Misleading approaches to climate.

#4050

In recent conversations I have noticed a trend - progressive-minded, they want to look underneath conventional ideas such as "climate is the problem” and seek for underlying causative structures. The problem emerges as we see that they then want to fix the problems, The result will be a return to the previous last successful state of societal functioning. Again, an approach that prevents real systems structure change. Such an approach - uncovering deep causes -and then repair would take a lot of time, time we probably do not have. I have been using the analogy of a punctured tire. Take it off the rim, repair the hole, and replace the tire. The repaired structure is the structure that caused the problems.

Another frequent suggestion is that we change everyone's mindset, usually to some new age variant of mind change. What is not faced is that we have no method for achieving this. Nor have we the time it would take. However, let’s say we were successful? We still have the problem of what would 8 billion new- agers do? What is proposed is love with cooperation. OK. sequence of system-wide changes? I dont hear a proposed sequence.

Discussion:

In recent conversations, I have been criticized for saying. "We have no plan for cutting fossil fuels. " I mean what I say. Wiki defines plan as

A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.

And of course, I mean sufficient cuts, not small ones - So I say we have no such plan, Looking at secondary consequences is not happening, despite the widespread technical education people have had. Solar panels are often put on the easiest land for construction and often turn out to be the same land easiest for food production. Moreover, such large displays break the communication channels for large numbers of animals. Then we have the problem of mining steel and silicon. Silicon melts at 1800 C. Some propose that we recycle old panels but they don’t compare the number available for recycling with the amount of steel and silicon needed for the next generation. Typically those available for recycling are about 2% of what is needed.

Much worse, the electricity measured out of a panel does not take into account that it is dark at night, and dusk and dawn are not strong. Then there are seasons with shorter days At best X amount of electricity is produced - and used, But the night and seasonal effects cut the X to about 30 %, Add clouds on good days.

The result is, that since peak production from panels is in use, backup systems maintaining a level supply must be built and energy stored - produced from coal and oil-fired utility companies. Why do smart people not take these in to account?

But it probably won't make any difference. "The best-laid schemes of mice and men..”

The rapid onset of climate effects will undo most "plans” and projects. We need lifeboats - community-based stockpiling to preserve as much of the population as we can, The tasks will not be familiar.

To a Mouse
BY ROBERT BURNS
On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785.

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
          Wi’ bickerin brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee
          Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
          Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
          An’ fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave
          ’S a sma’ request:
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
          An’ never miss ’t!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
          O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
          Baith snell an’ keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary Winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
          Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
          Out thro’ thy cell.

That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
          But house or hald,
To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,
          An’ cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
          Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
          For promis’d joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
          On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
          I guess an’ fear!