Redneck Review
No. 37 1/4/1016
What do you think? About GLOBAL WARMING and CLIMATE CHANGE that is? This topic has barged into our attention the last week with several articles in the Lewiston Tribune, and even a PEW survey which popped up on my computer email just this week! Asked to take a three question survey asking 1)Is it a problem, 2)Will it ever be a problem, and 3)How concerned are you about it, my answers were 1)No, 2)Never, and 3)Not at all!
Results of this same survey worldwide reported that South America was one of the most concerned, while the United States showed up toward the bottom, ranked 36th "most concerned" out of a total of 40 regions surveyed. Still, many Americans are concerned.
In Idaho, last Friday's Tribune in a front page article quoting "Naysayers," the following paragraph can be found: "Many Idahoans don't accept the consensus among qualified scientists that global temperatures are rising because of human activity... 44% believe it is warming, and constitutes a crisis..." whereas 47% tend to disagree completely.
A continued look at last week's Tribunes includes claims like "Idaho's...geography may give salmon, steelhead and other native fish a fighting chance as climate change continues to alter their habitat for the worse" (12/30/15). The article goes on to say that some resident fish like trout "will still be productive," whereas "the powerful searun fish will face uncertain conditions... and find it even more difficult to to negotiate the heavily altered habitat..."
The same front page discusses the concerns of "wildlife managers (who) say the best thing they can do to preserve species in the face of climate change is to protect...large expanses of habitat that will give animals a chance to survive." And on page 4A you will find "We know we are going to see temperatures increase over time..." and later, "if the unprecedented conditions of last summer become more common...some species of salmon and steelhead will be hard-pressed to adjust."
What about the 12/31/15 Tribune front-page article stating "Climate change" will cause "an uptick in disturbances across the state's green zones. There will be and already are more fires...," and just below you will find "Fighting the effects of climate change in Great Basin rangeland is drawing together federal, state, and private interests to deal with... greater weather variability causing big swings in forage available..."
The same Jan 1 paper quotes Eric Barker in the Outdoor section stating "...the Cascades are fat with early winter snow, Most of the basins have a snowpack that measures 130% of average or higher." While on p. 5C you find "It's so awesome to see the snow hanging on the trees..." and "at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood...7 feet of snow had accumulated there... containing 21.5 " of water...150% of normal for that date."
Why am I not concerned? First the info above! Second, the creator God above is in charge, and puny man can do little to alter our universe, our world and all the amazing resources in it! Finally, and bluntly, only older "Red Necks" like me can remember the dour predictions that swamped us in the 1960's, when a nearby state governor claimed we would be standing shoulder to shoulder by 2000, if something drastic was not done to curb population or its consumption habits! And what about the computer models we were exposed to that brashly claimed that by 2000 all carbon-based oil and gas reserves would be exhausted unless we did the same! Really! No oil or gas today? (More next week on this topic!)
Jake Wren

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