Carbon Dioxide at Record Levels

Despite new concern about the dangers of global warming, carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, has reached record high levels in the atmosphere. Climatologist Ralph Keeling says, “We are moving into a warmer world.” Why is this happening now, despite new awareness of the problem?

Charles J. Hanley quotes NOAA’s Pieter Tans as saying, “China is taking off economically and burning a lot of fuel. India, too.”

If global warming is inevitable, we need to start preparing for a very different future. Alex Kirby writes in bbcnews.com that the U.K., at least, is beginning to take action.

Dr. Simon Thornton-Wood of the Royal Horticultural Society says, “We’ve lost a lot of orchards in the UK, but apples are still an important crop. I think the climate will mean it becomes harder to get a decent crop in the south of England, and apples may head north to find a cooler place to grow. Other fruit crops will be affected too, but I imagine it will be easier to grow crops like peaches instead?Our members are becoming more aware. In these last few years we’ve seen some quite significant variations in what people regard as the norm.”

Another problem will be weeds: Thornton-Wood says, “Giant hogweed has already gone haywire, and we think other invaders may do the same. Japanese knotweed is a problem, but we don’t really know where the next crisis will come from, so we’re calling on gardeners to be observant. You never know how species like these are going to affect the ecology of the British countryside, but they always do. They out-compete the native fauna and flora and change what has become familiar.”

You’ll notice that there are no news stories of this kind appearing in the U.S. press. Are our scientists hiding their heads in the sand instead of planning for the future?or are they protecting the current administration’s lack of action on global warming?

We need to take action?and we could also use some luck. Find out how to become more lucky from Dr. Richard Wiseman and listen to Anne Strieber?s interview with him by clicking “Mysterious Powers” on our masthead! P.S. If you like us, wear us.

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