Blog: Climate Superman—RIP or 'If it is to Be, it is up to Me'

O, the Kochs grew fat on their fossil fuels
And hired a nest of false fossil ghouls
Who fed lies to the minions of fossil fools
To elect those Koch-sucking fossil tools
So more treasure protects the Koch’s deadly rule.

Most Americans want something done about protecting our environment, but what must be done? A suggestion is presented below. There should be little doubt that right now is the time to give it our best shot.

We were warned as early at 1896 by Svente Arrhenius—and also by Bell Labs around 1950—about the effect of CO2 on the climate.

So, now, is there universal agreement about climate change and its cause? Not in Congress, of course, not in the "blogosphere", but in the scientific literature?

The answer is an emphatic yes!

In 2009, for example, a letter was sent to President Obama by these Associations:

1.      American Association for the Advancement of Science
2.      American Chemical Society
3.      American Geophysical Union
4.      American Institute of Biological Sciences
5.      American Meteorological Society
6.      American Society of Agronomy
7.      American Society of Plant Biologists
8.      American Statistical Association
9.      Association of Ecosystem Research Centers
10.   Botanical Society of America
11.   Crop Science Society of America
12.   Ecological Society of America
13.   Natural Science Collections Alliance
14.   Organization of Biological Field Stations
15.   Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
16.   Society of Systematic Biologists
17.   Soil Science Society of America
18.   University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

In a joint statement they said: "Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver." 

More "consensus"? Click here or visit the link below to see an expanded list of science academies that agree with above:

http://www.ucsusa.org/ssi/climate-change/scientific-consensus-on.html

Looking recently at tens of thousands of published climate experiments, we find nary a one pointing to a different conclusion than: Climate change is occurring, and we are the main cause. (Hey, that means we can do something about it, right? Cool!)

Nit-picking the IPCC’s  conclusions  or some guy's emails or jerking people around with other distractions is a waste of precious time. It is truly a deadly dithering, putting our lives and our children's at risk. Like, do we jump out of the way of the oncoming bus, or do we discuss the reality of the bus—or such issues as whether a liberal or Republican is at the wheel?

By now, we are familiar with the effects, unequivocally "pinned" to this change of 1.5 degrees F: More extreme droughts, record temperatures, storms, longer and more intense fire seasons, ocean level rise and acidification, floods, intense rains, shifting biomes—any one of these brings us to the edge.   

We’re already topping Dust Bowl temperatures due to 1.5 deg F warming. Imagine what will happen if we fail to stop 10°+ F warming, which is where we are heading* in our "ho hum", "What, me worry?" society.

*Read more at Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math’ article.

How many more disasters do we want? Our fellow Americans have already taken quite a hit, with off-the-charts drought, high temperatures, storms, etc.

Climate scientists reckon increases of more than two degrees C (3+ deg F) could result in the loss of natural carbon sinks, potentially leading to runaway climate change. No government, or free market solution could reverse it. 

Just ask and I will explain why in the Comments section below.

How to prevent 10-degrees warming? Who should we believe? Ask someone who has proved himself with a stunning "track record", such as Dr. James Hansen. Dr. Hansen, head of NASA (remember NASA—they got us to the moon?), looked at the data and concluded as early as 1981 that we would have a serious climate problem. Let me do the math: That was 32 years ago.

He was unbelievably prescient (if perhaps a bit too conservative), making specific predictions, about drought, glacier melting, sea level rise, and so on, which have occurred even earlier than expected.

So, let's go with Jim! He strongly advises  a “carbon fee and dividend” program. It is the core of the Save Our Climate Act, HR3242. Carbon sources are charged a fee/ton. Putting a fee on carbon, at its source, shifts the market to renewable energy, and fees are then rebated to the taxpayer. We get a bonus, and green energy gets a fair shot.

More details here—or at:

http://citizensclimatelobby.org/SOCA

As a free market solution, it dings coal and oil for just a small part of the social costs (externalities) that we have been saddled with, in added health costs  (due to mercury pollution and particulates, for example). These costs are hundreds of billions per year, that We the People already pay.

Click here to read more—or go here:

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/02/16/207534/life-cycle-study-coal-harvard-epstein-health/

Though a beautiful solution, I don’t think the bill has a prayer in this furshlugginer Congress. The current crop of "ignorance is bliss" extreme right wing pols will oppose it.

Why? The Act doesn’t tax the average American. All fees on carbon are used to reduce our taxes. That’s not their problem. No. It’s just that their Dirty Energy friends won't like it, and their Congressional sweet-talking hit men will get to work.

And, as Bob Dylan sang, "Money doesn't talk, it swears."

In a nutshell, life (now and for hundreds of years) is truly in the balance. So what to do?

“If it is to be, it is up to me.” This quote, by golfer Ben Hogan, might guide us. We must take action, each of us!  Eagle Rockers, being the most intelligent and engaged folks in America, have problably already taken action, but if today's climate news has rendered you speechless, I understand. 

Here's an action plan:

1.  Write your representative (Congressman Xavier Becerra is on the Ways and Means Committee reviewing HR3242, for example.)

2.  Write letters to editors (yes, the old-fashioned way!).

3.  Challenge your representatives on their views and commitments at Town Hall meetings. Let them know your vote just might depend on it.

4. Check out this stunning website that shows some specific new climate impacts in each of the 50 states:

http://pinterest.com/climateimpacts/

It tells you about lost cherry crops in Wisconsin and Michigan, sinking houses in Alaska (curious how climate can make a house look like the Tower of Pisa?), dropping snow and water levels in Arizona, insurance rate hikes in Alabama, etc.

If you have friends or relatives in these states, share this site with them, and urge them to vote for someone they trust with this issue. "Going Green" is the best thing we can do for the economy and for our comfort level, and we can get there with free market solutions.

Action is not futile. I repeat: A bipartisan majority of Americans understands the problem and want effective solutions to changing climate.

Click this link to read more details:

The Political Benefits of Taking a Pro-Climate Stand in 2012

http://environment.yale.edu/climate/publications/Political-Benefits-Pro-Climate-Stand/

Can you imagine? If we really got involved?