Year 3, Month 1, Day 12: Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The Way!

The Manchester Union Leader (founded and nurtured by New Hampshire Ur-Wingnut extraordinare William Loeb) runs a press release from the state’s Fish and Game Department:

GREENLAND, N.H. — Coastal New Hampshire is better prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change after a first-ever Coastal NH Summit held the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center in Greenland, N.H., in December.

The event, hosted by the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR — managed by Fish and Game), the Great Bay Stewards and the NERRS Science Collaborative, highlighted local climate research and climate preparedness efforts and tools, aiming to identify gaps in information and actions that could help local, state, federal and non-profit partners move forward effectively on this critical issue.

“Coastal New Hampshire is already seeing the effects of a changing climate. The Climate Summit demonstrates that local research and action to understand and prepare for our changing climate are underway. There is work to be done to minimize the impacts to our economy and natural resources. The Summit, through the participation of over 100 attendees from a diversity of sectors and professional fields, will help direct future efforts in the most efficient manner,” said GBNERR Coastal Training Program Coordinator Steve Miller.

I read Kevin Cash’s book, “Who The Hell Is William Loeb?” many years ago. The publisher was a truly despicable man.

Here’s my letter to them, which is quite gracious in tone, considering its recipient. Sent January 8:

It’s interesting to observe the dimensions of the disconnect between regional authorities and national politicians on the subject of climate change. Even as the Republican presidential candidates are vociferously denying either that the climate is changing or human beings have anything to do with it, local and regional agencies are working hard to lay the foundations for the adaptations we’re all going to have to make in a post-greenhouse-effect future.

The facts are simple. If our species is to survive and prosper in the coming centuries, we can no longer afford the luxury of politically expedient denial. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department understands this, as evidenced by their recent Coastal NH Summit. Does the Republican party? It’s a lot easier to pretend a problem doesn’t exist when you are shielded from its effects — and if there is one word that describes most of America’s politicians, it’s “shielded.”

Warren Senders

Month 12, Day 31: If You Keep Being Right, We’ll Probably Just Have To Kill You

The Toronto Globe and Mail has an article on the escalation of storms on the East Coast, noting that a coastal weather expert believes that Climate Change might have something to do with it. The comments section is stupid beyond belief.

The increased frequency and severity of storms and unusual weather events is exactly what climatologists have been predicting for years as a long-term consequence of the greenhouse effect. Now that their forecasts are coming true, something quite remarkable is happening. Rather than receiving long-overdue and well-deserved recognition, these researchers are mocked, derided, threatened with de-funding, and stigmatized as threats to society. Why? Because they were right? The denialist conspiracy theory that an international cabal of scientists is plotting to achieve world dominance is far less likely than the alternative theory: that a group of petroleum billionaires and the multinational corporations they run are spending huge quantities of money to delay the day when their product is recognized as being profoundly toxic to the long-term health of both our planet and our civilization. The fossil fuel industry is a global version of Big Tobacco. Smoke and lies, smoke and lies.

Warren Senders