Environmentalism

Hottest in 2000 Years?

Couple of weeks ago CNN ran a science headline saying that the Earth is the hottest it’s been in 2000 years. So it was this hot 2000 years ago?

Anyone else seeing this as a major torpedo in the side of the “Western Civilization is destroying the Earth” argument? Was it this hot 2000 years ago because:

1) the Roman greed for consumer products and coal fired power plants were releasing far too many greenhouse gasses? Not to mention the Roman Republic’s insatiable need for gas guzzling SUV’s

Or

2) Earth’s climate is cyclical and self correcting?

Is the sky falling or is Mother Nature just being a bitch (she has every right to be – she’s a bitch that I have a HEALTHY respect for)?

This is not to say that I am calling for the massacre of every creature in the forest, clear cutting of those forests and immediate paving of all land in the world to build shopping malls.

I consider myself to be a conservationist. I am for pollution controls, national parks, endangered species protections (to a point). I don’t hunt, but I am happy for people who do, because I recognize that hunting serves an important purpose (herd management). I hike in the wilderness every chance I get, and I drive two low emission vehicles that get really good gas mileage (Go Honda). I support the return to Nuclear power plants for power generation.

At the same time forests have to be managed or they will burn. Intelligently log them, or let them burn. That’s the way nature works. Deadfall has to be cleared by man or by fire.

People who threaten endangered animals should be dealt with severely. Whalers who harpoon species protected by international treaty should be introduced to the US Navy’s Harpoon Missile.

We are the dominant species on the planet. We should husband the resources that are here, ‘cause until NASA gets off it’s safety obsessed ass, and gets back into the true exploration business, it’s all we’ve got.

I’ll go off on NASA soon…