Carbon Delirium

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raspberry-blower
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Joined: 14 Mar 2009, 11:26

Carbon Delirium

Post by raspberry-blower »

The Last Stage of Fossil Fuel Addiction and its hazardous impact on US Foreign Policy
Michael Klare wrote:The most persuasive evidence that fossil fuel addiction has reached a critical stage may be found in official U.S. data on carbon dioxide emissions. The world is now emitting one and a half times as much CO2 as it did in 1988, when James Hansen, then director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, warned Congress that the planet was getting warmer as a result of the “greenhouse effect,” and that human activity -- largely in the form of carbon emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels -- was almost certainly the cause.

If a reasonable concern over the fate of the planet were stronger than our reliance on fossil fuels, we would expect to see, if not a reduction in carbon emissions, then a decline at least in the rate of increase of emissions over time. Instead, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicts that global emissions will continue to rise at a torrid pace over the next quarter century, reaching 45.5 billion metric tons in 2040 -- more than double the amount recorded in 1998 and enough, in the view of most scientists, to turn our planet into a living hell. Though seldom recognized as such, this is the definition of addiction-induced self-destruction, writ large.
Michael Klare gives a good account as to why the human race is ultimately heading for extinction.
The depressing reason why the human race is not doing anything about it was summed up a couple of days ago in Automatic Earth:
What Kills the Economy Kills the Planet Kills Us
Ilargi wrote:But to get back to the essence: we destroy the planet because there’s a profit in it. The vast majority of people in the west have gotten a bit of that profit, while some have gotten a lot, and lately other parts of the world have gotten their taste of what has been labeled progress. Today, our entire societies have been firmly built on destroying the world they are based in. And the choice between a society and a planet is never going to be an easy one. Certainly not when the destruction of the planet is a slower process whose worst consequences are at least perceived as being relatively far into the future, and the further something is away, the more it is discounted. By everyone, mind you, not just by doubters or deniers; it’s a basic human quality, and that means you have it too.
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools - Douglas Adams.
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Ralph
Posts: 370
Joined: 02 Nov 2012, 22:25

Re: Carbon Delirium

Post by Ralph »

raspberry-blower wrote: Michael Klare gives a good account as to why the human race is ultimately heading for extinction.
Not a surprise at all. But I didn't see his comments on how lack of hydrogen will guarantee the destruction of the entire planet as well, not just of a single species.
raspberry-blower wrote: The depressing reason why the human race is not doing anything about it was summed up a couple of days ago in Automatic Earth:
Nicole is hardly worth quoting when it comes to the engineering challenges of getting more hydrogen to the sun in amounts that matter.

Last I looked she was still waiting around for the 2008 crash to cause the crash she has been hoping for.
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Ralph
Posts: 370
Joined: 02 Nov 2012, 22:25

Re: Carbon Delirium

Post by Ralph »

raspberry-blower wrote: The depressing reason why the human race is not doing anything about it was summed up a couple of days ago in Automatic Earth:
What Kills the Economy Kills the Planet Kills Us
I am a little concerned over the suicidal leanings at the end of the article as well.
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Mr. Fox
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Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
Location: In the Dark - looking for my socks

Re: Carbon Delirium

Post by Mr. Fox »

Ralph wrote:Nicole is hardly worth quoting...
That was Raúl, not Nicole.

I don't think he's going to 'do a Ruppert'. He doesn't sound any less cheerful than usual. ;)
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