Are we nearing a planetary boundary?
I find the title of this article kinda hilarious. But only in a dark humor kinda way-- because what is this article about? Only the degradation of our environment to the point of death and destruction on a massive scale within two generations. Maybe three. A paper published in Nature by 22 prominent biologists and ecologists and our newspaper of record reports on this like it is a damn Jeopardy question. A publication like this should call forth serious discussion and the kind of drastic action the threat warrants.
What does it typically draw forth?
1) Denial
2) Helplessness / Resignation
Am I the only one that finds both of these options utterly un-fucking-acceptable?
Many people seem to react to this existential threat by sticking their head in the sand, attacking the credibility of the scientists, attacking science, and generally acting like the lack of perfect consensus and perfect prediction of the future justifies complete inaction--even acceleration of environmental degradation.
On the other side of the coin we have people who think we are just already totally screwed and there is nothing we can do about it. It's time to bunker up if you wanna survive!! This perspective I can almost understand given the scale of the problem and how entwined it is with such basic principles as continued economic growth, ecology 101, and the seeming inability of humans to plan for long-term consequences when it requires short term pain.
And yet this is largely human-created problem. I refuse to accept that there is no solution and that the inherent difficulty justifies not trying. The thread that ties these two seemingly diametrically opposed points of view is that they both justify complete inaction with regard to the central problem. One proposes we keep screwing shit up, the other proposes we divert energy into preparing for an inevitable hellish future.
Or we could treat this as a solvable problem and try to solve it. Maybe it's because I am in science and I'm sick of us playing (only) the part of harbingers of doom. Those of us in science and those of us who believe in science owe it to our future to push this issue more than any other. I realize that many of you reading this see the issue precisely this way and that I've spent precious words defining the two extremes.
But even those of us who consider ourselves level headed environmentalists need to start pushing this issue like it is the one issue that matters more than all the rest. Because it is. We need to develop more a singular focus on pushing that overton window toward a place where people will embrace the changes needed to save Earth. I don't have the answers on what language is the best, but I mean saying things like "Addressing the needs of our planet IS addressing the needs of Americans and should be the top concern of every politician".
We need to push our established power structures on this issue the way we have pushed them on income inequality and other class issues. When Steve Kroft asked about the "Game over for the climate" quote re: the Tar Sands, Obama told Steve Kroft something to the tune of (paraphrase) "Well he's a scientist, I'm a politician".
That kind of response needs to become un-fucking-acceptable. But honestly Obama is not the problem. We have polticians in our corner that can be reached. Republicans who believe that we can legitimately consider burning every lump of coal in our nation need to become persona non grata of political life. Or they need to come around.
So I've defined what I think our goal some be, but I know a lot of people will be like "Well how the F do we get there?" No one has the absolute answer to that question, nor is the lack of one true answer another excuse for inaction.
So I'll just throw random things from my head out there. Maybe some of them suck. How do we get there? It involves talking about this issue and not shutting up about it. It involves pushing this article on everyone I(you) know along with the arguments for change. It involves sending this article to UP w/Chris Hayes as "Now We Know" news item. It involves continuing to write LTEs and writing to Congress. It involves demanding that the Earth get discussed during this election season. It involves Dailykos having an Environment section to sit next to Labor. It involves knowing that although I'm gay and come from a union family, I need to work this issue harder than others I care deeply about.
It involves you coming up with your own actions and sharing them with everyone!
It involves saying fuck off to denial and resignation.
edit: I want to embed this for the cynics :)