What are the things in life that you're truly passionate about?
Submitted by Jess.
From now and for the foreseeable future, Climate Crisis and Atheism.
Is it economic to be green?
After the Stern Review was released last week (more analysis here), BBC News message board is asking readers whether they are willing to pay green taxes. After reading a fair amount of the comments (~5 pages worth) I was dismayed that many BBC readers either think the review is just another British government way to tax the population, or climax changes are not scientifically proven, or worse still, admitted defeat because the small nation of Britain can't change the global climate so let's carry on as normal.
For the sceptics, why do they constantly asking for proofs? Does the IPCC reports proof enough? No. Do all the thousands of scientific papers on the subject enough? Apparently not either. I think it is because climate science (just like any science, really) is complex and the answers to any complex questions will inherently complex. But yet, most people are looking for the simple answer to ever more complex questions, in life or in anything.
As for those who don't want to pay the green taxes. They are the very same group of people that make me leave that country without regret. They want the best of both worlds, they want the cake and eat it. They complain about how bad the NHS is but yet don't want to pay the tax increase needed to modernize and reorganize the NHS. They just want their free health care. They complain about the state of the education system but yet do not want to pay tax that would raise teachers salaries or increase number of teachers. And with the green tax, apparently taxing the people who drive SUV/4×4 to deliver their kids to school is not right because their big car is 'essential' to their life.
Does having a conscious play no part in their decision making? Do we need the intervention of the Vatican church (or any religions for that matter) before the majority of the Earth's population will take notice? As much as I dislike religion as an organized movement, if that's what it will take to avert the upcoming climate crisis I am all for it.
The Truth Hurts – Part II
So An Inconvenient Truth is opening this weekend in U.K. The only thing I'll write about this time is a quote from the BBC Online review:
"In 39 years, I have never written these words in a
movie review, but here they are: you owe it to yourself to see this
film," wrote Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times.
"If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to."
The Truth Hurts
Leah and I watched the An Inconvenient Truth on 4th of July with a couple of friends. It was both nothing new and revelation to me. Nothing
new because all the facts Al Gore presents in the movie, I've
previously read in New Scientist
over the course of perhaps a decade. Revelation because having Al Gore
summarised all the facts and evidences in a coherent argument brings a
much greater impact than each individual items.
Definitely a must see movie of this decade, along side Syriana, and Fahrenheit 9/11.
As for how carbon neutral we are, using the Carbon Calculator,
Leah and I are both emitting less than the national average (9900 for
me, 13000 for Leah, US national average is 15000 pound/year). This is
still much higher than I thought we are emitting, taking into account
of us not owning a car and having a very small electricity bills. The
majority of our emission is from the trans-Atlantic flights that we
take to UK every year. I guess we just have to cut down our European
visit in the name of saving the planet!
Lost in Colonisation 