Happy Earth Day 2014

It turns out much of the key research on climate change was completed in the 1970’s. The first major report on the subject was requested by President Jimmy Carter. So reports and writes Elizabeth Kolbert in a good piece entitled “Rough Forecasts” in the April 14th issue of The New Yorker. Yes, we’ve been looking at the data for at least that long. At a meeting in Yokohama the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released just shortly ago it’s latest update on the crisis. It’s not pretty. We don’t seem to have the political will and moral power to do anything about the one thing that impacts every aspect of life. As one person in an NPR story Morning Edition story today on the lawsuits pending in Louisiana regarding oil and gas companies having liability in the steady and significant loss of land mass along the coast, most the significantly New Orleans area, stated: We are not talking about paying attention to the pretty little birdies or worrying about how what once was nice and pretty but isn’t nice to look at anymore, we’re talking about survival. Back in 1970, at the first Earth Day, we weren’t just talking about the pretty little birdies either. We were talking about survival. But things are now 44 years later. All attention on earth-keeping is necessary. Not faddish attention. Not stylish attention. Not 9-5 attention. All attention. Elect leaders who get this. Appoint leaders who get this. If you are a leader now, get this. Happy Earth Day 2014.