EcoTek

EcoTek

The environmental movement has morphed steadily into the climate change movement... that means that Greens are no longer strictly the defenders of natural systems against the incursions of civilization; now they're the defenders of civilization as well.

- from Whole Earth Discipline by Stewart Brand

Environmentalism for a small planet

The diameter of our Earth is a mere 7,926 miles... contrasted with our solar system... with a diameter of 2,790,000,000 miles... Earth is but a speck of air, water, fire and soil in the vastness of space. Our solar system, in turn, is but a speck compared to the Milky Way galaxy... which is but a freckle on the face of universe. However... to the flora and fauna on Earth... this planet is a vast, incredibly complex system of interdependent processes of life. The geologic/bio-diversity upon and within our planet is nothing short of a miracle. A useful analogy is James Lovelock's Gaia Hypothesis in which Earth is seen as a living organism.

It is reasonable and fast becoming necessary for earthling humans to actively assume the role of stewards of our small planet. This is so because it is also reasonable to assume the responsibility that humans have, through advanced agriculture practices and fossil fuel consumption, added a slight yet significant burden of greenhouse gases (CO2) to our atmosphere, thereby contributing to our planetary system's current atmospheric irregularity. It is now vital that we view the future with the eye of an environmentalist so we may ascertain and address our home world's atmospheric imbalance with a goal of planetary climatic equilibrium.

For clarification on what is considered planetary climatic equilibrium, the amount of greenhouse gases in earth's atmosphere is measured and compared to historic levels. These gases are measured in parts per million. Up until 200 years ago, the historic norm was 275 part per million. 350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. Today, the ratio stands at 390 ppm and rising a little more than 2 ppm annually. Having Exceeded the 350 ppm mark indicates that our planet (and its atmosphere) has gone beyond the point of no return for the old equilibrium. The resulting effects of exceeding this tipping point is collectively referred to as "climate change."

If humanity takes climate change seriously and acts now, we may be able to achieve a new planetary equilibrium and stabilize at around 450 ppm within the next 25 to 50 years. Leveling off at 450 ppm could result in a global temperature rise of only 3.6° F, with a potential large loss of species, more severe storms, floods and droughts, refugees from rising sea levels and other extreme and inhumane consequences. Unfortunately, this is an optimistic scenario.

The two basic strategies that humanity has at its disposal to combat climate change are mitigation and adaptation.

Mitigation is any action taken to permanently eliminate or reduce the long-term risk and hazards of climate change to human life and property. This would involve altering the activities that contribute to climate change through the application of technology and practices. The primary example would be the immediate cutting back of greenhouse gas emissions. This would require significant discipline on our part, as well as technological innovation.

Adaptation would require a "coming to terms" with climate change and managing its effects. This term refers to the ability of a system to adjust to climate change (including climate variability and extremes) to moderate potential damage, to take advantage of opportunities, or to cope with the consequences.

Adaptation pertains to how we react to climate change and what changes we make to deal with it's advancement. One example of adaptation would involve moving coastal populations to higher ground in anticipation of rising sea levels.

The bottom line is that our best scientific hypothesis is little more than a educated guess. We cannot completely fathom the chaotic complexity of our planet's environmental systems. Regardless, humanity must rise to the challenge of climate change. This is perhaps the most definitive opportunity in our lifetime for humanity to come together and collaborate on this global issue... responding on a global scale. If we don't act now... we will be left with only one option... adaptation.

Find pertinent links and resources at the bottom of this page...

Q: What if climate change is a hoax?

The Resilient Community

It should be clear, as we watch the gyrations and excesses of global markets, that no organization/state/group has any meaningful control over its direction. The same is true for almost every other aspect of globalization, from the environment to trans-national crime to energy flows. In short, we've lost control and our collective future is in the hands of a (at best) morally neutral system that is operating in ways that we don't fully understand (nor will we). The best defense against this emerging situation is not to call for new global treaties or Marshall plans. These outdated solutions won't work because we can neither marshal the resources necessary nor collectively agree on anything other than the most basic rules of connectivity. The best solution to this emerging situation is to slowly introduce organic stability into out global system. The concept that John Robb suggests as a solution is what he calls the resilient community.

This conceptual model creates a set of new services that allow the smallest viable subset of social systems, the community (however you define it), to enjoy the fruits of globalization without being completely vulnerable to its excesses. These services are configured to provide the ability to survive an extended disconnection from the global grid in the following areas (an incomplete list):

Energy.
Food.
Security (both active and passive).
Communications.
Transportation.

The resilient community has broad applicability beyond just improving the ability of those of us in developed economies to preserve wealth and a quality of life despite severe system shocks. It can also provide the potential for organic development in underdeveloped areas of the world. The key is that we need to support the open source efforts currently underway to expand this capability underway such as the transition towns movement to MIT's low tech solutions effort.

More information on self-sustaining and self-replicating communities can be found here...

Open Source Ecology

- information on resilient communities gleaned from Global Guerrillas

Environmental Sites

350

The most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to mother earth...

Earth Portal
A comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment...

Green Facts
Facts on health and the environment...

Mother Earth Network
Environmental information written and created in a way that everyone can understand, both in personal pursuits and business decisions...

NCCSP
Creating science-based solutions to protect and restore the life processes and ecological vitality that sustain all lands, waters and communities...

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