Lynne Stevens
It is fascinating how far science has come in analyzing and predicting changes we see in the Earth’s climate.
Today, there are still those who choose to ignore decades of dedicated researchers and their findings. Major oil companies predicted – but hid – findings long before the public became aware there was validity to the reports that we were endangering the planet we live on.
We humans seemed oblivious to the dangerous gasses coming from the exhaust pipes on our cars and the coal smoke prolifically pumped into the atmosphere on a daily basis. We blithely went outside in crowded cities and manufacturing towns, took deep breaths and – after awhile – we associated these breaths with cancer and a variety of respiratory and cardiac ills. Our children suffered from asthma at alarmingly-increasing rates.
Antarctic ice reveals Earth’s climate history with ice cores dating back in millions of years. Air bubbles in the ice catalogs the air up to now. Instruments that measure the atmosphere are more sophisticated.
The knowledge base of the scientists and researchers whose decades of measurements and compilation of data have painted the picture we are now confronted with: a planet showing increasing signs of distress.
With elections approaching – and concern about the climate taking a back seat to the price of eggs – curiosity about the political positions regarding planet Earth is worth asking.
Surprisingly, there is some bipartisan agreement in the Infrastructure Bill that passed Congress. Resilience is a key part to reducing the extreme economic damage caused by floods and storms. Construction that protects public buildings, commercial buildings and homes from the ravages of severe weather will save countless millions of dollars in our communities. Effective means to help preserve business and the families they support is that ounce of prevention that can prevent a pound of very costly cure.
The energy side of cleaning up the atmosphere is complex with no simple solutions in the near term. The cost of all electric cars – coupled with a lack of infrastructure for charging them in most rural areas, like ours – are not practical.
What is needed is a bridge between electric and gas. A plug-in hybrid uses both a hybrid engine and an all electric engine. Around town, it’s all electric and the car automatically changes to its hybrid engine when the electric mode is used up. Similarly, a bridge is needed for technology research to catch up to the goal of renewable, non-polluting energy.
There are no fast solutions now. Solar requires rare Earth metals often sourced from unfriendly countries. Fracking is notorious for toxic levels of methane gas release. Safely-fracked gas – and enforcement of safe-fracking technology – is our most likely bridge to a carbon free future.
One thing is certain: our future generations face increasing hardship without public investment.
What do we say to them if we fail as a people to make their communities resilient to a violence-prone climate? “Sorry kids, we were more concerned about our present than your future.”
Lynne Stevens writes a bi-weekly column for The Graham Star. She can be reached via email, geminga@mailfence.com.