Letters to the Editor
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Thank You! Great Article
Outstanding article! This is the first time I have seen an article in the popular press that acknowledges the underestimations inherent in the IPCC reports. Thank you for setting the record straight in such a clear fashion.
Now, what are we going to do about it? Most people will probably go in for some sort of “kick the problem down the road” techno-fix. They’ll look forward to buying a Prius, a front-loading washer, a few compact fluorescents and combining their errands and tell themselves that that is all that can reasonably be done. Sadly, such an attitude dooms us all. Look at the data (or the statements from those who collected/interpreted it). We need to cut our emissions by 80-90% by 2020 or risk watching some fearsome positive feedbacks kick in. And make no mistake about it, those feedbacks likely doom our descendents to truly horrible existences.
What does 80% reduction of carbon footprint look like? No fossil-fool powered wheelchairs for able-bodied people. No imported food. Massive increases in local, organic farms. Severe restrictions in meat consumption. Imposition of individual carbon quotas (like the gas, sugar and flour quotas we used while combating the fascist menace in the 1940s). No more cheap plastic crap from China. Can we handle it? Are we as tough as our grandparents or will we let the planet die because we just can’t show up at work with a little sweat on our brows? I’m currently not optimistic that we will make the right choice but would love to be surprised.