[Sosfbay-discuss] Latest Column - Morgan Hill Times.

[Wes Rolley]

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/opinion/252310-global-warming-rhetoric-continues


Having the opportunity to write one of the first columns of 2009 is a 
privilege. It gives me the mental stimulus to think seriously about what 
I have to accomplish during the next year. The result is something of a 
list of topics rather than a coherent statement, but at some level it 
should make sense.

I spent much of Sunday moving a pineapple guava from a location where it 
got neither enough sun nor water to produce good fruit. By the time I 
finished, I was wondering why I even started the task. But then I came 
in and ate some roast beef with a pineapple guava chutney and I knew why.

There is nothing quite as good as the food you grow yourself. You know 
it is fresh. You know it is organic. You know it was ripe when picked 
rather than being picked green, shipped halfway across the country and 
allowed to ripen enroute.

My work with the EcoAction Committee of the Green Party this year has 
given me the impetus to spend more time than most on some issues, such 
as global warming. I guess that I was naive about just how much 
disinformation is promulgated by those in office.

One source of much obvious mis-information is Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe 
who is the ranking member of the Senate's Environment and Public Works 
Committee. He continues to proclaim that "More than 650 international 
scientists dissent over man-made global warming claims" even though many 
of the names on that list have publicly demanded that he take their 
names off of it.

In other words, the man has no regard for truth or ethical conduct. It 
is embarrassing that he should have been re-elected.

It is possible that global warming is the most serious problem facing 
the world today. I would certainly put it far ahead of most of what we 
see as news on television.

Yet, we continue to get "on one hand or on the other hand" treatment of 
the issue, as if facts had two hands.

We can choose to act in whatever way we can or we can choose to ignore 
the issue.

We don't have to deal with the consequences now … but our children and 
grandchildren will.

I have also become convinced, mostly by hard facts, that there is not 
necessary antagonism between ecological sustainability and economic 
sustainability.

According to a study published recently by McKinsey Global Institute, 
the net economic cost to stabilize our climate is near zero.

The rhetoric to the contrary is always put forward by those who would 
rather sell you something than fix a problem.

Having gone through all of the above; developing our orchard, 
investigating global warming, checking the facts on the economy, 
studying the water problems that California can not seem to resolve, I 
have become convinced that we must treat some resources as part of the 
commons, owned by all.

I came to know of a man named Walt Bressette. A friend of mine knew him. 
Walt was a leader in the Chippewa spearing rights controversy in 
Wisconsin. My friend found him to be " … a wise, humorous, visionary man 
who was able to see through political baloney and get to the heart of 
situations."

Walt was also the head of a committee dedicated to enacting the 7th 
Generation Amendment to the Constitution. It makes a lot of sense to me.

"The right of citizens of the United States to use and enjoy air, water, 
wildlife, and other renewable resources determined by the Congress to be 
common property shall not be impaired, nor shall such use impair their 
availability for the use of future generations."

We use the the air every day … We change it by that use and, in doing 
so, we endanger the very life we would pass on to our posterity. Our 
Constitution would "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our 
Posterity."

Somehow, we have forgotten that the blessings of our liberty includes 
the land in which we live, the air we breath, the water we use.

During the coming year, members of the Green Party will work to make the 
7th Generation Amendment a reality. I ask you to join us in this. My 
e-mail is wrolley at charter.net.

-- 
"Anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't, then you are wasting your time on this Earth" Roberto Clemente

Wes Rolley
17211 Quail Court, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
http://www.refpub.com/ -- Tel: 408.778.3024