anyone but themselves and their rich donors. American are at a sink or swim series of elections in 2022 and 2024. Voting for Republican talking points and anger will mean autocracy and rapid decline as climate change accelerates negative pressure on our civilization. We can approach existential challenges as the best version of ourselves, or a rats blindly eating one another alive. From all appearances President Biden believes in America, while Trump and the Republicans believe in controlling and fleecing the public. Research and vote like your life depended on it; it likely does.

Opinion

Republicans and White Replacement Theory

The Republican Party has abandoned democracy and gone all in on White Nationalism using White Replacement Theory as their tool of choice. The murderer at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York was radicalized by White Replacement Theory like many others. White Nationalist propaganda is using the Climate Crisis as a recruiting tool; appealing to selfishness and ego-centrism to bring out the rat in it’s targets. the idea is that whites will eliminate other people for access to land and food in a diminished world. A percentage of whites has always quietly supported terrorism aimed at Blacks and other minorities. Research shows that while racism costs everyone, it does have some beneficiaries. Too many people are okay with being vampires to their fellow citizens. Every decent person must push for Republicans to stop their overtly racist lies about Critical Race Theory, Blacks and other minorities. Every politician should cite sources for their stances and policy choices; and the burden of proof should be higher when pitting Americans against each other. I have never met a person who wanted to replace other Americans; they just want to be Americans. In America we talk a lot about “getting ahead”, but rarely about working together for a better world. Time is a resource that we can no longer waste if we want a future worthy of our potential. Will we end up in a race to the bottom, or a triumph of humanity? The future looks dark for many reasons today, but hope is still alive.