Ignore at Peril

Questions arise in many forms, from many sources. Some are easy to answer: Why do you run? Running provides multiple forms of satisfaction; one, of course, the health benefits but more importantly, no matter what else is going on in my life, it allows me to be successful. I go out the door. I travel some miles. I come back. Instant satisfaction. Something is completed that can't be taken away. Why do you write? Writing allows me to think. Well, really to think better. Writing especially modern writing, the physical action of typing in a word processor allows thoughts to come alive (I hope) in words that allow me to share the idea. The older pencil or ink writing worked but less so, there was always the distraction of scratching out or crumpling the paper. The thoughts, if tenuous, might disappear in the meantime. Some are revealing: What do you write about? I write on running at Passionate Runner. I write on my work related items here at Passion for the Good Customer Experience. I write on teamwork at the blog Synergy. I write on good blogs at hitchhikers Guide to the Blogosphere. I write on everything else at Steve's 2 Cents. But what about the big issues? Many bloggers are readily identified with an issue. I tend to avoid politics. I tend to avoid religion. Ronni writes on living as an elder. Rosa writes on improving your management skills. Dave writes on the worldly issues. Christina writes on art and mothering. Patti writes a weekly inspiration. Jeremy writes on living life today in the context of William Shakespeare. These are just a few of those I read regularly. (I do not mean to slight any of the others I read by not mentioning them here. The point is better made with a few examples. Some other time I'll do something of an "honor roll".) Are some issues bigger than others? Yes, I think that there is a relative pecking order. Politics and religion won't much matter if the world climate deteriorates such that the basics of daily existence become life threatening. The worldly issues like global warming rises to the top of the priority listing for me. Then comes the practical sphere of influence of the self, family, community and work. This is where we can and should, in each our individual way, make a difference. If we try, we can succeed. If we don't try, there won't be much to hope for. So reading the Boston Sunday Globe today I found this article on the scientific research and one man's drive to publish the warning on global warming. We ignore his message at our peril. Speaking to a reporter from The Washington Post, he (Hansen) put it bluntly: Having raised the earth's temperature 1 degree Fahrenheit in the last three decades, we're facing another increase of 4 degrees over the next century. That would ''imply changes that constitute practically a different planet." The technical terms for those changes include drought, famine, pestilence, and flood. ''It's not something we can adapt to," he continued. ''We can't let it go on another 10 years like this." I live in New England, well known for cold harsh winters yet it is 50 degrees today! What about the recent earthly happenings just in the US, not to mention around the world: hurricanes, record droughts, record rainfalls... And our government says this is not a problem. Huh. Am I missing something? Technorati Tags : weather, climate, Hansen Powered By Qumana