When kids like 9-yo Zayne Cowie and 16-yo Greta Thunberg from Sweden are the authority on climate you know it’s high time the adults of the world sit up and take notice.
69
I don't understand who wrote this book. The headline says Zayne Cowie but the inside back cover lists several authors and one illustrator none of whom are Zayne. Although I am confused about that, obviously this is brilliant. Like all other warnings, it will be ignored by the current administration.
13
What is it with kids these days... ? can’t they cotrol their consciences and use up the planet like rest of us?
9
In what sense is the book “by” Zayne? He’s not listed on the back page and the diction is clearly that if an adult.
9
Rather than Zayne telling everyone else they need to do something about climate change, he should tell others what he and his family are doing to stop global warming and encourage others to do likewise.
5
...I want that book...!
8
I feel so powerless at the prospect of what mess we are leaving our kids to clean up. School shootings, warming planet and income inequality, dwindling middle class. We do not live in a democracy but rather a mix of plutocracy and gerontocracy, run by rich old white men married to their money and power. I thought that was only the middle ages, no?
13
Smart young man.
6
From the mouths of babes. The emperor has no clothes. Adults please vote for leaders who will act.
13
Not only do we as a society need to repent of our abuse of the environment, we need to repent in general in order for the climate to be moderated.
6
Wow.
Zayne, you and your friends are going to force us adults to make things happen fast. Many of you will soon be able to vote too.
Thank you.
7
Bravo to Zayne.
Maybe the New York Times would like to heed Zayne’s call and take actions of their own, including refusing to accept advertising money from Exxon and Shell and Ford and GE and Goldman Sachs, etc. (with whom they actually partnered on branding through TBrand: http://www.tbrandstudio.com/our-work/) and correcting their appalling practice of repeatedly underestimating the climate impacts of fracked gas, which are now known to be at least as bad as coal if not worse.
The climate catastrophe we are in midst of is not a special-interest story. We all need to act as though our future — and the future of all life on this planet — depends on what we do, because it does.
No more business as usual.
Listen to those like Zayne who will inherit this mess of ours and ACT.
7
Are we being told that if only Americans take drastic enough action then we can save the Earth? America produces 14 percent of the world's carbon dioxide. So no American policy will make a dent in climate change. Every American could drop dead tomorrow and it wouldn't make a dent. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions
6
Its pretty depressing when a nine year old has to tell adults not to wreck the earth. Capitalists and anti-science wingnuts have opposed any actions to reduce or even prepare for climate change in the USA. Our grandchildren will pay the price.
11
Sorry Zayne, but it is far too late now. We are forever enthralled with money and will gladly trash the planet for the getting of it. We have all but guaranteed that your future will be a vastly degraded one.
And by the way, in case you were wondering. There is no more meaning of the word 'enough'
10
It is more writing like this that it will take to maybe wake up the grownups to face the immediate crisis on our blue orb we all live upon...the most recent example?...speak to anyone in the Colorado Springs area in Colorado and hear and see what they lived through two days ago when an equivalent category 2 hurricane snow storm barreled through their community...
9
A small poem by an adult that hears you, Zayne, and all of the brave and virtuous March 15th Global Youth Climate Strikers.
Keep up the fight and good luck!
Oh green earth
You take up all our problems
You eat our dead
and grow our corn
How is it that we do not know
the likes of you?
How is it your beauty is
so misunderstood?
Where are the voices, the hearts,
to call out and express the love
Within your ocean breezes
and tree leaf echoes.
2
Thank you Mr. 9 Year Old for great courage for coming forth and asking adults why and that you charged forth with information so that for the record to speak on behalf of those without a voice such as the newborns that haven't left the hospitals yet after their recent births to go the homes of their parents for the first time. Those young voiceless babes some as I type not yet 24 hours old deserve not just an answer which I will give you but an admission of those against immediate action to "err on the side of safety" and recognize climate change a threat to the removal of all humankind on earth and not to just Americans who are the responsible of all peoples on earth for schooling and promoting the capitalistic economic systems lifestyle throughout the planet of earth since the Industrial Revolution until present and will continue again today with anywhere from the emissions of 22,000,000 to 25,000,000 barrels of oil today.
The answer is because of evil humans and ignorant cowards largely driven by the fact that they are only as brave as the gasoline in their vehicles or the jet fuel in the planes they intend to force emissions from into the atmosphere to chase wealth. These evil humans are largely from the business degree world and with little or no science backgrounds.
I said a few sentences before the term "err on the side of safety" which is a term used often by Republicans to go to war against Iraq!
Evil humans is the answer why not.
I hear you sir I hear you!
1
IF climate disaster is coming (big IF) we need to eliminate ALL fossil fuel burning around the world IMMEDIATELY! Anything short of this is just chicken little sky is falling fear mongering which is far more unhealthy for our kids' mental state than climate change. Nuclear power is the ONLY option for fossil free power around the world. The ENTIRE planet should be run on nuclear.. end of story!
5
We live at a time when 9 year olds are more knowledgeable about science than the "leadership" of an entire major political party.
Vote Democrat and only Democrat to save the USA and the planet.
13
At just 9 years old, the eminent Master Cowie represents a whole generation in whose hands soon will lie the fate of mankind.
I hope that generation will act as responsible stewards -- not as the greedy, development-crazy reprehensible stooges that distinguish my generation, the Baby Boomers.
5
Well, judging by how one-third of our electorate follows Trump--no coincidence they are all members of the Flat Earth Society. And the aristocracy is too busy cheating the system to get their dullard and indolent children into elite schools, I'd say the kid is right--good-bye Earth, but with all of the nuclear arms agreements being used like toilet paper on the bottom of Trumps shoe, most likely it will be a nuclear evaporation of humanity vs. anything else. Good bye Earth--but at least all the jerks will be gone too :)
2
Similar child activists were flag bearers of the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960's
/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution
when in fact classes were canceled, as they are now in Europe.
Also similar was the European Crusade of the Children around 1200
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Crusade
For similarly urgent reasons as now, since then as now the end was nigh.
Zachary made reference to destructive nature of our devouring meat and dairy products ("fast food," "farting cows"), but I haven't seen a letter highlighting this factor contributing to the climate disaster.
A recent report from a prestigious medical journal (The Lancet) tells the truth: eating meat and dairy products has ‘dire’ consequences for the planet. It's only the latest in series of warnings from scientific sources, including the United Nations and other international scientific organizations, as well as many universities.
Methane gas (a pernicious greenhouse gas) from raising animals for food in the United States accounts for more greenhouse gases shot into the atmosphere than all of our country's transportation vehicles. That's right: cows and pigs are a bigger threat than cars. Not to mention the fact that corporations who produces tens of thousands of hogs annually are not required to find safe ways to dispose of their urine and feces (as towns and cities must), and their waste "holding ponds" too frequently leak into our lakes and rivers, and poison them.
To feed a growing global population and curtail climate change, scientists say we need to radically change our food systems.
However, Americans (and this includes countless environmentalists) are completely unwilling to forgo their steaks, burgers, bacon, cheese and yogurt even though moving to a plant-based diet one of the most important things a individual can do to fight climate change.
3
I love the Bowie song that is nearly as old as I am, but how many times do I need to play it at selfish and foolish adults this year? CH CH CH CHANGES!
2
How about the New York Times political reporters, editors, and columnists read this? And read what the Times' own climate-science reporters report?
And stop diverting us to every other problem and issue? That's like diversion to rearranging deck chairs as our ship of climate for human life on Earth goes down from a hole in the hull.
Instead, blow away the current flood of D candidates who are, like the New York Times, also mis-focusing their and our attention on rearranging deck chairs as our ship of human civilization on Earth goes down.
And blow away that dishonest "Green New Deal" hoax, which hijacks public concern about climate to try to fix everything else.
Demand the rise of one or more candidates focused on specific actions which can do most soonest to reduce our global warming emissions. THIS AND NOTHING ELSE.
After we have those emissions under control, we and our descendants can survive and turn our attention to optimizing our deck chair positions.
3
To all people:
I came to Washington in 1966 to work on air pollution control in the U.S. Public Health Service. I have produced an article showing many legal landmarks in our failures to date to protect us all. Youths are right to be angry. But we must persist. See
https://www.legalreader.com/50-years-of-legal-climate-change/
40
Save the Whales
3
Shame the previous generations, Zayne, in all caps and in red.
3
Stop brainwashing these kids. No nine year old is knowledgeable enough to write thoughtfully on the subject. The obsession of major media with this climate fetish is also bordering on the absurd.
12
OK so adults let’s do something
Let’s each of us do one thing today
NYT: lead the way! How about if the NYT has an Environment Section?
Just like Business, sports, Technology, National, Lifestyle, Travel, Politicsetc etc
How about a section devoted to the most significant issue of our lifetime?
4
Isn't there something in the Bible about how a little child shall lead them? Oh yes, Isaiah 11:6.
2
Consider that:
*95% of ALL species from monocellular to T-rex that ever lived on earth are extinct.
*Homo sapiens sapiens have only been around for +/- 300k years.
*Extinction of Homo sapiens sapiens is God's plan to right His experiment gone very wrong in what the Homo species has done to his beautiful blue planet.
2
The final page in the book says, "Written by Pamela Druckerman, Leah Varjacques, Julie Lunde, Kendall Ciesemier and Taige Yensen." But the cover says, "by Zayne Cowie." Which is it? Was it written by a 9-year-old? And why does that final page say, "Property of the New York Times"?
10
Shameful propaganda aimed at children.
8
if you're not angry you're not living
1
Fabulous book. And so sad. I am really glad that Global Warming is finally getting the attention it deserves. I read that there are states trying to pass laws that forbid the teaching of Global Warming in their schools! Outrageous. All so the powerful fossil fuel industry can continue to suck the earth dry of oil and coal. Rise up people! Demand action for our children. Save our beautiful planet.
2
When the kids at Parkland stood up and vowed to take on the NRA, I gave a sigh of relief. I knew without a doubt that the things some of us - us all types, kinds, shapes, colors of people - fought for in the '60s and '70s weren't going to die. Their parents may be passive, but they aren't.
Now the "babes shall lead them." As Harry Truman used to say, "Give em h*ll, give em h*ll!" They will carry on.
45
I hope you like okra! That's one of the few vegetables we'll be able to grow when it gets too hot.
Above 95 degrees a lot of plants won't grow well. Blossoms won't set fruit. And at the same time insect pests will proliferate.
We will see major disruption in our food systems regardless. Much of the things we enjoy will need to be grown in climate controlled environments. And that will be very very expensive.
This doesn't even account for seafood. There are 8 Billion mouths to feed.
The scariest part - I'm sure that no-one in a position of authority is planning for this.
7
this was excellent but where was the page on car dependence? How disappointing that even when progressive leaders teach children about climate change they're ignoring the importance of investing in environmentally friendlier modes - biking, walking, trains, buses...all much better and less selfish than private cars.
9
Good book. How to help right Now:
Avoid plastic wrappers and containers and plastic/synthetic clothes, toys, furniture
Plant and nurture more trees
Stop buying more food, clothing, electronics, housing space than you truly need
Eat no or very little meat, especially factory farmed
Choose locally farmed produce when possible
Turn off/unplug electrical devices, lights, and appliances when not immediately needed
Watch less TV and use less internet shopping, so ads don't erode your "buy less" resolve
Promote contraceptive use & clinics to reduce birthrates; sex educ. in schools, faith places
Adopt a child; don't create another
Drive less, in smaller, fuel-efficient or electric cars
Walk or bike more, or use public transportation, if able
Install solar panels; call your legislators to demand no-cost loans/subsidies to do this
Insist that local planning boards require builders to build well-insulated, energy-efficient buildings; go to meetings (watch less TV)!
Mow lawns less often/not at all; plant flowers, shrubs, vegetables, not turf
Use neighborhood tool-sharing "libraries" rather than buy new
Eliminate/reduce holiday or vacation flying
Use 4-8 degrees less heat/AC at home & office; adjust clothing layers, shades, fans
Lose weight: eat less, cook at home, move more (dance at home, walk, or bike; don't drive to a gym)
Recycle paper, clothing, furniture, household goods
Plan a green funeral (wood/cardboard coffin, earth burial, no burning, no chemicals)
11
I'd like to see a kid explain how we are borrowing his future with all this debt we are accumulating. With the climate, we really just don't know what will happen. However, we do know that if we keep spending the way we do without paying for it, the reckoning is coming.
4
"Nuclear power paves the only viable path forward on climate change." Reknowned climatologists James Hansen, Kerry Emanuel, Ken Caldeira, and Tom Wigley said it four years ago at COP21 in Paris. Since, they have been saying it again, and again.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/03/nuclear-power-paves-the-only-viable-path-forward-on-climate-change
When Indian Point Energy Center is shut down next year, 2.1 billion watts of clean electricity will be replaced by burning fossil fuel gas, just like Vermont Yankee was in Vermont, just like San Onofre was in California - the list goes on and on. Replacing it with renewable wind and solar in New York (or anywhere else) remains the same impractical fantasy it was three decades ago, when James Hansen's testimony on the threat of climate change was largely dismissed.
Maybe climatologists will be wrong this time, and maybe I'll win the Powerball - but I'd never bet my kids' future on it.
12
Students are doing some teaching. Human survival means ending the inertia that precludes the necessary radical change.
For example, water has become a fuel. Any combustion engine can soon be cheaply converted to run on water instead of gas, diesel or jet fuel. See MOVING BEYOND OIL at aesopinstitute.org
Cars can soon become mobile power plants, selling electricity or powering buildings. They can park over a plate developed by an MIT spin out venture. Typically vehicles are parked about 23 hours a day. Imagine the impact on the energy industry of these two innovations.
Electric cars can include range extending micro-turbines. Five firms have prototypes and the Chinese are planning the largest micro-turbine factory in the world. These engines can also be converted to run on water.
And the water can be extracted from the air, ending any need to refuel.
The BLACK SWAN is the title of a book about highly improbable events with huge implications.
The worldwide school strike is an example.
Positive BLACK SWANS include inventions that defy textbook dogma.
A few that suffer from lack of sufficient support include room temperature superconductors; piston engines and turbines that need no fuel; Heat Pump air conditioners requiring much less power and no refrigerants - and a handful of others. Read more on the website.
Joe Romm has said new science requires 20 to 30 years before it appears in products. Those mentioned in the paragraph above are now ripe.
The time is now!
Our inability to anticipate consequences directly impacts these kids. As it is, my own retirement is full of question marks, but they have not even had a chance to experience the wonders are have been our earth. As a species, we need to wake up, tackle climate change and its mate overpopulation before we resign our progeny to a wrecked planet and possible extinction.
2
The root cause of all global environmental problems including any effect of humans on the climate of the planet is overpopulation, but there is no leadership to address it. As the population increases from 7.6 to some 10 billion carbon-generating human heaters this century, neither incremental increases in per capita energy efficiency nor any financial schemes will have any significant effect on our ongoing environmental disaster. Humans have chosen quantity over quality; the inevitable results are just beginning.
11
Seriously, "Goodbye Earth?" With all the "believe the Science" going on these days, I know of no "Serious Scientist" who thinks climate change will end life. It may be a huge problem, flood coastal cities, cause worse hurricanes, and extinguish a lot of species -- but the Earth has, over its multi-billion-year history, seen much, much worse conditions than anything that could conceivably come out of the Anthropocene. What kind of hysteria have they been feeding these kids, that they're THAT scared? Has he plowed through the IPCC Assessment Reports? (And I mean the whole 1400-page report, not just the Summary for Policy Makers.) Get real. Climate change is a thing, no one's denying it -- but it's one of a whole bunch of issues facing humanity. It is not the only one. And even if we do nothing, life -- in some form -- will go on. That much is certain. It's time to -- dare I say it? -- respect the science.
7
It's already too late. The Green New Deal is the best we can hope for and that won't stop Climate Change, it will only make the worst of it - some 100 years from now as the effects of what we have already done peak out - less than it would have been. The Green New Deal calls for radical change in our societies, lifestyle, and ending, immediately, all consumption of fossil fuel. Of course, had action on climate change not been blocked for the past 40 years by republicans, we would have had Climate Change under control. The danger of Climate Change, like smoking, was blocked by business friendly republicans with lies, propaganda, claims of "unsure science", claims the "radical socialistic left is tearing their hair out" asking us to spend trillions and "change our way of life" and we republicans will protect your right to "choose to pollute and do nothing", just like we protected your right to "choose to smoke". Now, there is no choice. We must stop all CO2 emissions completely, as radical and difficult that is. Sorry - but that is where the republicans have left us.
1
Throughout American history the pentagon has been the originator of innovation that later was commercialized. No matter what you think of governement look to the Pentagon for how they are innovating in response to climate change.
Demand more from your politicians and fire them when they fail to act.
Take one step then another and another to support the planet. You may very well discover how much you enjoy consuming less, choosing carefully, and knowing that you are contributing to improving this planet rather than leaving behind a toxic waste dump.
It is never too late to effect change; that is just self justifying thinking.
The fact that 49 Muslims were murdered on the same day that this protest was being held is more than ironic; it is indicative of the "Mad Max" world we are entering when political leaders like Trump spew hatred of the other out of ignorance and a desire for political gain.
The U.S. is responsible for 27% of the greenhouse gases now lingering in the atmosphere. We have a responsibility to lead by example as we confront this complex, existential crisis. This includes recognizing the humanity of those most impacted by climate change, and working collectively to find compassionate solutions.
4
This is unfair to this child being used as a way to advance parent's political agenda... Yes climate is changing and we, as humanity might have contributed... Panic of the left political class is just not justified by any scientific data of pending catastrophe... There were beach erosion in cold climes and beach replenishments in hot ones... Reducing CO2 levels is good... creating a racket out it that will wreck industries and economies is not. Using children as props for political ideology is not good, having a civilized debate based on all scientific data and not just picked to fit that same ideology is good.
9
Wow! That is an amazing book written by a 9 year old. Great video done with humor about the most serious crisis of our time.
And the kid's right. IT IS WE THE ADULT GENERATION who have failed our children and future generations. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
I am.
2
If thousands of kids can march on Congress, and publish videos in their districts of their meetings with their congresspersons' -- that would let voters know just how much their elected representatives plans on helping stop global warming.
BREAKING NEWS: Ecological collapse is imminent due to global warming and other things.
We are killing off the bottom part of ecosystems -- insects -- so rapidly that people born in the 1940s and 1950s notice there no longer are hundreds of bugs on grills and windshields after a day driving, or a "blizzard of nocturnal insects in the car's headlights... decline in insect populations is being noticed all over the temperate zone and has been scientifically confirmed in Great Britain (Conrad at al 2006)." [Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy, 2007 - 12th printing 2018]
Why does this matter? Isn't it nice not to have fewer insects? Insects are required food for birds and many other animals.
What happens when we take all this food off wildlife's table?
2
What a strange world where the children are left to lead the adults.
3
Zayyne is being used by her "handlers", he was told the story of impending doom but has no way of verifying or cross checking any of the facts.
Beyond the "sky is falling" narrative, there are hugely complex scientific questions and there are very few who should be speaking in this arena, most of them create noise and do not add to the solutions.
Getting children into any arena where it's pretty obvious that they are just aping and regurgitating what they are told, is silly, why not involve them in the abortion issues?
7
Oh my, the world is coming to an end! When will that be? In twelve years according to Beto. Seriously?? No one knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone twelve years.
Look, I think everyone agrees we should do things to care for our planet, but this climate change hysteria is not going to help. And somehow using this to put Trump in a bad light is not going to help either.
7
Check out a remarkable young Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg who is rallying this movement. Appreciate the work of the children and anybody else trying to save our poor planet...
3
I wonder if children, teenagers and all the rest concerned are willing to hang the families’ clothes out on the line before school? Or actually wash the dishes. Or give up their traveling sports and clubs for local walkable clubs and sports. Give up take out, fast food and have the chickens destined for the family dinner brought directly to the house on a horse and buggy? My father put a tank over our outdoor shower that would warm the water during the summer. We had rain barrels to collect water for our backyard gardens.
I am not that old, but this is what I remembered when I grew up. This was not in the Midwest, but in Union County, NJ and in the 1950’s.
One of the best tag lines lately, is just don’t recycle but reduce and reuse.
67
BRAVO Zayne
I hope you are the leader everyone listens to
7
Hello, What about this 50 year old adn all the other 50 year olds...?? Im mad as hell too!!! I have kids and will have grandchildren hopefully!! We have a government full of short sighted self interested idiots who are only interested in being reelcted as opposed to doing the right things, no matter how tough they are! Bush, Cheney, and Trump have sold out this country and the world for that matter while they prostrated themselves on the tail pipe of big business and the engergy industry! This adminsitration has not just given the keys to the hen house to the wolves, they have sold the hen house and all the property around it to the wolves!! We will be left with global warming, rising seas, climate change, drought, refugee issues, large scale migration changes, hostilities, and foods shortages! The 9 year old and the rest of us have alot to be mad about!
11
@I finally get it First, Bush, Cheney, Trump et al. were 'elected' by all those (20, 30, 40 ...) 50 yr. olds. I'm pushing 70 and didn't vote for any of them, but hey ...
Second, let's remember (with thankfulness and praise!) the scientists who refused to be silenced, the adults who voted for wise choices instead of wise guys, the teachers who continue to think facts matter and that learning how to think is the best gift we can give our students/children ... If not for those people, there would be no 9 yr. old climate-change activists! Zayne didn't come up with this on his own, nor in a vacuum (btw, kudos to his parents, too!).
Third, it's a slow process, we have to keep at it. When we see something like this, I have a feeling we're winning.
Oh, and finally, it's foxes and hen houses, wolves and sheep ... :) Peace
4
As Mahatma Gandhi said, "The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." I thought my generation, the Baby Boomers, was going to change the world for the better. There is a side to human nature that goes for greediness, no matter what generation. I'm sorry, Zayne, that the planet is so screwed up. I've been working all my life to live with a small footprint, advocating for animal and climate justice, and only a very few folks I've come across "get it." My electric car and vegetarian lifestyle can impact only so much when everyone else is driving an SUV and eating steak. Thank you for your book, video, and striking tomorrow!
12
@Audrey You probably should be more worried about the Chinese building power plants fueled by coal than my steak. How amusing that you have any electric car without a thought about where the electricity comes from.
1
As a (retied) elementary school educator, I'm struck by Comments reflecting cynicism, disbelief in kids' credibility and passion, and a hearty embrace of 'screw-it, the world's gonna be wiped of humanity anyway.'
Having taught sixth graders, I was always amazed at their creativity, resolve, initiative, and ability to generate ideas. Do they sometimes parrot adult ideas, of course. But we adults continue to push a whole boatload of difficulties on down the road, and our kids continue to inherit them -- now, these kids are legitimately worried that lush green lawns, thick steaks, or SUVs come at a really high sacrificial price, and gasoline isn't it. Plus, those without these privileged goods are increasingly angry.
Corporate profits and consumers' habit patterns reinforce a post-WWII materialism that makes ancient Rome look like a monastery. Spiritually, we worship the 2nd Amendment, freedom without responsibility, and the right to pick and choose our own egotistical values while denigrating the values of others.
Kids learn from the actions and attitudes of the adults they encounter -- but some are rejecting these narrow perspectives, preferring to advocate for the planet rather than continue to abuse it. They see that the adults in power are doing little to effect necessary change -- and think, maybe a book, maybe a Friday school strike, maybe coordinated protests will get someone's attention. I applaud them -- they're learning. We adults haven't. At least, not enough.
187
@SGK
It is no wonder that our schools do such an ineffective job despite the vast amounts of taxpayers money shoveled to them. What can you expect when the teachers think 9 year olds have have the facts and the ability to logically analyze the very complicated facts involved in the global warming issue. In effect, the teachers think the students are teaching and the teachers are the students. We really are wasting our money paying them at all.
6
@SGK: Try adding population to the list. Fewer people equals less pollution. Of course it will crash the economy, which must keep expanding to stay healthy. And yes, we all could live more conservatively, but any solution that does not include reducing population while avoiding crashing the economy is doomed to failure.
Let the children figure that one out. I'm listening. And don't get me wrong. I applaud their newfound consciousness. Maybe when they grow up they can make something happen, if it isn't too late. Apparently the adults in the room can't quite manage it in spite of the fact that many of us try.
13
“Wisdom oft comes from the mouth of babes.”
― George R.R. Martin, " Song of Ice and Fire"
A fictional world in which seasons last for years and end unpredictably
We must Heed these words of Zayne Cowie; "With storms and drought and mass migration you're still stuck in conversation?"
Djt was asked about his own governments National Climate Assessment that included "Multiple lines of independent evidence confirm that human activities are the primary cause of the global warming of the past 50 years." His response was he "doesn't believe climate change is man-made" and "it could go back." It is no surprise that the man has never expressed any interest updating his belief that reflect the facts.
We all must do our part saving Mother Earth and we can begin by honoring the fact that we are citizens of this Earth. The power we hold to bring this from a 'conversation' to resolution is the vote we cast in the 2020 elections. We must strip The People's House of carbon profiteering.
"The earth was created
for all of us,
not some us "
Anthony Williams
Inside the divine pattern
3
This panic mania is an attempt by the left to scare the populace through their children into a wholesale rearrangement of the modern way of life. The world is not coming to an end in 12 years - please! It's largely an attempt by the left to grab power and impose socialism on the west. The left will stop at nothing to win.
12
I hope the book and coverage go viral, since most of the adults that re even younger than boomers are in the I am going to get mine camp and don't care if they leave a toxic ball of gas to even their younger family members, never mind strangers. It might potentially get them to re-think the purchase of their next military grade, mad max, oversized vehicle. The current one is raised up so that the hood is even with a six foot adults head (check), military styled and faux camouflage (check), aggressive name like raptor or scary symbol of figures similar to a security guard's badge (check), low gas mileage belching black smoker diesel or a Hemi (check), six door cab (optional); potentially if they read the book the kid is hawking they could get by with a little less of everything. After all, they are only going from their McMansion to the office and if they scaled back just a little, maybe the kid won't have to enter the Thunder dome.
2
@Kevin. I assume you don’t heat your home or drive.
The adults of the US in 2016 could not even elect a president who believed in climate change and had a plan to address it. What is there to say? Instead, the adults of the US elected a man for president who claimed climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese. Will the same mistake be made next year by the adults of the US?
11
This 9 year old is certainly smarter and more realistic than our 9 year old president.
13
What a marvelous poem! How horribly frustrating it must be for children who can't yet vote to see their earth come apart and be legally helpless; to see the lack of gun control legislation and know they are sitting ducks. Ayanna Pressley's bill to let 16-yr-olds vote will help, even if it's just a little bit. As Speaker Pelosi said, it is the kids who are leading the fight for climate change and gun reform: it is a fight for survival.
7
A measure of maturity is the passing up an immediate gain for a long-term greater gain. And it takes a special level of maturity to pass us an immediate profit for the benefit of those yet to be born. Unfortunately, such maturity is lacking in the current White House. To address climate change on a major scale, it will take a paradigm shift in human thought around the world.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. These minds see the survival of a particular belief as more important than the survival of all. In this case, it is the belief in immediate profits. When we understand all this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
3
Shame indeed.Quite literally the only hope I have for a vaguely livable future lies in children like Zayne and Greta and their legion of activists.
We are living the moment our children put us to shame. I write even as the blood in a mosque in New Zealand hasn't dried, in the same week adults sold out their own children by assuming they couldn't get into college without corrupting the process, in the same week we learned a man who had earned 19 years in prison, got 4 at a resort (now amended to a "horrifying" seven [he'll be out in far less as the sympathy machine kicks into high gear for that most beleaguered group: rich, white men behaving badly])in the same week crises 1006-1032 unfolded in a WH mired in toxic criminality.
And those issues are inextricably if subtly linked to climate change; we cannot deal with the crisis before us because so much energy and attention gets diverted by adults behaving, not just badly, the word is too anemic by half, but criminally, venally, toxically, and yes, fatally. We've become a death cult ready to sacrifice our children to war, to poverty, to despair, and to a planet imperiled by climate change...and all so the 1% can continue to cavort in fountains they've stolen for themselves while the rest of us have the "drip, drip, drip" of Trickle Down.
Zayne, I salute you; your book is brilliant. Your generation deserves infinitely, incomprehensibly more from adults. You and Greta and the other children are heroes. Do not back down.
7
Amazing a nine year old has even heard of global warming. Must be his parents
I have grandsons graduation from high schools in Mason, Ohio and Bowling Green, KY who had never heard of climate change or global warming. Not a single science or civics class had mentioned it. Looks like local parents and politicians have totally hidden the debate. Ignored it rather than enter the discussion. I’ll bet no kids in those towns will even know a protest is going on elsewhere
But a cute story nonetheless.
3
Someone lied to her.
Climate change is real. But we'll survive just fine. It will be good for some people living in cold climates, and bad for those living on low-lying coasts. Overall, humanity will survive.
11
@Jonathan Katz
The sky isn't falling after all? That should be good news for all those smart, progressive New Yorkers who inexplicably continue to build apartments on an island that is supposed to be under water in a ten years.
Anyway, lying to children is easy. It's also evil. Public schools have a captive clientele. The kids' parents can be jailed if they don't send their kids there. Is it any wonder we keep asking, "Why can't Johnny think?" It's because Johnny's teachers can't discern fantasy from reality.
3
It sounds to me more like "someone lied" to you.
Not so long ago there were 2.5 billion people on Earth. Now 7.5, soon to be 11. I wonder if Zayne has any opinions on this forbidden topic.
There is much anguished talk about saving the world for the next generation. Maybe the next generation should be smaller.
6
Nine year olds don’t know anything about anything. Can we stop using kids as props to further political agendas? I can’t think of conservatives doing this in nearly the same way as liberals.
14
@N, why should adults "stop using kids as props to further political agendas," considering that adults are constantly using adults to further political agendas?
We adults have much to learn from kids, N. In fact, if we'd listen harder to our children, the earth might be a healthier place right now.
47
@N I disagree. My kid has been talking about climate change since at least that age, and it's a topic with her friends. It might have come up at school (we're in France, not the U.S.) but in the context of recycling. Certainly her father and I never raised it. Now she's 14 and has gone vegetarian because of worries about climate change.
1
Americans are having so much trouble reading basic facts (#45 approval still near 40%). How can we expect these same people to believe in the abstract consequences of climate change?
It was a beautiful planet. #Sad
6
Our new creed: Mitigation and Adaptation. Let's get on it!
3
@rcm
Clearly you have not kept up. It is now too late. The best we can do is the Green New Deal and that calls for serious and radical change. That type of change should have been started in 1988 when we learned of Climate change and could have been "phased in" thereby not being radical. Now it has to be implemented in less than 5 years w/ the all CO2 emissions stopping now - as in right now. Don't drive a gas powered car, fly, take a train, purchase any product which contains plastic. Impossible you say - that's where republicans have left us. As you walk or ride your bike, you can think of the letter you want to write to republican's thanking them for all of this.
Zayne should be invited to read her book on the floor of Congress when they are in session. I wonder how many Republicans will show up to hear her.
5
Brought tears to my eyes.
4
Theirs is the generation that will begin to suffer. Then oncoming generations will painfully perish.
Scientific observations are warning us that we have become a threat to our continued existence on this planet. The evidence is becoming clear. Violent weather aberrations and record global temperatures are occurring. Ice in the Arctic and Antarctic is melting. Oceans are rising. By the end of this century oceans will have begun inundating coastal areas inhabited by as much as a quarter of human civilization.
And yet we have a bunch of greedy capitalists running the American government who do not care.
Big trouble ahead!
www.InquiryAbraham.com
5
@David Anderson
Sorry David, it is already too late. 15 feet of Ocean Rise in less than 10 years. Good Luck.
Zayne, while you are protesting you should tell adults how mad you for the reverse-inheritance you are receiving from generations who didn't care about you and your future. You will be paying for our debt. And that will have a much larger impact on your daily social and political life than climate change.
3
From a commenter at the Washington Post, a group of Christchurch kids, having taken part in the children's demonstration today, had to be sheltered and escorted by police away from the scenes of carnage against New Zealand's Muslims today. We were told they all made it home safely. As if being adults for the bees, butterflies and animals of the whole world weren't enough...
1
Whaaaat! No 4-year olds to make a policy statement. This dog and pony show trivializes the whole climate debate. Where's the toddler talking about solar panels and wind energy?
11
Young children do not have the education or ability to evaluate the facts and arguments of this issue in a meaningful and logical manner. They simply reflect the judgements in an uncritical manner of the adults in their lives.
The book and the video are nothing more than a deceptive effort by adults to use children to advance the adults' agenda.
Regardless of the merits or demerits of the adults agenda, this video itself and its presentation here are an insult to intelligence. If the adults actually know any facts about the climate change issue, they should present them and their arguments in a logical manner, not this deceitful emotional insult to intelligence.
14
@Errol
Because since we learned of Climate Change, we "adults" have done such a good job in addressing the issue and electing competent leaders. Bless Zane's education system - you should get some.
I do believe that we need to address the issue of Climate Change NOW. But I do not believe that we should manipulate nine year olds in pretending to ring the alarm bell. Please, let’s have more decency!
8
What makes you so certain this kid is being "manipulated?"
1
@Arturo When students are more articulate than our current president then it is time to listen to them.
6
Dear Zayne,
Like my generation, yours will become addicted to convenience, security, and comfort. And that is fine. That's what we humans like. And the earth is fine with that, so long as there aren't too many of us. Soon there will be 8 billion of us. Given the cool tech advances that allow us to do more with less and to use the sun and wind, the Earth can handle 5 billion of us. How do you think we should get the number down? The Chinese had a 1-child policy for a while; it's the only thing humans have done that worked. But it was ugly. We could stop jumping in to prevent the spread of ebola. Really ugly. How about you get a vasectomy when you turn 13?
3
So progressive - to use children to promote one's politics. New lows reached every day.
15
It is impossible to believe this little boy was more than a front man in this effort. No matter. Is writing a scary and churlish message in a children’s book, and have it read aloud and thrown onto a bench on NYT video a great way to solve our huge problem?
Rather than pretending their child is a politically correct poet, his parents might better serve us all by publishing a children’s book about all the ways we can act, no matter our age, to change our destiny. Let’s start with more walking and less riding.
7
I'm crying already, haven't watched the video yet.
For years, walking along Lake Michigan, I see toddlers playing and wonder how long they have.
I see the polarization and the hate, read about the shootings, and know that this is genocide prepping, part of the oncoming, accelerating apocalypse.
The Horror, writ large, writ often, writ inescapable.
I so feel for these kids.
Disneyland is over.
We can't save 'em.
The margins of selection tighten and relax.
We're in an extended period where the margins of selection will be tightening, impersonal and brutally enforced.
Climate change is a symptom of the emergent and dominant phenomenon of our era: Exponentially Accelerating Complexity.
Other symptoms include: opioid, diabetes and obesity epidemics, species extinction, groundwater pollution and depletion, mass shootings, antibiotic resistance, mass migration of animals and people, oceanic dead zones, nitrogen pollution of the oceans, overfishing, unprecedented waste streams, etc.
In 1984, I wrote: "Look, we were all raised in this culture that is committing planetary suicide — Jonestown on a whole earth level."
We've generated environs we don't fit. These unprecedented environs emerged and we simply aren't built, aren't coded — biologically and culturally — to process all the new and complexifying relationships we continue to generate — with the sky, ocean, other species, etc.
World civilization resembles a a failing immune system, one being overrun by novel pathogens.
6
1) Most American parents love their guns more than they love their children. Why would these parents care about climate change?
2) It's too late to "fix" the climate.
1
There seems to be no dearth
Of those who wish to save mommy earth
But when their arguments fail to convince
They bring out the kids
Not more evidence.
Because there is little of it
Truth be told
Re a climate apocalypse
About to unfold
I hope Zayne lives to be 93
And discovers much to his glee
That the sun still rises and sets
And no one has been drowned by rising seas
And by then he will likely agree
with the following sage words
children should be seen
but seldom if ever heard.
4
You say more "evidence" needs to be provided, yet you make it clear that no amount of evidence will convince you. Sad.
I was born in 1963. I felt the same way as this kid growing up.
I pick up garbage everyday thinking it would help. Remember the ads of the crying Native American Indian . Smoke the Bear. Give a Hoot, Dont Pollute. I thought if everyone just knew they would correct the problem.
Pollution started years ago but I still think we can stop this. I still pick up garbage and clean up after others. Permiculture has many solutions to cleaning up toxic soil, water and air.
7
Seriously? Perhaps we should give 9 year olds the vote, and take it away from adults.
102
@chip
Tell Pelsoi, I'm sure she will agree.
@chip
Could the 9 year olds do any worse than Congress?
12
Brilliant and absolutely spot on. Parents should stop worrying about their children having the very best of everything because their little ones are going to inherit one big garage dump and all their money won't protect them.
8
God bless you, Zayne, and I hope we grownups are smart enough to listen to you.
68
Don't fret little ones.
We will get it done.
7
at 68, not even remotely confident that we will get anything done at all.
19
Precocious kid to adult: "I've been reading up a bit about climate and it seems the same physics we are messing with makes the surface of Venus hot enough to melt lead and Mars cold enough to freeze out CO2. Those are our sister planets. What could go wrong?"
Adult: "How much time do you have?"
6
Unfortunately, adults are too caught up in their ego needs of conspicuous consumption, accumulation of wealth, comfort and convenience and economic social status-to care about future generations. We adults live the the economic now or near future. I feel sorry for the kids.It is only they who will save the earth.
76
@Jack The Ex-Patriot Agree with your first three sentences. "It is only kids who will save the earth" is what we used to say. In 9 years Zayne will be able to vote. That's too long to wait for real action on climate change.
27
What a clever book. Depressing, but clever. I find myself oddly reminded of Winston Churchill. His most famous speech of course. However, also two others from around the same time.
"Meanwhile, the House should prepare itself for hard and heavy tidings. I have only to add that nothing which may happen in this battle can in any way relieve us of our duty to defend the world cause to which we have vowed ourselves; nor should it destroy our confidence in our power to make our way, as on former occasions in our history, through disaster and through grief to the ultimate defeat of our enemies."
"We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be."
4
This is awesome.
However, it should be noted, it's not "Goodby Earth". It's "Goodbye People".
The earth has survived several extinction events and come through just fine.
We won't.
33
@Buddhi G You are absolutely correct. At about 4.5 billion years old, Earth is only at middle age. I predict that Homo sapiens will be but a tiny blip on the next 4.5 billion years of Earth's life, which will end when its sun burns out.
7
@Buddhi G - no regrets, no conscience, about the other living species we would exterminate? Isn't that the kind of thinking that got us into this mess to begin with?
1
My concern began in the 1970's as a teenager. Carter's mislabeled 'malaise' speech and Sagan's 1980 Cosmos series kicked my concern into high gear. We needed a Manhattan-like green project and contraception programs back then.
Now it is too late.
The population has more than doubled in my lifetime. This drives every looming ecological disaster: global warming, climate change, resource depletion, pollution, mass migrations, loss of habitat, mass extinction, etc. All of this is currently on a roll, and is ramping up. Keeling shows CO2 at 411 ppm. Warming and acidification of the oceans is already baked in for decades to come. One third of the electorate is in denial. We haven't even begun to act.
32
@oldBassGuy
As depressing as it is, I have to agree with this. Humans have done nothing to stop the wave of humanity swallowing virtually every ecosystem on the planet. The population bomb we heard about in the 60's and 70's in fact went off and the damage is being done globally. Worse, I see no signs that we will get serious about trying to find the balance of humanity with nature.
2
@oldBassGuy
Unlike the 70s, no one talks, now, about population. In my lifetime, it has tripled.
4
Zayne,
I would suggest that instead of taking a day off from school to protest, you and your fellow students raise money and then plant trees all over the country. In addition to our wasteful use of resources, we have also destroyed trees needed to maintain clean air. And, in NYC, more trees will result in lower temperatures in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter - less reducing our need for any type of energy.
5
Planting trees the world over not enough apparently.
https://www.businessinsider.com/so-much-co2-planting-trees-cant-save-us-2017-5
Excerpt:
“In truth, we would have to cover the entire contiguous US with trees just to capture 10% of the CO2 we emit annually.
There's just not enough room on this planet to have the farmland it takes to feed the world plus the space to plant the necessary number of trees.
In other words, many of us would starve if we tried using trees to solve our emissions problem.”
just don't plant ash trees . 90% will die in the next few years due to ash yellows...
1
We all love kids, they are our future and represent the fragile beauty of life that is so pure before we become jaded by reality.
But...it makes me just a liiiiitle uncomfortable how we elevate the ones that perfectly parrot their parents'/society's talking points.
We at once want free thought while lauding praise on our youngest who are simply pushing lines from their elders
(Conservative Christians also do this, elevating young kids who give the best mock sermons or speak in tongues, in a way that I think most readers here would find deeply unsettling).
By all means, lets encourage kids to be thoughtful caring people, but lets not quite beatify them yet.
25
Instead of concern trolling, perhaps you could address the actual substance of these kid's worries. Their observations are legitimate. Just because they share the same views as some adults doesn't necessarily mean they're "parroting" anyone.
4
Fantastic! But I think his parents helped him with it. I want to give it to my nieces and nephews but it's too bleak. And their parents won't read it.
3
Fabulous video. That kid is great. Thank you.
11
Add 16 year old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg to the list of students working for climate change. Today students in over 100 countries will hold strikes for climate change. She has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize. If we really want change,more adults should join. Time to put the pink hats back on.
13
But what about short-term profit, growing wealth inequality, and corporate corruption? Citizens United says that they're people too. What happens to them if we stop using oil just to protect our children's futures?
15
@Chris
How about the children do something cool themselves to reduce their carbon footprint?
Tropical deforestation for palm oil production accounts for about 10% of co2 emissions.
Kids could:
Throw out all the snacks with palm oil and never buy them again. Pressure food companies to stop using palm oil.
Pressure Girl Scouts to stop using palm oil in their cookies.
Agree to no car travel one day a week, a cooler home in winter , meatless meals, etc.
Besides your progressive talking points, I hope you yourself are doing something today to reduce your carbon footprint.
I do agree with you that we use too much oil. We are paying 2.50 a gallon for gas. Our European friends pay 6 or 7 a gallon, and our neighbors to the north pay $4. Yet any talk of a gas tax gets shut down by progressives.
10
"Yet any talk of a gas tax gets shot down by progressives."
Perhaps you could provide some actual evidence to support that claim?
1
@pamela Gas tax shut down by progressives?????? Republicans have stonewalled any effort to increase the federal gas tax for decades!! Plus, there are ways other than a regressive gas tax to fund infrastructure, such as mileage based taxes.
American and European society reacted very differently to the last major energy (supply) crisis in 1973. The Europeans started taxing transport energy & electricity aggressively, eventually treating CO2 as a pollutant, and making massive public transit investments, while we elected to pursue CAFE, including special provisions designed to give businesses a break (Light Truck loophole), and even allowing automakers label CO2-producing vehicles as Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles. The loophole was soon exploited by automakers to aggressively market heavy, high-profit vehicles to families.
These trends have resulted in US fleet average fuel economy being about half of that of the EU.
As our society has failed to raise Federal fuel taxes since 1993, even as infrastructure crumbles, at current prices we would need far more aggressive State road registration taxes that take into account vehicle weight, engine displacement & emissions to convince consumers to make different, less-polluting choices.
Given that much of the rest of the world also wants to live as we do, can our 1st world society be convinced to make personal financial sacrifices for a shared goal?
22
@Mike We have to address income inequality before we start taxing rural Americans out of being able to get to their jobs.
@Mike. Their clean diesel initiative was really great.
The most valuable tech company was the one who guards privacy as a matter of corporate strategy at the highest level. And look FB is nominally responding to AAPL leadership.
The most valuable car company was the one whose stated goal is to motivate OTHER car companies to go electric. And look VW Porsche is responding to TSLA leadership.
Only government regulation or commercial enterprise and innovation can solve problems like these, like global warming. Government regulation on privacy and gas mileages changes from Clinton to Bush to Obama to Trump because face it folks half the country does not WANT to or CANNOT AFFORD to believe in privacy and global warming. It’s really very expensive to own an iPhone that protects your privacy when google based phones are so unexpensive. So issues such as these cannot appeal to sufficient numbers for government to durably solve them via policy.
So as nice as a children’s book is, the answer is commerce. Only way that China is funding its own version of environmental cleanup and they are doing that in scale (look it up) is via top down government led commercial enterprise. Fortunately we don’t have that kind of government, but we do have youth and freedom to experiment and we are willing to reward owners of AAPL and TSLA stock over FB and GM.
Find a way to teach your kids about science and math. Teach them that they can make a difference and then set them free to do so. Grown ups are not the solution.
5
I may be mistaken, but that seems way too sophisticated to have been written by a 9 year old. I did see a list of authors at the end, so the suggestion that he wrote the book is a little deceitful. I have less doubt that it was his general idea.
20
BRAVO Zayne
You are the fresh air we need, or actually you are being the reminder that fresh air is what we all need to live and to breathe. I hope the world listens to you & the cleared eyed vision of your generation saves the planet!
9
@ellen luborsky--Zayne didn't write the book. Check out the last page where it says, "Written by..."
1
sorry--climate change is a good thing--it is just nature correcting itself--soon enough (relatively speaking) humans will be gone and the planet will be alright again.
9
@J
Aargh!
1
@J - so you're okay with mass extinctions of the extraordinary species, evolved over millions of years, that share the planet with us? Just collateral damage? IMO....we should be grateful enough for this living planet to fight for it, for their sake, if not our own.
3
Bernie Sanders was screaming for people to see global warming as a threat to humanity in the 90's.How could one man be so right on subject after subject but still the moderate ( Do nothing no thoughts of their own democrats) still shun him.
16
@gene -- Why is everything about Bernie? Yes, he talked more about climate change than the other candidates in the 2016 election (who totally ignored it). But he offered no plan to do anything about it ... and the recent "Green New Deal" doesn't either. And all of the left-left appears to be peddling never-neverland and ignoring real bills in congress that probably cannot pass this congress, but are real bills with at least a handful of Republican support.
With some concerns I support HR 763
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/763/text
I would urge everyone reading here, of any political persuasion, to read and understand this bill.
My concerns:
1. this bill exempts fossil fuels used for farming. It is obvious that this will become a massive loophole for diversion and fraud. Less obviously it will distort carbon economics for agriculture.
I would support a transition measure that provided a tax-free fuel allowance per acre planted (depending on crop), this allowance to slowly go away.
2. This bill does not address the repeal of all the other energy/fuel subsidies, and that is in fact critical, once the carbon tax becomes significant. These all need to be ramped down as the carbon tax ramps up.
Many still think climate can be fixed. We moved past that point many years ago when we first started seeing the first effects of it showing up around the world. The US should be the world leader, but the US has no direction and has stagnated as a leader in the world on every front. Adaption will be the new norm as we witness extreme changes and all of the social disruptions it brings to the world we used to know. As the water and food disappear and we have more mouths to feed, there will be a breakdown of society. Most of us only know about what is going on in our own neck of the woods, but the alarm bells are ringing all over the world and very few are hearing them. The voices of children today around the world will hopefully signal what adults have ignored. I witnessed and enjoyed a pristine natural world growing up into adulthood, the same world my parents and grandparents knew. We will not be passing that same world on to future generations.
15
@Be One has to wonder how on earth we "fixed" the "global cooling" of the 70's? By the madness back then, we were supposed to be out of food by the year 2000! Well? "Global warming?" Yeah.....OK......Keep "worrying."
What we are seeing, and I hope it isn't too late, is long overdue attention to all the ways we have failed our children--on climate, on egregious disparities in opportunity, on creating a humane approach to economic development and foreign policy.
It's not as though we don't have the ability or knowledge to tackle what's wrong, and many of us have used our voices and our votes to try to effect change. Unfortunately, we are stymied by a system that privileges the needs of the few.
Let's have more stories of children calling us out.
31
I am sorry to say that children should not count on the “grown ups” who elected our corrupt President.
42
Circa 1996
Then a middle-aged business professor, active in and teaching social issues., I presented an introduction to the EPA's Toxins Release Inventory to a group of Honors Sixth Graders The TRI is a database-grounded system offering communities easy to access, well-organized, and relevant data on toxic chemicals released by USA manufacturing facilities "in their backyards, water and air" and identified by company, location, Congressional District, pounds of chemical released, etc. It covers well over a 1000 chemicals, and included most ozone-depleting and many global warming chemicals.
In talking with them about ozone-layer depleting chemicals, I shared that many of these released today would not drift upwards to the ozone layer for two decades. One sixth-graded asked pointedly: "Why are you doing this to us?" I panicked, then turned it into a teachable moment regarding the importance of organizing political movements to achieve wanted goals.
23
how sad it is that we have a 9 year old who exhibits more wisdom than an entire political cult, the GOP, but it is not surprising as that same party voted for and continues to support the three year old tantrum loving Trump. The minimum age for presidential candidates is 35 which assumes that age assures wisdom, something that this president has proven false.
13
Don’t just blame the GOP with this.
“And you know that whole suddenly America’s like the biggest oil producer … that was me, people.” - Barack Obama
The democrats are complicit.
This all makes me feel so terribly guilty, and I don't know what to do. I keep thinking about the closing lines of "Justice Denied in Massachusetts," by Edna St. Vincent Millay:
Let us sit here, sit still,
Here in the sitting-room until we die;
At the step of Death on the walk, rise and go;
Leaving to our children's children the beautiful doorway,
And this elm,
And a blighted earth to till
With a broken hoe.
9
@Katy there are so many things I am doing, I call my representatives weekly, I write to grocery stores about all their single use packaging, I have changed my lifestyle completely, no take out, single use anything, soaps, bugging your employer and other companies to go to 4-10hour work weeks, so we can save co2 one day a week etc. We have NO absolutely NO leadership on this so it's up to us. Thank heavens for the kids who are in science and creating all the alternatives to plastics....I am so grateful for them and will continue to use my dollars where my values are.
27
@Calleen de Oliveira -- all individual effort is commendable, but as far as actually doing something about one's carbon flux involves looking at the big things we do -- because it's just impossible to balance them out with a lot of small ones.
In FL the big things for most people are
* transportation (cars), airline travel if you do a lot
* air conditioning
and where does your electricity come from?
61% of Florida's generation is natural gas; 23% coal, 12% nuclear ... other sources are only 4% ... and that's pathetic.
Florida has excellent solar resource, and that resource correlates well with peak electricity demand (heat waves driving air-conditioning).
Florida, and the vested interests of Florida Power and Light, have made Florida into one of the least progressive states in the union on renewables among states that don't produce coal ... though it certainly has company.
Forget about it kid. We don't care about your future.
Even if we did, humans are incapable of acting in rational ways, especially if it involves sacrificing now for a far away future benefit.
I agree it is sad.
5
@Jay Lagemann
In progressive Vermont, co2 emissions have gone up about 12%. Why? More driving, in part because gas is so cheap. It doesn't help that most everyone drives a gas guzzler. Then we have wood burning and pellet burning for heat.
Progressives love to talk about climate change, they are very averse to doing anything immediate about it. The solution is always raise taxes, get income earners to pay for everything, sign a paper, or talk about some distant unwieldy "massive" program. Change their behavior? Forget about it.
Transportation and heat are the big polluters. Get Americans to drive smaller more efficient cars? Right. Drive less? Maybe. Turn down the heat and turn up the AC? Doubt it.
Easy to complain and condemn. Harder to take meaningful action and personal responsibility.
6
@pamela
Change the damn tax laws. Tax gas, people get a Prius (mine has 206,000 miles on it and is still reliable), do net metering and put up solar panels, mine are 8 years old and are well on their way to paying me back. Eat a plant based diet, I’ve been doing it since 1976 and would be much fatter if I hadn’t. Give non-soybean farmers tax breaks, serve beans in schools, make them super cheap for food stamp recipients. Biggest thing we can all do is let the damn fools out.
Sorry, there's not much we can do. Only about 1% of people are rich enough to benefit from our refusal to ween ourselves off of fossil fuel, but that's more than enough to buy a constant avalanche of climate change disinformation in the media. Only about 20% of people are dumb enough to believe their lies, but that's more than enough to prevent the formation of any consensus as to what our goals should be. And, of course, the lack of consensus as to what our goals should be makes it nearly impossible to make any progress towards them, let alone reach them.
7
The arrogance of mankind to think they can do ANYTHING to ‘save the earth’. The earth was here long before man appeared and the earth will be here long after all traces of mankind are gone. The activists have it backwards - the earth is not ours to control through our actions, we belong to the earth.
6
@Matt Williams sorry, science says you're incorrect. We have massively altered not only the natural carbon cycle, but also the nitrogen cycle and the phosphorus cycles (fertilisers). These are so dramatically altered that for phosphorus for example, our inputs equate to many, many times what would naturally be occurring. It would be foolish to deny the way we have fundamentally altered the planet already - many scientists say we've effectively left the Holocene era and are now in the "Anthropocene" where the major force driving natural processes is human action.
So while the earth is not ours to control, it is ours to change - and we can "save" it for ourselves, our children, and the other several billion species currently in existence (at least the ones we're not already driving to extinction by other means). Conversely, if our runaway climate changes turns it into another Venus, "all traces of mankind" will be there essentially forever. So, yes, we do belong to the earth and if we make it uninhabitable (this is already extremely likely for large sections of the tropics) then we are going to have to deal with the consequences (mass starvation, mass conflict, mass migration on a scale that's pretty much unimaginable).
9
@Matt Williams
Extinction happens. Massive die offs happen.
If we have the knowledge and skills to live differently and clean up the earth isnt it worth a try!
I read some comments here and my mouth drops...
Thinking that kids cannot think for themselves, and be outraged at our generations for the damage we are doing to them, is another type of denial at best, and a gross misrepresentation of the real problem:
There are not enough adults in the rooms to solve the problem credibly, and action is needed before it is too late.
12
Why this piece lost me: Don't call out all adults. Just the ones who voted for Trump and buried their heads in the sand while they profess the goodness of the coal industry.
2
Really? I would never vote for Trump, but I certainly feel I have more responsibility than that for the climate situation. What can we do? Personal AND political. solar panels, drive smaller cars, electric cars, smaller houses, limited driving and flying all according to one’s pocketbook. Choose home location carefully. And then organize, campaign for climate friendly candidates, don’t just vote for them. We can’t be passive!
2
@N How many non-trump voters drive combustion engine cars? Eat meat daily? Use plastics or buy foods wrapped in plastics? Most of us.
3
I live in a small neighborhood in LA called Sherwood Forest. There are many, many, large and old trees. There is a canopy here; providing shade, cool. quiet, moisture, beauty and habitat. My neighbors and I have been horrified these past two weeks watching my next door neighbor chop down four 125 foot tall trees. Two were completely eliminated. Alarmed neighbors asked him what he was doing and his answers were; "They're my trees." and "I don't want them to fall on the house." One of the eliminated trees could not at all fall on the house. Trees are being decimated all over LA for similar (non) reasons. People remodel or re-do their landscaping and give no mind at all that they are cutting down something that took 75 years to grow. Around the corner a house was bought and knocked down. To build the new house the entire lot was CLEAR CUT! My neighbor's a jerk; to put it bluntly; but contractors are far worse and more frequent offenders. A new house could have been built with many trees left intact. This is being repeated in urban areas all over the world; and it must be stopped. Think about all the forest canopy that is gone that was here just 300 years ago. Seems to me humans need to work to restore and even surpass that ancient canopy as it is a serious contribution to global warming. I'm starting with a simple flyer that I will hand deliver, trying to make people in my neighborhood aware of what will happen every few blocks if we don't act.
17
@Surfrank It should be illegal to cut down trees for vanity purposes. The trees belong to the wildlife who inhabit or otherwise depend on them, not just the selfish, greedy property owner.
I believe voting age should be lowered to age 10 or 12. If you are old enough to die from climate change, you should be old enough to vote on who gets to represent you. The youth have the most at stake and they are in the forefront of the struggle to save the planet as well as humans. The older generation has failed and is largely indifferent. Give them a chance! They need a political party and representation at all levels of government!
8
Cute. But ridiculous. The last refuge of scoundrels is bringing out the kid brigade. I hope Zayne recognizes that the life style he enjoys now -- from the home he lives in, the clothes he wears, the medicines he takes, the schools he goes to, the books that he reads -- are all or in large part made possible because of fossil fuels.
9
We need to change. Don’t you understand?
1
The criticisms of climate deniers are always the same:
1. The kids are being brainwashed.
2. China and India need to do something, not us.
3. But what about the fossil fuel jobs
Not one of these is the response of an adult who can look back at the fact that in the last 30 years we have sent up more than 50% of the carbon that humans have released into the atmosphere since the dawn of time and admit that WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. By WE I mean us adults, who are 40 years or older, I mean we, the USA, which has been responsible for a lions share because of our fancy middle class living standard. Stop making excuses and understand that WE have participated willingly in this destruction and WE have the power to stop it by demanding that our own government and economy shift towards zero-carbon. Its that simple.
Our children have a right to be angry. We have no right to patronize them and pretend everything will be okay. When they are breathing ash from forest fires and their homes are flooded in hurricanes they are paying the price directly. They have a right to speak, and we had better listen.
26
@Saraswati Khalsa Sorry -- you are wrong on this. During the last 30 years the US has not been the culprit. We are at this point flat with our total emissions level in 1990 and obviously our per capita has declined. Meanwhile total global emissions have gone up by roughly 2/3s. Mostly emerging economies.
6
@Ralphie
To be fair about carbon rmissions, they should be calculated on a per capita basis. The USA looks much worse compared to third world economies using that basis.
5
@Ralphie and we buy the goods produced by those emerging economies and then try to ship back to them what we throw away.
Blaming anyone other than ourselves does absolutely nothing except soothe your soul for a little while.
5
Why are so many commenters saying a nine-year-old couldn't possibly figure all this out on their own? That just shows a lack of knowledge and understanding of nine-year-olds.
Some nine-year-olds are capable of things unimaginable to those of us who have been ground down and rendered incapable of action by the "resignation that living brings"(Jackson Browne -"Before the Deluge").
We should realize that we have to "get out of the way if you can't lend a hand" (Bob Dylan - "The Times They Are A-Changing").
If we're not part of the solution by now, we are part of the problem.
It's not about "Can we trust a nine-year-old?" as it is "Can a nine-year-old trust us?" I suggest that, generally speaking, they can't.
17
Criminally immoral endeavors have employed millions of people across the centuries. Are you saying that saving their jobs is an argument to further crimes against humanity and against the Earth?
4
The Earth will be fine and will continue to exist after we've left through self-extinction. I like the comments here by the deniers, and feel sorry for their progeny.
4
I have two wonderful little sons, who are my entire reason for living. I do not accept that they will die before they can see their own children grow old.
It is not acceptable to shrug at the demise of humanity; we can and must fix it. Not soon but now: 2020, elimination of the filibuster, and the most dramatic package of legislation seen in a century are not only needed, but are the only way to give our species a chance.
5
To combat global warming, not the PC term "climate change", you need to have a vision for the future and a basic understanding of science. The truth is, Republicans have neither, but if young people voted in numbers Republican ignorance could be silenced. We need our educated youth to get out and vote.
10
@Jim Dennis "Climate change" was the poisonous brain child of Frank Luntz. Luntz is a behind the scenes marketing linguist whose entire career has been spent devising ways for Republicans to lie about their policies by changing the words they use to describe it
Luntz gave Gingrich the language for the "Contract (on) America" in 1994. He told Republicans to stop calling the Estate Tax what it is because it was wildly popular, and instead call it a "death tax" which people hated. Affordable Care Act? Nope. Call it "Obamacare"
Luntz and his language used by Republicans is just like pancreatic cancer. Killing slowly undetected until it is too late and we face Stage 4.
2
This isn't a story for grown ups. It's for our political elite. It's for the army of corporate lobbyists and the politicians who never saw a campaign contribution they didn't like.
It's also for the social psychologists who need to explain how all of these people professe to love their children and grand children and would bridle in anger if you suggested otherwise.
It's for the our religious leaders who are supposed to be the moral guardians of society who have already rationalized the deaths of millions that will occur because of climate disruption.
And this is a message fro 2020 because if we don't get this looming catastrophe in our heads by then it will for many be too late.
We have already driven the climate change bus off the cliff. All we can do at this point is try to lessen the crash. If we really love our children we will act. And if we don't act....
15
Given that our President has a worldview formed in the 1960s and 1970s in NYC, it is so surprising to me that he is not more interested in climate change. I'm younger than him and even I remember smog in NYC and oil slicks in LI Sound. Heck, just watch episodes of Mad Men and you see it. We have come a very, very long way in NY, but we need to 1) maintain that progress and 2) continue forward in NY and throughout our nation. Many people don't know or remember our environmental history. Our politicians should be reminding us while they prod us.
7
None of what individuals do will be nearly enough. Mitigating climate change will require massive government projects on a scale not seen since World War 2, and, worse, our civilization will have to change drastically or perish. The problem is that the danger we face is hard to believe--it's like something from a disaster movie--much harder to believe than the need to mobilize to fight a war. I'm not optimistic. Politicians will exploit the people's resistance to drastic change.
22
Next Step: Charge for the book and donate the profits to a climate change fighting organization that Zayne runs (Zayne's Earth).
Millions will buy it.
thank you Zane and your colleagues!
13
@Liz Haas Edersheim Please no more over- consumption! It's part of the problem. Maybe Zayne can get this book published in a limited capacity and sold to public libraries and school libraries. But please, no more over-production and over-consumption of goods for individuals one-time use. It's one of the reasons we are collectively drowning in stuff and killing life on this earth.
1
Time to consider geoengineering solutions to greenhouse gases. It would be a complicated project but realistically the world isn't going to meet the ambitious goal to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees centigrade. The horse has left the barn. We should of course decarbonize but there are other major greenhouse gases, specifically methane that require the same treatment. There are first generation geoengineering ideas that a number of companies and research groups are working on. It may be required to save the world from the harshest possibilities, such as the devastation of our ocean systems, our coastal regions around the world and the death of so many species unable to adapt to the rapid warming of the planet.
6
We need laws to address this problem. And international treaties that cannot be broken.
7
Dare I say it : And a little child shall lead them.
Our children have a bigger stake in the future than any billionaire or politician. Time for our "Leaders" to start listening to them and thinking of them instead of the almighty dollar.
9
@USMC1954
There's an adult named Jane Goodall who has all kinds of healthy planet ideas. Her Roots and Shoots programs are great for kids.
Why don't these kids plant some trees instead of marching? I hope at least the kids give up meat 3 days a week. Or stay home and have a no car day. All kinds of things they could do. "Massive" change will take years and we need to do something right now, not just sign a paper and call it doing something.
I remember when that river started on fire in Ohio, back in the late 60's. Not long after that, we had the clean water act and the EPA. Stop telling me no one has ever done anything to try to save this planet, or that adults are stupid and children are leading us.
2
Zayne : You are very much right. We are completely responsible for the present state of affairs due to our lifestyle as far as global warming or climate change is concerned. We are the ones, who have destroyed Mother Nature.
Right now in Hyderabad I am feeling it. It’s 36 degree Centigrade already in the third week of March. It amounts to 95.8 deg F. We simply don’t know what will be our fate in the coming three months.
So many drastic steps need to be taken by individuals and governments combined to protect the younger generation from the onslaught on urgent basis.
In the name of industrialisation, governments are overlooking the environmental concerns in a big way. Individuals are more and more into their comforts thereby contributing to the global warming further.
The time has come for sacrifice on our part. We should reduce the use of Airconditioners. We have to replace all filament lamps by LED lamps. We have to minimise the use of Plastic. We should reduce the use of individual vehicles to the extent possible. Governments concerned should implement strict measures in reducing pollution in all factories and companies. Governments must provide Public transportation to the extent possible. Pollution of vehicles must be strictly controlled. We should keep off unnecessary lights and fans in our offices and homes. There should be strict watch on street lamps even.
Everyone must contribute positively to reduce global warming.
9
@Sivaram Pochiraju Why are you allowed to cite the hot weather in Hyderabad as evidence of global warming, but I'm not allowed to cite the minus 30 F in Chicago as evidence against it? Where is the consistency?
3
The global average temperature is increasing. Also, I know it is not minus 30 in Chicago right now.
4
@Jean claude the damned
Global Warming and climate change does not exclude extreme episodes of cold weather.
The first I read about disruptions to the normal wavy polar vortex was back around 2014. Scientists hypothesized that warming northern seas and Arctic may be affecting the jet stream and causing the polar vortex to dip and/or split. These dips/splits have since happened with greater severity and frequency.
At the same time we were experiencing extreme cold (I'm in southern MN), places like Australia were breaking drought records, and then having record-breaking rains/floods -- that drowned about 500.000 livestock (cattle).
Zayne has every right to participate in the discourse around this important issue. Zayne's argument is articulate and thoughtful for someone of this age. It would be stronger if counterarguments were presented and addressed. A sequel, perhaps?
1
The startling truth is that the “sequel” was already written almost 40 years ago. Take a look at The Wump World, by Bill Peet. We’ve known for a very long time that we were headed in the wrong direction.
I listened to a cool podcast recently that discussed climate change. The person said we need systems change, not individual change, and I buy that. For example, I recycle everything I can. My wife and I eat local. I ride my bike as part of my commute every day. Yet still I have 9 year olds telling me I am failing on climate change. Well, what else would you like me to do about it? We need to change the system, not our individual behaviors. That's not good enough. It shouldn't be all my responsibility, and in fact, it is not all my responsibility.
12
@Luke
No personal responsibility? Must have been a progressive.
Far better to have a list of what each and everyone of us can do to limit our impact. That includes the massive oversized SUVs and trucks that do not fit in a parking space.
12
@poslug It would also be nice to see that doing EVERYTHING on the list would have little or no impact on the future.
What a great idea. I am so proud of the kids who are taking it upon themselves to take a stand on an issue which affects everyone, and the planet. I am proudly sharing this (and the wider messages) with friends and family as yet another symbol that the fight for our planet is not over yet.
9
Nice article....for 9 year olds.
The U.S has done more than any other country in the world to reduce our carbon footprint and dramatically reduced the plastic polluting our oceans over the last several decades.
America will continue its efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions.
...the problem...the rest of the world. As we have reduced our footprint, China, India and Malaysia have increased theirs.
To continue to frighten Americans - and in this video - 9 year olds - that America will fall into the ocean is inappropriate.
Report the progress we've made to reduce pollution - continuing to portray the U.S. as a country which ignores what's right is wrong.
17
@JMS You, among many others, forgets the out sized influence Americans have had in the production of CO2. We started earlier with our industrial revolution and continue to produce more per person than the more populous nations you site. So, yes we need to do more since we have been more responsible for the problem.
11
@JMS What we and the world are now doing isn't nearly enough. It would require government programs not seen since World War II. I say "would" and not "will" because it isn't going to happen until some horrific catastrophe occurs, and then it will be too late.
4
@JMS The US is the industrial behemoth that created the problems we have today. Unfortunately we are not a country of leadership anymore. Our rich past will be coming back to haunt us as we have more to lose than any other country in the world. Pointing the finger gets us nowhere. We have the capability as a world leader to do the right thing, but we don't have the will. Our great past will be long forgotten in the rubble.
3
The young man is right. We had better start protecting our climate before it's too late, and we can. We have a supper power on our side - our sun.
More than 55 years ago - I was about 21 years old - a visiting professor in one of my engineering classes told me he was sure that we would all have solar cars, solar ovens, solar heat, solar computers, even solar powered planes by the time I was his age. He also said that we would be drinking fresh and delicious water from the oceans. I asked him why he held these beliefs, and he said we already had the knowledge and capability to do so. It's 55 years later, and not much has changed, but the sun is still up there waiting for us to open our eyes.
There is one thing that could easily prevent us from attacking climate change, and could even destroy our world - Atomic bombs. 55 years ago there were only two countries which had A bombs - Russia and the USA. Now there are about ten countries with A bombs - Russia and the USA alone have an obscene 1500 or more. All of us - young and old - need to convince our "leaders" that Atomic bombs have no place in civilized countries.
16
There's a kids climate change protest today convening at the Scottish Parliament. The local (SNP controlled) authority has confirmed that any child wishing to attend will be given authorised absence from school if they wish to do so. A proper response to a serious issue, from all concerned.
12
Congratulations, Zayne, for being such an engaged young man at the age of 9, for being so concerned about the environment and our collective future.
Secondly, I am amazed at the many criticisms by adults who somehow feel threatened by a thoughtful 9-year-old. Are these the same people who complain about children who spend too much time on their phones or playing video games?
Give the kid some credit! It seems to me that even if it is his parents who are responsible for his thoughtfulness, they have done something worthwhile.
82
Hmm a 9 year old teaches us about complex techo-economic problems. One might call this exploitation if this wasn’t a totally politically correct cause.
Now some facts. Wind and solar power are very intermittent. They require almost 100% backup mostly from fossil fuel power generation. We are building wind and solar generation which mostly cannot be used. There is too little or too much power being generated compared with the needs of consumers.
Energy storage is the possible solution but no economical, scalable technology is in sight. Technology might be the answer in 20-30 years.
Germany, a leader in “green energy” has almost enough installed wind and solar to run its entire grid. Yet there are days when virtually no electricity is being produced by wind and solar. At other times there is a surplus of power disrupting the electricity grid.
Let’s not approach a real problem with fantastical solutions which defy the laws of physics and economics. The likely result is a collapse of the electricity grid followed by a collapse of green energy.
12
@Techno-economist
When we hide behind excuses - like "complex techo-economic problems" - we do nothing.
We are rapidly destroying our ecosystem. The time for compromise, excuses and talk is past.
It is time to do something.
It is inexcusable that we had to leave action to our children.
16
@Techno-economist
Um, how about nuclear power as your backup! Plenty of it, minimal or no carbon generation compared to fossil fuels. We are running ancient 30+ years old plants in the US, but new nuclear plants generate less waste too. This isn't rocket science (just regular physics!)
1. Solar/wind sources
2. Nuclear
No need for fossil fuels at all (outside of manucaturing) if the above energy is used to charge electric cars.
Mic drop.
7
@Techno-economist Give an example of an effective approach then. Wind and solar at least do no harm, but of course they aren't nearly enough. We're not going to like what will be required and the deprivations that our grandchildren will suffer.
2
Almost ten years ago, my 11 year old daughter, Olivia (now Ollie) Bouler, raised $200,000 to help save birds after the 2010 BP oil spill with her illustrations inspired by John James Audubon. When she met with lawmakers in DC, she asked them to make policies that shift from fossil fuels to renewables like solar. Dems were thrilled to meet her and said they support the idea, while GOP reps refused to meet with her, even from states affected by the spill.
Kids have a right to hold lawmakers accountable for inaction and to speak up for the planet. As Ollie once said, “We are houseguests on this earth, and we have been very messy, Now it’s time to clean up.”
114
@NPB...Seems even today...so many years later the situation is the same. The Dems are happy to work on behalf of the American people...and the majority of Republicans refuse and support big business with little regard for the negative effects on climate...the economy or the average citizen etc. We elected a President who promised to bring back coal and who has repealed laws regarding vehicle emissions standards etc...some things never change. We who are concerned need to vote with greater care !! Although I haven't seen much improvement on these or other fronts in the last few years. Perhaps America will become Great Again when a more thoughtful, caring, and likely Democratic candidate becomes President in the next election!
21
@Dave Agreed! Sadly I, myself, was ten when we had an oil crisis in 1978– little has changed.
What Ollie did was to illustrate the beauty of birds to show they were worth saving. It was an honest, gentle, and kind message. In saving them, we save ourselves.
https://www.amazon.com/Olivias-Birds-Saving-Olivia-Bouler/dp/1402786654
4
Adults currently are getting anywhere so we might as well put it in the hands of the young. Yikes!
7
Kurt Vonnegut wrote a poem, many years ago, that goes:
The crucified planet Earth,
Should it find a voice
And a sense of irony.
Might now well say
Of our abuse of it,
"Forgive them, Father,
They know not what they do."
The irony would be
That we know what
We are doing.
When the last living thing
Has died on account of us,
How poetical it would be
If Earth could say,
In a voice floating up
Perhaps
From the floor
Of the Grand Canyon,
"It is done."
People did not like it here.
24
@Doetze
One of the reasons Vonnegut is read in college courses and nowhere else. I liked his work too, when I was a child. Then I grew up.
1
@Barooby 'a very long time' is not measured in human lifetimes and we are talking about massive changes in the life of a human. Not sure how old you are Barooby, but I remember the days when Miami only had water in the streets when there was a hurricane.
I have questions, asked often, never answered for every comment writer who praises Zayne or better yet wants to see new measures taken as does Zayne.
In Sweden and Denmark, there are state-of-the art solid-waste incinerators and bio-waste converters that supply large-scale renewable energy 24/7/365. My city, Linköping, is heated completely by this system, far superior in every way to anything I ever had to put up with in the USA. The city buses run on biogas produced from food and human waste.
These systems eliminate the use of fossil fuels and also end the use of landfills.
1) Are you familiar with such 21st century systems.
2) If you are, would you support providing such systems in your county?
3) Are your living and work spaces heated and cooled by fossil-fuel based systems ?
My blog provides samples. The Times International had an article about the Linköping system but the author, who visited Linköping did not seem to understand the system. If you read it, be warned. She seriously missrepresents it.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
126
@Larry Lundgren - I note,simply, that although 27 have clicked on rec, none have answered the questions. Therefore I have filed replies to the top 3 or 4 readers picks to ask them if they might answer.
@Larry Lundgren I've visited your town, heard all about your system and have whole-heartedly supported having these systems across the US. The only thing stopping us is the fossil fuel industry and American ignorance. Two very powerful forces, indeed.
22
I hope his book is being translated into Hindi and Mandarin.
This is a GLOBAL catastrophe unfolding and without concerted efforts from India, China, and the developing African nations, the best efforts of the US will be like spitting into a furnace. Mitigation is the best we can hope for, and even that seems unlikely.
15
@rab
I agree all nations have to take serious steps on this issue. However by naming India and China you seem to conveniently forget that it has been the industrialized nations that have primarily caused this issue in the first place. Don't lecture other countries if you yourself are not prepared to take drastic action. The intensity of green house gas emissions is far less in India compared to the USA.
15
Yes, there's already a little girl in Sweden nominated for a Nobel prize for efforts to raise awareness. It sounds like the parents out for their own glory (or whatever their motives) who are pushing this poor kid, Zayne, and who are likely the real authors of this cute little book, are a little late to the game. But they're off to a good start getting their kid ready for the college applications, so I'll grant them that. In any case, I think we need to act on climate change, but I resent attempts to manipulate me through the exploitation of children.
27
@Ilona If adults would stand up and do something so that these kids don't have to be the last generation before extinction of the species, then maybe they are the right ones to do it themselves.
1
If only adults in the powerful rooms would actually listen and act.
But I don't see it. Look how Senator Feinstein completely discounted the brave youngsters' concerns by telling them "You're not old enough to vote" and then bragged, "I've been here for 30 years and I know what I'm doing", which, by my record,is virtually zero on the climate front, unless you count voting to illegally takeover Iraq, which makes the count minus 1.
And this is from a political leader who presumably is closer to the cause. Sorry kids, looks like temperatures will be rising for the foreseeable hot future.
10
@R1NA She discounted them because they were props who bought in AOC’s ridiculous “12yearsleft” nonsense.
I find this to be horrifying. A 9-year-old child should not be stressed with an issue as large-scale, complex, and overwhelming as global warming.
Goodbye earth? Has anyone in this situation considered his frame of reference? At this age, when he could be engaged in so many wondrous things, he's worrying about the world ending and that it's his responsibility to save it? Is this what he's thinking about when he's lying in bed alone at night?
For this second, let's shift the focus away from what appears to be the topic here (and one over which I'm in no denial) and look at another problem - children as victims of adults who are robbing them of their childhoods.
59
@Gina D
I understand your sentiment on putting pressure on kids like this. We have grandkids 12 and 5. And I am also struck by the irony of the last sentence "children as victims of adults who are robbing them of their childhoods". Of course, through inaction other adults are robbing their generation and those that follow of their adulthoods ... by doing little about climate change.
42
@Gina D
Zayne Cowie and hundreds of thousands of other children are doing what they can to preserve their own future lives. They are taking responsibility for the necessary action from us the adults.
What is horrifying is that so may adults are still complacent or even complicit in the destruction of their children's ecosystem.
29
@Gina D It is terrifying. My daughter, home on spring break, is majoring in environmental engineering. She wept in my kitchen as she comes to grip with the damage that has been done and the monumental task of "undoing". Yet the reality is that we haven't even started "undoing". What can I say to her? Good luck? I wept later in the privacy of my bathroom.
17
It's called shock advertising.
It's not old. We all know of other segments in our lives when it was used on us. Over and over and over.
Today I watched a TED Talk about why the original concept of how to achieve a more healthy planet failed. The title is, "Why renewables can't save the planet." by Michael Shellenberger. Take a few minutes and watch it. Of course it will not take the wind out of the green sails, but it will put things into perspective relative to the direction we should consider going.
I personally do not see CO2 as a bad thing, but the solution proposed in the TED Talk does have the effect of reducing CO2 from the anthropogenic (man-made) segment. That's certainly okay because the technology is good. Decide yourself.
2
@William Perrigo
The underlying issue here is not Carbon--Carbon is just a decent PROXY for entropy (that is: the act of replacing something useful in the environment for something less useful).
The issue is that people that use fossil fuels today are not paying for what they get. They are producing waste (which we are measuring by measuring carbon production) and not paying to dispose of that waste.
So yeah, maybe "renewables" (what does that even mean, thermodynamically) aren't a total solution. But that is because entropy is inevitable. The key is that morally each individual should do their best to pay for what they get, and right now, we aren't.
10
I’m simple terms renewables, means capturing the energy for our use from things that otherwise would go to waste. The sun for example produces phenomenal amounts of energy every day. Much of this could be captured and converted for our desired use (eg, driving cars) but it is not
6
@Mike Yes, my homes solar panels are doing a great job and have been for over 10 years. I hear the newer ones are even better and cheaper.
5
The majority of Americans agree with you. We support the Paris Accord, we didn't vote for more coal. We didn't vote for Trump. Yet Trump is in the White House, tearing up every environmental regulation he can find. How did he get there? Perhaps Mueller's report will shed some light on that.
49
@Andy. Please don’t pretend to speak for the majority when it ranks 17th on the list of voter concerns.
6
@Jackson
"don’t pretend to speak for the majority when it ranks 17th on the list of voter concerns."
Awareness of climate change, understanding that it is human-caused, increased concern with it - all rising fast, even among Republicans:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/climate/americans-global-warming-poll.html
2
The present influential generation suddenly takes a concern that they may be potentially leaving matters in the hands of those who are seemingly raised to think whining is the same thing as doing.
If one really wants to effect energy policy then go work for an oil company. One infiltrator is more effective than ten thousand rebels.
All this spectacle is about are the parents putting their kid in the spotlight with the anticipation of that same spotlight and the adult's microphone then swinging quickly to them.
5
I hope that as Zane grows up his understanding of energy policy matures so that he can contribute intelligently to discussions about how to decarbonize the economy and can vote for leaders who are truly up to the challenge.
Currently when voting the choice is between the Republicans, who aren’t inclined toward action on climate change, and the Democrats, who want to do something but offer a false solution- namely solar and wind.
Hopefully Zane can vote for pragmatic leaders who understand not only the science of climate change but also the scientific consensus that nuclear power must be a big part of the solution. We can’t keep electing “fossil fuels forever” Republicans and “close the nuclear power plants” Democrats.
Hopefully Zane will also vote with his wallet by NOT supporting radical environmental groups such as the NRDC who funnel donations into advocacy and lawsuits opposing hydroelectric and nuclear power - our two biggest low carbon energy sources.
When the dust settles and historians look back on this period of climate inaction I’m not sure who will look worse: the people who didn’t want to do anything or the people who said they wanted to do something but due to willful ignorance actually made things worse.
5
@Stephen - The "willful ignorance (that) actually made things worse" is being promoted by lobbyists for the sputtering nuclear power companies.
Nuclear power plants produce nuclear waste that has a half-life of 24,000 years (USNCR). There is no existing technology that can safely contain the nuclear waste even for it's half-life, let alone the full life.
Companies demonstrate every day they can't be trusted with other forms of toxic waste. How can anyone with a conscience say nuclear waste can and will be kept from leaking into our shared environment?
The pro-nuke lobby is back. It's been rumbling at the edges of the news cycle for about a year now. They have larger campaigns waiting to go. Your only hope is to inform yourself about the dangers of nuclear waste using reliable and credible sources. Otherwise, nuclear-waste-producing electricity is in your future - and nuclear waste contamination will be part of your future.
1
One of the essential elements in our collective cessation of smoking was the kids. They sobbed at us, Mama, don't smoke. Scared 8 year olds made a real difference back then. I don't think they read us books, rather they learned that smoking was bad and feared for their parents.
14
There appears to be a new trend where we shove children into the spotlight and call them activists. Or we indulge them by calling them activists. Maybe children should just be children and over many many years they will eventually mature and shed their naivete and gain knowledge of the issues and experience of their own and eventually earn the wisdom and the right to lecture others about their behavior. i applaud this kid for taking an interest in an important issue but its not healthy to burden children with our worst fears which may or may not come to pass.
30
@Jordan
Children have always been burdened by adults' worst fears. Only naive adults believe otherwise. Only since the last quarter of the 20th century up to now have U.S. kids been shielded, to their detriment, from learning that life is harsh and unforgiving (kids of WWII and those in current areas of strife understand fear all too well).
Children in earlier times were treated as adults in formation, tasked with learning how to assist adults in their manual labor, whether in the home, on the farm, or even in the factories.
We want an easier life for our children now, but teaching them that they must grow up faster than a fairy tale allows is better for their overall resilience and strengthens their capacity to solve problems. These kids get that. Most kids and young adults don't want coddling. They want to be engaged in meaningful work.
Forget the blaming. The kids' message of immediate danger and real fear is real and should alarm us. Let's all get to work to solve this with the kids.
5
9:22 AM. Milan, Italy. I'm out the door right now to join the kids' strike. Wonderful!
39
Thank you Zayne, there are older people like me that are listening to you message and are very concerned about how we leave our planet for your generation and others in the future. Don’t give up!
48
I have a hunch that the "youth vote" will actually show up in millions in 2020 on the issue of climate change. And it should produce a resounding Democratic victory.
44
@C.L.S.,
Now go check which DINO's take oil 'n gas money.
Check which candidates promote fracking and continued exploration of our resources. Check their voting record.
Hopefully the "youth vote" will too.
1
The fossil fuel industries employee 10s of thousands of people, most with good paying jobs that hard to find these days...We need to show concern for and support of these people also...and some practical idea for a change. If we don't, it will harder and slower to make the progress we need to. We also need to help awaken the consciousness of social responsibility in shareholders...We must become a light, not just a resistance.
6
@Sue, its not about the money for goodness sake, there are more jobs in solar and wind than coal and other fossil fuels, but providing abundant low cost energy doesn't line the pockets of the fossil fuel industry. Two years ago FPL of Florida worked to undermine the solar industry with a sleezy attempt at rewording a voter issue there. It is the biggesst lobby against these changes.
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@Sue
My suggestion would be the reduction of the numbers of sports teams reduction in games on their schedules as a way to put "light" on the approaching increase of life taking by climate change.
Like in baseball from a regularly scheduled season of 162 games down to 102 games by professional baseball.
2
@Martin Thanks for the reminder; so true.
Zayne reflects in poignant rhyme,
Challenges us to take the time
To stop and think and then to act
To keep our Mother Earth intact.
We must listen to all these kids
Whose futures are upon the skids,
To change our profligate habits
To use our money and our wits.
Humanity is on the brink,
Which should lead us all to think:
Future generations will say
Greed and power failed to stay
The loss of all we had hoped for,
Our fear to pass through the door
To save the planet from this doom
Of heat, high seas, and toxic fume.
We must arise and take the lead
Stop the denial, hate, and greed,
Show the children we hold so dear
That grownups can transcend the fear.
Solidarity in this last hour
With people speaking truth to power,
As we recall our right of birth
To do our best to save the Earth.
91
As much as i believe in climate change, in the need of action, i still do despise the moral pointing finger of this feel good generation, who are not in charge of running a whole economy. These kids still expect to get driven around, to get affordable energy out of the outlet anytime without thinking about the power plants providing this luxury. Generation iPhone, who define their sole responsibility by hashtags and likes.
If they really want to make a difference, they should start by buying a bike, learning to separate trash and ask their families to go shopping without plastic bags.
They should study hard and become engineers, because in a few years they are in charge of fixing the system, than there is no excuse for telling someone else should have done this for them. And in a few years they can determining the direction of their country by voting, in a (mostly) fair competition with different interests.
These kids are right, concerning climate we are in denial. But that doesn't make them any better, or let them off the hook.
50
@Mathias Weitz
Each generation blames the last one, it has to stop, we are all in it together. The average person is just trying to get by and parents do the best they can in raising their children. If the answer to climate change is making sure all cars go electric by a certain date, then we should do it. If the answer to climate change is to change our diet away from meat then the population should be educated to this fact and encouraged to do so. What are we supposed to do and why don't our governments give us the information on a routine basis. But I am afraid we will wait until it is really bad and so I understand a bit of anger from the younger generation, they will inherit a lousy planet with a whole bunch of human strife as populations compete for resources. It is a collective failure and will take collective action if there is any chance of averting the worst.
47
@Mathias Weitz
My husband and I lived on the southwest coast of Spain over 30 years ago. There was no central air & heat in our otherwise very modern, very nice rental home and no AC in our Spanish car.
Gasoline and electricity was very expensive in Europe even back then, especially when we used our electric dryer. We learned to use the clothesline.
36
@Mathias Weitz Huh? By the time they do all that, it may be too late and it will definitely be a LOT worse. They have every right to criticise past generations who knew better but importantly to ask those in positions of power currently to do something about it. It is not about letting anyone off the hook, especially them, since they will feel the brunt of it all.
The people buying and using technology today reliant on fossil fuels aren't the 9 year olds, and if we all passed laws to take away all their toys, they wouldn't have a say in the matter, just like they don't really have a say about fossil fuel usage now.
The problem is that it isn't just fossil fuels - it's the stressing of planetary boundaries and the Earth will be fine. It's their future (and ours) that is threatened.
30
I agree Zayne. Thanks for the reading. We are counting on your generation to save us from our folly. My family is working on lowering our dependence on plastic, eating less meat, and hoping to buy an electric car this year. We have a long way to go, but every act counts. I hope Congress hears your message and makes bigger changes soon!
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@Julie
"We are counting on your generation to save us from our folly."
I figured out that we were in serious trouble when I was a kid back in the 70's. I was rather alarmed, and I asked my mom about why people had screwed things up so badly and what was to be done about it. She basically said 'Well, maybe your generation will figure it out.'
I did figure it out - since the basic problem is (too much) population X (too much) consumption, the solution is to consume far less and don't reproduce! I'm glad that this generation is awake, and I can't wait until they start suing their parents en masse for giving birth to them. Or, figure out how to go back in time and get their parents' generation on birth control.
I honestly don't know how anyone in the 21st century has the gall to have more than MAYBE one kid. I just do not have the heart to produce a child and then when they're 8 or 10, have to explain to them have to explain to them how impossibly screwed up everything is because of OUR overconsumption and/or overpopulation.
Seriously, how can anyone face their children and explain this stuff to them? Do you just lie? Do you tell them they're gonna get raptured up? Do you kick the can down the road and tell them they get to fix it all? What?
"We are counting on your generation to save us from our folly." - I am sure the NYT would not publish what I actually think about that notion.
2
@Julie Julie, how are you lowering your dependence on plastic. I am frustrated by the amounts of plastic packaging I get on virtually everything I buy. I have contacted some major companies to ask that they reduce the layers of plastic with which they package their items but all I get is a polite blow off.
1
And I am sure Zayne likes his car ride to x game practice or x theme park? If he and his family take public transport then good for them and I take back my question.
Really, a book of children being mad, why not a book of what children and adults can all do as individuals to help slow or repair the climate catastrophe ahead including electing leaders to government to address it.
How about daily news updates on the issue and monthly government reminders on what we should be doing and what they are doing, again what we can do to help prevent it?
How about government's not just signing accords but actually implementing real actions to address the pending catastrophes.
Does following the Paris Climate accord even remedy the situation? I don't know because no information has arrived in my mail box telling me what to do and what the government is doing or plans to do to fight the climate disaster.
They say we have something like 12 years to do something where is the urgency? I will take it upon myself to find out some of these answers and do what I can, I already take public transport, but really we should have been getting information and taking real action on a regular basis for years.
That said, I applaud the young people going out on strike to raise awareness. Sorry though, I don't applaud a book that promotes kids being blaming and being angry at their parents. There's enough strife in the world.
12
Karena:
At least this young person is paying attention to how we are killing our world. Why not be upset with the "grown ups"? We're the ones that have been killing our environment for decades and haven't stopped. If you were a child today, wouldn't you worry about what is happening to our planet and their future? When I was a child, we had Superman to protect us. Who do we have now, if not ourselves? There is no Superman today to make us feel safe.
4
@Karena. From the current administration? They are to busy wearing MAGA hats and combating any environmental protections to issue any constructive suggestions. VOTE 2020
1
A wonderfully written yet poignant essay, well read by Zayne. It is inspiring. Global Warming and climate change should be front page news... every day... in my opinion.
The essay is, also, quite timely as I just finished reading an article in The Guardian about proposals to drill for oil and gas in the Atlantic. It seems that a Trump administration official told a group of fossil fuel industry leaders in February:
“One of the things that I have found absolutely thrilling in working for this administration is the president has a knack for keeping the attention of the media and the public focused somewhere else while we do all the work that needs to be done on behalf of the American people.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/14/offshore-drilling-trump-official-reveals-plan-and-distractions-delight?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlVUy0xOTAzMTQ%3D&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&CMP=GTUS_email
16
10 years ago I became engrossed in the problem of climate change, for if we don't solve this, no other problem humans face will matter in the long run. I dropped my plans for my future as a chef, went back to school to study science and engineering, got my PhD in materials chemistry studying novel systems to harness and convert sunlight, and now here I am. I decided then that pursuing government action would be a dead end. Democracies simply were not designed to think long-term. It's interesting, there are two things stopping society from preventing the most devastating effects of climate change: money and politics. Both of these are human creations, stories as Harari would put it. We certainly have the technologies to move towards decarbonizing our economy, with little to no change in behavior. And if we quintupled our R&D budget now (which would amount to a paltry 2% of Trump's proposed budget), we could have the technologies to get all the way there and into negative territory by 2050. Speed is a separate issue however. Market forces alone will not be strong enough to move us to decarbonize at the rate we need, not without accounting for externalities in the form of a steep carbon tax. The latest IPCC report called for a $2700/t-CO2 tax by 2030. For comparison, Washington State just rejected a $15/t-CO2. So we are very, very far off from having the will to act at the scale and speed we would need. Keep at it Zayne, we need all the help we can get.
235
@CK If we do nothing for 50 years, unless we colonise space or live underwater, Homo sapiens will become extinct. The longer we wait, the worse our eventual quality of life will until it reaches a point of no return (see Limits to Growth).
But I agree with you that humans don't like to be told what to do. So we'll probably putter on and delay the inevitable but all species go extinct and humans I doubt are the exception. Hopefully if/when a new species arises that is sentient, it will have wisdom.
22
@David
Truly, profoundly inspiring. The world needs more people like you. Green technologies across every discipline should be the driving force of the future; far beyond fuels, we need green architects, builders, designers, producers of new materials, recyclable and easily compostable packing for everything, etc. etc. The fight for our survival should change everything.
This should be treated like the space race with prizes for the most innovative inventions. Our planet is literally at stake. And, no, a handful of rich prats flying to Mars and abandoning the planet is not the answer.
28
@Phil I am not dismissing nor endorsing your proposal. But we have to look at it in the reality check face. The models for such efforts will do as the climate change models are doing now - some areas are likely to bear greater risks and impacts than other. Just imagine a few models that says compound X injected at such and such rate seem to indicate conditions for agriculture in Siberia or Mongolia would improve even if only on a short term basis. And that same action is likely to make the American Breadbasket decline more. Do the geopolitical calculus. O Brave New World.
The day will come when everyone, adults included, will wonder how our species could have been so short-sighted, so greedy and careless as to allow the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to reach where it is--even though we knew better. We knew better, but our fears and greed kept us from listening and taking action.
That is the human condition. Fortunately, there are children whose consciousness is not so clouded by the accumulated baggage of adulthood. They can see clearly. The tragedy right now is that we don't listen to the scientists and we don't listen to children, either.
131
While I am sincerely happy that young kids begin to take their roles as citizens seriously, I am not really super interested in getting complicated public policy advice from a nine year old. The kid is admirable but the media attention to the kid is not. This smells strongly of stage parents.
34
@Marc Schuhl Fair enough. I am not really super interested in hearing my boomer parents lecture me about how climate change is a left-wing hoax. So we have in coming not being "really super interested" in what some people have to say. What if we simply cared about the end result and didn't obfuscate by questioning the messenger. My messenger parents will have been dead wrong. The nine-year old's parents, if you choose to believe they are stage managing the entire thing, at least have the truth on their side.
26
First of all, children her age, and older, should be educated about the role that religion, the dictates of those patriarchal ones, has had on the lack of access to birth control for females, and what this did to population growth in the last 50 years. On earth in 1966, the population of the earth was 3.7 billion, and since then, we have doubled the population. If we, as both females and males, had only had no more than our replacement of ourselves, we probably wouldn't even be talking much about this issue. A modern society around the world, that is bent on all driving cars, all flying, and all wanting digital devices, most of which are manufactured in Asia, and are transported by cargo ships all around the world to reach their destination, are what drives climate issues, all of them. I, personally put myself on the birth control pill at the age of 20 in the fall of 1968, when I moved to New York, and started working as a single girl. I ended up getting married later on and having two children, and my two children only had 3 children between them. It really is up to the female, and her child bearing decisions that will determine the future of the planet.
16
Thank you, MaryKay, I am so glad you have brought this problem of overpopulation up. Why is hardly anybody talking about this?
1
Dearest Zayne, Greta, Alexandria and all of your peers, I am so sorry that our generation has failed you and that you are left to deal with our short-sightedness. You have inherited an enormous challenge and you are right to be angry. As the parent of two teenagers myself, I'm grateful for your courage, wisdom and determination to fight for your future; I fully support the strikes and I hope they continue until we adults wake up. You will prevail.
35
I'm not sure what it will take for the great majority of citizens, legislators and businesses to act in order to curb emissions and prepare for climate disasters. These actions seem to go against their best interests for now - for convenience, for getting elected, for profits. Could it be the same actions actually bring greater security and happiness tomorrow?
4
The World We Live In, the Time book about the earth history states very clearly when published in 1955 that green house gases will warm the planet dangerously, and humans must be careful. I still have the book from then, and when I read that recently, I realized that only in the past twenty years or so has global warming really been in the news.... I'm horrified for the younger generations to follow, but to blame all adults for this is not completely fair. Scientists in the know must have wanted to screaming from the rooftops about all the harm our comforts could be doing to the future of humans over the past fifty years or so. People were just living with what was being invented for ease and pleasure. Maybe some genius, like Tesla, will come up with a way to extract carbon out of the atmosphere and we humans will have more time to enjoy this miracle of a planet we found ourselves on. Otherwise, we have face hard truths that places with lots of people are going to become uninhabitable, and we will have to figure out a way to handle all the humans that will be coming to the places that still are.... Miracle medicines have saved humans in the world before.... We must work together to maintain civility on a planet that doesn't care what lives on it, and it's going to react to it's environment as it always has done, whether whatever life on this planet can survive. Selfishness, and false reality will become more and more frightening in the face of the truth.
14
“to blame all adults...is not completely fair...”
I disagree. To blame all adults is both fair and necessary. We have the power to effect change, and if our representatives won’t, we are obligated to change them, too. We vote too quickly for the one who will pretend to lower taxes by a dollar, but then we pay dearly for the damage caused by global climate change and its disastrous consequences.
Blame us all. We are all to blame.
28
@NGP A lot of momentum on climate change science has been lost by hand wringers. Are you one of them? Surely civility in this moment is not more important than having a survivable planet?
from "Uninhabitable Earth" (p.18): "The climate system that raised us, and raised everything we now know as human culture and civilization, is now, like a parent, dead."
the issue isn't how to prevent climate change from happening; it has already started and is gaining momentum.
the issue is how to prevent the worst from happening. with each passing year of feckless rhetoric and bemused inaction, the gap between the preventable and the worst grows smaller.
162
Zayne - I thought many years ago that nuclear power was the obvious answer to avoid a lot of CO2 emissions. Economics and anti-nuclear activists got in the way. I still think that even a few nuclear power plant disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima are not nearly as bad as global warming is likely to be by the end of the century. A lot of people disagree with me but after thinking this way since the 1980s I still have not changed my mind. Also, I am a Ph.D. geologist so I have read a lot about climate change over geologic time.
One other thing. A lot of people say we can avoid nuclear power and global warming too. After more than 30 years of watching our current situation develop, I say "how's that working out?"
32
@Tucson Geologist
And, after over 60 years since the first commercial power reactor started up, nuclear power never was "too cheap to meter" and never will be; plants take decades to build and there are chronic cost overruns, and you still haven't figured out where to put the garbage for the next 250,000 years, so it sits in storage pools or casks. "How's that working out?"
Nuclear is 80% of total electricity in France, 20% in the US (with its aging reactors). To power the world, you'd need to build dozens of plants every year, at billions each. Apart from grotesquely scaling up all the aforementioned problems, how many nuclear accidents per year are you willing to tolerate?
Why do you not even -mention- renewable energy sources? Plants would be smaller, cheaper (both total cost of installation and dollars per kilowatt of capacity), and faster to build (2-3 years, not 10). There's no meltdown risk, no garbage problem, and no CO2. Is it that, other than a few geologists to check the bedrock into which you'll sink piles, geology employment would be far less than would be required to find new fossil or nuclear fuels?
Yes, the climate has changed over geologic time, but that was another time, the changes weren't as rapid as we're making them now, and there over 7-plus billion humans on the planet, many of whom would like to consume energy as profligately as we in the west currently do.
52
@Tucson Geologist
Tuscon Geologist. It is unfortunate that as someone representing himself as a geologist, that you are unaware than not a single person became sick or dies as a result of radiation at Fukushima. Even the heroic employees who were exposed to far more radiation than standards allow did not get sick or die.
The deaths and injuries were the result of the tsunami.
6
@Aram Hollman
Jimmy Carter, the nucular (sic) engineer killed the nuclear waste reprocessing industry by executive order, in his unsuccessful quest to negotiate with Russia. He denied Americans the ability to eliminate nuclear waste [as is the case in France in exchange for NOTHING.
Although his executive order was reversed by the more intelligent Reagan, the industry had been permanently destroyed by the anti-science party.
Over the next thirty years, multiple bipartisan Congresses passed laws which were signed by four presidents to build a repository for nuclear waste. After the repository had been built and paid for, the anti-science dictator Obama arbitrarily decreed it would not be used.
Not certain that action would be completely effective at destroying the only now technology capable of replacing coal on a cost effective, he made another arbitrary and senseless decision. He arranged to have his dark state minions change regulation which did not improve safety or the environment to double the construction cost of the two nuclear plant under construction in the US.
The reason nuclear energy is not to cheap to meter is because there is too much money to be made by the anti-science crowd.
There has been only one nuclear incident that resulted in lost of lives in the history of nuclear power plants, and that was Chernobyl. Communist governments do not value human life.
2
Since I was 13 years old, I've been worried about the environment and I've been doing as much as I could to decrease my impact and aid the planet. But many around me did not take it seriously and, for years, while I biked to work through heat or snow, I saw the rise of the SUVs and the overall foot dragging on dealing with climate change. Now I'm 64 and I'm soooo happy to see that children and teens are getting it because indeed adults have ignored it for too long. Go, Zayne! Go, Greta!
312
@Takema Unfortunately too little and too late. I can see how the younger generation and my grandchildren will really hate us with a passion - and deservedly so. We are destroying our world.
14
@Takema Whatever the question, calling for voluntary sacrifice is the wrong answer.
6
@Takema We probably should thank teachers for this.
1