A new study proclaims that as much as 20 percent of California’s critical four-year-drought may be blamed on the shifting climate. Common sense seemingly would dictate that as temperatures rise and as rainfall patterns shift across Earth’s face due to climate churn, areas of drought like California and Texas and huge swaths of Africa also will increase in severity, intensity and duration.
What struck me in this report, however, was language; specifically, how we talk about our role in spinning Earth’s climate into whole other parameters never before experienced by a human species.
Park Williams is lead author of the study. An assistant research professor at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Williams noted,
“We can’t just ask the Earth exactly what’s been human-induced and what’s natural.”
What is “human-induced”, and what is “natural”. Do you see the rub? Feel ~ as some of us do in our bones ~ the friction of “human” grinding against “natural”?
Here lies our Great Sin. Divorcing ourselves from Nature. Evicting ourselves, as it were, from the Garden.
~~~~~~~
"Warlords of Ivory"
This week's Quick Pick Flick Warlords of Ivory airs Sunday, August 30 on a National Geographic Channel near you. Consider yourself a turd if you miss this film.
What are you doing to keep Texas Beautiful?
 |
| A shadow of his former self |
It is time once again to clean up lovely little Sikes Lake. All are welcome to meet at 9 a.m. behind MSU's Wellness Center (east side of the lake).
After the clean up, hang out for the FREE LUNCH!!
Shout out to this event's community sponsors:
Rolling Plains Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist
Midwestern State University
American National Bank & Trust
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
By the way, if you can't be bothered to come out and help us clean up the lake, don't bother to bitch all over the Interweb about how trashy it looks.
