Time is not on our side.
By Thom Hartmann A...
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued it's most severe warning yet. Last week, the IPCC released it's newest report, which says that global warming is threatening our very survival. Although most developed countries are taking action on climate change, many developing nations are using more fossil fuels as they industrialize.
The IPCC report states, “Continued emission of greenhouse gasses will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.” In other words, they're not only warning of hotter temperatures, the world's leading scientists say that global warming may soon bring food shortages, refugee crises, and mass extinctions.
In order to meet the international goal – keeping our planet from warming another 2 degrees Celsius – the IPCC says governments must limit emissions to 1 trillion tons of carbon dioxide. At the rate we're burning fossil fuels, our planet would reach that limit within 30 years, but governments are not doing enough to make the switch to green energy within that time.
Here in the US, we have many lawmakers who refuse to admit that global warming is even an issue, and the fossil fuel industry just helped more science-deniers get elections. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, “Science has spoken. There is no ambiguity in their message. Leaders must act. Time is not on our side.” We must do everything we can to protect the one planet we call home – the survival of our species depends on it.
Comments
#2
Thom- MT asks for picture ID, neither WY nor UT does for voting. compare (non-hispanic whites) at 84% and 79% vs TX at 44%
#3
On a side note, has anyone noticed how low gas prices have become lately? The lowest here in the Bay Area bottomed out yesterday at $3.07/gal for regular; however, I understand this trend is occurring across the nation. Not that I'm complaining; but, the last time gas dipped this low for no reason we were about to invade Iraq. I become wary and suspicious that the neocon corporatists greedtards might be up to something whenever they start giving us a break. It just goes against everything they stand for to do something like that without an ulterior motive. Just wondering if there are any theories out there to explain it?
#4
We need to get to a 2/3 majority of progressives in both houses in order to pass a Constitutional amendment to fix our system and ensure that the .01% can't keep control or regain it. Even if we took every Senate seat in 2016, we would still need to flip 8 or 9 more in 2018. The Democratic Party needs to make a long-term strategy to do a big push on the next three Senate elections. Meanwhile, the goal in the House should be conserve resources, but get a simple majority until 2/3 of the Senate is within reach, then do a big push on both simultaneously.
#5
mathboy ~ Well said! I might just add that in the interim the Dems need to take a lesson from the Repug rule book and filibuster like crazy. Obama should never have to veto anything. Nothing he might have to veto should ever make it that far. Two can play that game and if the Dems refuse to obstruct like the Repubs did who in their right mind is going to be left to vote for them in the future? That would be a disgrace--something, I might add, that the Dems are good at. Disgracing themselves at our expense.
#6
Thom, there is more at stake than the survial of OUR species. Our inept stewardship of this planet is killing the eco system most important to survival of life. Our oceans are being devistated and disrupting the food chain at an unpresidented pace.
#7
I think one of the biggest problems you have with climate change in America is the billions of government waste. Just to name a few. Solyndra wasting over a half a billion of hard working tax payers money. What about Ivanpah oh well there goes 1.8 billion to a plant that produces a fraction of the energy it promised. Now they are asking for a half a billion more hard working tax payers money to subsadise it. I can't image how many more one percenters the environmental movement has produced. The solution is very simple. Clean burning natural gas. Oops sorry I forgot it is a fossil fuel, can use it.
Just those two companies blew 2.3 BILLION that feeds a lot of people. Or sends a lot of kids to college. If it helped reduced green house gases at all maybe but the fact is it did almost nothing.
#8
you need to watch www.cowspiracy.com today, and become informed!
#9
$2.81 here in Maine. I agree. WTF is going on? I believe you are right.
#10
If you're really concerned about the environment, you should check out this crowd sourcing site for solar-panel roadways:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways
The idea is brilliant: solar panels you can drive on. Put them on your street, get your electricity from them. Buy an electric car, never pollute again.
That's step one. Step two is getting the stuff already in the air out of the air. People are working on that as well.
There's hope people. Don't be so down about it all.
#11
Kend will be well pleased with my grim prediction...Obama will OK the Kochstone pipeline!
How does several billion dollars worth of mass marketed lies accepted as truth by millions of gullible voters equal a credible message from those voters? The National Media claimed today that suddenly for some bizzare reason our divided government stands a good chance of getting things done. Yet the divided government a few days ago for some reason stood no chance. Truth is the divided government a few days ago was being obstructed by the minority Republicans abuse of the Senate filibuster rule. The House Teapublicans lead by a barely functional drunk likewise made sure nothing got done. Truth is not a matter of opinion.
So now the Democrats are expected to cower and give in to the billionaire's demands, in other words, honor their multi billion dollar disinformation investment. In my opinion if the Dems give an inch it will spell the end of the Democratic Party and at the same time create a great chance for a third party President in 2016. Let's face it , the polls show very little support for Teapublican policy and on the Democratic side, a weak ineffectual party that has been so timid speaking out, always on defense, caused the voters to just stay home. When your own President feels just fine with not speaking out, you're in wicked bad trouble.
#12
Here is a great petition by Bernie Sanders to make election day into a national holiday. I like that idea!
#13
Well all I can say is if people like the climate and science denying Republicans cause our species to go extinct, at least I can be satisfied that we will take the Republcians with us to extinction. It's a huge sacrifice to make, but in the end there won't be anymore inhumae Republicans left on Earth either. Maybe the rest of life on Earth can continue on without human kind screwing up Mother Nature, because as it stands now, most of mankind is acting like a fatal cancer to all lifeforms on Planet Earth.
#14
I really despair of winning this battle against the corporate disinformation onslaugt and the buying of judges and politicians. The planet is being wasted by Greedy power hungry people that seem not to care about their own children.
How can we even possibly do anything to effect change when private companies count the vote and won't let us see the actual recount proof????? The supreme court is absolutely corrupt as several justices should be impeached. The senate was just sold to the highest bidders. Revolution seems impossible, guns won't get it. MOney is speech so only the rich can have anything to say. What the HELL NOW???? LETS JUST destroy the climate and the world for our kids? I can't believe I'm living this nightmare. We need some liberal billionaires to establish radio free america for america!!! The only thing I see to change some minds is to put out the truth on stations around the country to fight the insane right wing machine and educate the electorate. Jefferson said that without an educated electorate that the country cannot remain free. He was very right.
#15
anybody got a line to Bloomberg for radio free america? i'll run a station in seattle!
#16
10 K you are right keystone will get approved. It will push 800 million barrels a day from Canada to the gulf that oil will get refined and shipped all over the world. Billions will roll through our economies and you probaly won't even notice it. Just think if it's approved in 2015 it would have only taken six years to get approved. How many billions of dollars that missed going through the US economy in those six years. To me I think this election is showing that Americans are starting to see the truth. I think Americas future looks awesome. Good for you guys. Prosperity is just around the corner. Finally.
#17
It's 2014, almost everyone has internet access. Details about scientist findings on global warming, how they got their finding and explanations about how global warming works are on the internet. So, when a politician denies climate change, they are either stupid, lying, or on the take from the fossil fuel industry.
#18
RFord ~ I don't think politicians are stupid--per se. However, they are all on the take from the fossil fuel industry. Of that, I have no doubt. Personally, I think Keystone was going to get approved regardless of who was in office. The only reason this charade of an election occurred was to shift the balance of power so that all these new Draconian measures could be enacted and blamed on Republicans rather than Democrats in order to preserve the illusion of a two party system. It also did a rather effective job of making it look like this shift in leadership was the choice of the American people and not the puppet masters that pull the real stings.
The new Republican catch phrase for global warming is, "I'm not a scientist." Of course, what they really mean is, "I'm not a scientist; and, until one is appointed for me by my oil company owners I really have nothing more to say on the subject... Please go away!" Let's face it folks, our government doesn't belong to us anymore; and, we need to stop acting surprised by what is going on. Until we get the money out of our election process, we have no Democracy; and, we will never be able to check corporate power. As long as corporate power remains unchecked our very existence as a species is threatened.
#19
Saudi are pumping oil into the market to try and sqeeze out the US producers. It is amazing it took this long for the laws of supply and demand to take over in the oil market.
#20
Mauiman2 ~ The Saudi's are biting the hands of their attack dogs? As crazy as that sounds it makes perfect sense. No one respects this country anymore--not even our allies. Why should the Saudi's? They don't even value their own people. Thanks for that most interesting tidbit! If that is truly the case, prices should stay down for quite a while. We sure as hell aren't going to attack or threaten Saudi Arabia. Also, my heart truly bleeds for the US producers! I hope they get squeezed tight.
#21
The fact that Democrats lost so badly this time around yet many of their policies passed on ballots in red states tells me we have a serious image problem. Debating with right wingers and viewing their crazy postings online tells me Republicans have done a very good PR job of controlling the Dems image. They also have done a good job of defining who they are. If the Dems cannot define what they stand for and what their policies really are and how those policies are good for everyone they will continue to lose. From listening to voter comments most have no idea what their parties stand for other then the BS on the media. They also dont bother to figure out who's solutions have the best chance for success. So if Democrats are not willing to spell out how their solutions will create jobs and how republican solutions do zero for job creation they better get used to losing. God knows the average person isnt going to bother to figure it out themselves.
#22
I hear ya Rob, and I agree. The problem is that the dems are beholden to the same corporate interests as the Repuglicans, with few exceptions. Thus the corporate Dems have little to offer their constituants, who seem more their victims than constituants in some cases. And the beat goes on while we keep doin’ the ole two-party two-step, lah-lah-lah. Soon it shall be the one-party goose step of the Demlicans (or Repuglicrats; take your pick).
Bye-bye America, hello Fourth Reich. - AIW
#23
The fact that Democrats lost so badly this time around yet many of their policies passed on ballots in red states tells me we have a serious image problem
Yes! Thank you! You managed to get into words something I've been thinking a lot lately. While Democrats may be the "party of the worker", they've also been pegged as the anti-religious, blame-America-first, unions-over-students party.
When a liberal complains about something religious on public property, or goes on TV and calls believers names, it doesn't win the party any friends. If anything, it just pushes more people away from the Democrats.
By trying to help people who don't want/didn't ask for/don't realize they need help, Democrats come across as arrogant, "I know what's best for you" types.
I like Thom because he's insightful and doesn't resort to put-downs or name calling. But someone like Stephanie Miller - if the stray Conservative happened to tune into her show one day for a little insight from "the other side", that person would be left thinking, "My God, those Progressives are a bunch of arrogant bitches. I'll never vote for them."
#24
An organization promoting controlled, educated and environmentally responsible consumption could be highly effective. Reducing the amount of fossil fuel emission into the environment could be fought through the collective consumption of consumers reducing their use of fossil fuels. It's the consumption of the product that makes it easily distributed around the US and the world.
Or we could bang our heads against the wall trying to get irrational (self interested) politicians and private tyrannies (corporations) to change their economic and social policies before the world is sent into oblivion.
You be the judge, as to which will happen before the sands of time runs out.
#25
^ Mathboy (#4).......by .01%, do you mean one percent.....you wrote 1/100 of 1 percent.....you are all for common core too, right?
#26
Thom you wrote, ".... further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems.”..." global warming may soon bring food shortages, refugee crises, and mass extinctions." That's quite the leap don't you think? I'm surprised that you didn't mention the flooding and wiping out of Florida, Hawaii, the Phillipines and other coastal states and nationons.
2950-10K (#11) - So what you're saying is that the Reps blocked anything from being passed in Congress and that was a 'bad thing' and nothing got done. So now that the Reps won both House and Senate the Demonocrats should stop the Reps from passing anything in Congress and because it's the Demons it's a good thing? Typical, very typical.
RFord - did you ever look at the gas mileage for the vehicle you drive and compare it to the actual gas mileage you get? It's kinda like Global Warming....oh wait I'm sorry, it's Climate Change now isn't it. The numbers can say whatever you want them to say. Under certain conditions and with the stars alligned, if we add this but not take into account that.....You probably say that BHO is the greatest Prez ever....except don't include Obamacare, and that Bengazi thing, and leave out the massive debt he built up, the number of unemployed, gas prices doubling......etc, ya he's great!
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I'd say the safety issue of car kill switches should certainly be enough to make them illegal.