Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Climate change: our wilful blindness

By Lyn Bender - posted Monday, 11 March 2013


At the approaching wave of the Asian Tsunami, the sea drew back as though mustering its full fury. Like a gigantic creature drawing breath before giving a mighty overpowering roar until it returned and swallowed all in its path. .

Many people failed to read this signal, or perhaps thought they might outrun the big wave, and rushed to gather the fish that had been left high and dry on the now exposed extended sandy shore. They perished as a gigantic wall of water overcame them.

I am reminded of this phenomenon by the number of people who have expressed delight at Melbourne's hot and tropical summer of 2013. How great to be basking in a Sydney like summer in Melbourne .The bougainvillaea in a pot on my balcony is thriving.

Advertisement

But this summer is the hottest ever recorded. It is part of the predicted trajectory of global warming.

To be enjoying the warming, is like applauding weight loss as a terminal illness progresses. Who hasn't wanted to be thin and live in the tropics without moving a muscle?

In likeminded mode, mining magnate, Clive Palmer recently announced his Titanic Mark 2 dream; in New York declaring that one good thing about global warming, is that there will be less icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean

It is a double irony that the voyage of the original Titanic has come to be seen as emblematic to mankind's hubris and failure to prepare for likely disaster. Like planet earth, it had been seen as too big to fail.

It has been a very hot summer in Australia, a summer of extreme events, and dubbed 'The Angry Summer.' The Climate Commission indicates that 123 weather records have been broken.

Professor Tim Flannery, Chief Climate Commissioner reports that we now in effect have a "climate is on steroids" and that we are entering new territory.

Advertisement

This is a worldwide phenomenon. More frequent and more intense events are cascading as predicted by climate scientists

But denial is also a world wide phenomenon

Al Gore, dubbed 'warmist' 'alarmist' by climate denialists, could be laughing all the way to his next temperature graphs if the inconvenient truth were not so rapidly becoming the awful inescapable truth.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

47 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Lyn Bender is a psychologist in private practice. She is a former manager of Lifeline Melbourne and is working on her first novel.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Lyn Bender

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Lyn Bender
Article Tools
Comment 47 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy