| Last night, my daughter and I were up until 1:15AM | | | | that feed economic-villages collapse, and business |
| completing a chemistry paper on the arguments for | | | | cycles fail where the ocean feeds cities. Solomon's |
| and against global warming. On our drive to school, | | | | aphorism applies: where there is no money, social |
| we talked about the emotion attached to viewpoints. | | | | structure crumbles, and stock markets plummet. |
| Debate becomes an "all or nothing" proposition. One | | | | Not far from where I write is a popular seafood |
| side must be wrong completely with ad hominem | | | | restaurant called "Woodman's". Essex has a few |
| invective. Each side sustains argument with seemingly | | | | "Yankee Magazine" seafood restaurants where fried |
| logical evidence. I suggested to Emily that we fail to | | | | clams and lobster feed salivating tourists every day. |
| find the middle ground within controversy, and we | | | | Folks travel miles to stand in long lines for a clam |
| forget the commitment required for action-steps by | | | | plate with french fries or a one pound lobster with |
| relying on "talking points". Most of us forget that | | | | cole slaw. |
| debate is not a "zero-sum game". | | | | Two men, I know, earn their living preparing food at |
| So what about the frogs? | | | | one of these eateries, another man works the clam |
| Emily writes, "Global warming could possibly lead to | | | | flats year-round. Whether global warming or global |
| the extinction of many species. When the climate | | | | pollution disrupts their income, the results could |
| changes drastically, many animals cannot | | | | devastate all of them, and our community. |
| adapt…species are lost forever. If global | | | | Former World Bank chief economist Sir Nicholas Stern |
| warming is not stopped, more than a million species | | | | was commissioned by the British Treasury to study |
| worldwide could be extinct by 2050…." | | | | the economics of global warming. Stern's credentials |
| Randolph Schmid and John Heilprin in their article, | | | | are impeccable. His rudimentary conclusions warn |
| "Over fishing May Harm Seafood Population" do not | | | | governments that global warming must not be |
| address global warming, but their arguments against | | | | debated. |
| "over fishing" are strikingly similar. | | | | Any failure of government leadership to reverse "the |
| Schmid and Heilprin quote Boris Worm of Dalhousie | | | | trends" could lead to "the kind of downturn that has |
| University in Halifax, Nova Scotia who says the data | | | | not been seen since the Great Depression and the |
| about "over fishing…shocked and disturbed | | | | two world wars", says Britain's chief scientist, Sir |
| (him with)...trends…beyond anything we | | | | David King. |
| suspected. At this point 29 percent of fish and | | | | This is a formidable challenge for our global political |
| seafood species have collapsed…their catch | | | | system. In a world where consensus is eschewed, |
| has declined by 90 percent…If the long-term | | | | collective decision-making is an obligation of every |
| trend continues, all fish and seafood species are | | | | nation, tribe, and people. Will we see the collective |
| projected to collapse within my lifetime – by | | | | leadership necessary to grapple with these |
| 2048." | | | | complexities? |
| Notice the date? Notice the number of species lost? | | | | Recent history does not encourage us. For example, |
| All consistent with the global warming argument. | | | | it would have cost Thirty million [US] dollars to install |
| So what about the logs (not the ones that float)? | | | | an early-warning system to avoid the 150,000 deaths |
| Global warming logs assert that "The average global | | | | caused by the Asian tsunami. Prior to this climatic |
| temperature has increased by about 0.5 degrees | | | | disaster, governments would not spend it. |
| Celsius over the last century…over half of | | | | Next April, Emily and I will spend a week |
| that increase has occurred in the last 30 years. Since | | | | tearing-down and building-up homes in Slidell, Louisiana. |
| 1980, the earth has experienced 19 of its 20 hottest | | | | (New Orleans is across the bridge.) Original settlers |
| years on record, with 1998 and 2005 tied for the | | | | built ships and manufactured bricks within a farm and |
| hottest and 2002 and 2003 coming in second and | | | | timber region. |
| third", Emily and I discovered during our research. | | | | Slidell is now a bedroom community for the |
| Carbon dioxide atmospheric levels have "remained | | | | aerospace industry. NASA has a computer complex |
| constant at around 280 parts per million ("ppm"). It is | | | | and test site nearby. Seafood and meat products, |
| now nearly 380ppm, a level the earth has not | | | | furniture, chemicals, boats, concrete, apparel, and |
| experienced for at least 400,000 years." Hence, | | | | machinery are all produced by Slidell's residents. |
| some assert, the rising temperature of the | | | | Nine major industry groups, many publicly traded |
| earth…is driven by the consumption of fossil | | | | companies tied together by grocery stores, barbers, |
| fuels." Clearly, "This rise in temperature is altering the | | | | doctors, and movie theatres keep this community |
| earth's climate, which is leading to many other | | | | intact. As you know, Slidell suffered severe damage |
| problems", writes Emily. We are losing entire | | | | from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. |
| ecological communities! | | | | Corporations and governments must face tough |
| Back to frogs for a moment, "Whether we looked at | | | | decisions or whimper regrets to constituents. As |
| tide pools or studies over the entire world's ocean, | | | | voters, citizens, workers, and parents in our local and |
| we saw the same picture emerging. In losing species | | | | global economies, we are obligated to challenge our |
| we lose the productivity and stability of entire | | | | children to study, our politicians to plan, prepare, and |
| ecosystems," said Boris Worm. | | | | act, while our religious leaders pray for wisdom. |
| So what about the stock market? | | | | Neglecting these issues imperils the hopes and |
| The stock market is about money; in fact Solomon, | | | | lifestyle of every earthly inhabitant. Our choices may |
| an ancient wise man (differs from today's "wiseacre") | | | | determine how many more generations enjoy the |
| said, "It's ALL about money" (emphasis mine). | | | | sight and resonant croak of a rotund bullfrog |
| Whether we fish to deplete species or we pollute | | | | squatting on a log (that floats). How will you help? |
| streams, ponds, lakes, and oceans, the results are | | | | Our choices could determine the bottom line of |
| the same. Manufacturing jobs are lost, the streams | | | | every portfolio, including yours. |