Climate Change is Real, but not in our Reality Show Presidency.

There are two approaches to climate change; both emulate the ostrich in many ways. The first approach looks at the problem and attempts to mitigate our self inflicted climate wounds by placing Band-Aids over the bloodier parts and hoping the earth does not bleed out before we either die of natural causes, or we can garner equal amounts of income from the problem and our solutions. The second approach is more radical and requires some sacrifices, this is the “get rid of it” approach where a clear and present danger has already shown us how violent the game has become. Violent storms randomly strewn across all continents, air so poisoned we cannot breathe it without masks are not symptoms you can ignore.

The little that gets done in the face of an almost overwhelming wall of money is quite heroic. But they are band aids on a hemorrhage and should be seen as just enough to salve our consciences, not effective solutions. I hear of electric cars with rechargeable batteries that are fed off the grid, a grid that is still the last bastion of coal which is still one of the clearest culprits in climate change. Hybrids proliferate, and that is a good thing because the Prius effect allows us to think that we are striking a mighty blow for clean air and dying polar bears, with a fly swatter.

I hate to point a finger, but I am pointing at other parts of the world, Europe, which spearheaded the Kyoto agreement and the Paris accords, has long been behind a systematic and incremental movement to reduce the carbon load on our planet, and yet? They themselves are the first to admit “too little and maybe too late”. The position in Brussels is simple; every gallon of gas, every drop of diesel, every toxic chemical must be scrutinized and questioned. Every calorie, every lumen, every smokestack must be explained and asked to do more with less. China is getting on that bandwagon as we speak, and a good thing too because they are still the world leader in coal consumption. Other countries are not as committed, yet!!

The solution is not drastic change but the slow replacement of existing sources by renewable energy sources, gas and diesel have perfectly adequate less polluting options and more come on line every day fueled by the allure of big bucks already contaminated by oil, coal and nuclear power.

So the next time you see Don Steinke pushing climate change, give him a hand, when that annoying do gooder from the sierra Club asks for a signature, and be gracious for it is a small effort compared to the one required to save one of the best planets in the Universe, my planet, our universe.