The John James Newsletter 150 – a call to action
4 December 2016
It appears that over the past 18 months or so we have pushed the earth into an irrevocable spiral. The accumulating feedback loops cannot now be contained, though with concerted effort we may be able to diminish them.
It’s fair to say we have passed the point of no return on global warming and we can’t reverse the effects
Dr Thomas Crowther (links at the end)
We are at the most dangerous moment in the development of humanity
Professor Stephen Hawking
Carbon in the earth is now being released through many feedbacks. Just hit the news that soil respiration “is about to add between 0.45 and 0.71 parts per million of CO2 to the atmosphere every year”. We know that methane in Arctic permafrost and clathrates is being released 200 times faster than usual. The impact of forest fires has been overlooked but can be as high as half the total emissions from fossil fuels. Droughts that now circle the globe reduce forest ability to absorb carbon. And so on.
Everybody knows the changes are speeding up. We seem to be past the point of no return. We could be witnessing multi-metre sea level rise over the next decade or so. There is no escape. As James Hansen said, “this is inevitable”.
We the people now have to act for our own survival. We cannot trust the politicians. Its up to us, and we can, as long as we start now.
On the South Coast we have begun a process that we would like to see advanced everywhere. On every front we intend to implement local alternatives for all aspects of our lives so we are independent of endangered supplies.
When we follow the connections between rising seas, fleeing populations and the collapse of industry its obvious we will find it increasingly difficult to import fuel, food and manufactured goods on which we depend.
Think about the consequences, and the tensions and panic that would follow.
We have oversimplified the issues into eight headings. There are answers to each one as long as we act while there is still time.
Food, Water and Goods, equipment, clothes, shoes, winter food storage
Transport and Trawling, cartage, busses, distribution of food and stuff, ambulance
Flooding and Heatwaves, alternative roads, wharves, sewage and homelessness, keeping cool
Communication, can we rely on internet, how to network if web were restricted
Wellbeing and Resilience, panic when people feel threatened and compelled to change
Building and Maintenance, fixing and repair of equipment, spare parts, power outages
Essential Services, health, dental, security, trash, bushfire protection, school, burials
Money and Governance, publicity, exchange, charities, grants
We are calling ourselves The Platform, from the image that when the train bears down on the station it is best to get off the tracks and onto the side. Perhaps when others come on board we will become The Platform (South-east). But, in the meantime we have agreed down here in the Bega area that we have to start planning now.
We still have all the benefits of an industrial society to help us. Lets use what tools we have, and start now.
This is a call to action – it is now time – as everybody knows this moment is propitious.
John James
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References:
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/drought-amazon-carbon-capture-18733
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/mar/22/sea-level-rise-james-hansen-climate-change-scientist