Six Degrees Can Change the Planet
I think I was so activated this morning on hearing of all the wild fires in my state because I went to sleep last night with my head full of a 2-hour National Geographic Channel program that I had just seen, called "Six Degrees Could Change the World." It gave a very graphic and convincing picture of the drastic and tragic change in climate that is staring us squarely in the face -- or I should say "you," if you are younger than I am -- yet little is being done about it.
The program went over, in detail, the changes in store with each one-degree increase in the average yearly temperature. "You" are already at point 8 of the first degree. When that figure reaches just 2 degrees, which could be in as little as 10 years, the planetary warming will already be in the runaway stage, and it will be impossible to stop from then on, up through three, four, five, and then six degrees, at which time the Earth will be in a superheated state, with new deserts everywhere, category 6 hurricanes will be commonplace, and a lot of the well-known cities of today will be under water, among many unwelcome circumstances.
On the face of it this matter of just a few degrees seems odd, and that may be why so many people find it hard to take these warnings seriously. We see temperature fluctuations of at least six degrees nearly every day, and it's not unusual to see some of as much as 30 or 40 degrees in one 24-hour period. But the scientists, with such a myriad of undeniable achievements under their belt, assure us that even a small, permanent increase in the yearly average temperature is a very serious matter.
And I don't see how the calamity will be avoided.
It will happen fast enough to be noticed but still too gradually to instigate people to back off -- before it is too late -- from the widespread habits of ease and comfort that have led to all this dumping of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in the last 200 years.
Whereas others take it entirely for granted and look on it as a deadly dull business and unworthy of notice, for me weather has always been the most dramatic aspect of everyday living. And we and mostly you have some exciting days and years ahead, in the ancient and painfully ironic Chinese sense of that term, and I think I am happy for us all. We will have earned this "joy."
The program went over, in detail, the changes in store with each one-degree increase in the average yearly temperature. "You" are already at point 8 of the first degree. When that figure reaches just 2 degrees, which could be in as little as 10 years, the planetary warming will already be in the runaway stage, and it will be impossible to stop from then on, up through three, four, five, and then six degrees, at which time the Earth will be in a superheated state, with new deserts everywhere, category 6 hurricanes will be commonplace, and a lot of the well-known cities of today will be under water, among many unwelcome circumstances.
On the face of it this matter of just a few degrees seems odd, and that may be why so many people find it hard to take these warnings seriously. We see temperature fluctuations of at least six degrees nearly every day, and it's not unusual to see some of as much as 30 or 40 degrees in one 24-hour period. But the scientists, with such a myriad of undeniable achievements under their belt, assure us that even a small, permanent increase in the yearly average temperature is a very serious matter.
And I don't see how the calamity will be avoided.
It will happen fast enough to be noticed but still too gradually to instigate people to back off -- before it is too late -- from the widespread habits of ease and comfort that have led to all this dumping of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere in the last 200 years.
Whereas others take it entirely for granted and look on it as a deadly dull business and unworthy of notice, for me weather has always been the most dramatic aspect of everyday living. And we and mostly you have some exciting days and years ahead, in the ancient and painfully ironic Chinese sense of that term, and I think I am happy for us all. We will have earned this "joy."
posted by Carl (aka Sofarsogoo) | 8:20 PM
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