As Tom knows, excuses won’t save us, or offer refuge. As life arose from the seas, so we poison our sustaining force, and retreat. The land also rose from the depths, such locale as Denver and the Himalaya were once below seas, tectonic movements, that other component of long term climate change as well, are nothing to the quake that is human activities, careless and extreme the the pursuit of “riches”, crushing the life of the land, and the seas.
Years ago, when pollution of The Great Lakes was a major issue, Herblock drew a cartoon about it that I particularly remember. Regulations were finally going into place to forbid using the badly polluted Lakes as industrial sewers. So Herblock drew his standard overfed Industrialists shoving their waste into the ocean., instead, saying, “It’s a big ocean.” Herblock’s standard Citizen objects, saying, “But those were big lakes, too.”.Jacques Cousteau once said that wherever he sailed in the world, he could see the iridescence of oil on the waters. The recent search for the Malaysian airliner points out the prevalence of garbage floating on the open seas, far from land. And the huge debris field from the Japan earthquake is still washing on far away shore..One of the problems not mentioned in this cartoon is bleaching to coral reefs due to thermal stress. When the corals die, many of the creatures that live on the reefs die, too. This happens naturally, of course; but if warming of the oceans additionally and more frequently occurs as a result of human actions, it would be bad for many of the fragile reef ecosystems. That is in addition to acidification. In some reefs the beloved clownfish (of “Finding Nemo” fame) are diseased and malformed because of these and other factors.
Back at the turn of the 20th century, the oysters in the Chesapeake Bay were so plentiful, they could filter all of the water in the bay in less than a week. The water was so clear you could see to the bottom in 40 feet of water.Thanks to over harvesting, disease, and pollution, less than 1% of that population remains.No need to fix it, though, it’s a natural process. There’s always been ebbs and flows in the oyster population.
Face it folks we are at the beginning of the next great extinction. Mankind has sped it up, but even if the most radical environmentalist had their way it will only delay it a generation or 3. Those who claim they wish to “save the planet” must finally admit that the end of the human animal will save the planet. As George Carlin said for all we know the only reason humans evolved was because the planet wanted plastic.
Read this article for a map with how North America might have looked 77 million years ago..http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/05/utah-dinosaurs/miller-text
Again: excuses, and profits, aren’t the answer, rational efforts to restrict further damage is essential, and affordable, they just mean reduced profits, and that’s too much for the “industrialists” (including fisheries, chemical companies, car companies, plastics, and others). We CAN do a better job, and it agreements, enforced, and not just “conferences” without teeth, that will get us started.
What will it take to get our legislators and presidents to do their jobs? Not just on environmental issues, but financial, social, economic and equality problems. Record voter turnout? Mass demonstrations? General national strike?Although rich families and businesses have always cozied up to our political leaders, today the situation is out of all proportion. They listen ONLY to those who finance their campaigns to help them keep their jobs. As the new American Aristocracy, the top 1% and those in State and National office have developed an utter contempt for the working American.
Dtroutma about 10 years ago
As Tom knows, excuses won’t save us, or offer refuge. As life arose from the seas, so we poison our sustaining force, and retreat. The land also rose from the depths, such locale as Denver and the Himalaya were once below seas, tectonic movements, that other component of long term climate change as well, are nothing to the quake that is human activities, careless and extreme the the pursuit of “riches”, crushing the life of the land, and the seas.
emptc12 about 10 years ago
Years ago, when pollution of The Great Lakes was a major issue, Herblock drew a cartoon about it that I particularly remember. Regulations were finally going into place to forbid using the badly polluted Lakes as industrial sewers. So Herblock drew his standard overfed Industrialists shoving their waste into the ocean., instead, saying, “It’s a big ocean.” Herblock’s standard Citizen objects, saying, “But those were big lakes, too.”.Jacques Cousteau once said that wherever he sailed in the world, he could see the iridescence of oil on the waters. The recent search for the Malaysian airliner points out the prevalence of garbage floating on the open seas, far from land. And the huge debris field from the Japan earthquake is still washing on far away shore..One of the problems not mentioned in this cartoon is bleaching to coral reefs due to thermal stress. When the corals die, many of the creatures that live on the reefs die, too. This happens naturally, of course; but if warming of the oceans additionally and more frequently occurs as a result of human actions, it would be bad for many of the fragile reef ecosystems. That is in addition to acidification. In some reefs the beloved clownfish (of “Finding Nemo” fame) are diseased and malformed because of these and other factors.
badcyclist Premium Member about 10 years ago
According to the Coca Cola company, we can now call the oceans “Global Conference Juice.”
BaltoBill about 10 years ago
Back at the turn of the 20th century, the oysters in the Chesapeake Bay were so plentiful, they could filter all of the water in the bay in less than a week. The water was so clear you could see to the bottom in 40 feet of water.Thanks to over harvesting, disease, and pollution, less than 1% of that population remains.No need to fix it, though, it’s a natural process. There’s always been ebbs and flows in the oyster population.
lbalch798 about 10 years ago
Face it folks we are at the beginning of the next great extinction. Mankind has sped it up, but even if the most radical environmentalist had their way it will only delay it a generation or 3. Those who claim they wish to “save the planet” must finally admit that the end of the human animal will save the planet. As George Carlin said for all we know the only reason humans evolved was because the planet wanted plastic.
Simon_Jester about 10 years ago
We’ll know the oceans are REALLY in trouble when the right-wing radio pundits start calling it, a ‘liberal hoax’
emptc12 about 10 years ago
Read this article for a map with how North America might have looked 77 million years ago..http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/05/utah-dinosaurs/miller-text
Dtroutma about 10 years ago
Again: excuses, and profits, aren’t the answer, rational efforts to restrict further damage is essential, and affordable, they just mean reduced profits, and that’s too much for the “industrialists” (including fisheries, chemical companies, car companies, plastics, and others). We CAN do a better job, and it agreements, enforced, and not just “conferences” without teeth, that will get us started.
lectricdude about 10 years ago
…millions of years ago there was no USA…
moosemin about 10 years ago
What will it take to get our legislators and presidents to do their jobs? Not just on environmental issues, but financial, social, economic and equality problems. Record voter turnout? Mass demonstrations? General national strike?Although rich families and businesses have always cozied up to our political leaders, today the situation is out of all proportion. They listen ONLY to those who finance their campaigns to help them keep their jobs. As the new American Aristocracy, the top 1% and those in State and National office have developed an utter contempt for the working American.
What will it take??