System Change Not Climate: Monthly Climate Crisis Commentary
https://socialistaction.org/2020/05/26/system-change-not-climate-monthly-climate-crisis-commentary/
May 26, 2020
Climate Crisis Commentary for June 2020
By JAMES FORTIN
Science is science. Academics at Yale and George Mason University
released joint polling that shows 73 percent of Americans believe
climate change is occurring with a majority believing it to be a “clear
and present threat to the health of people in their community.” In their
study it was found that the government’s bungled response to the
COVID-19 pandemic may have solidified support for climate science
because the public thinks “science matters.” On the other hand, only 10
percent of Americans now believe that global warming is not happening –
about near the number that thinks the Earth is flat.
Renewable energy is divine. Volunteers carting solar energy equipment
trekked for 10 days up 13,000 feet to the Himalayan area of Ladakh in
remote northern India. Installing a 250-watt solar panel, 20 bulbs and a
streetlight, their efforts illuminated the hillside monastery as well as
the village lanes below it. One of the trekkers noted that the locals
offered “whoops and cheers knowing that eight hours of light every day
was now assured.” As for the monks, it is “now easier to pray and
chant.” Prayers answered.
Can’t get charged up about electric cars. Current and potential electric
car owners in dense urban areas bemoan the scarcity of electric charging
stations in their neighborhoods, particularly the fast-charging units.
The quickest DC-charging station costs a whopping $100,000 to $150,000.
Permits, siting and construction in New York City can drive up the cost
to $1 million. Makes public transportation, cycling or walking look
better to urbanites every day, you would think. And you don’t have to
search for a place to park.
Half-truths. The Trump EPA, at it again. Another new rule imposed by the
EPA prohibits regulators from considering the cost of human health
hazards when analyzing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The EPA formula: Do not consider mercury poisoning, asthma, and heart
attacks ($80 billion). Only consider the half-truth of the matter –
clean-up costs ($18 billion). Then disallow the mitigation as being too
costly. Easy! But then again, saying those who would jeopardize our
health in favor of profits are greedy businessmen is only a half truth.
The other half of the truth is that they are sociopaths and criminals as
well.
Feeling climate heat in the boardroom. JPMorgan Chase is the world’s
number one financer of fossil fuels. So, it is at least interesting to
witness the removal of former ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond from his
leadership role on the JPMorgan Board of Directors. According to climate
activist Bill McKibben, this “is the man who, more than any other,
exemplifies the fossil fuel industry’s decades of climate denial…he’s
retreating under pressure from the climate movement.” Whether or not
this will have a sobering impact on JPMorgan Chase’s role in fostering
climate Armageddon, we can at least join McKibben in a celebratory toast
to his win in this hard-fought battle.
Related Articles
System Change Not Climate Change: Monthly Climate Crisis Commentary
May 5, 2020
By JAMES FORTIN
Climate Crisis Commentary for May 2020.
System Change Not Climate Change: Climate Crisis Commentary for April 2020
April 2, 2020
By JAMES FORTIN Australia still has dinosaurs. We didn’t know what to
make of this when we heard it. Thinking fossilized, we were mostly right.
System Change, Not Climate Change: Monthly Climate Crisis News Roundup
March 17, 2020
By JAMES FORTIN Some things change, some things don’t. Yet. Slowly, but
steadily, the impact of global warming is becoming so visible and
understandable that
--
___
Steven Pinker
“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer.
But it was also natural to think that the sun went around the earth. Overcoming
naive impressions to figure out how things really work is one of humanity's
highest callings.
[Can You Believe in God and Evolution? Time Magazine, August 7, 2005]”
― Steven Pinker