WE ARE DESTROYING THIS PLANET!!!

[Subdivisions]

I've had it! Humans suck!

This is UNACCEPTABLE!

GET THE HELL OUT OF YOUR FUCKING SUVs AND PUT YOUR FAT ASSES ON A BICYCLE!

The US Government has now listed the polar bear as an ENDAGERED SPECIES!!!

http://news.google.com/news?q=polar+bear

http://www.cnn.com/video/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x148476

Climate now shifting on a continental scale, huge study says

A landmark climate study released Wednesday reports that global warming is changing the life cycles of thousands of animals and plants — as well as hundreds of physical systems — worldwide.
It documents rapid glacier melts in North America, South America and Europe; trees and plants sprouting leaves much earlier in the spring in Europe, Asia and North America; permafrost melting in Asia; and changes in bird migration patterns across Europe, North America and Australia, all in response to rising global temperatures.

Though previous studies have looked at single phenomena or smaller areas, the latest analysis examines data on a continental scale, says lead author Cynthia Rosenzweig, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.

By analyzing data from each of the Earth's seven continents and the oceans, the study paints a clear picture of a world that's been undergoing rapid transformation in just the past few decades.

"These are things that are happening now, not projections of future changes," she says.

-snip-

Some of the physical changes:

•Melting glaciers on all continents, notably in Alaska, Peru and the Alps.

•Earlier breakup and thinning of river and lake ice in Mongolia.

•Declining mountain snowpack in western North America.

Some of the observed effects on living things include:

•Movements of species to higher latitudes and altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

•Population of emperor penguins declining 50% on Antarctic Peninsula.

•Advance of spring arrival of long-distance migratory birds in Europe

-snip-

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2008-05-14-climate-study_N.htm">MORE »

[taterguy]

1. What if our asses are so fat that bicycle spokes break?

What's Plan B?

[gateley]

4. Our asses are so fat

because of the dearth of fresh, life-supporting foods. We've depleted our soils and poisoned them with fertilizers. More and more we are eating processed 'fake food'. Even when we try to buy "wholesome" foods, God knows what was added or if there are any nutrients still contained.

We've fucked up everything.

[taterguy]

14. My ass is fat because I really, really enjoy eating

I suspect that might be the case for a lot of others.

[Javaman]

19. Our asses are so fat...

the seats need seats from our asses.

[Squatch]

18. They'll open a new pit mine and smelter to make new spokes!

[taterguy]

20. Have you ever busted a spoke on a bike?

It's a real drag. Literally.

[jus_the_facts]

2. What's been dubbed *humanity* is on the short list as well. n/t

[gateley]

3. It is my prayer that the earth will survive - but I'm not sure we will.

We have taken this life-giving, nurturing planet, and killed it. An entire fucking planet! We've gone against nature and the proper balance. We could all co-exist in harmony, but we chose not to take that route.

To be fair, I'm sure that when we began this descent into extinction we weren't aware of the eco-system, how everything is related and dependent upon everything else. But we've chosen to ignore the signs for far too long, and chosen to ignore those who have raised the alarm, dismissing them as tree huggers and worse.

I heard an analogy of the earth being like a dog, shaking off its fleas. It's worse than that, though -- because the dog has been damaged and scarred, and the prognosis for healing is iffy at best.

In the movie Solyent Green, some of the older people in a futuristic, overpopulated earth choose to end their lives intentionally. They go to a dome-type structure, are asked their favorite color, type of music and period of history.

When Charleston Heston's character realizes that his friend (Edward G. Robinson's character) has chosen this route, he rushes to the dome to try to stop him.

He enters the gigantic structure and the interior is bathed in a warm, orange light (EGW's favorite color), music is coming from unseen speakers -- "Classical -- LIGHT classical", and films of the 1970's are being projected onto the dome, Horses romping in beautiful fields, clear, blue skies, clean water happily dancing down streams.

Heston is stopped short and gapes in awe at the images being shown. He said "I had no idea".

I think about that scene often. I'm convinced a similar scenario is in our not-too-distant future. We're facing our own extinction and taking everything with us. :cry:

[femrap]

10. You forgot the best part...the grand finale...

The old people were being processed into Soylent Green! We had become cannibals!!!!

This movie is never shown on TV!

[Beausoleil]

5. Yeah, but

"This in my judgment makes the polar bear a threatened species, one likely to become in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future," said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, punctuating his point with an array of slides, charts and maps showing the changing ice flows of the Arctic.

(Yay, Dirk!)

But Kempthorne also said that he did not view the increased protection of the bear afforded by the Endangered Species Act as a back door to regulate greenhouse gases coming from power plants, automobiles and industrial sources.

"That would be a wholly inappropriate use of the ESA law," declared Kempthorne as he outlined a series of administrative and other actions he would take to protect anything like that from happening.

(WTF!, DIRK!)

The restrictions, including one that would provide the bear no more protection from oil drilling in Arctic waters than it now has under another federal law, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prompted environmentalists and some members of Congress to question whether the bear will get any more protection at all.


http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j9NGJ0_eVkxqgpEFC6RMHVlvT9qwD90M1L580

Now that's what I call some fancy deck chair rearrangin'.

[magellan]

6. Hey, we own an SUV

A jeep to be precise, and it spends most days sitting in our driveway collecting bird poop and fallout from the FL wildfires. We fill it once a month at most. We've also replaced all our incandescent bulbs with fluorescent, turned our a/c up, turn things off when we aren't in the room, recycle, use biodegradable puppy poop bags, conserve water...

We're going to install a new tankless water heater soon (our old tank is half dead and I'm tired of running out of hot water in the middle of my 3-minute shower -- with a low-flow shower head, btw).

We have two bikes. We'd use them for shopping but it's a mile just to get off our estate and the nearest grocery place apart from a gas station is 5 miles further.

Basically we're doing everything I can think of to help the environment that I can also force hubby to abide by. I even pick up trash around the neighborhood while walking the dogs. It DISGUSTS me that I have to do this because others are such self-centered, brainless PIGS. Yes, humans SUCK big time!!

If I could physically, personally save the polar bears I would!!

Gimme that crown back, you. ;)

[Subdivisions]

9. "Basically we're doing everything I can think of...

to help the environment..." I, too, am doing everything I can to reduce my impact on the environment. If EVERYONE were to do the same, perhaps the polar bear wouldn't now be on that list. How many species must suffer at our hands?

Nice inside joke there, magellan ;)

[magellan]

16. "How many species must suffer at our hands?"

It's like asking how many troops and civilians have to die before Americans demand a stop to the Iraq occupation. Or how many families have to wind up on the street without enough food to eat before we demand the gov't does something to help them.

The answer, my friend, is until global warming affects the complacent majority who currently feel unaffected and impervious, the die-off will continue.

I know, the answer SUCKS. Humans are incredibly stupid, selfish creatures.

[sagetea]

7. Well, Duh! n/t

[femrap]

8. You would think Coca-Cola

would do something considering they have used the Polar Bears to make so much fu*king $$$$$.

Maybe we could 'shame' them into doing something. Oops, I forgot....there is no such thing as shame anymore. We are ruled by psychopaths...no conscience whatsoever.

[Subdivisions]

11. Kick! Does anyone give a shit about this??? n/t

[Hannah Bell]

13. yes. but it's not going to change by individual consumer choices,

only by mass action & fundamental economic changes.

capitalism requires growth. that's the root of the problem.

[gateley]

15. I was thinking of this the other day when it was announced that

some new Federal building was going to be built. Biden said that if he became President, every new Federal facility built would be green (and States would be encouraged to do the same.) -- I was wondering, why couldn't Bushco do that in this instance? Just one fucking building, for the love of Mike! :eyes:

[progressoid]

12. But how does the affect Brad and Angelina's twins?

Enquiring minds wanna know.

[taterguy]

17. What kind of bike do you use?

I think it would be helpful to post recommendations of bikes that are good for commuting.