Archive for Scaremongering

About to tip

Cameron Smith wrote an article in the Star which explains just how perilously close we are to ecological devastation. There is absolutely nothing I can add.

Prevent a Harper majority

I spent the day at Mary Ann Grainger’s fantastic Campaign School.  It was filled with interesting tips, fun facts and inspiring speeches.  My mind is reeling.  I have a list of a dozen things I’d like to blog about.  But here’s one that’s really very important.     Read more »

Doomsday clock now 5 minutes to midnight

Doomsday Clock shows five minutes to midnightThe Doomsday Clock just moved up 2 minutes closer to midnight, and for the first time, part of the reason was global warming, in addition to the threat of nuclear holocaust.  So let’s pause and think about that as we hear Prime Minister Harper plan on investing in “clean energy technology” to address climate change, with funding for such delights as squeeky clean nuclear power.

Natural gas and oil supplies

One of the folks at Post Carbon Toronto sent around this clip about North American oil and gas supplies.  It is an interview with David Hughes, a geologist with Natural Resources Canada.     Read more »

Tipping points 2006

Here’s another truly frightening article, which Charlie sent me a few days ago, and which has been keeping me up at night.

It says that in 2006 we may have reached a number of the tipping points that climate scientists were worried might arrive as soon as 2050 if we weren’t careful.  Russia’s peat bogs are releasing so much methane that they are now responsible for more global warming than US emissions, and more will be released the warmer it gets.  England’s soil has gone from being a carbon sink to a carbon emitter which completely eliminates any gains England has made through cutting emissions of fossil fuels.  And the North Sea ice appears to be in permanent decline.

This report came at a time that we also heard of ice shelves breaking up in the Arctic.  I’m afraid the measures now necessary to combat serious global destabilization and mass extinctions may be far more serious than we had contemplated.