Of course, if you take the long view, we've sorta been doing the climate change thing ever since we invented agriculture. It's just... sped up a lot lately.
The problem is that listening, however attentive, is not going to fix anything. Did the scientists say anything about what we're meant to DO about this? If there's a plan, for sure, we can all start hassling our governments to implement it ASAP, but first there's gotta be a plan. And those brain-dead GOP dinosaurs sitting on their butts in Congress don't even believe global warming exists, so if there IS a plan, they're going to be doing whatever they can to block and sabotage it.
I don't think our use of agriculture made all that much difference. Plants grew already, and were eaten by animals; we just planted the kinds of plants we liked. The use of fire made a difference, for sure, especially the rise of warfare as an industry - but even without that, there are just way too many of us, and we're always burning stuff to keep warm, cook our food and make things.
I guess the Four Horseman are going to be doing another epic world tour again pretty soon. Not like they ever seem to lack for a gig.
I don't think our use of agriculture made all that much difference. Plants grew already, and were eaten by animals; we just planted the kinds of plants we liked.
Aside from cutting down trees, the use of agriculture allowed us to support a much larger population than we could've managed otherwise. No way we'd've reached 7 billion without farming. Even if there's no effect of agriculture but that, that makes a big difference.
But no, what I'm thinking of is that I read apparently we're well overdue for another cold spell. As near as I can tell by reading the research, the next ice age has been held at bay ever since we learned to farm it into submission.
(That sentence doesn't parse. I edited it halfway through and find it less effort to type THIS sentence than to go fix it.)
no subject
Date: 2012-06-09 04:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-06-09 04:24 am (UTC)Of course, if you take the long view, we've sorta been doing the climate change thing ever since we invented agriculture. It's just... sped up a lot lately.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-09 05:23 am (UTC)I don't think our use of agriculture made all that much difference. Plants grew already, and were eaten by animals; we just planted the kinds of plants we liked. The use of fire made a difference, for sure, especially the rise of warfare as an industry - but even without that, there are just way too many of us, and we're always burning stuff to keep warm, cook our food and make things.
I guess the Four Horseman are going to be doing another epic world tour again pretty soon. Not like they ever seem to lack for a gig.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-09 04:51 pm (UTC)Aside from cutting down trees, the use of agriculture allowed us to support a much larger population than we could've managed otherwise. No way we'd've reached 7 billion without farming. Even if there's no effect of agriculture but that, that makes a big difference.
But no, what I'm thinking of is that I read apparently we're well overdue for another cold spell. As near as I can tell by reading the research, the next ice age has been held at bay ever since we learned to farm it into submission.
(That sentence doesn't parse. I edited it halfway through and find it less effort to type THIS sentence than to go fix it.)
no subject
Date: 2012-06-10 05:36 pm (UTC)So I'm not surprised? At least they're consistent.