thoughts about climate

[mathiasikiruna]

Earth hour

Did you all switch off the lights last night? I did it. I know, it is only a symbolic gesture and the effects are barely measurable but I think it is a good way to remind people to rethink their consumptions.

[mathiasikiruna]

Why does the Society act so strangely?

During the last weeks, I read several articles and news and I increasingly wonder how mankind shall and will manage with climate change. This is a major task for all of us and  to only for a few green freaks. How shall the little man and woman be encouraged to act responsibly if the leaders and big companies either ignore climate change, pretend it is not existing or even worse, abuse its reputation for profits and in parallel misbehave?

It seems that the European commission knew as early as 2010 (at leas) about the software manipulation in Diesel engines in German cars. How do politicians defend their ignorance and passivity? 

The Australian Government basically undermines climate change research and actions. They even close one of the big climate change research institutions as they are convinced that “we” know enough about climate change. Who are “we”? A country and continent that is extremely exposed to risks of a changing climate.

The new British Primeminister, Mrs May, starts off with interesting decisions. among others she shuts down the department for climate change and includes the activities into the “Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy”. Environment or Climate is not even in the name! Is climate change irrelevant? What about the floodings and storms in the last years, causing Billions of GBP in damage? They can be attributed to climate change… 

A study using 30 years of satellite data revealed that cloud patterns changed and moved globally during this period. This observations confirm climate model outputs which showed similar results. These observations can explain the extreme drought the Southwest of the United States, namely California and  other states. 

There are many other studies and articles and news that were published in the last weeks showing that climate change is not a menace, it already arrived. 

Only if the leaders act responsibly and admit the challenge and the threat, the people will follow and start acting. And maybe they have to take unpopular actions to save the world of our children that the adults do not like. For all the children you will heroes!

Act now! Be Future heroes 

[mathiasikiruna]

"The laws of nature and the laws of economics are in conflict at the moment."

Naomi Klein

[mathiasikiruna]

Cheating is not sports, it is wrong!

FIAT, VW, and other car producers were cheating with dedicated computer programs in their cars with the aim to circumvent test cycles. VW’s diesel cars recognised the test cycle and switched to the desired settings, FIAT just run their cars of the length of the test cycle in the desired settings and then drop it. 

Scientists, environmentalists, politicians work to achieve common climate goals. Also the consumer who bought or buys a car, that they expect to be comparatively in line with climate goals, are fooled. Of course it is questionable to support the use of ‘traditional’ cars, but trying to get to a compromise by selling and using low consumption vehicles is a step in the right direction. 

Now, the car producers not even try to make people believe that they need the big cars, and not only lobby for conditions and regulations, better for them than for the environment. No, they even think it is a sport to find ways to fulfil the requirements and still break the rules. They obviously cheat, but they know how the cheating is tested and thus can consider the test mechanisms and cheat ell the time when there are no tests. 

This is like in sports, when the teams know when there will be doping tests or how to camouflage the doping agents successfully. If this was sports, with a working anti-doping agency and policies, they would be suspended for several years from selling cars. 

I am sad, that big companies do not see the possibilities of the changing climate and changes that we have to make, but rather see it as a thread. And instead of embracing the chances, they try to make us believe that they offer future technology and basically put old technology in a new shiny box that makes us believe that we get new technology. A hundred year old house is not new, just because you paint it! It looks fresh and nice, but it still is the 100 years old. 

It is ignorant to make the society and especially the customers believe they act for the future with strong environmental goals, but in reality they act for traditional economical goals. 

[oilchangeus-blog]

April breaks global temperature record, marking seven months of new highs

Latest monthly figures add to string of recent temperature records and all but assure 2016 will be hottest year on record

We’re in the midst of a true climate emergency, and there is no more room for denial. Join our movement today: http://climatetruth.org

[mathiasikiruna]

It's getting tight! Act now!

[oilchangeus-blog]

Sea Level Rise Swallows 5 Whole Pacific Islands

Evidence confirms dramatic climate change effects in the Solomon Islands

Five islands in the Pacific Ocean have vanished into the sea due to‪ ‎#climatechange‬. This is just a preview of what could happen to coastal communities across the globe as sea levels continue to rise.

[mathiasikiruna]

Just the beginning... act now!

[earthstory]

Incredibly close up view of Coral on the Great Barrier Reef.

[mathiasikiruna]

Just imagine that we will not be able to see such fascinating things in a few years if we do not act now!

[justveganthings]

Every day should be Earth Day.

[dendroica]

The current drought and other extreme weather events — including flooding that killed hundreds in South India last year — are linked to climate change. And while 190 countries met in Paris last year to come up with a plan to target climate change and its increasingly tragic effects, many critics argue that the accord failed to adequately address the needs of the developing nations like India, where over 20 percent of the population lives below the poverty line — that is, on less than $1.90 a day.

India’s worst drought in 50 years is shutting down farms, hospitals, and schools | Grist (via dendroica)

[legally-green]

NASA smacks down climate change doubters in Facebook discussion

Consider me impressed.

[mathiasikiruna]

Wow!

[mathiasikiruna]

Expansion at any price?

Skiing areas suffer from warm winters. But is it reasonable to extend the season by artificial snow longer and longer? Does it make sense to extend ski resorts even if the seasons become shorter? Many skiresorts in my hometown expanded and increased the use of artificial snow substantially. If I remember right, those expansions and the use of snow canons in certain areas was unthinkable 30 years ago. In order to protect nature and resources! When did this view disappear?

I am a skier and love snow, but not at any price.

[sandandglass]

[mathiasikiruna]

Naomi Klein has a strong point!

[staff]

tfw the sun is shining on your face and all you can think about is the methane feedback loop. 

Ride your bike. Plant a tree. Global warming is real and not going away unless we change. 

[mathiasikiruna]

So true... I am just fixing my bike. Ready to ride as soon as the snow melted!

[earthstory]

The Breath of Planet Earth

As mammals, we are all quite familiar with the process of breathing. We inhale oxygen-rich air, the oxygen is used in reactions with sugars in the blood (producing our energy), and then CO2-rich air is expelled from our lungs. Plants breathe as well, in essentially the opposite fashion: they utilize CO2 from the air in undergoing photosynthesis, expelling oxygen. However, it may surprise you to learn that the planet as a whole “breathes” much like you or I.

[quotemybooks]

Climate change isn’t an “issue” to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message - spoken in language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions - telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us that we need to evolve.

This Changes Everything: Capitalism v.s. the Climate by Naomi Klein (via quotemybooks)

Fantastic book! Read it!

[mathiasikiruna]

Thoughts about climate change

The world's climate is changing and mankind has undoubtetly contributed the biggest share! If we want the consequences to be as small as possible -whatever this means- we ALL have to work. Everybody has to take his share. Common people as well as big companies and share holders. Everybody according to his/her/its possibilities. Small people small actions. Big companies and governments big actions. Don't blame others and make the world a better place!

[mathiasikiruna]