I recently was told that my views on how to solve global warming could be characterized as "carbon fundamentalism". I'm not familiar with the term, and need to learn more about what it is supposed to mean, but here are my thoughts on the subject:
When chloroflourocarbons were destroying the ozone layer, the solution was to ban chloroflourocarbons.
When lead in gasoline was poisoning millions of people, the solution was to ban lead in gasoline.
When nitrous oxides were causing smog, the solution was to eliminate them with catalytic converters.
When sulfur dioxide from power plants is causing acid rain, the solution is to reduce sulfur dioxide from power plants.
Now, since global warming is primarily caused by carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, the solution is to eliminate emissions of carbon dioxide by stopping the burning of fossil fuels--e.g. with solar power and electric cars (and reforestation, conservation, windmills, and lots more). It's a big job, but it's really quite straightforward.
Of course I understand that the oil, gas, and coal companies are very powerful, so this fight is much more difficult than the others listed above. But the fact is that we simply have to win it, or human survival is threatened. I'm counting on the human urge to survive being stronger than the power of the fossil fuel companies. I hope I'm right.
When chloroflourocarbons were destroying the ozone layer, the solution was to ban chloroflourocarbons.
When lead in gasoline was poisoning millions of people, the solution was to ban lead in gasoline.
When nitrous oxides were causing smog, the solution was to eliminate them with catalytic converters.
When sulfur dioxide from power plants is causing acid rain, the solution is to reduce sulfur dioxide from power plants.
Now, since global warming is primarily caused by carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, the solution is to eliminate emissions of carbon dioxide by stopping the burning of fossil fuels--e.g. with solar power and electric cars (and reforestation, conservation, windmills, and lots more). It's a big job, but it's really quite straightforward.
Of course I understand that the oil, gas, and coal companies are very powerful, so this fight is much more difficult than the others listed above. But the fact is that we simply have to win it, or human survival is threatened. I'm counting on the human urge to survive being stronger than the power of the fossil fuel companies. I hope I'm right.
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