Let's be serious
Have you heard about the expedition that just came back from the North Pole?
Last week, a crew of 250 scientists from different countries all over the planet came back from a 4-year expedition whose goal was to study the effects of climate change on the North Pole. Their conclusions confirmed that, not only is global warming a fact, but it is happening at an ever faster rate than thought previously. The effects on life in this part of the globe will be major, which will entail drastic changes in our ecosystem.
For example:
- The polar ice cap should melt within the next 50 years and become only seasonal
- The polar bears should become instinct
- The local population's traditional food resources will be considerably affected
- Transportation for this population will get ever more complicated because of the thawing of the soil.
On the other hand, some people are now starting to talk about positive effects that the thawing of glaciers will have on maritime transportation. Many maritime companies see in this the potential of a new route that would shorten by thousands of kilometres some of the present itineraries, thus saving them millions of dollars. But the polar ecosystem being one of the most fragile on the planet, it would greatly endanger its balance.
And the effects would not be only felt around the poles. In fact, the rise of the oceans' levels would inundate millions of square kilometres of land. From Florida to Bangladesh, from the Caribbean to Louisiana, from London to the Netherlands, millions of people will have to be relocated.
On top of that, global warming will have many more effects such as:
- A rise in the number of droughts;
- A rise in floods;
- More and more tornadoes, typhoons, etc;
- Bigger than ever forest fires;
- Millions of people confronted to famine due to the effect of natural disaster on the harvests around the world, etc.
When I hear columnists say that the ecologists and scientists are being bad omens predicting dark times for the planet and start questioning the reality of global warming, I can only answer this: There has been 3 times as many "natural" catastrophes in the nineties as there was in the previous decade, which amounts to fifteen times that of the fifties and this number will only grow.
I invite you to take a look at the findings of this scientific expedition. You may consult one of their Websites at www.wwf.ca
Depressing?
Do you find me depressing when I talk about that? Do you suddenly feel the need to look elsewhere? To go for a walk, turn on the TV or go get drunk? If this is the case, I can tell you right now that it is for a very simple reason, you have a heart. It means that, like me, you do get fed up of watching your neighbour watering his driveway to make his pride grow, or to find myself besides the guy in the Hummer, the vehicle that's living proof that you don't have to be intelligent to have money, or to watch the amazing quantity of people that leave their car running while they have breakfast or go shopping in any weather. (If you don't believe me, come to see me, I will introduce you to my stepfather...)
Have you heard about the expedition that just came back from the North Pole?
Last week, a crew of 250 scientists from different countries all over the planet came back from a 4-year expedition whose goal was to study the effects of climate change on the North Pole. Their conclusions confirmed that, not only is global warming a fact, but it is happening at an ever faster rate than thought previously. The effects on life in this part of the globe will be major, which will entail drastic changes in our ecosystem.
For example:
- The polar ice cap should melt within the next 50 years and become only seasonal
- The polar bears should become instinct
- The local population's traditional food resources will be considerably affected
- Transportation for this population will get ever more complicated because of the thawing of the soil.
On the other hand, some people are now starting to talk about positive effects that the thawing of glaciers will have on maritime transportation. Many maritime companies see in this the potential of a new route that would shorten by thousands of kilometres some of the present itineraries, thus saving them millions of dollars. But the polar ecosystem being one of the most fragile on the planet, it would greatly endanger its balance.
And the effects would not be only felt around the poles. In fact, the rise of the oceans' levels would inundate millions of square kilometres of land. From Florida to Bangladesh, from the Caribbean to Louisiana, from London to the Netherlands, millions of people will have to be relocated.
On top of that, global warming will have many more effects such as:
- A rise in the number of droughts;
- A rise in floods;
- More and more tornadoes, typhoons, etc;
- Bigger than ever forest fires;
- Millions of people confronted to famine due to the effect of natural disaster on the harvests around the world, etc.
When I hear columnists say that the ecologists and scientists are being bad omens predicting dark times for the planet and start questioning the reality of global warming, I can only answer this: There has been 3 times as many "natural" catastrophes in the nineties as there was in the previous decade, which amounts to fifteen times that of the fifties and this number will only grow.
I invite you to take a look at the findings of this scientific expedition. You may consult one of their Websites at www.wwf.ca
Depressing?
Do you find me depressing when I talk about that? Do you suddenly feel the need to look elsewhere? To go for a walk, turn on the TV or go get drunk? If this is the case, I can tell you right now that it is for a very simple reason, you have a heart. It means that, like me, you do get fed up of watching your neighbour watering his driveway to make his pride grow, or to find myself besides the guy in the Hummer, the vehicle that's living proof that you don't have to be intelligent to have money, or to watch the amazing quantity of people that leave their car running while they have breakfast or go shopping in any weather. (If you don't believe me, come to see me, I will introduce you to my stepfather...)