Climate change debate should be about much more than temperature change

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The science-deniers are routinely commenting about climate change with observations about temperature. And too often it sinks the overall discussion into nothing more than a comparison of temperature over particular eras.

The deniers really don’t want the debate to slip beyond this level – into the impacts of climate change and even more importantly, the deeper overall impacts of human activity.

While the specific temperature trends are certainly an important factor, too much is made in the media and within debates about temperature ONLY.

The keys are actually the impacts of the temperatures and the pollution/emissions being poured into our air, water and land.
The oceans are being impacted to an extreme level by human activity – trash, overfishing, pollution and more.
While the US is doing better in some respects with air pollution, some regions of the globe are still horrible – as in China.
The Appalachian Mountains are being destroyed by mining operations – with entire ranges blown up. The material is dumped into mountain streams.

Deforestation is a huge tragedy. Animal species moving into extinction at a rapid pace is a huge tragedy.

It is an indisputable FACT that human activity is impacting the planet. Those wishing to firmly place their head in the sand and ignore the facts will never change the facts.

Denying that something that is undeniably happening isn’t happening isn’t a logical position. It is nothing more than a child putting his fingers into his ears while crying out, “La, la, la, la ….”

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Michelle Duggar fails on understanding population boom

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Human population growth is clearly taxing the planet. We are seeing rampant deforestation and habitat loss and a huge strain on resources in many areas of the Earth. And many species of wildlife are being wiped off the face of the Earth, a trend that can indeed be traced to human activity and greed.

But apparently Michelle Duggar of “19 Kids and Counting” fame is unaware of these obvious trends.

In a article by Us Weekly posted today at Today.com, Duggar is asked about overpopulation, something she said she doesn’t believe in. Let’s make sure we get this quote right. She told Celebrity Baby Scoop –

“We have studied it and I believe that there is a misconception about overpopulation. I think that the whole mindset of overpopulation is really overrated.”

She doesn’t believe in overpopulation. It’s like stating you don’t believe there’s a sun in our solar system. It’s like saying you don’t believe in sunburn. It’s like saying the crime rate in Chicago is no big deal or having a job is overrated.

It’s like not understanding the phrase – exponential growth.

Look – I don’t want to pick on Michelle. She seems like a really nice person. But she said she studied overpopulation and yet she came to this conclusion. I couldn’t let that pass.

Again, overpopulation is putting a huge strain on wildlife populations, habitat and the planet’s resources. If anything, the problem is underrated and receives too little attention from the media or governments.

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Major paper company agrees to halt destruction of natural forests in Indonesia

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Asia Pulp & Paper Group, called one of the largest paper producers in the world, has agreed to stop its suppliers from cutting down natural forests in Indonesia, as reported by the Associated Press.

This is being hailed as an important step in protecting vital habitat for endangered animals such as orangutans and Sumatran tigers. The company worked with Greenpeace and the Forest Trust.

Deforestation is a huge, but too-often under-reported problem. The Earth is losing massage amounts of forests, including extremely important rainforests, every day. Greed – again – is the major player. I hope Asia Pulp & Paper is serious about this move.

 

On the Environment: BP suspended and Amazon deforestation rate is down

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On the environmental front, there are two areas of good news this week:

The Environmental Protection Agency as announced BP has received a suspension from being issued new contracts with the US government. The Associated Press reports the EPA suspension has arrised due to BP’s “lack of business integrity as demonstrated by the company’s conduct with regard to the Deepwater Horizon blowout, explosion, oil spill, and response.”

AND – the AP also reports the rate of deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has dropped to the lowest level in the past 24 years. This is really great news, but we should not be pleased until we see the deforestation stop altogether and see that trend continue into into the future.

 

Bill in US Congress could weaken Endangered Species Act and more

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Defenders of Wildlife is opposing HR 2578, a bill in the US House of Representatives that could weaken important protections for wildlife and allow for clear-cutting in the Tongass National Forest.

Defenders of Wildlife posted the following on website

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This anti-wildlife bill would…

  • Waive Endangered Species Act protections within 100 miles of our borders — leaving jaguars, ocelots and other rare wildlife without a lifeline;
  • Overturn hard-fought, sensible rules that protect endangered sea turtles and shorebirds from being crushed by vehicles on Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
  • Hand over tens of thousands of acres of old-growth forest in the Tongass National Forest to be clearcut by a private corporation. These ancient forests are home to rare pine martens, grizzly bears and other wildlife — and provide clean water that salmon need to survive.

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Can’t we even protect endangered sea turtles?

Deforestation in the Amazon increasing at alarming rate

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This an extremely important story that will sadly get little attention in the cloud that is the national media. A significant increase in the level of deforestation is being witnessed in the Amazon rainforests in Brazil – as reported on the Huffington Post website.

Some Brazilian farmers are calling for a weakening of environmental laws in the region to allow for more deforestation. The cost of allow this to happen and allowing for any more deforestation of rainforest anywhere is tremendously huge.

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