What happened in England was Horrible, rain not seen in nearly 250 yrs. And indeed all over the Northern Hemisphere there were temperatures and conditions not seen before in modern history. From Ice storms in Georgia US, to warmer weather in Alaska.
There has been some contentious debate about the role of Arctic Sea Loss and the meandering jet stream in relation to these events. How could we think that the loss of so much ice would not have a profound effect on the climate?
Can I suggest we need to start being careful with how we say things? (and the media fails very much as is shown by the 250 year thing).
Are we saying that 250 years ago there was actually more rain? Or are we saying that the current rainfall is unprecedented within the historical record? (which is a very different thing)
Anyway I for one am rather glad to see climate change impacts hitting the UK and US - two nations with massive historic culpability and still plenty of current role to play. Only by letting those most responsible for creating and continuing the problem taste the fruits of their actions can we have even the slightest hope of action.
Horrible? Perhaps for some - but compared to what has already been happening in various other parts of the world... trivial so far.
ccg
I was quoting news articles and cris r. I believe when I posted that remark, which was made in a historical sense. In that this was unprecedented in the last 250 years.
The loss of property or human life is a universal loss no matter where it occurs, just my feelings anyway.
It's difficult for me to see this as a blame thing....that said, most folks in the US live like kings or are under the allusion the we do. That is one of the most profound things I learned when I was out sailing.
Most of my time out in the world was spent in third world countries....people are poor in a economical sense but in a human sense many parts of the third world are rich in many ways not considered in the western world. Family values and human interaction are deeply intertwined in some areas that are, in western terms very poor. People who lack personal transportation (cars) or bikes or horses or shoes for that matter would gather every Sunday morning....everyone from the whole area, hundreds of families with all of their children, in the town square to share a "pot luck" meal and show off their childrens best clothing, with local musicians providing music for the children to dance and share a festive moment.
For me it added a sense of what was important and what was real, the importance of possessions and social standings were not a part of the fabric of human existence. It was about food and water, sharing and helping, being involved with ones neighbors, contributing to a common goal of providing assistance to whoever within the community needed it.
I witnessed this time and time again from central America to Africa the theme was the same..it was a contented life and a better life or the hope of a better life for their children. Folks were not striving for "more" but for enough, for everyone.
When I traveled it was at face value, their were no rental cars or hotels or eating out...I was on a strict budget and a damn slim one at that. I bought a 35 yr old S/V and worked on it for two years, everyday. I bought a book on sail design and a book on sail construction and a 50 year old Singer sewing machine and made mu own sails. I've had a love affair with the planet for the last 40 yrs only to stop by here, driven by my concerns over the unmitigated pollution of the planets Oceans only to find out that we, the inhabitants of this world are in the process of making it unlivable for everyone.
Sorry about my untimely response....
Best,
Bligh
