If you believe in global climate change, why not prepare for what you are sure will happen?

Let’s take a minute and discuss emergency preparedness. It is not a topic most good folks wish to think about; we all want things to go well and it is depressing to envision bad things happening to good people.

The different government agencies recommend differing levels of preparedness; however those of us in Moline, Hopkins, Martin, Dorr and Wayland do not fit the mold of most Americans. Most are coastal city dwellers and have different emergency needs.

A local calamity can be handled by our outstanding local heroes, and we will get on with life; a large disaster affecting large portions of the nation is a different story. A 500-year flood, a large polar vortex with a massive snow or a manmade/natural disaster like an EMP event is a different story, especially if we have a chain event, not unheard of going centuries back in history.

A person or family who stock up on food and have a $20, water treatment device is ridiculed, so be it. To prepare for bad things happening to good folks you do not need to purchase “survival” rations or kits. Your local market is jampacked full of cheaper survival items. Rice in dozens of forms and packages, dried potatoes, pastas, sauces in jars, vegetables in cans, water in bottles, or items like the Life Straw are available, water boiled is safe. Dried beans are a good substitute for meat, dehydrated fruit and pickled items are great.

The good news is the things are inexpensive and have long shelf lives. Given our rural environment, most of us will remain home in the most likely emergencies and most emergencies will be a few days or weeks in duration. Preparing for two weeks without electricity or resupply is a realistic goal. Our homes provide shelter; we also need water, medication, food and heat. Simple emergency candles can provide heat/light and the capability to cook small portions of food or boil water.

True believers in climate change need to look at basic emergency preparedness. As egotistical as we are, thinking our rapidly shrinking 4.9% of the world’s population can control future world-wide environmental carbon emissions, the reality is different. China has more gas-powered vehicles and they use leaded gasoline and have no or fewer emission controls.

The folks who believe in global climate change need to take a long look at reality and see that Americans are less than 5 percent of the world’s population; US actions will not change much in a world-wide sense. China and India (India has three times as many cows farting and belching than we do, and China 5.85 times as many pigs) have 4.55 billion folks, with over 60% of the world’s population. Both nations are moving toward free market capitalism, and the economies/populations are expanding faster than MSNBC can condemn President Trump.

A growing economy means growing power needs, even coal powered electrical generation plants. There are 1,680 currently in use in the third world, and they are scheduled to increase generation by 43% in the next few years using very dirty soft coal, with limited environmental controls — think that fact over.

Massive weather events have happened in the past and will happen in the future; man-made disasters have also been a historical fact for centuries. “Life is a preparation for the future” — Albert Einstein.

If you believe in global climate change, prepare: most of the world’s population are in developing nations and not nearly as environmentally responsible as we are. Eight years’ experience in and out of the third world have taught me what they say and do are different, totally different. If you think the rapidly expanding 4.55 billion folks in China/India and their governments are serious about climate change think again. If you feel plastic straws are bad, consider disposable chopsticks, over 70 billion pair per year.

I do not believe in climate change destroying the Earth, but if you do, why not prepare for the ever-increasing disasters you and Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez predict?  If you think the 95% of the world not American will add to the Earth’s unstoppable destruction, or unless we quickly adopt the Green New Deal (it will not happen), why not prepare? If you are a faithful believer in climate change prepare.

4 Comments

Lynn Mandaville
April 26, 2019
AB, everything you say about the rest of the world contributing to global climate change is true. (I think that the fact you refer to their effect on carbon emissions suggests that you may lend some credence to the theory of climate change.) With respect to your opinion, I still maintain that the United States still may have some influence in leading the rest of the world toward more responsible stewardship of our planet. Your argument regarding climate change is reminiscent of my interactions with my sisters when we were children. "If she doesn't have to do anything about it, why do I?" The answer always came back, "because you're older and smarter." Well, the US may not be older, but there was a time when we were smarter, and that part of making America great again I can get behind. Oh, and preparedness is always a good idea. Who knows when the power will go out or the water pump will break down? Stuff happens. Peace.
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Robert M Traxler
April 27, 2019
Ms Mandaville, Thank you for the comment. As Vegetius wrote "Pray Si vis, para bellum", If you want peace prepare for war. The longest period of peace in history was the Roman Peace some 300 years. As our percentage of the population shrinks and the third world develops their percent of fossil fuel use goes up rapidly. The third world likes our music and movies but could care less about our carbon use. If all did as we did slavery would of ended 120 years before it did in the developing nations, women would have the vote and they would use unleaded gas and have scrubbers on coal smoke stacks as we have for decades. If you are a believer in GLOBAL climate change ending life as we know it the U.S. is not the problem. Many in the developing countries heat with Ondol a coal product, for home use, burning Ondol belches carbon by the ton. I wager you were younger and smarter than your sister. Thanks again.
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Don't Tread On Me
April 26, 2019
Army Bob, as usual, a fine piece of logic and facts. We should always be good and faithful stewards of the Earth and her resources. But not at the excited level of frenzy by the Left Liberals, citing "we only have 12 years to do something" - a phrase I heard 20+ years ago from previous Greenies. If what "something" really means is taking us back to the horse and buggy era (oops, horses fart and what to do with the "road apples"?), I don't think it means Liberals will need to abide by the rules and regulations they come up with, just the "little people, (you know, deplorables and morons). We Liberals are the great thinkers of the world and we need our lifestyle so we can function to come up with all the great laws and regulations for everyone else to abide. It's come down to liars and hypocrites in government not doing their jobs because they are so blinded by hate for President Trumo, they don't care to do their jobs for the people. Balanced budgets? Getting rid of needless laws and regulations? Giving tax breaks to hard working Americans? They are like Romans with the people and circus; give them games and free food and wine. The kingdom is faltering from apathy and invaders. Not much has changed in 2000-3000 years, just the players in the scenes. We ignore history and are condemned to repeat it. God help us!
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Robert M Traxler
April 27, 2019
Don't Tread On Me, Thanks for the comment. A friend who is a liberal purchased a gas powered car because electric was just to expensive even with the government offering to pay a big percentage of the cost. Molon Labe,
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