Comments on: Environmentalism and ‘breathing underwater’ http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/ Temporarily Torontonian Sun, 12 Feb 2012 08:01:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-82008 Milan Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:56:42 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-82008 I don't think participating in a Greenpeace photo op makes you a 'militant' environmentalist. I don’t think participating in a Greenpeace photo op makes you a ‘militant’ environmentalist.

]]> By: oleh http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-82006 oleh Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:50:47 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-82006 Co-incidentally I read the article last night in the Walrus before reading your blog. I found the progression of one of the leading figures interesting. He proceeded from being a recreational scuba diver to the world's leading authority on the Great Barrier Reef to a militant environmentalist. I also found the article interesting in the places that are covered including the Alberta oil patch. I can also recommend the article, although I found the writing style verbose. I can also recommend the Walrus , a monthly Canadian periodical, which is a buffet of various social, political, cultural and environmental issues. I generally read in cover to cover. Co-incidentally I read the article last night in the Walrus before reading your blog. I found the progression of one of the leading figures interesting. He proceeded from being a recreational scuba diver to the world’s leading authority on the Great Barrier Reef to a militant environmentalist.

I also found the article interesting in the places that are covered including the Alberta oil patch.

I can also recommend the article, although I found the writing style verbose.

I can also recommend the Walrus , a monthly Canadian periodical, which is a buffet of various social, political, cultural and environmental issues. I generally read in cover to cover.

]]> By: . http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-82001 . Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:22:21 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-82001 <a href="http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-22-scientists-identify-safe-operating-space-for-humanity-nature/" rel="nofollow">Scientists identify “safe operating space for humanity” in seminal Nature study</a> Now scientists have taken a first step toward creating just such a manual. In the latest issue of Nature is a groundbreaking new paper called “Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humanity.” In it, a team of 28 scientists has identified 10 separate biophysical systems crucial to humanity’s flourishing; for each system they have identified a “safe operating boundary” within which humanity must remain if it wishes to maintain the basic environmental conditions in which it evolved. Scientists identify “safe operating space for humanity” in seminal Nature study

Now scientists have taken a first step toward creating just such a manual. In the latest issue of Nature is a groundbreaking new paper called “Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operating Space for Humanity.” In it, a team of 28 scientists has identified 10 separate biophysical systems crucial to humanity’s flourishing; for each system they have identified a “safe operating boundary” within which humanity must remain if it wishes to maintain the basic environmental conditions in which it evolved.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81996 Milan Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:23:36 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81996 As for Bangladesh, it seems fair to say that the powerful nations of the world have already written them off, along with small island states, coral reefs, and polar bears. We aren't taking actions consistent with preventing dangerous climate change in places that have a lot of resilience, such as much of Canada or New Zealand. If we wanted to prevent such change in especially fragile environments, we would need to be doing a whole lot more. As for Bangladesh, it seems fair to say that the powerful nations of the world have already written them off, along with small island states, coral reefs, and polar bears.

We aren’t taking actions consistent with preventing dangerous climate change in places that have a lot of resilience, such as much of Canada or New Zealand. If we wanted to prevent such change in especially fragile environments, we would need to be doing a whole lot more.

]]> By: Tristan http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81988 Tristan Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:31:34 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81988 The Icelandic Norse probably could have started eating fish. But, it was against their values. In a certain sense, mitigating climate change is against our values. The Icelandic Norse probably could have started eating fish. But, it was against their values. In a certain sense, mitigating climate change is against our values.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81984 Milan Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:07:00 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81984 This is <a href="http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/11/unimpressed-with-humanity/#comment-81433" rel="nofollow">a pretty good list of reasons why</a>. This is a pretty good list of reasons why.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81983 Milan Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:06:21 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81983 There is a prisoner’s dilemma here, or would be if enough people became seriously concerned about climate change. In most cases, the kind of actions you can take to improve your personal odds of surviving in difficult future conditions are the kind of actions that, if taken by everybody, will help to bring those conditions about. Getting rich requires economic growth, at least if lots of people want to do it, and nobody has successfully decoupled such growth from GHG emissions yet. There are far too many of us to go back to a pre-Industrial agrarian society. We either need to find a way to remain capable of running the essential elements of the global society without fossil fuels, or begin planning for collapse. The maddening thing is that the former option wouldn't even be all that difficult. By devoting a modest portion of our current means to building huge solar and wind farms, as well as biomass facilities, (probably) nuclear plants, and other low-carbon sources of energy, we could shift the energy basis of our society to a sustainable footing, probably in time to prevent catastrophic climate change. The odds are just, unfortunately, stacked against that happening. There is a prisoner’s dilemma here, or would be if enough people became seriously concerned about climate change. In most cases, the kind of actions you can take to improve your personal odds of surviving in difficult future conditions are the kind of actions that, if taken by everybody, will help to bring those conditions about. Getting rich requires economic growth, at least if lots of people want to do it, and nobody has successfully decoupled such growth from GHG emissions yet.

There are far too many of us to go back to a pre-Industrial agrarian society. We either need to find a way to remain capable of running the essential elements of the global society without fossil fuels, or begin planning for collapse. The maddening thing is that the former option wouldn’t even be all that difficult. By devoting a modest portion of our current means to building huge solar and wind farms, as well as biomass facilities, (probably) nuclear plants, and other low-carbon sources of energy, we could shift the energy basis of our society to a sustainable footing, probably in time to prevent catastrophic climate change. The odds are just, unfortunately, stacked against that happening.

]]> By: . http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81981 . Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:51:27 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81981 <a href="http://www.sindark.com/2008/03/18/cooperation-tipping-points/" rel="nofollow">Cooperation tipping points?</a> March 18, 2008 Cooperation tipping points?
March 18, 2008

]]> By: ann http://www.sindark.com/2009/09/23/environmentalism-and-breathing-underwater/#comment-81978 ann Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:42:58 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/?p=6406#comment-81978 I think this article is fascinating but it also maddens me. Those who will be able to be "resilient" and flourish while "breathing underwater" will also need to be rich enough to afford the required gear. Its an unavoidable consequence that this article is silent on. And it would nudge some readers past the cooperation tipping point (other article of Milan's) into getting as rich as possible to survive the new regime. Not my idea of fun. Anyone want to donate 'scuba gear' to thousands of Bangladeshi? I think this article is fascinating but it also maddens me. Those who will be able to be “resilient” and flourish while “breathing underwater” will also need to be rich enough to afford the required gear. Its an unavoidable consequence that this article is silent on. And it would nudge some readers past the cooperation tipping point (other article of Milan’s) into getting as rich as possible to survive the new regime. Not my idea of fun.

Anyone want to donate ‘scuba gear’ to thousands of Bangladeshi?

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