ROOT CAUSE
The End of times
Copyright 2006 Chuck Klein
Global Warming (greenhouse gases from the consumption of fossil fuels) and Global Dimming (air-borne particles produced by consumption of fossil fuels) are rapidly destroying the atmosphere and, in turn, the earth. The scientists, politicians, the politically-correct and even the politically-incorrect all are on the same page of reduce/control consumption of fossil fuels and all will be okay.
In addition, Al Gore has been snookered into championing this mantra, even going so far as to produce an 80 minute movie, An Inconvenient Truth..jpg)
It shows graphic pictures of melting ice caps and what Florida, Calcutta and chunks of New York will look like when flooded by the rising seas. I don't doubt these scenarios will occur, just that reducing consumption/limiting pollutants of fossil fuels - WITHOUT - addressing the ROOT CAUSE of our dire global straits will not save us.
In addition to the Global Warming/Dimming issue Mr. Gore and company fail to take into account other factors that are just as significant: water pollution, depletion of fish in the ocean and soil/forrest destruction to name a few. The right-wingers have joined the hand-wringers by refusing to acknowledge - for fear of being labeled a racist, Nazi, murderer or war-monger - the ROOT CAUSE - the real "Inconvenient Truth" to this problem: OVER POPULATION. There are just too many people creating too much pollution and consuming too many indigenous plants and animals on this tiny planet. Call me what you want, but if we don't reduce the population of the earth to pre 1900 levels, or lower, all is lost. We can either voluntarily (war/genocide) lower our level of polluters/consumers or mother nature will surely do it for us. And, if we kill Mom - not even the animals will be left.
Nothing sums up my thoughts better than a poem by Megan Wisnieski (World of Poetry Press c.1980):
Everyone came to her funeral - it was quite an outstanding affair . . . Politicians and wealthy industrialist, even the whalers were there.
Congress delivered her eulogy In glorious resonant tones While the creatures of woodlands and forest Wept over her moldering bones.
Everyone cried at her funeral, Though no one remembered her birth. . . Even those who had treated her badly And helped to destroy Mother Earth.
She had finally succumbed to her children Who had tortured her oceans and seas. . . Filled her ponds and streams with acid And poisoned her warm summer breeze.
Yes, everyone came to her funeral. They wept, and quite justly so - For the children of earth left the funeral Wondering where they would go.