The Age of Stupidity

A series of documentaries is screen over CNA in conjunction with the coming Earth Day makes it debut today. I find the some of the punch lines meaningful....like :-

* We would not be the first life form to wipe ourselves out, but what is unique is that we do it knowingly. (thus the documentary title - The Age of Stupidity)

* We could save ourselves, we didn't. What state of mind are we in ?

* All the politicians are talking about it. But when it comes down to action, it is just not happening.

Those who miss tonight episode can try to catch the next few installments. I think the dates are 22 Apr and 25 Apr 2010.

Lots of interesting facts presented in the documentary. Some of which are :

1) We can tell the cardon dioxide content in the past so as to compare it to the present level from ice core taken at the poles. The level has increased by about 50% over the last few decades.

2) Scientists can know from soil core samples if past hurricanes,tsumani...had swept across a location. They look for sand sediment deposit which was carried by the strong wind and wave inland. Such natural disasters are happening in increase frequency in recent years no thanks to global warming.

3) We have the technology to generate electicity from coal without emittng carbon dioxide. The cardon dioxide is trapped but now the issue is how to dispose of it. They say it is possible to inject the carbon dioxide into the soil (a particular kind in a location which I can't remember the name). If this happen, the area is large enough to absorb carbon dioxide generated for the next 50 years. After that hopefully the world will switch to clean energy. Since it is not possible currently, and most countries generate electic power from coal, this is the best solution. However the irony is only one plant in the world is doing it now. So by the time this technology is taken up by the rest of the world - the carbon dioxide emission has cause lasting damage to mother earth.

4) Minute difference in temperature rise is already leaving its horrible marks not only at the North & South poles (ice land mass shrinking affecting the biodiversity there) but also on oceanic life around the world. Habitat and migratory path of marine life have changed and some are dying off. This will upset the ecosystem and ultimately drives many marine life to extinction.

5) Some animals like the pole bears just cannot adapt to rising temperature and will be extinct if global warming continues.

6)A forest of pine tress in UK is being destroyed by bugs. These bugs population is control by the cold winter. But with global temperature on the rise, they flourish expotentially and cause massive destruction of the pine trees.

The list of horror is already unfolding before our eyes - on land, air and the sea. No where on earth is save from man's stupidity.