Cut carbon emissions now, scientists warn

[pscot]

The world is at growing risk of “abrupt, unpredictable and potentially irreversible changes” because of a warming climate, America’s premier scientific society warned on Tuesday.

In a rare intervention into a policy debate, the American Association for the Advancement of Science urged Americans to act swiftly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and lower the risks of leaving a climate catastrophe for future generations.

“As scientists, it is not our role to tell people what they should do,” the AAAS said in a new report, What we know.

“But we consider it our responsibility as professionals to ensure, to the best of our ability, that people understand what we know: human-caused climate change is happening, we face risks of abrupt, unpredictable and potentially irreversible changes, and responding now will lower the risks and costs of taking action.”
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/18/climate-change-world-risk-irreversible-changes-scientists-aaas

[taught_me_patience]

1. I've come to the conclusion that it's impossible

Just look at threads right here on DU about incandescent lightbulbs. So many show up with a million excuses why they cannot switch to florescents, even though they save so much energy. Look at threads about trucks... people have a million reasons why they need to drive a truck that averages 15mpg.

[Auggie]

2. Agree

I'll still do my part to reduce my carbon output, but the game is pretty much over.

[pscot]

3. This post is strictly informational

I don't expect to change anyone's behavior, but folks should know what to expect. We won't stop until it kills a few billion of us. Maybe not then.

[Auggie]

4. Overpopulation … the biggest problem

Alan Weisman, author of "Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?"

[pscot]

5. There's little difference between humans

and lemmings, or rabbits in that regard.

[The2ndWheel]

6. It's not about saving energy

It's about saving money. They don't always go together. The same way healthier food is usually more expensive than the alternative.

All of our efforts to save energy aren't about saving energy. We want to use more energy. We want more people to be able to use more energy. We're not trying to increase the efficiency of whatever so that we use less of it. We really like it, and we want more.

If you get a cheaper alternative to the cheaper alternative that oil and coal have been all these years, then people will use as much of that newer alternative as they can. Which will then in turn increase our footprint on the planet once again. It's like the 1% and money; it's never enough.