Climate change seems to be the topic of conversation for many gatherings these days. Science tells us that the Earth’s climate has changed over the years in cycles that have caused ice ages and tropical forests over much of the northern hemisphere.
This is a natural process and will no doubt continue until the planet becomes a frozen asteroid in the far distant future.
The vanity of man is that some people seem to think that they can alter this cycle, and by our human efforts change the course of natural history.
We have developed a civilization that depends on the use of energy to operate and that energy is mostly created by the use of carbon fuels of one type or another.
Our standard of living is based on the fuels we use to heat, to manufacture, to travel and so on.
The idealists tend to forget in their campaigning for the abolition of the use of carbon fuels that the human race is basically selfish when it gets down to self preservation.
We have developed our societies and communities with the use of carbon fuels and they depend on carbon fuels to exist with the present level of comfort and sophistication.
We drive to protest rallies in our cars, we sit and watch the movies on environment in our heated living rooms on our electrically operated communications equipment.
Ah but you say that we should use natural sources of power, like wind and river flows, or subterranean earth heat.
Fine, but it takes carbon fuels to develop these alternative sources. They are not free for the taking.
The world population is growing thanks to our ability to grow food more efficiently and that also uses power.
As the population gets to the level where it is no longer sustainable, who is going to volunteer to die for the greater good of the community?
Other species have out-grown their habitat and its ability to support the population. Why should we think that we are such a special species that it can’t happen to us?
It can and it will, and the basic selfish nature of people will not change the final outcome.
David Atkins
Vernon
