I haven't really paid a whole lot of attention to all the brouhaha regarding climate change, mainly because I'm of the opinion that yes the climate is going to change. It's been changing for as long as Earth has been around; why would it stop now?
Frankly I'm somewhat relieved that our President is apparently opting us out of the Paris Climate Accord. In my opinion, there might be better directions for the nations of Earth to take. (that's my polite way of saying it's dumb and a waste of time and resources that would be better used elsewhere)
While I am absolutely in full support of developing renewable energy sources, I'm not quite sure what that has to do with climate change. I'm in favor of renewables because they're ... well ... renewable, as opposed to non-renewable. Hello. Non-renewable stuff runs out eventually. Just because it ain't likely to run out in our time doesn't mean we ignore the fact that it will run out in somebody else's time, and there's no reason for us to not develop renewables now so our future folk will know that we at least thought about them. We can't adjust the way Earth's climate works, but we could maybe start getting some tools ready for those who are going to be coming along behind us so they (or we, for that matter) might have a better chance of adjusting TO said climate.
That being said, I don't think humankind is actually affecting any climate change that's going on, and can't imagine us being able to reverse it, stop it, or even slow it down any.
If we're going to talk about climate change we'd be better off figuring out how to cope with it rather than dicking around trying to influence it.
When humankind can control volcanic activity, which probably isn't going to happen any time soon, we might have a shot at controlling climate change - as just one example. When we can stop impact events, it might be a good idea to do that. When we can control tectonic plate movement and glacial advances and retreats, good for us - but that day is not today, nor any time soon.
We can't do those things, and we cannot control climate change any more than anyone before us has been able to.
Focusing on the renewables makes sense.
So does planning and preparing ourselves ahead of time for what we might need to cope with.
No, I don't know what's going to happen so don't even ask.
But we've got a whole lot of information about what has happened in the lifetime of Earth. Somebody out there has probably got a darned fine idea of what might be going to happen. The sooner they clue the rest of us in, the better.
We are not going to impact whatever climate change is going on with Earth, but we could and should at least pay attention and devote as much as we possibly can of those non-renewables to the development of the renewables that are going to replace them. That just makes sense. Having almost all of our energy eggs in the same basket is just as dumb as thinking we can control the climate changes of Earth.
Before I get off on a tangent about energy, I'm going to rein myself in and spare you and myself (for the moment) an energetic discussion that's both the most simple and the most complex thing ever.
Climate change is going to happen. What I'm interested in is knowing what direction it's going to take, short term and long term (relatively speaking, as in during the next few generations), what the effects are going to be, how the changes are going to impact us as human beings (along with everyone else), and what we can do to prepare.
And yes I know full well that a random impact event could obliterate us in pretty much no time flat, but that's not what I want to know about right now. At the moment I'm just wanting the smart ones among us to talk to the wise ones among us so that maybe the ordinary ones among us (like me and probably you) can at least have some kind of understanding of what all the hoop-la is about - and maybe go about educating our young folk in a way that's halfway sensible.
It's not, in my opinion, sensible for anyone to think we can effectively control climate change. Put stoppers on the volcanoes? Can't do that. Put thermostats on the glaciers? Right.
We could, and really should, replant our forests, though. And get those renewables moving right along. That might be halfway sensible.
If the nations of Earth want to cooperate in something, reforesting would be a great place to start. It's probably not as lucrative for some people, but it would help ALL of the occupants of Earth. It doesn't take a lot of regulation, you know. Just start planting trees. What kind goes where is already pretty obvious.
Whoever makes the investment in developing renewables is going to reap some mighty big profits, which really is such a no-brainer that even I can figure it out. The non-renewables are plenty lucrative but ... there are alternatives and the ones who take the lead are going to benefit even more than the rest of us.
Think on this for a minute.
We HAVE to use the non-renewables for the time being because our world has become dependent on them. We'd best be using them to get the alternatives ready to roll.
Last year there was a big deal about pipelines and that big deal isn't going to go away. It would ease the minds of a lot of people if they knew those pipelines aren't going to be necessary forever. Solar, Wind, Water ... and others ... don't require pipelines for energy distribution. We in the United States are going to be working on our infrastructure anyway; why not make accommodations for renewable energy distribution a part of the plan so we don't have to try to mess with it later?
You know those quantum computers we've been hearing about? We've got some really smart folks among us. Put those smart brains to work figuring out renewable energy sources and how to get them into use.
Just sayin'.
Our world is changing and we might not have time to evolve to meet the demands those changes will put on humankind.
We can buy ourselves some time maybe if we give ourselves more options than we have at the moment. When all is said and done, the nations who are best prepared are in the best position to both survive and to thrive, no matter what the climate does.
I think I might plant a couple of trees in my yard, just because it would be a good thing to do. Maybe one that grows fast, like a poplar, and one that grows slow, like an oak. One for me and one for the generations who aren't even born yet.
Arbor Day was April 28th this year so it's past.
Who says every day can't be Arbor Day?
Plant some trees.
It's one little something we can all do, while the smart folk are figuring out our energy issues and the rich energy folk are finding more baskets for their eggs and the engineers are planning distribution options.
For that matter, install a solar panel or two if you can afford it. Actually, we ought to get them for free, or almost free, and installation too. And every farm and small town ought to have a wind turbine or two or three. Get yourself one if you can, or go in with neighbors for one. There's scads of information on line about them, even plans for doing it yourself. Just don't put the turbines too close to the trees you're planting, or the solar panels either for that matter (putting them in the shade might defeat their purpose).
If enough of us start doing stuff like this, it might get the ball rolling.
And to heck with the Paris Climate Accord for cryin' out loud. If we have to do it ourselves, we can do that. The entire population of our world is made up of individuals, remember.
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