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Sacredstar

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24 January 2005


We know that the world is heating up. We know that mankind's reckless use of fossil fuels is responsible. But just how hot does it need to get before some of the terrible consequences of global warming - rising sea levels, droughts, agricultural failure - manifest themselves? An international report, released tomorrow, argues that the world could reach that "danger" temperature in as little as 10 years' time. We ignore these warnings at our peril. This report confirms that tackling climate change is not something we can defer. It requires an immediate response. Otherwise, we will reap the dire consequences within our own lifetimes.

Article Length: 102 words (approx.)


http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/story.jsp?story=603914

Do you take climate change and its real consequences seriously?

being love

Sacredstar
 
Unfortunate that it's a paid article - hopefully will get more info from other media sources later.

Ultimately, though, we've had the warnings for decades. Warnings on CO2 levels have been about since the 1970's, though it was Global Cooling then. Politicians would rather see short term gain over long-term losses, and at the end of the day, the poorer will always lose most.
 
New Zealand spent a lot of money switching over to natural gas.. but now they are independent of oil trade.. they had none of their own and rather than spend billions to other people for that necessity they proved themselves smarter than most. We've had models for cars that run on solar energy and we have hybrid cars then use gas and electricity. It would be nice if they would think about long term consequences rather than short term money in the pocket :(
 
Long term consequences are important to think about maybe, but for most of us, there has to be a happy medium-it doesn't matter how energy efficient my house or car is if I can't afford to pay for it. There must be a way to balance cost with benefits, and, sadly, I don't see that happening in the near future-there are too many political considerations that come to the foreground where such issues are concerned.
 
well I feel we are running out of time now and running against the clock....
 
Maybe, but it would be unrealistic to try to force people to buy fuel efficient cars and homes and recycle when they are barely getting by. The problem starts from the tip of the pyramid, with people who have much to gain by this vicious cycle. All the wrong people are motivated to do something about the environment, and most people are trying to survive right now as is. It would be very difficult to try to convince someone who can't feed his family that he should be concerned about the impact of an iceberg melting thousands of miles away.

And, eventually, ev
Even if it is billions of years down the line, the planet will die-nothing we do will be able to prevent it, even if we still exist as a species by that time, which is doubtful given our current circumstances:rolleyes:. Entropy always wins, and we all have to die of something. Though that might sound fatalistic or pessimistic, there's no getting around the fact that whatever we do to protect what is here is solely for our own interests-and for some, that is only as significant as it is directly profitable to them, personally. They will have no qualms with letting half the world rot off if they are can get some advantage and leverage from it doing so, and they are safe for the duration of their lives ...Right or wrong, that's how the world has been set up for us.
 
Namaste all,


what is interesting in the whole global warming discussion, in my view, is geology.

you see... when we explore geology, one of the neat things that we learn about is the strata, or layers, of rocks that one may see exposed on a hillside, say, where a road has been blasted through a mountain.

in any event, we can take those layers of sediment or rock and analyze them to discover all manner of interesting things, from fossils to minerals which aren't found on earth.

one of the things that we can also tell is that the earth has gone though periods of warming and cooling. this is it's natural cycle. from a stricly geological perspective, we are still coming *out* of the last ice age, so naturally the earth should be warming up and, soon enough, geologically speaking, it will begin to cool down again.

one wonders if, at that time, there will be a large outcry to start burning more fossil fuels.
 
Yes I agree the planet as its natural cycles but never before have frogs died off during any of them. Frogs have lived in the rainforests for 200 million years and now due to the reduction of the rainforests and our natural eco-system the planet is out of balance it seems, not much to do with fossil fuels more to do with destroying the means for the lifeforce to maintain the eco-system.

being love

Sacredstar
 
Here's a link

21 October 2004 :  03:58:26 AM              
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Rainforest frogs: vanishing act? Frog populations around the world are dying off mysteriously. Can scientists save them—before it's too late? - Aphibians/Ecology March 10, 2002


Science World

Frogs have existed on Earth for nearly 200 million years. "That's a pretty impressive amount of time to be around," says Coven "We can only hope they hang on through whatever this is."

http://www.snakeinformation.com/snakes/siparticles/snakes/snakes-article-466.html
 
Namaste Sacredstar,


thank you for the post and the link.

according to the site, here are the various theories for what is happening with frogs:

* Habitat destruction. "Dart-poison flogs deposit tadpoles in water-holding plants," says Jack Cover, general curator of fishes and rainforest exhibits at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. "Clearcut the forest and the flogs lose the tools they need to reproduce."

* Pollution and climate change. A frog's skin is porous, riddled with tiny holes that easily absorb pollutants in air and water. For that reason they're called indicator species: Their health may mirror the well-being of the planet. Strong evidence suggests Earth's climate is warming, and at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica, biologist Alan Pounds has witnessed 20 of 40 frog species disappear from a 30-square-km (11.58-sq-mi) study area since 1989. Weather data suggests that global warming has caused clouds to shift upward, decreasing the amount of mist in the cloud forest--which impacts frogs' ability to thrive.

As ectotherms, frogs' body temperatures depend on surrounding temperatures. And many rainforest frogs are specialized to survive in specific habitat niches (places). Even slight changes in temperature or moisture disrupt their life cycle.

* Disease. Some biologists believe that a global disease-causing fungus (plant with no leaves, flowers, or roots) may rival habitat destruction as the largest single cause of amphibian population declines.


from what i can tell, they haven't performed enough experiments to determine which one or combination of theories, may account for their observations at this time.
 
Dear Vajradhara

Yes they have a few theories but they still cannot explain why frogs are dying on mass mysteriously for the first time in 200 million years, I find this news very disturbing in respect of the planet's eco-system.

Lets hope and pray that humanity survives the current earth changes and turbalent end times.

Blessings in abundance

Sacredstar
 
well I feel we are running out of time now and running against the clock....
Click to expand...
Not being cute not down playing the seriousness at all its been an unsually nice warm winter here I havent seen snow deep enough to sled on since I was a small child.

What and whos time are we running against ?
Ice caps melt melt rising temp of the ocean weakens titanic plates earthquakes result tsnamia's Volcanos Hurricanes Tornados all these worsen in frequency and severity.
and the list goes on and on and on

jeremiah 12:11 They Have made it desolate and being desolate it mourneth unto me: the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

Someone Give me an answer or I am going to go hug all the trees on my property goodbye.

No really "I saw a new heaven and a new earth" we have hope I am not ready to give up yet. We ran out of time to save this old rock long ago.
And like an old car that just wont run its about due for an overhaul

If I am wrong well I am on the same ride you are we will get off at the same stop
 
Dear Basstian

Love heals the world
but compassionate action changes it.
You can love your car but you will not get a new one unless you change it.

And so there will be more disasters and more wake up calls until humanity changes its ways. The roots of the tree of life are rotting with selfishness and the roots of that tree will be pulled out so that a new tree can take root and blossom.

Let us be that new tree, let us encourage others to take action and create ecological and sustainable futures for our children and theirs. Eco-villages are a very important aspect for those that survive these end times. The sooner people start realising they need to take action instead of saying it will never happen the better for the survival of humanity.

The point of the sword of truth is to prick the conscience of those that are sleeping or may have their eyes closed.

It is up to us to lead by example and I personally cannot wait for us to find the right land to begin. Many of my spiritual friends are also ready to start building these communities we just lack the finance to get it moving. But I am sure that when it is divine timing all will fall into place.

How about you what are your plans?

Love the earth and it loves us right back.

Sacredstar
 
Sacredstar said:
Dear Vajradhara

Yes they have a few theories but they still cannot explain why frogs are dying on mass mysteriously for the first time in 200 million years, I find this news very disturbing in respect of the planet's eco-system.
Click to expand...
Namaste SacredStar,

thank you for the post.

indeed, which is why we must reserve our judgement on these things until all the relevant data is available. it does not do much for anyone should we go off with only partial information.

equally mysterious is the mass extinction that happened at Cretaceous Period. some scientist types have proposed a theory of a series of mass extinctions and they support it through geological and paletological evidence.

the interested reader is directed to this site for more information on mass extinctions and other events:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/darwin/exfiles/massintro.htm

Lets hope and pray that humanity survives the current earth changes and turbalent end times.

Blessings in abundance

Sacredstar
Click to expand...
Buddhism doesn't have an "end time" aspect to it's teachings, as such, this isn't really much of a concern for us. all compounded things decay. this is true of ants, people, flowers, planets and universes, in our view.

two different paradigms, i suppose :)
 
I think that a concern of ours also are the coral reefs. A whole living organism that works as a filter is dying.
 
It seems to me that we shouldn't really need to shout "Global Warming!" or "Mass Extinctions" (which of course have happened in the past without any help from humans) to realize that it's not a good idea to chop down entire forests or keep pouring toxic chemicals into our environment. However, the sad truth is that any reversal of this now is going to be very painful.

In my professional life I worked on the effects of pollutants on plants and part of the stated goal in our grants was always to try to develop commercially useful plants that better tolerate the pollution. And always deep down inside I was thinking 'Wouldn't it just be better to stop making the pollutants and depleting the ozone layer?' Clearly these things have an adverse affect on our environment. Research can be done ad nauseum to back this up and so put teeth into environmental policy, but we need to be able to make the sacrifices to go along with that. And hey, I'm guilty as charged. I'd go crazy in my suburbia matrix if I couldn't drive my car to get groceries whenever I need them or just to get the kids out of the house.

Sacredstar, I like the idea of eco villages and think it should be applied at a much larger scale. But we need to make a living too and no way will I convince my husband to pull up stakes (again), quit his good job and move to a place where his chances of employment are nil. I'm totally in favor of raising the cost of gasoline in the USA to make the cost reflect not only the production cost but also the environmental cost and use the dollars to develop eco-friendly fuel alternatives. Heck, I'd like it to be mandatory that companies pay every employee a living wage for the neighborhood where they set up shop so people are not forced into long expensive commutes.

My favorite daydreams are about living in smart communities where we can make things more sustainable and friendly to families too.

peace,
lunamoth
 
Dear Vajradhara

You won't be concerned that Buddishm is going be wiped out either then.
Big smiles.

Dear Faithfulservant.

I totally agree.

Love beyond measure

Sacredstar
 
Dear Lunamoth

Thank you for your excellent contribution. Yes eco-communities did you know that there is one in the centre of London.

One of the benefits of living in a eco-village is that it is much more cost effective and energy efficient. You grow your own food and energy is solar powered. One of our local communties on the Essex/Suffolk border was started in 1968 it isn't as eco friendly as the new ones are but it is very cheap to live there. £135 per month for all living and eating costs per person and the children have grown up safe living on 65 acres of unspoilt constable country. Some of the people are self employed in the community and some have ordinary jobs like a bank teller. Everyone does 16 hours shared work in the community.

If anyone is interested in Eco-Living ~ Findhorn in Scotland do a fantastic intensive month long training course backed by UNESCO.

In the days to come many things we take for granted now will become a luxury and the sooner we cut our cloth, the sooner the planet we resume its eco balance. Ultimately we have decide what kind of future we are leaving for our children and their children. At this point it looks quite gloomy but yet I live in hope that humanity will turn the corner and start returning resources back to mother earth who is ailing.

Love beyond measure

Sacredstar
 
Dear Lunamoth

Thank you for your excellent contribution. Yes eco-communities did you know that there is one in the centre of London.

One of the benefits of living in a eco-village is that it is much more cost effective and energy efficient. You grow your own food and energy is solar powered. One of our local communties on the Essex/Suffolk border was started in 1968 it isn't as eco friendly as the new ones are but it is very cheap to live there. £135 per month for all living and eating costs per person (just imagine no bills) and the children have grown up safe living on 65 acres of unspoilt constable country. Some of the people are self employed in the community and some have ordinary jobs like a bank teller. Everyone does 16 hours shared work in the community.

If anyone is interested in Eco-Living ~ Findhorn in Scotland do a fantastic intensive month long training course backed by UNESCO.

In the days to come many things we take for granted now will become a luxury and the sooner we cut our cloth, the sooner the planet will resume its eco balance. Ultimately we have to decide what kind of future we are leaving for our children and their children. At this point it looks quite gloomy but yet I live in hope that humanity will turn the corner and start returning resources back to mother earth who is ailing.

Love beyond measure

Sacredstar
 
Namaste Sacredstar,

thank you for the post.


Sacredstar said:
Dear Vajradhara

You won't be concerned that Buddishm is going be wiped out either then.
Click to expand...
:D that's pretty funny, actually :)

no, of course, no Buddhist could be worried about such a thing. Buddhism is, for want of a better term, a convientent paradigm within which we can practice, however, this particular Turning of the Wheel of Dharma is only to last for 10,000 years, at which point, the Wheel will be turned again.

of course... that's also a bit of a lark since it's only applicable to this blue ball of mud we call earth. the Dharma, itself, is universal and is present in all sentient beings in all three times and ten directions, in the various multiverses where they may exist.

to be frank with you, the "end times" prophets have always seemed a bit histronic to me and, honestly, how hard is it to say that "the earth will end"? that is, of course, a very correct statement.. this compounded object will decay, like all compounded objects do. so.. perhaps, everyone that has said that the earth will end is an "end times" prophet :)
 
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