Blair Warns Of Climate Change "Tipping Points"

[Gold9472]

Blair warns of climate change 'tipping points'

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,,1927421,00.html

Nicholas Watt in Lahti
Friday October 20, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

Tony Blair will warn today that the world will reach "catastrophic tipping points" on climate change within 15 years, unless serious action is taken to tackle global warming.

In his strongest warning yet on the environment, the prime minister will tell fellow EU leaders that the world faces "conflict and insecurity" unless it acts now.

"We have a window of only 10-15 years to take the steps we need to avoid crossing catastrophic tipping points," Mr Blair says, in a joint letter with his Dutch counterpart, Jan Peter Balkenende.

"These would have serious consequences for our economic growth prospects, the safety of our people and the supply of resources, most notably energy. So we must act quickly."

The Anglo-Dutch letter will be presented to EU leaders today at an informal summit in the Finnish city of Lahti, which is a follow-up to last year's meeting at Hampton Court during Britain's EU presidency. Britain now believes that it should have done more to promote the dangers of climate change at last year's summit, which focused on drawing up a common EU energy policy.

Mr Blair and Mr Balkenende say in their letter that any debate about the security of energy supplies must also address climate change: "The science of climate change has never been clearer. Without further action, scientists now estimate we may be heading for temperature rises of at least 3-4C above pre-industrial levels."

The two prime ministers argue that Europe faces the "shared dilemma" of the need to boost economic growth, which requires energy, while not threatening the environment. "Much of that energy will be in the form of fossil fuels. The logic of this dilemma is that we must treat energy security and climate security as two sides of the same coin."

Europe should take the lead in making the transition to a low carbon economy, the two leaders say, as they set out a series of goals for Europe. These include strengthening the EU's emissions trading scheme, which caps CO2 emissions; investing more in renewables technology; cooperating more with booming economies such as China; and agreeing a road map to achieve an EU consensus by 2012.

"A historic political choice faces us. The need to respond to climate change can be seen as a burden. Or it can be seen as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Europe to mobilise the political will and resources to transform and modernise our energy system. The EU must be a frontrunner and continue to lead the way."

Today's meeting will also focus on the EU's relations with Russia. Vladimir Putin, the president of neighbouring Russia, will be guest of honour at a dinner tonight as the EU tries to avoid a repeat of last winter's row between Moscow and Ukraine, which hit gas supplies to the EU.

[mcgowanjm]

Too late. It's already baked in.

See Australia's disasterous wheat crop for details.

http://energybulletin.net/21511.html

James

[AuGmENTor]

I'm of the school that thinks that the Earth is just running its natural cycle. How pompous of us to think that we could, in the short time we've been here (and making greenhouse gasses) that we could alter things this much. If you look at climatic patterns over the last few hindred thousand years, you see that this is nothing new. This has caught my my intrest since Al Gore-crow went on his noxious Paul Revere ride in his jet telling us how terrible the end was gonna be. And besides, what other options would there be? Live underground, solar energy, or hydrogen. None of which are being seriously considered, cause everyone thinks big-oil has you whacked if you persue it. So come on, lets hear some suggestions on how to get out of this dilema.

[AuGmENTor]

Too late. It's already baked in.

See Australia's disasterous wheat crop for details.

http://energybulletin.net/21511.html

JamesWhat, no riddle? That was odd. I didn't have to decipher your post!

[Chana3812]

Augmentor, I saw An Inconvenient Truth. I found it to be very factual, believeable.
Of course, maybe the facts are too "Incovenient" for you.

Some people are told that smoking increases their chance for lung cancer, but they blow that off and keep right on smoking. Same idea applys here. People won't change if they dont perceive an immediate threat.

Until we have no food because of drought and our coastal cities start to flood because of melting ice capes, then maybe people will start to change. But the Incovenient Truth at that time will be ..... it's too late. The damage will be impossible to stop.

God help us.

[AuGmENTor]

Until we have no food because of drought and our coastal cities start to flood because of melting ice capes, then maybe people will start to change. But the Incovenient Truth at that time will be ..... it's too late. The damage will be impossible to stop. So then what you're saying is that in less than 200 years of consuming fossil fuels, we have so dramatically changed the climate of a planet that has been here for 4.5 billion years? Call me a silly goose, but I think I'll need to see some direct, linkable evidence to support that wild claim. And if this IS true, I didn't hear any good suggestions out of you about what is to be done. All these limosene liberals want to make it so that the regular people can't go about their lives, but they can. I'm not accusing you of being one, but you seem to have their rhetoric down pat. So then what do we do? I would switch to hydrogen in a second, but the oil companies LOVE the money they're making off of their product, and have this annoying habit of killing people that suggest alternatives. But all the bullshit aside, answer this: What do we do?

[Chana3812]

START READING !

http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/whatyoucando/

[AuGmENTor]

Well, shut my mouth.
Here's my score:
Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. If every family in the U.S. made the switch, we’d reduce carbon dioxide by more than 90 billion pounds! You can purchase CFLs online from the Energy Federation (http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/25_44). (I HATE those goddam bulbs. That one I will never do. You can't see by their sickly pale light. +300 lbs. for me)
Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (http://www.aceee.org/) has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling.(Coolness I could care less. Heat is another thing. I HATE the cold. Thus I need to be able to grow a palm tree in my living room, year round. +2000 lbs. for me.)
Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. (N/A, electric heat. The most inefficient way to heat a home. Basically a controlled short circuit.)
Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill. (I don't think they make one for the voltage of my heaters. moot point anyway, cause someones always at my house. I imagine it goes down a bit during the sunny winter days.)
Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/) label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models. If each household in the U.S. replaced its existing appliances with the most efficient models available, we’d eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.(I do it whenever feasable. For the most part I look for the energy star logo. I have a flat screen monitor (lcd) I should get some good points for that.)
Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. (On this I can speak from experience. These blankets are a total ploy. They do NOTHING. Go lay your hand on the side of your water heater. Pretty cool, right? Meaning it is insulated plenty at the factory. Another thing: Mine is set at 140F. Yes it takes more juice to heat the water, BUT... It takes less cold to balance it out when showering and doing dishes, thus using less hot water. The juice to maintain that higher temp is negligable. They don't know everything.)
Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot. (Blech, I hate those low flow heads. One of the first things I do when I get a new head is open that gay low-flow hole up to a quarter inch. But I do take a really fast shower. I mean well under 10 mins. I don't see the point in bein in there for a half a damn hour. Wash and get out is my motto.)
Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year. (This one I do, even in winter when it's not really cold. Or I should say, my slave, I mean servant, I mean whatever the hell she is does. I prefer freash air dried clothes... -700lbs. for me!)
Turn off electronic devices you’re not usingSimply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. (I keeps the lights I'm not using off, but thats about it. Comp stays on all the time, it's better for it. The TV would NEVER be on if I had my way.)
Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them
Even when turned off, things like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and televisions use energy. In fact, the energy used to keep display clocks lit and memory chips working accounts for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption and spews 18 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year! (Hmmmpf, this I hadn't considered. I imagine the things that have step down transformers in them DO draw even when not in use. I mean, I knew that, but I though with no load the draw would be nothing... I guess it does add up.)
Only run your dishwasher when there’s a full load and use the energy-saving setting
You can save 100 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. (NO DISHWASHERS!!!! Period. I hate them... They are an excuse to NOT do the dishes. Then they sit in there rotting until there's a full load. Fuck that, do the damn dishes as they occur.)
Insulate and weatherize your homeProperly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. The Consumer Federation of America (http://www.buyenergyefficient.org/) has more information on how to better insulate your home. (Heh, more browny points for me. I just did the entire house over the summer.)
Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates. Earth 911 (http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=ls&a=Recycle&cat=1) can help you find recycling resources in your area. ( I am the recycling nazi. If I find so much as a tuna can in the trash, you will be handed your ass. Hey, that rhymed. Hooray for me, I'm special and unique just like everyone else!)
Buy recycled paper products
It takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide. (How much of my time am I supposed to spend looking for recycled paper products? And what if it's recycled TOILET paper? ewwwwwwww!)
Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation (http://www.arborday.org/) has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership. (NO)
Get a home energy audit Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/) can help you find an energy specialist. (Oh, can I please roll the dice and invite a potential serial murderer into my house? And whose to say the person would be anymore competent at assessing my needs than me? NAH!)
Switch to green powerIn many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. The Green Power Network (http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/) is a good place to start to figure out what’s available in your area. (My utility company is one of the worst on the eastern seaboard, next t LIPA, who I consider to be THE worst. They do not offer anything other than their coal generated death.)
Buy locally grown and produced foods The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community. (I do. And I grow alot of my own greens during the season here :) )
Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce. (I do buy frozen cause it's cheaper in the off season. I don't understand how that could be if it costs more to produce.)
Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere! (Sounds like a ploy to get me to damn near triple my grocery bill. That shit is riDICKulously expensive!)
Avoid heavily packaged products
You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%. (Now were gettin silly. Talk to the manufacturers about heavily packaged things. I wont be wasting any time doing THAT!)
Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath. (But, when I eat more fiber, I produce more methane. So I'll keep eating cows. I also LOVE venison, and opening day is SOON. Yummy! How much methane does a deer produce? Cause I'll be ridding the world of at least two this winter. More points for me!)
Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Click here (http://www.apta.com/links/state_local/index.cfm) to find transit options in your area. (There ARE none. I'm a private contractor, so no one is ever going my way. If I have business in the city, and it's not time sensitive, I take the train. Other than that, I drive. Mostly my little sunfire that gets 35mpg+ on the highway. How many of us drive in our 10 mpg SUV's? Or there's Al-the jackass-Gore, who flys a JET to tell people how awful global warming is!)
Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com (http://www.erideshare.com/) runs a free national service connecting commuters and travelers. (N/A)
Keep your car tuned upRegular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere. (This one I do. I drive ALOT, so to make sure I don't get stuck walking....)
Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper inflation (http://www.carcare.org/Tires_Wheels/inflation.shtml) can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference! (I'll give you monthly, but weekly? Good Jesus! If you're loosing that much air, go buy fuckin tires!)
When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency here (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/) and here (http://www.greencars.com/). (From what I've heard. The hybrids are ALOT more dough, and you'd have to drive it for 10 years to see a penny of savings. Plus, as a newer technology, they are not very reliable yet. Make it worth my WHILE to save the planet.)
Try car sharingNeed a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar (http://www.flexcar.com/) -- offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see ZipCar (http://www.zipcar.com/). (Never heard of this, But I can't imagine anyone wanting a car that I drve for more than a few days. Unless that is, we're ALL gonna chain smoke, beat the hell out of it, and drive it 900 miles+ a week. Oh, wait, I could save the world by NOT beating on it, right?)
Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset (http://www.nativeenergy.com/WB_ClimateCrisis_3.html) your air travel by investing in renewable energy projects. (And here's the rub... How many of the sanctimonious cocks that did this report are flying, and driving in their fuckin escalades RIGHT NOW?!!!? Lemme see some of those florescent light bulbs in their fuckin mansions. Assoles.)

Well, that's how I did. Anone else?

[Chana3812]

:cheerlead Well, I'm certainly impressed with the effort you put into your answer. Well done, I say!