Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on July 29, 2012 at 2:13pm

I didn't know the key players - thanks Ruth.

Permalink Reply by James M. Martin on July 29, 2012 at 10:23pm

The Chinese and even Indians share much of the blame, too.

Permalink Reply by Ian Mason on August 5, 2012 at 11:56am

A great video, Ruth. Thanks for posting.

Permalink Reply by Chris G on August 10, 2012 at 12:41pm

Thanks Ruth.

The Climate Denial Crock of the Week is always interesting. Check out their reports about wind and solar power.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on August 26, 2012 at 10:41pm

Will check out that link Chris. Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 25, 2012 at 8:44pm

Duane Elgin touches on what's missing in my discourse about Climate Destabilization. My language fails to convey adequate moral outrage. I never was good at ridicule or sarcasm, but he makes a case for them.

Global Warming and Carbon Dioxide Ethics

Humanity is converting the Earth into a gas chamber by pouring lethal amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Within a matter of decades, vast areas of the Earth are expected to no longer support human habitation or the plants and animals that have lived there for millennia.

What are the ethics of irretrievably mutilating an entire planet? When will humanity express its moral outrage that it is wrong to devastate an entire planet for countless generations to come, just to satisfy the consumer desires of a fraction of humanity for a single lifetime?

This generation of humans is committing "eco-cide" or the murder of the Earth's environment.This means we are committing more than an unimaginable crime against future generations of humans: We are committing the murder of a large portion of the Earth's biosphere with all of her animals and plants.

This is runaway insanity!

What words are adequate to awaken ourselves? What is the expression of moral outrage that is equal to our suicidal destruction of the biosphere? Perhaps the penetrating language of Frederick Douglascan break through our malaise.

"At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. O! Had I the ability, and could reach the nation's ear, I would today, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused..."-- Frederick Douglass

...-- an "Earth Voice" movement that mobilizes the voice and conscience of the world's citizens through the global communications revolution. With new stories of our time of great transition supported by new tools of mass communication, we can cultivate a new level of collective consciousness that can transform our path of creating a gas chamber Earth into a path of sustainable prosperity. [emphasis mine]

Perhaps our tiny Atheist Nexus backwater of the internet will connect at some point with his new level of collective consciousness for sustainability. Meanwhile, though I'm not skilled at ridicule, I can encourage others to use it.

Permalink Reply by Chris G on August 26, 2012 at 7:00am

Every war the U.S. has been involved in since Bosnia has been poisoned with depleted uranium. That may take longer to dissipate than the climate damage being inflicted.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on August 26, 2012 at 10:26pm

I agree that depleted uranium is an important way we're poisoning our planet, but so far it's been relatively localized compared to ocean acidification, for example. Still, among the horrors we bequeath to our descendents.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on October 6, 2012 at 4:24pm

A video about Shell's hypocracy, contrasting their stated values in song with the destruction they visited in the Niger Delta over an area half as large as Florida.

Shell - We Are All Winners (except the Niger Delta) from Jantine Baasen on Vimeo.

Permalink Reply by booklover on October 7, 2012 at 11:50am

Fewer humans would help!