Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

Think Globally: Dry, The Beloved Country
(from the Daily Grist at www.gristmagazine.com, 09/26/01)

Global warming could cause big changes in South Africa in the next 50 years, including the loss of many plant species, less rainfall, and an increase in wildfires, according to a report released by the South African branch of the World Wildlife Fund. One of the report’s authors, William Bond of the University of Cape Town, said he had been skeptical about global warming predictions, but now felt they were accurately “alarming and scary.” So scary, he said, that he decided to make it available to the general public, rather than publishing the results in a scientific journal. (As an added note, I was just taking with some friends who had recently returned from visiting their daughter and family in the Cape Town area and remarked that the water shortage in South Africa is very serious. One result is that farmers will have to grow different crops that are not so water dependent.)

Act Locally: Speak Out On the Urgent Need to Address Global Warming

Individuals and special interest groups use several tactics to argue against the Kyoto Treaty and tougher environmental laws that address global warming. They try to discredit the message by emphasizing select findings out of context, and the messenger by name calling (alarmist, environmental extremist). (As another added note, I actually think people might be getting the message now, but really, do we want to change our behavior, I think not)