Water World
‘WED like to build a huge boat. Its the only way to survive the impending flood.
Problem is that by cutting down the trees to make the boat we further damage the environment. Perhaps we should ditch the boat idea and all head for higher ground. But even in the face of certain death does a life in the Austrian Alps hold much appeal to anyone not equipped with lederhosen and skis?
But something must be done before it is too late. As the Times shows in a double-page picture, by the next millennium disastrous climate change will have drowned vast swathes of this fair land.
The Fens and large areas of the East Midlands are submerged. London is twinned with Atlantis. And over on the Continent, the Netherlands is best viewed by submarine.
We could stress the positives, argue that with so much more water at least our fishermen will be happy. As will the fish.
But then we read the Independent, and are enveloped by a deep gloom. Climate change: On the edge – Greenland ice cap breaking up at twice the rate it was five years ago, says scientist Bush tried to gag.
This headline-making scientist is Jim Hansen, director of the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. And he says hes not being listened to by his President.
And now hes seen a study of the Greenland ice cap. Hansen looks at the satellite pictures and says twice as much ice is going into the sea as it was five years ago. Things are getting more watery than scientists first feared.
But what can we do? We don’t have much time left, says Hansen. We need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. We need to focus on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy.
We need to sell our Dorset beach hut before property prices on the South Coast crash. We need to start learning how to keep warm by wearing leather shorts and slapping our thighs…’
Posted: 17th, February 2006 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
