Dr. Jane Goodall on Environmental Issues

[ysabetwordsmith]

This lady has spent her life watching the world. Reckon she knows how it works better than most folks do.

Bill Moyers Journal | Dr. Jane Goodall
Bill Moyers Journal: "Despite dire warnings for our endangered planet, Jane Goodall says all is not yet lost - we can change course if we act now. And she should know. Her tough-minded optimism comes from her work as the world's foremost authority on chimpanzees in Tanzania's Gombe National Park."

Comments

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

99.99% of environmental problems are human related...generally the impact humans have on it as a result of their behaviour.

While on the one hand this could be a cause for hope, insofar as in theory at least, we can change how we behave.

However, the bad news is that in pretty much all of recorded history, human behaviour hasn't varied that much.

Personally, I'd say we're pretty much screwed...

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>While on the one hand this could be a cause for hope, insofar as in theory at least, we can change how we behave.

However, the bad news is that in pretty much all of recorded history, human behaviour hasn't varied that much.<<

If we are the prevailing cause of climate change, then we have a chance of influencing it, because the cause is within our reach. If we are not the prevailing cause -- say, it's due to solar cycles, one of the far-out alternative theories -- then there is no chance of influencing it, because the cause is out of our reach.

I greatly prefer having a slim chance to no chance at all.

Re: Thoughts

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

I'd say that we're almost certainly the cause of climate change...we're in the middle of minimal solar activity, which historically should be a cool period..and it's getting warmer. [in point of fact, that might be why it's not already much warmer, and explains the discrepancies between theory and observation.]

However.. while in theory we could change and do something about..from observation I'd say the probability of us, collectively, actually doing so, is somewhere between razor-edge slim to non-existent, [with the bias towards zero being most likely].

Collectively, people are stupid, short-sighted and prone to acting irrationally and often counter to what's best.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

>>I'd say that we're almost certainly the cause of climate change...<<

That matches my observations and research, yes, although I won't rule out the possibility that we are exacerbating some natural cause(s) as well.

>> we're in the middle of minimal solar activity, which historically should be a cool period..and it's getting warmer.<<

Yes. That's a key reason why I am dubious of claims that climate change is not our fault.

>> [in point of fact, that might be why it's not already much warmer, and explains the discrepancies between theory and observation.] <<

The environment is a tremendously intricate system. We keep diddling around with it, and we really don't understand how it works. That sort of thing usually ends badly.

>>Collectively, people are stupid, short-sighted and prone to acting irrationally and often counter to what's best.<<

Alas, this is true.

Yet it is also true that humans are ingenious and resourceful, and that we have survived all that the world (and we) have thrown at us so far, including at least one wholesale climate change.

I am frustrated, but not altogether without hope.

[allykat.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Dr. Jane Goodall. I helped set up for her once YEARS ago when she came to my university and spoke. She took the time to stop and smile and thank all us techies and sound people.

She's the kind of person who never looses touch with, well, everyone else no matter how intense her research.

Thank you!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

That sounds like her. Thank you for sharing the backstory.