Who's the Alarmist?

     As a Climate Change and Environmental Activist, I catch my fair share of shit. I am accused of being too dramatic, of exaggerating the environmental issues facing our world, of trying to scare people into driving electric cars and putting solar panels on their roofs. The horror! The blanket term most often used by those who do not believe in Climate Change for people like me is "Alarmist". I take exception to that name for a variety of reason.

     The most obvious reason I take exception is because it pretty much kills any chance of having an informed and productive conversation about Climate Change or any environmental issue, for that matter. "He's an alarmist" puts other people off and on guard, since the term carries a negative connotation. Any hope I have for an intelligent exchange, without emotion and conjecture, pretty much disappears like the O-Zone layer above Antartica in the 1980's. The swapping of ideas, beliefs and information is crucial to informing people why I stand for what I do and why I am trying to raise awareness about the effects Climate Change will have on our way of life. Trying to vault over the "You're an Alarmist" label becomes quite difficult, since many believe anything they read, or believe whatever their Congressman tells them, or when their religious leaders tell them they have to believe. People like me get shut out without a second thought under those types of circumstances.

     Which is why I REALLY don't like the "Alarmist" label. In my experience, the people most often tossing around the term "Alarmist", are alarmists themselves! I have realized that the strongest Climate Change Deniers are the very same people that say that society will fall apart if we try and switch to renewable energy, or that by allowing gays to marry will bring about the end of days and God's wrath, or that President Obama is secretly plotting to "invade" Texas with the US Army in his never ending quest to turn us into a Social State while he tries to take over the world. I mean, talk about alarmist!

     Being concerned about the Environment and wanting to prevent further damage to the world, nature and in turn our culture, doesn't make me an alarmist. It makes me a human being. One that is focused on making the world a better place for now and the future. Trying to convince me that gay marriage will bring our society down to its knees and allow Satan to take over the world? Now THAT sounds pretty alarmist to me.

Pluto Fly-By!!

Today, the New Horizons spacecraft is about to fly by Pluto today. Watch at the link below. This is what science and discovery is all about!

http://www.nasa.gov

Bubkis

     The planet is getting warmer, as we know. The warming is change climate patterns, as we all know. So, imagine my surprise when I read an article this week that said the opposite was true. A report out there this week that says the Earth will have a "mini Ice-Age" by 2030. Yeah, that report is bubkis. I just wanted everyone to be clear on that.