[GPSCC-chat] The issue of survival.

[Wes Rolley]

Recently, a well known Green sent me an email that included the following:
> It seems to me that you are one of the most
> motivated people I know on the issue of
> Climate Change.  But there are many people
> who are aware and concerned about climate
> change, but find reasons to do nothing. 

If I could magically fix that, it would have been done already. However, 
that comment did make me give the subject some thought. This is, in 
part, what I responded.

____
There are only a very few issues that will truly determine whether or 
not we survive as a species or under what conditions that will be.  
Climate Change and nuclear proliferation are at the top of the list.  
There are many other issues which are important, though to a lesser 
degree:.

  * finding an alternative to Growth and Capitalism are necessary, but
    again curbing growth is linked to climate and we (Greens) don't have
    any agreement as to an alternative to Capitalism and Socialism is as
    dependent on growth as is Capitalism.
  * taking corporate or anonymous money out of politics is important,
    but mainly as a tactic in dealing with climate change. This makes CA
    Disclose Act and Move to Amend very important steps that must be taken.
  * getting the insurance corporate profit line out of and every patient
    in to health care is important, but if we want to truly reduce the
    costs of health care, we will find ways to prevent illness to begin
    with... and climate change means new diseases will hit populations
    genetically unprepared to deal with them. According to economists
    from CSU - Fullerton, air pollution costs the CA economy some $29
    billion / yr.  That is just a starter to show the scope of the
    problems to come.
  * our one guarantee is that the Keysont XL Pipeline will be built and
    US Coal will feed China's power generation, all in the name of
    government support of US jobs, economy.  It makes not a whit of
    difference whether Obama of Romney win the presidency. It seems that
    the only governmental organization that is acting as if they truly
    understand the implications of uncontrolled climate change is the US
    Military.  At least, they are switching to renewables when and where
    they can as well as analyzing every scenario that they can imagine. 
    Meanwhile, Obama does nothing and Ryan considers clean energy to be
    a "fad".

  The only hope, as far off as it might be, is for a Green Presidency 
and Greens / Independents as swing votes in Congress.  Even McKibben and 
350.org refrain from criticizing Obama as he deserves and so he gets a 
free pass.
__
We all know the many things that could have been added to the list. What 
will we do about imigration when other countries become inhabitable?   
Given the current ruckus over tax policy, how will we fund adaptation 
when city after city, from South Beach (FL) to Laguna Beach (CA) become 
inhabitable?  How will CA residents find water when sea levels rise to 
the point that the intakes for the Aqueducts are below sea level?  What 
will all of the peace activists do to prevent violence when hundreds of 
million of people are forced to migrate to other lands as theirs disappear?

And how do we do any  of this when one political party make climate 
change denial a litmus test for electoral success?

I have a certain level of frustration in that most people do not share 
my sense of urgency. I am not sure what to do about that.  But if there 
is one issue that should be at the top of all Green agendas, this is it.
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