- On pg. 17 Mark Hertsgaard talks about how most people in our parents generation will not feel the effects of climate change. What do you think of when you think of the beginning stages of climate change? What do you think of as later stages of climate change?
- How do you feel the economy and global warming are related? Could trying to prevent global warming help the economy?
- Do you think there should be more global education, and a more universal answer to questions, on the current conditions of the Earth? Or do you feel multiple opinions and independent research are more than enough for those who are interested?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Chapter 1: Living Through the Storm
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I'm really concerned about climate "chaos" because as Hertsgaard says it does not develop in a linear fashion and no one can really predict the consequences and speed of that development. It also bothers me that people just don't seem to care. If we all adopted some very simple life style changes, we could rise to the challenge.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, we are too short-sighted so yes, the economy is definitely tied into climate chaos. If we could only shift to green industries before other countries do (some already have) and provide jobs in these areas. It's all about people working.
The research is in, people don't like to be told about bad behaviors. Rising fuel costs will change behaviors and govern what people will buy.
1) It is crazy to think about climate change after all of the odd weather experiences we have had lately. Tornadoes, severe thunder storms, extreme heat waves; it seems like we are experiencing the beginning stages of climate change everyday. However, it is uncertain about what these effects will be in the future.
ReplyDelete2) I agree with Mr. Furnari that the economy is very related to global warming. Hertsgaard said in the Prologue that some of the car companies and major users of fossil fuels actually tried to convince people that global warming was all a hoax and that they received support from members of Congress who supported the fossil fuel guzzlers. Yet, it has been proven that major companies who switch to greener alternatives save a ton of money in their energy costs, but it is definitely the increased upfront costs that scare people away.
3) I feel like the information is out there about climate change, it is just up to people whether they read it or not. People don't like to hear what isn't good news, but I agree with Mr. Furnari that people will change when they feel personally effected. For example, people will look for more fuel efficient cars when they see that it will save them 30 dollars at the pump.
I think that we have already started to see the effects of global warming. I worked in Bangladesh, where I saw villages disappearing in front of my own eyes. It is true that more developed countries are insulated from these effects because of climate-controlled buildings, relatively cheap gas and services that we perceive are infinite (like clean water). This winter, spring and summer's weather disasters have cost the United States millions upon millions. I think climate change has begun to hit our pocketbooks, and so I believe legislation and regulations will come out of it, if only because insurance companies can not afford to keep paying out the damages!
ReplyDelete1) When I think of the early effects of climate change I think of the things that I've already noticed: hotter, dryer summers and snowier winters, more mosquitoes, the increased range of certain diseases like West Nile and Malaria, more severe and frequent thunderstorms, blizzards, hurricanes, floods. I think of brown outs caused by everyone running their AC's on those hot days. I think of how bad the winter moths have gotten. When I think of long term effects of climate change, I think of the collapse of stable/reliable food supplies due to droughts/floods/permanent loss of agricultural land and the resulting spike (and wild fluctuations) in food prices. I think of how many people are going to die from exposure to heat waves or die in massive floods and severe storms. I think of how many people are going to begin starving b/c they can't afford food anymore, I think about how many people are going to start getting sick from hunger and/or disease.
ReplyDelete2) The economy and global warming are so intricately woven together that I can't begin to fathom how climate change is going to impact global economy. Climate "chaos" is an apt description b/c it's very much in line with chaos theory (sometimes referred to as the butterfly effect). More people will die, more people will become very sick, more people will become homeless and those people will no longer be "economically productive." Rather, they will become dependent upon everyone else for assistance. The trouble is that everyone else will also be struggling against becoming one of them. I can see how one change could set off a spiraling chain reaction that gets worse and worse and worse.
3) Simply put, I feel that there needs to be a LOT more global education on the issue of climate change--specifically, on what we need to be doing to mitigate climate change and prepare for it's imminent and unavoidable effects in the next few decades. It's a case of "what you don't know WILL hurt you."