The WHO warns that air pollution is killing millions in cities. It is a growing problem – cities in China and India covered by thick smog. In the UK London has exceeded its NO2 levels for 2016 a few days into the year. Politicians are questioning the value of expansion at Heathrow if it increases the level of air pollution and makes millions more at risk.
Long ago Disturbing Trends identified air pollution as the primary problem facing human survival. It seems that via the alarm of the consequences of global warming which is now climate change or instability the idea that our cities can kill us now seems evident. The most frightening aspect of which is that for many, the damage is already being inflicted. On us. On all life in badly polluted cities. Live hard, die young. Almost guaranteed.
Now posh Delhi homes can get air filters which no doubt in a constant kind of way have a daily cost in energy multiplied by 3 million homes this may expand into therefore making the air of Delhi pollute another part of the country sigificantly whilst protecting the lives of these inhabitants. Or they could create stronger norms of industrial behaviour: e.g. using filters on chimneys by immediate legislation or your factory gets shut down. The government could help those in financial need. Remove the pollution because tolerating it is making your environment, i.e. all life forms at risk of extinction.
It is beyond comprehension why
Pollution threatens all life. Man made pollution is the result of the industrial revolution and growth. Or it is the result of criminal expansionism?
Pollution is the addition of artificial byproducts from unclean industrial activity to a natural environment, too often with unforeseen consequences, or worse, known but hidden consequences. One of the pollutants we continue to add to the precious atmosphere is CO2. Unfortunately for us, there are many others. In the short term, we are most threatened by the consequences of CO2, but who knows what other accumulations of poisons in the food chain may cause breaks and starve us to death first.
For example, our chemical warfare on “pests” that seems to have a side effect of bee eradication, may be the end of us before lower Miami is fully under-water from sea rising with the melting ice-covers of Antartica and Greenland. That is ice above the land not, which when it is water will displace the coastline and reshape the British Isles. Is that how much we care about our countryside?
See also:
George Monbiot – Why we couldn’t care less about the natural world
Denial of the responsibility of mass genocide by caring more about profits than pollution is one of the worst, slowest and most horrible crimes committed a little bit by each of us, remorselessly and daily.
The only path away from the destruction of nature are mired by political crossfire: any bobbing head is likely to be severed. And so the two headed demon reasons with itself and instead of finding the good answer they focus on the other, firing poisoned darts, hoping to damage the alternative and thus seem the most deserving of power. We live in an age of political arrogance. The terrifying thing is if Tony Blair took over the Labour p#Party here in the UK, it is most likely they would once again win.
The USA is as addicted to its weapon deaths as it is to the other grand killer of humans, the automobile. The cattle ranches and meat industry in general is another big contributor, the other problematic “too large to control” source of greenhouse gas. The methane release from melting permafrost is the icing on an explosive cake of contributing factors. It does not really matter unless we can change the direction of the pollution equation.
It is real nice to learn that Exxon Mobil has been funding “authorities” to create FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) about the stark reality of climate change. Burning carbon is causing unusual growth in global warming which, if not reversed or at least limited – will cause untold damage to the future world. It is very irresponsible to keep at it, even after it is fully accepted that something has to be done to reduce pollution. The greatest gift of the Olympics being in Beijing is that no outdoor endurance or speed records are likely to be broken – it may be the most difficult games to breathe in since Mexico City – but that was due to elevation and low pressure making rapid breathing more difficult. Beijing has to virtually shut down (90% of its motor fleet are disabled for the games) in order to allow its think smogs to clear enough for the needs of performance athletes. If they become sick inhaling too much industrial level pollution, and can not compete, it may just convince the world that pollution is the real enemy of humans, that climate change disasters can be circumvented if we take pollution far more seriously. It is just as serious as climate change and global warming and will als kill us. Allowing the unrestrained growth of pollution is socially detrimental and false economics.
“Global Warming” (and cooling) has always been a natural process! So are the natural processes that excessive pollution threaten to upset. What about the scale of extinctions since the industrial age started to poison rivers and air? These scientists correctly say an ice age would be worse that “global warming”. Tell that to land owners who are affected by a sea level rise. If we abate pollution, it will not stop “global warming”, but it may allow the trend to, one day, revert. If its a cycle, then its either naturally getting warmer or colder.
It seems a little irrelevant to worry about if its going to become warmer or colder if our risky activity could be projected into an outcome of life extinction. Sure the Earth may recover, but the dinosaurs did not.
Climate change is the present and real danger that we are causing. And poisoning our environment is just a crime against nature. It will pay us back. But we have already buried the worst culprits, the giants of pollution, until GW Bush came along and tried to keep America on top of the tables, but Asia will out-pollute them as they compete to try to catch up.
The world does not need another billion SUVs badly maintained in a Chinese economy that is collapsing in 2060 as their economic sunshine fades. One possible future.
“Global Warming” is the wrong target. The melting ice will not stop to examine tree rings. Change will occur with or without us, but we are contributing more than dinosaur flatulence and we should spend more on research into reducing our energy footprint. It is just responsible!
Harnessing free energy supports moderate growth. Burning all the oil competitively does not. It is time for the great nations of the world to stop competing for control of the Earth’s resources and paid the true cost to this and future humanity, (as well as repair nature).
War is redundant if you can not support a decent quality of life for all citizens.
