To me this is completely fascinating. No, it's not specifically about
native Iowa plants, but about all life on earth, which just may be the only life
anywhere.--Tom
================================
Dear Jim,
Thank you for your comment. I did not mean to imply that life "depends" on
280. By saying that it is the foundation on which it rests is different
because it is the general atmospheric area where it evolved. That is its
foundation. It gave us the necessary cold that maintains the ice which caps
feedback emissions. Many species can never recover just because it is not cold
enough even now. Many species live longer in cooler places than in the
warmer ones. Does anyone know what the upper limit of Greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere is to maintain all the species that evolved under cooler
conditions? Does anyone know how many species will survive at each degree of
warming? We do know that most plant and animal species are already stressed at
over 389. Ultimately, there are dependencies, and they take many forms.
But the 280 number is not just about warming. It is also about the chemical
balance in the ocean that is already creating problems for marine species,
not just corals and certain phytoplankton, but such important species (for
us) as salmon. I guess that the 280 number is about maintaining planetary
health. I don't know how far above one can go and maintain optimum health,
all species, and reasonable weather systems, but it is clearly well below
where we are. We do not know if 350 is low enough. Maybe, we need to go
lower than 350 for a while in order to compensate for having been higher.
Moisha
On Aug 4, 2009, at 4:56 PM, Jim Sconyers wrote:
It is not accurate to imply that "life" depends on 280 ppm of CO2.
(highlighted below)
Jim Sconyers
[log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask])
304.698.9628
Remember: Mother Nature bats last.
--- On Mon, 8/3/09, Moisha Blechman <[log in to unmask]
(mailto:[log in to unmask]) > wrote:
From: Moisha Blechman <[log in to unmask]
(mailto:[log in to unmask]) >
Subject: Fwd: 350.org for web site
To: [log in to unmask]
(mailto:[log in to unmask])
Date: Monday, August 3, 2009, 11:52 PM
While I have known for years that the numbers are crucial, they have been
neglected. I was delighted, therefore, that McKibben brought the number
back into focus. But most people do not really understand what it is about. I
wrote the following for our web site in order to help people understand why
going back to 350 ppm is necessary. I'm sending it on to youid case it
could be useful to you.
Now, I am starting work on a short leaflet that should explain global
warming to the general public, with the hopes of getting a few people wanting
to do something about it. Also, it is my feeling, that for an event to
resonate, it has to be understood first.
mkb,
Atlantic Chapter, New York
350.ORG
JOIN THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER IN THE 350.ORG MOVEMENT!
Forty four years ago President Lyndon Johnson's advisory council warned
that our green house gas emissions could generate "marked changes in
climate." That's 44 years of research, special testifying before Congress etc. at
huge annual costs. Yet, even now, there is no substantive legislation to
reverse climate change. The House did not do it, and the Senate will be
a hard pull. The international meetings on Climate Change sponsored by the
UN are going to be difficult.
After 44 years of political failure, the people must force their hand. We
need a real climate security bill in the Senate. We need to embolden
President Obama here at home and in Copenhagen. We need an international treaty
in Copenhagen with a plan to phase out fossil fuel emissions by 2030.
Whether we can do it or not is irrelevant. The science tells us, we must.
Why? The bottom line is chemistry. The chemical content of the atmosphere
determines climate. It is measured in parts per million of CO2 in the
atmosphere. We should all know 3 measures that describe climate. They are 280,
350 and 390. They represent parts per million of CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the
atmosphere and those numerical differences are life and death differences
for all that live on the planet.
The historic, pre-industrial 280 ppm is the foundation upon which both
life and civilization rests. It is the number that gives the planet its best
overall climate.. If we could go back to 280 ppm it would be ideal.
At this time the atmosphere contains 390 ppm of CO2, a consequence of
industrialism. Human activity is pouring another 3 ppm of CO2 into the
atmosphere per year. We know that we have stretched the rubber band too far and it
has snapped because the ice is melting, and it is melting at accelerating
rates everywhere. If the ice continues to melt humanity will lose control
of CO2 emissions and the planet will absorb so much heat that warming will
spin out of control. Climate feedbacks, already activated, will be too
monumental to reverse.
We can no longer stop damaging climate change. But we can start major
damage control. The key is to reduce that 390 number substantially. This is
why James Hansen, our most eminent atmospheric scientist, says we must
reverse course immediately and go to 350 ppm. At this time, our best scientists
believe that 350 ppm is the upper limit for CO2 in the atmosphere for a
survivable climate.
As we know from the last 44 years, It won't happen unless the people
speak, and speak forcefully. We can do that by joining Bill McKibben's
movement: 350.org. In response to 350.org, people all over the world will be
creating a visible action for October 24th demonstrating the will of the people
to start the process of planet repair, whatever it takes. The timing is
calculated to influence the December International Climate Change conference
in Copenhagen.
The Global Warming Committee of the Atlantic Chapter encourages everyone
to google 350.org for more information. The Chapter's Committee is planning
a petition, an informational leaflet for distribution, and suggestions for
educational initiatives leading to the 24th of October. Join the Chapter in
our goal to magnify the international 350.org initiative.
Call us for petitions to circulate, leaflets to distribute, and actions
for the 24th of October to join. (Should this be the Chapter office in
Albany?)
Be sure to explore: _www.realclimat.org_ (http://www.realclimat.org/) ,
_www.zerocarbonbritain.com_ (http://www.zerocarbonbritain.com/) ,
_www.ageofstupid.net_ (http://www.ageofstupid.net/) .
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