We've noted stories like this before, but another report is warning that just reforesting won't necessarily help against global warming. If you're planting in areas with a lot of snow cover parts of the year, then you may be negatively affecting the reflecting of the sun's rays, making things warmer. Just never seems to be easy, does it? . . . I've been enjoying Michael Tobis' new blog, In It for the Gold, but I think he's wasting too much good thought time on posts like this:
"A lot of people are saying a lot of smart things about climate, and coming up with solid rebuttals of the misinformation that is out there. Recently there's been a stirring of interest in why this sort of rebuttal doesn't work and what we can do about it.
Most of the people distrusting us honestly disbelieve there is a consensus on even the most basic points of climate change science, honestly believe we are arguing from authority rather than evidence, and honestly believe our intent is malign. It would be so much easier to shrug this off if these weren't good, warm, decent people for the most part, victims of a very small group of amazingly cynical people. To defeat the denialists clearly requires more than just refuting their arguments. Refuted arguments seem to live on in the public imagination.
So what should we actually do?"
I say the time is past for worrying about his. Reality is providing the answer to that. Global warming and its accompanying issues of fundamental scarcity will change all the rules of democracy. We certainly should encourage voices, but we won’t be able to wait for unanimity before taking action. Reality is forcing those with power who are affected by it to pay attention. Those are the people we talk to. The deniers and their idiot followers (I’m sorry, I don’t care how “good” people are when their behavior threatens our very existence—it’s a constantly tragic and crippling fallacy that they’re “decent”) can continue to play their games, just like the existing supporters of the USSR. . . . British Airways and Scandinavian Airlines are offering "be really careful before you buy" carbon offsets to passengers. Of course, no US airlines seem to be concerned. . . . “The Concert Republicans Were Afraid You’d Hear." That's how Al should bill his "Live Earth" concert, now that he's found a home for it at Giants Stadium on July 7. Hang every possible denial of global warming on idiot Inhofe and all his colleagues who don't shout him down. Then bring on November 2008. . . . I love saying "Lake Okeechobee," and it looks like I may be saying it a lot. Seems the FL drought has it at levels unseen in the state's records and more's coming. A story that's likely to be a template for stories around the country for the foreseeable future. Like this one from NE where the state legis is hacking around trying to live up to water agreements with KS without p.o.ing its farmers before KS takes them to court and makes them pay up. Although NE's actually examining a template NM's set in a similar situation with TX. Makes you wish you had a Post Office abbreviation book about now, doesn't it? . . . "More cyclones, rising sea levels and increased flooding will be the pattern . . . ." So says a new report on Australia on the heels of the second IPCC bombshell. It doesn't get better. But don't worry for them. They have PM Howard as their leader. He's really, really smart.
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