Arctic Methane: Why The Sea Ice Matters

5 Comments on "Arctic Methane: Why The Sea Ice Matters"

GregT on Wed, 3rd Apr 2013 1:00 am 



Over the last four days, we had temperatures in the Pacific Northwest that reached 25* C. Normal temperatures for this time of year, are 12* C. We don’t usually reach these temperatures until June. Climate change is here to stay. Our world is about to get a whole lot less hospitable.

Now would be a good time to learn how to grow a garden.

GregT on Wed, 3rd Apr 2013 1:27 am 



Oh, and furthermore, if we don’t stop dumping more CO2 into the atmosphere, there are many in the scientific community that believe that total extinction in the Northern Hemisphere could occur by 2037. For those not well versed in arithmetic, that would be in 24 years.

So, maybe NOW, would be a smart time to completely shut down, modern, industrial, society.

Oldmusher on Wed, 3rd Apr 2013 2:41 am 



When (not “if”) the current warming of the arctic reaches the ultimate tipping point growing a garden will not help. Humans are social animals. They need other humans to be able to survive. A large die off of the world’s population resulting from runaway climate warming would enormously destabilize human infrastructures and devastate our ability to survive as a specie. We will not simply revert to a more simple lifestyle and economy, because, in part, we have destroyed the foundations for subsistence living. I spent a goodly part of my life living with and studying subsistence-based cultures. Returning to such a status would take centuries just to reacquire the necessary skills and for the environment to recover to some semblance of a natural condition. We will not have the luxury of time to accomplish it.

BillT on Wed, 3rd Apr 2013 4:36 am 



Oldmusher, you are so right. I do not know ANYONE in my family or group of friends that could exist on their own even in an unspoiled world. I would have a difficult time as I am 68 but I do have most of the skills and knowledge. I hope to pass it on to my grand kids before I go, but even then, they have so little to work with in the way of resources.

GregT on Wed, 3rd Apr 2013 5:17 am 



I also have the skills, knowledge, tools, location, and community. My biggest concerns are radioactive contamination in the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima, ocean acidification, and Climate Change.

I am still hopeful that we will get our act together before CC completely runs away, but my outlook is becoming more pessimistic as time goes on. The oceans aren’t looking very promising anymore either. I’m still sticking to my plan though, if anyone makes it through this, my kids will. If not, we gave it our best shot.