"I'm at a loss for words."

[Hissyspit]

How dire is the situation? One National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) climate scientist looked at the data and remarked: "I’m at a loss for words."

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/sep/11/summer-2015-set-to-be-worlds-hottest-ever-as-us-temperatures-again-soar

Summer 2015 set to be world's hottest ever as US temperatures again soar

US had its 12-hottest summer but seven of the warmer seasons were in last 15 years. With ocean temperatures rising, scientists warn: ‘It’s definitely not good’

Joanna Walters in New York
@Joannawalters13
Saturday 12 September 2015 08.00 EDT Last modified on Saturday 12 September 2015 08.03 EDT

New data showing that the US had its 12th-hottest summer on record may not, at first glance, appear particularly significant or alarming.

But in announcing the news, climate scientists have pointed out that, of the 11 American summers that were recorded as warmer than 2015’s, seven have occurred in the last 15 years; the other four were all during the “Dustbowl” 1930s heatwaves that plagued the US during the Great Depression.

And, as part of the climate warming trend globally, next Thursday a federal agency is set to announce the latest worldwide figures that are likely to show that it was officially the hottest summer ever recorded on the planet, and the hottest first eight months of the year to date.

- snip -

On Thursday it’s expected officially to be confirmed that the first eight months have been the warmest on record so far and the warmest three-month period June to August, constituting the hottest summer ever logged for the northern hemisphere.

Crouch pointed out that in the first seven months of 2015, worldwide figures had shown that the globe was almost a degree warmer than average and August figures are likely to have been boosted by the strengthening El Niño pattern.

“It’s extraordinary how much of the ocean is at record warm temperatures – about 75% to 80% of the world’s oceans are at record or near record warmth,” he said.

“I’m at a loss for words. It’s definitely not good.”

MORE AT LINK

[Martin Eden]

1. It's truly amazing that so many in the scientific community are in on this hoax

Hell, they've even enlisted the cooperation of glaciers to do fake melting.

[Live and Learn]

2. Our collective ignorance is truly frightening. nt

[-none]

5. We are an arrogant species.

Too often we believe we are above the fray. That we are somehow special. Yeah, we're special alright. So special we are destroying the ecosystem of the only planet we can ever live on.

[Live and Learn]

7. +1 and love your user name. nt

[-none]

10. Thanks

We are all in this together, whether we think so or not.

[Live and Learn]

16. Yep, we are one or else we are none. nt

[tblue]

3. It's criminal for lawmakers to deny climate change

Seriously. They're either deluded or bought or both, any of which should disqualify them for the job. Our government is a racket. Meanwhile the planet is screaming.

[Overseas]

35. They remember Jimmy Carter talking about limits, swept out by "Morning In America" Ronald Reagan

Carter tried to talk about the need to move on alternative energy way back in the late 70's and Sustainable Development.

Ronald Reagan came out with a "Morning in America" campaign saying Jimmy was too pessimistic. Americans are great people who need no silly limits. It was a message like "Make America Great Again" all we need is Confidence with a capital C ! And far too many people bought it. Even a whole throng of "Reagan Democrats"!!

Scientists were seeing the C02 trends and warning about what could happen at increasing levels of C02 in the atmosphere. They were emphasizing the less serious scenarios because they didn't want to scare people but to encourage them to act now. The oil industry PR teams saw an opportunity to minimize things and get their denial machinery in motion. What are a few degrees? We'll engineer something to get around that. Americans are great wonderful people who don't need to think about such gloomy stuff.

And Reagan won in a landslide. Many Democrats didn't want to think about all that gloomy stuff-- Sustainable Development was portrayed as setting limits on great people. And uncertainties about exactly how the various scenarios would play out were emphasized. Why limit ourselves when the science was uncertain.

The positive narrative about using the genius of the American people to design sustainable energy sources that didn't require wars over limited resources, and finding new ways to celebrate our lives rather than endless consumption, was drowned out.

We have passed that first level of climate change and are into the middle level of serious consequences they predicted-- floods, fires, droughts, oceans heating up, glaciers melting faster, permafrost releasing methane, insects and disease patterns changing... All predicted back in the late 70's as possible consequences of global warming. But by now hundreds of millions have been spent on denial PR and trillions have been spent in continuing wars for oil resources.

The next level is very scary-- changing of the jet streams that have driven our climate for centuries.

[MisterP]

36. Reagan was actually quite the technocrat--a "we'll just invent our way out of it like we did last

time" type, a Happy Days Are Here Again sort; Carter sounded too Puritanical with his belt-tightening and insistence that you not buy really big things you didn't either want or need (heck, many of the New England divines died bringing vaccination to the Colonies)

[malaise]

4. They will discover that ignorance is never

bliss.

[Live and Learn]

9. Unfortunately, most of them will probably die of natural causes before the real consequensces hit.

At least, that is what they are banking on. Let their grand-kids fend for themselves, is the motto, I guess.

[dixiegrrrrl]

29. All except for Cheney....

He will just continue to buy new body parts.

[Live and Learn]

41. So true. nt

[jtuck004]

6. Among all the other things, all you tens of millions of kids enjoy that soccer game they drove you

to. Here, in China, other countries. Or the coal we burned to generate the power for whatever. That melted the carbon dioxide that is making it so hot kids are screaming when they go outside, somewhere. And maybe around your house before long.

Enjoy 2060. It's gonna get so much more personal soon.

Or maybe you just tell your folks to stop. Who knows? Nothing else has worked.

[dixiegrrrrl]

30. Nothing has worked because the ruling class is insanely greedy.

We have fought wars for 3 generations over oil and gas, with a military that gobbles up HUGE amounts of oil and gas in the process.

they think their money will make them safe from the consequences of global greed.
"Doesn't matter if Manhattan is sinking a few inches, I live in the penthouse of this building"

[DFW]

8. I just got back from Alaska a week ago

And everyone there was saying how unseasonably warm it was, Cape Cod's waters were unusually warm, too, compared to previous years. California has water rationing.

And the deniers will all say it's no big deal, come the first snowflakes that fall in December.

[Eleanors38]

37. Florida has had huge rains. Lake Santa Fe is in folks' backyards.

"Moccasins hanging from the cypress limbs like sausage on the smoke house wall."

[rosesaylavee]

11. It's a crisis and we need to act NOW

As our leaders are not actively engaged in addressing this, it's up to the rest of us to goad them to action.

Thanks for posting this HS! This reply is directed to all who are reading this thread!

I recommend getting involved in whatever way you can -- here are some links for people to consider:

http://citizensclimatelobby.org/ -- they are promoting a Carbon and Fee dividend that, if enacted, would take us quickly to a spot where we can start addressing the many many other issues involved in this. More info on CF&D here: http://citizensclimatelobby.org/carbon-fee-and-dividend/ -- I am involved in my local chapter in a very RED area. We are making some headway -- as crazy as that sounds.

https://www.climaterealityproject.org/ -- if you are able to make presentations, like to persuade people, to inform people, they have a presentation you can be trained to give in your community. I do this -- it helps. There are still people for which this is news as our media sucks.

http://350.org/ -- they are very action focused. If you like to work with others in your community on drawing physical attention to this crisis -- this is your group. I am also involved with this group but not as much as the first two listed above.

The idea here is -- GET INVOLVED! There is no time for despair or wringing of hands. It's all hands on deck. You are needed.

As Naomi Klein has stated, “To change everything we need everyone”

We need you to be involved in this -- not just reading about it.

[daleanime]

12. This Changes Everything....

If you're not sure where to start, read this book.

[rosesaylavee]

23. Yes!

I would also recommend:

Gore's The Future
Pipher's The Green Boat
McKibbon's Oil and Honey

And for those in the throes of despair, I highly recommend:
Macy and Johnstone's Active Hope
Johnstone's Find Your Power

Websites for more info:
http://www.skepticalscience.com/
https://www.climate.gov/
http://www.climatecentral.org/

[daleanime]

26. Thanks for the recommends!

I may have to look for Active Hope.

[Duppers]

14. My efforts have always been met with anger.

And I've felt too much despair and depression over this issue for years. No one wants to be told.

In the past, even DU threads on the subject have dropped like rocks. Sigh.

I need to be involved in a groups, locally if possible, so I thank you for postings these links. Bookmarking.

[Brainstormy]

15. Mine too, or with denial

A family friend --he's in his sixties--told me last week that climate change hadn't been proven. I sent him a page of links but as I clicked "send" I felt such despair.

[Duppers]

17. My brother, along with others..

told me to not send them my "shit"!

[rosesaylavee]

21. Don't send it him then -- but keep

the communication open. I was told earlier this year by someone I thought relatively smart, that I was not to bother my sweet little head on this as no doubt Congress has it covered. Yeesh. So, no, don't engage with those who do not want to know this. It's a tough, tough truth to face -- everyone will come to it in their own way, their own time. If someone has trouble addressing hard truths in their lives overall - this will likely not be something they will take in easily.

Find a group == the CCL and Climate Reality groups have tremendous resources on discussing this with others who truly do not know what's going on and want to know.

[Eleanors38]

38. Good advice. Frankly, the Far Right corporatists are FAR more sophisticated and effective...

in getting the denial message out than are more liberal organizations; the RW ideology is locked down, hard & fast. And the folks who adhere to denial beliefs can readily point to groups & organizations who make fun or diss them.

But note that some evangelicals in the deep South are questioning the hard-line RW when it comes to nature protection and stewardship. There is also considerable stirring in the outdoors (hunt/fish) press, criticizing corporate despoiling and privatization of public lands used for outdoor activity. I have seen pointed articles in both Gray's Sporting Journal (high browed, well-heeled) and in the more middle class Petersen's Hunting. This last magazine is really breaking the mold.

[rosesaylavee]

40. This is one of my all time favorite videos on RW Climate Acceptance

Check this out -- this was of course before Citizens United:

GW B*sh, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, John McCain, John Boehner, The Newt, etc. all make an appearance, all say that climate change is real, that it's human caused, that we need to do something about it.

Please share widely.

[Nay]

22. Nobody wants to listen to me, either -- I've tried. I joined a naturalist group that

does projects and that's my contribution, in addition to a couple of things that reduce our family's carbon footprint. Oh, and we've made sure our kids are debt-free.

[rosesaylavee]

24. Sometimes groups are in a groove

from decades worth of wonderful work - and seeing that work as a small part of the whole is hard. Large group habits are hard to break. I totally get that. I was involved in a group that thought recycling was the be all and end all. Recycling IS a great part of this -- but addressing this climate crisis is the more pressing a need in my opinion than recycling that pop can, that plastic container. Important work, yes -- everyone needs to do what they feel compelled to contribute. My volunteer work is this climate work now.

There ARE chapters for Citizens Climate Lobby in almost EVERY congressional district in the country now. And there is much need for assistance -- letter writing, making calls when requested, etc.

And Climate Reality -- there is no such thing as too many presenters of this material.

Find a group of like minded people -- you will be happier and feel more engaged, I guarantee it!

[rosesaylavee]

20. My elderly aunt who is enamored of Trump

but lives in Florida -- agrees with me on Climate Change!

Sometimes -- the personal conversation -- not just a link, but an honest "This is what is concerning me, does this concern you" conversations opens up the discussion on another level. These groups give tools, techniques, suggestions for communication. It works on most. If someone is really not going to listen, there is nothing you can do for them. They will have to come to it another way. Find someone else to talk to about it -- work with a group -- any group -- all are needed!

[rosesaylavee]

19. Agreed, it's a tough conversation - these groups give

techniques that work for discussing it with people open to hearing about it. It's a dance. Those truly in denial -- don't bother with them. If we can get 15-20% of the populace engaged, working on this -- it will happen. There was less engaged, supportive of Civil Rights when that passed -- we can do this thing. We HAVE to do this thing.

[RoccoR5955]

13. Game Over.

For the human species, and we did it to ourselves with our ignorance and greed!

[wcmagumba]

27. Maybe it is...sigh

This guy might be right....

[link:

|

[TBF]

18. Science is hard.

People want to believe in mythical figures providing the glorious heaven ... they don't want to use complex reasoning to understand the science. It is extremely frustrating.

[dixiegrrrrl]

31. What makes it worse is the deliberate intentional dumbing down of our students.

I just found out that Alabama Schools do not teach history before the year 1887
They are not allowed to teach about the Civil War.
1887 is post-Reconstruction.


(See "Confederates in the Attic", by Horowitz)

[TBF]

32. Textbooks are written in Texas -

Great article from NYTimes that explains exactly how it's being done --

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/jun/21/how-texas-inflicts-bad-textbooks-on-us/

When it comes to meddling with school textbooks, Texas is both similar to other states and totally different. It’s hardly the only one that likes to fiddle around with the material its kids study in class. The difference is due to size—4.8 million textbook-reading schoolchildren as of 2011—and the peculiarities of its system of government, in which the State Board of Education is selected in elections that are practically devoid of voters, and wealthy donors can chip in unlimited amounts of money to help their favorites win.

Those favorites are not shrinking violets. In 2009, the nation watched in awe as the state board worked on approving a new science curriculum under the leadership of a chair who believed that “evolution is hooey.” In 2010, the subject was social studies and the teachers tasked with drawing up course guidelines were supposed to work in consultation with “experts” added on by the board, one of whom believed that the income tax was contrary to the word of God in the scriptures.

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. I was able to give my kids alternative resources

and taught them how to navigate stupid but required classes.
taht was years ago, when the stupid was not as strong as it is now.

[TBF]

34. We try to do that as well

And I always help her find her current events items for her Science class in the NYTimes. Last week she wrote about the dust lady dying from exposure to toxins (9/11). It always sparks discussion

[Heidi]

25. Kick, kick, kick!

[Hissyspit]

42. And Kick nt

[azmom]

28. Nothing is done because the oil industry pays

Politicians to push their agenda. We need a people's revolution in order to demand change.

[PasadenaTrudy]

39. Don't have kids

Best thing for the planet!