Some Ones Destroying the Rain Forests Again

Today I read a rather disturbing article. At least I find it disturbing. Apparently deforestation has been on the rise in the past few months. Its alarming because deforestation increases the amounts of carbon in our atmosphere and contributes to Global Warming. Some think that the rate of deforestation for this year will be higher than 2007.

How many times did you heard about deforestation last year? I didn't hear very much about it last year. I remember a lot of information about Climate Change as well as a recent U.N. hosted Climate Change conference in Bali, Indonesia. There really wasn't that much in the news about deforestation. While the war in Iraq still rages on and Canadians are stilled killed by insurgents in Afghanistan, news from the two fronts on the war on terror keep us preoccupied. Our climate is changing and we have to change with it.

We have been changing the face of our planet for our own purposes for thousands of years, is it not time for us to work towards more of a harmony with our planet. Granted we need to grow food and raise animals for food, but how much of the forests do we have to remove to do that? Not that long ago I was reading some information on where some 'fair trade' coffees are grown and learned that in order to grow better coffee beans, the plants grow better and produce a higher quality of coffee bean when grown in amongst large trees. It was interesting to find out that coffee requires a forest canopy to produce a high quality coffee.

The article I read about an increase in deforestation was interesting to say the least, but I thought I would share a couple of my thoughts about Climate Change and deforestation in this post. The tangent about coffee should illustrate the fact that even plants need plants, every animal and plant on earth seem to be intertwined in a web of necessity. We are dependant on the fruits of the earth and we are only killing ourselves by disrupting the natural balance of things. Well, those are my thoughts, what do you think?

Image source: Monga Bay
News Story: Amazon deforestation surging again - scientist

Climate Change Conference Fallout

I was reading an interesting article on the B.B.C.s website today. Even though the article wasn't exactly about idling cars, it was about a European Union proposal to fine car manufacturers for producing cars that emit more CO2 then a set average limit. Some green enthusiasts are not thrilled about the proposal and some Car manufacturers are up in arms over it. But the E.U. is committed to being a world leader in cutting CO2 emissions.

Germany's BMW and France's Peugeot are calling it an unprecedented move. They don't see the benefits of a reduction in CO2 emissions, at least that's my point of view. The move was to show the world that the E.U. is committed to reducing greenhouse gases, which sounds like a move that is coming on the heels of the recent U.N. Climate Conference in Bali, Indonesia. One of the major contributors to the increase in greenhouse gases is the automobile industry.

Lets think about it for a second. How many cars can you find on the average road at any given time? What happens when the volume of those vehicles increase to the point where highways and motorways are nothing more than parking lots? How much idling is each individual car doing during a 45 km commute when traffic is moving at a rate of 0 to 50km/h? I know that taking public transit is less convenient than driving to and from work, I've had to do it on more than one occassion. The solution to averting the more drastic affects of climate change is out there, we just have to look for it.

I think the E.U.s proposal for setting fines for cars that produce more than a set limit of CO2 per kilometre is a step in the right direction. From what I've seen, most proposals for reducing greenhouse gases are anti-economical, but what is more devastating, increasing the temperature of our planet to the point where it's not habitable or having to spend money to avert killing our planet? We all have the power to find a solution to the current crisis our environment is facing, but all these baracades that business' are puting up in the name of profit have to be removed. If not for us, then for our children and our children's children. What do you think?

Image source: Canada-News
News Story: German ire at EU fine on car CO2

Climate Change and Penguins!

Are you worried about Antarctic Penguins? If you're worried about Global Warming, then you should be worried about them. One of the hot topics at the U.N. Climate Change conference in Bali, Indonesia is the penguins. Climate change doesn't just affect our population but animal populations as well. The Antarctic peninsula is disappearing at an alarming rate, which affects four species of penguins, the Emperor Penguin, the Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie. There was a report on Antarctic Penguins and Climate Change, inside the report were some numbers, apparently there is 40% less sea ice coverage than there was 26 years ago.

Clearly Global Warming is not just a myth, our planet is warming and we are the only ones that can slow the effects. Do we have to see these Antarctic icons disappear before we begin to do slow the process of Global Warming? Granted an individuals efforts may seem to be in vain, but more of the worlds populace is taking note. The purpose of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia is to draft a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which will hopefully encompass more than the 36 industrialized nations included in the Kyoto Protocol.

Will the new accord be adopted by all the nations? Only time will tell, reports from the Bali conference are still coming in. I'm hoping that this new Protocol will get adopted by all nations, considering some major nations have rejected the Kyoto Protocol on the premise that it doesn't encompass newer emerging industrialized nations. Lets all keep our fingers crossed for the sake of our planet!

Sources:

News article: Reuters Alert net - Antarctica's penguins threatened by global warming
Image Source: PBS - Penguins Wallpaper

Help, My Record is Skipping!

Some times I fell like my record is skipping, going over the same old groove over and over. But I can't help it. I love stumbling through the C.B.C.s website, mostly because I find stories like No exceptions for major polluters in Bali, says Baird. What an interesting piece.

International leaders attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference are hoping to draught an updated version of the Kyoto Protocol to include all polluters. Which as a matter of fact, coincides with the stance that P.M. Stephen Harper took at the recent Commonwealth summit. A lot of people criticized Harper for not wanting to be bound to the Kyoto protocol which only encompasses 36 industrialized nations. As many of you know, there are more than 36 industrialized nations that are contributing to Global Warming. Greenhouse gas emissions are increasing every year and it is time for us to do something about it!

This new 'Protocol' that International leaders are hoping to draught will encompass every industrialized nation. Far too long have smaller industrialized nations, out side of the Kyoto Protocol have been polluting with out limits. Granted that placing limits on Greenhouse gas production only slows the problem, but slowing the problem while we search for a solution is absolutely necessary. I'm sure people who have time to read through this post will agree, breathing is good, especially if its clean air we're breathing. But its not just for us that we have to create a solution for, its for the children.

How many people can remember having summers with out smog warnings? Is it possible to get rid of this health hazard? Is it really so hard to walk to the store instead of driving? Oil prices will never be the same as they were a decade ago, and the less dependant we are on cars, the better. Before the modern automobile was invented, we used to get around by steam powered trains, horses or just what God gave us, our own two feet. Economically, walking 20 to 30 minutes to get to the store is more logical than burning approximately $1-$3 worth of gasoline each trip. Not to mention the healthy side effects of walking. Are you willing to sacrifice some extra minutes for not only your health, but the health of our environment.

Image Sources: www.libcom.org and www.healthandenergy.com

Is the Kyoto Protocol Bias?

Once again I find inspiration from the C.B.C.s website. This time is the article Harper alone on climate change at Commonwealth summit. Apparently Prime Minister Stephen Harper is the only head of a nation that doesn't want to agree to binding targets for greenhouse gases. There has been a few stories about Harper not wanting anything to do with the Kyoto Protocol, this time his only supporter, the Prime Minister of Australia, is busy with up coming elections. Granted here in Canada, warmer winters could be a good thing, considering it can get really cold, even in the most southern parts of the country.

The reason why I don't support Harper on this issue is that, even though I'm not the perfect example for green living, I do care about our environment. I can understand that some green policies can be bad for business, but really, we all live on the same planet and are facing the same global issues. The Internet has opened up many channels of communication and given us more access to information than we would have had twenty years ago, when the 'Commodore 64' was still popular. It's amazing just how much our world has changed since a large populous gained access to the military invention.

Back to the article, the British Prime Minister has said that he would persuade Harper into following the crowd on this issue. Whether or not the British P.M. will be successful remains to be seen. The Conservative minority government here in Canada has pushed the Kyoto Protocol to the back burner. I'm curious to see what effect the recent U.N. Climate Conference will have on pressuring environment ministers into creating an updated version of the Kyoto Protocol. The up coming U.N. Sponsored Climate Change summit in Bali, Indonesia is where we could see an updated version of the Kyoto Protocol.

I have also found an article on C.T.V.s website called All countries must agree to GHG cuts: Harper, which gives us some insight into P.M. Stephen Harper's logic on blocking this agreement. Its interesting to see a different spin on the same topic, and when the topic is climate change, things are definitely getting heated. Harper is taking the position that the Kyoto Protocol is biased.

The Kyoto Protocol was designed to give 36 industrialized nations incentive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to set targets. I think the system is failing. Smaller nations not included in the Kyoto Protocol are catching up to the 36 nations included in the Kyoto Protocol, as a result, more nations are veering away from targets set by the Kyoto Protocol. Next months Climate Change summit in Bali should be a breeding ground for a new and up to date version of the Kyoto Protocol. I realize that all these summits on Climate Change will not produce a solution for Global Warming, but more ideas on reducing the speed at which our planet warms up will definitely be exchanged.

One thing that I can see eye to eye with Harper on is that the Kyoto Protocol is biased. If we are actually going to do something about Global Warming, it will have to be everyone on the planet. Most cities are becoming overwhelmed with smog, which chokes us and creates numerous health problems. All of this could have been prevented years ago, but now that we are faced with increased pollutants, we all must do something about it, not just the major industrialized nations of the world. How long will we take a step back instead of moving forward with cleaning up our environment?

My final thought is: unless all nations make efforts to slow global warming, our wonderful blue planet and its inhabitants should be placed on the endangered species list. Sooner or later the environmental crimes of the past will overwhelm our future. We shouldn't be looking to space for an answer when its right in front of us!