When we studied basic Chemistry in High School, our patient teachers explained carbon dioxide coming into contact with water turns into carbonic acid. Such acid, although mild, is not conducive to life. As we burn fossil fuels without regulation, billions of tons of carbon dioxide are pouring into the ocean and our atmosphere. Earth says “Please stop or life will be impossible for all on the planet!”
Half of our oxygen flows from tiny ocean plankton struggling to survive in acidic water. We cannot continue dumping carbon dioxide into our source of life. Jacques Cousteau also warned us long ago.
Swedish scientist, Svante August Arrhenius (1859-1927), was one of the founders of Physical Chemistry to whom we are grateful for growing awareness of Earth in genuine peril because of our reckless environmental behavior.
Arrhenius is the first scientist who bravely cautioned limitless burning of fossil fuels will eventually cause problems with earth’s climate. His judgment was made public in the 1890’s and again in 1905. In the 21st century, many elected officials in the US government will either deny climate is a problem or they will even pass legislation to ban use of the terms “Climate Change” and “Global Warming.”
May 11, 2011, a report was issued by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Rome entitled “Fate of Mountain Glaciers in the Anthropocene.” Anthropocene means humans are completely and foolishly dominating nature in the present Geologic Age.
Pontifical scientists are joined by thousands of scholars globally who observe 400 glaciers in Europe and elsewhere are vanishing quickly. Even Mt. Everest at 29,000 feet, is melting. Striking photos are available for those who doubt. That water will come back to earth in massive flooding.
The Pontifical Academy scientists’ primary recommendation from the aforementioned report is: “Reduce worldwide carbon dioxide emissions without delay, using all means possible to meet ambitious global warming targets and ensure the long term stability of the climate system.” (p. 4)
“Prepare to adapt to climate changes, both chronic and abrupt, that society will be unable to mitigate.” (p.5)
There is a tone of futility in their last recommendation, perhaps similar to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. As a CEO of Exxon, he admitted “Climate Change is real, but we will adapt!”
As former head of a huge corporation Tillerson knows the Carbon Combustion Complex (CCC) is the largest economic entity in human history.
Hurricane Harvey is swallowing the Petro Chemical Complex based in Texas and Louisiana.
Lloyd’s of London and other hemorrhaging Insurance Firms might convince the CCC and elected officials they cannot win against Katrina, Harvey and other catastrophic storms to come. Massive storms are demanding we listen to Arrhenius and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Soon…
