- Do you think that Mark is being to proactive about making plans for where Chiara will live when she gets older? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Mark went into such great detail about the Netherlands in this chapter?
- Mark stated that water levels could rise 1.5 m by 2100. Do you feel this is an accurate statistic if we continue to live the way we are not? Why or why not?
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Chapter 5: The Two-Hundred-Year Plan
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1. It is definitely a little crazy to think about where your daughter is going to live when she grows up, when she is barely old enough to go to school, but his actions does provoke interesting thoughts. How will the changing environment effect the demographics of our nation? I always dreamed of living in Manhattan, but will it be under water by the time I can?
ReplyDelete2. I think the author went into such detail about the Netherlands to show us Americans that other countries (smaller countries, less powerful countries) are whooping our butts when it comes to taking major steps towards climate change.
3. I think this is a very accurate statistic. Hertsgaard has focused a lot throughout this book about rising sea levels and it seems that all scientists agree that water levels are rising, it's just about when and how much.
1. I think a better use of his time would be to teach Chiara about taking care of the planet and taking care of others. Chiara will then be wise enough to know where she belongs :).
ReplyDelete2. I have been to both Holland and Bangladesh and both countries are driven by a culture of water engineering. Using water and manipulating water is infused in their cultures and ways of life. The majority of Holland is below sea-level. I think the author was trying to show us living with lots of water is possible, but it takes some sacrifices, too.
3. Actually, the height of sea levels is one thing that I am uncertain about. The Atlantic "conveyor belt" that keeps Europe relatively warm stopped for a while, but has recently re-started. We don't really understand the rate of glacial melting. There are alot of factors that go into the height of sea level. Basically, I think it will change, but which way - I'm not entirely sure. How good is the Earth at re-finding its equilibrium when it comes to the ocean? Pretty impressive.
1) I agree with Mrs. Dedieu. I'm teaching my son(s) how to be stewards and WHY they need to be stewards. In so doing, they will be savvy enough to know where to live and where not to live.
ReplyDelete2) As Mrs. Dedieu said, "Living with lots of water is possible, but it takes some sacrifices, too." I also think the Netherlands shows us that living with lots of water takes a certain amount of efficiency in government. A single agency in the Netherlands is able to make decisions and move projects forward; it does so responsibly and with input from the outside, but there is a certain degree of autonomy there that (to a certain extent) I envy a bit. Our system of government is not efficient when it comes to policy making.
3) I actually think that sea level will rise at least three feet in the next 30 to 50 years b/c so much energy will be absorbed by the oceans that thermal expansion alone will do a lot.