Climate Change
Feb. 2nd, 2006 09:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hmmm_teaAs I said earlier, went to the Dana Centre for a talk on Climate Change. Was actually well balanced rather than some of the talks on this can be.
Was interested by the fact that the vast majority in the poll said it's more important to adapt to climate change than to minimise it. OK, even if it is inevitable, I still strongly disagree with you!
Human beings are insignificant in the whole grand scheme of things, there are other lives, etc on the planet too. Why do we always take priority? Is it just some inate selfishness within the species (as I suppose other species are too). Surely it must be our responsibility to minimise the damage we do to the ecosystem regardless of the effect it has on us as a population.
However, we all know that won't happen. What will happen is the richer 1st world nations will adapt easily, the poorer 3rd world nations will suffer greatly and the real loser will be the rest of the planet.
Was interested by the fact that the vast majority in the poll said it's more important to adapt to climate change than to minimise it. OK, even if it is inevitable, I still strongly disagree with you!
Human beings are insignificant in the whole grand scheme of things, there are other lives, etc on the planet too. Why do we always take priority? Is it just some inate selfishness within the species (as I suppose other species are too). Surely it must be our responsibility to minimise the damage we do to the ecosystem regardless of the effect it has on us as a population.
However, we all know that won't happen. What will happen is the richer 1st world nations will adapt easily, the poorer 3rd world nations will suffer greatly and the real loser will be the rest of the planet.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 09:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 09:45 pm (UTC)No, I wanted to know what was more important to people and knew if I gave the option of both you'd just sit on the fence.
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Date: 2006-02-02 10:19 pm (UTC)My reasoning was "adapt to what's inevitable now, while working to decrease the problem for the future." Doesn't feel like fence-sitting.
If my local climate has changed to the point that I have to plant a different type of tomato, I can still write my representative to beg for reduced greenhouse gases.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 10:19 pm (UTC)My reasoning was "adapt to what's inevitable now, while working to decrease the problem for the future." Doesn't feel like fence-sitting.
If my local climate has changed to the point that I have to plant a different type of tomato, I can still write my representative to beg for reduced greenhouse gases.
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Date: 2006-02-02 10:29 pm (UTC)*big sigh of relief at not being stalked*
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Date: 2006-02-02 10:34 pm (UTC)(falls down on linoleum floor in the middle of supermarket, drums heels on ground, makes the supermarket manager come over and ask mother if help is needed, squalls)
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Date: 2006-02-02 10:52 pm (UTC)We'd all like a bit of both, but I was just trying to ascertain which was more important to people.
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Date: 2006-02-02 11:40 pm (UTC)Fixing it is more important, unquestionably. However, in the meantime, while fixing it, we have current effects with which we'll have to deal (e.g., my hypothetical tomatoes*).
Does that untangle things?
____
*hypothetical these days only because our ground seems to be infected with wilt/rot/etc.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 09:55 pm (UTC)See that's assuming all of the changes are bad and our fault. The world as one gigantic ecosystem goes through these huge climate changes and somehow life survives. Where does it say it's our job to mess with that and how would we even know we were helping rather than harming?
Though I'd have fence sat if you'd allowed it.
*makes note to actually get to the Dana Centre eventually*
no subject
Date: 2006-02-02 10:02 pm (UTC)What I'm saying is minimising the things we do that have a major impact on the ecosystem in this way. Not reversing other factors do other things. Yes, the ecosystem will change naturally, but my point is humans seem intent that this should be in a way that is most ideal for human life. Why should that be the case?
Do go to the Dana Centre...