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Author Topic: Are We All Going to Bake in Place? Soon?  (Read 2825 times)

Bob Wallace

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Are We All Going to Bake in Place? Soon?
« on: May 14, 2013, 07:42:33 AM »
Several years back when I first paid attention to global warming I initially wrote it off as a measurement problem largely due to urban heat islands.

Then after I read a bit and found that not to be the reason temperatures were increasing I went quickly to the other side and became very concerned about things like sea level rise.  I was worried about my sister's house in Florida going under in the near following years.

With more reading I climbed down off that ladder.  I found myself jerked to and fro over the next few years by someone "who had the real story" and talked a good game.  And then others punched holes in their game balloon.  I needed a reliable climate change warning system.

As much as I dislike some of the the things that the US military has done from time to time, I do believe that they take the job of protecting the country very seriously.  And I think they have a collection of smart people along with access to the best information.  I think if we were close to the edge of the cliff the Joint Chiefs would be telling us in no uncertain terms.

I've decided that as long as the military brass and the world's leading climate science organizations are not jumping up and down and screaming at us, then we've still got time to avoid the worse.

Avoid the worse, he emphasized.

Your red flags may differ....

Whit

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Re: Are We All Going to Bake in Place? Soon?
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2013, 09:14:48 AM »
I think if we were close to the edge of the cliff the Joint Chiefs would be telling us in no uncertain terms.
He may not be the official spokesman for the Joint Chiefs, but Admiral Samuel Locklear seems to be aware that the house is burning. In fact, he considers climate change the greatest security risk of our time. I agree with him.

I have no idea how serious the situation will get the next century or so. But we've started several processes that seems to have the potential for acceleration with feedbacks upon feedbacks. The Arctic is just the starting point, and the transition to where we're going seems more likely to be bumpy than not.

Funny sidenote. The denialists seems to think the admiral is just saying it to get funding ...
Is it progress if a cannibal eats with a fork?

Bob Wallace

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Re: Are We All Going to Bake in Place? Soon?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2013, 03:42:34 PM »
One of the reasons that I use the US military as one of my "we're getting really close to the edge" flaggers is that they were very early in acknowledging climate change and the danger it brings to the US and world.

Not only has the US military acknowledged and warned of the dangers of climate change, they have put a lot of effort into reducing their levels of fossil fuel use.  They've installed a lot of wind and solar and are making major efforts with biofuels.