Insights · February 9th, 2007
I heard the news today. Sir Richard Branson is offering a $25 Million Climate Challenge prize, to be awarded to one who develops a means of removing green house gases from the atmosphere. Al Gore joined in the announcement. Branson also also intends to invest $3 Billion in fighting global warming.
Of course it has been proposed before that a program to plant the equivalent of three or four Amazon forests would be pretty effective at reducing CO2, but presumably the prize will go to someone who develops an idea beyond that.
This is just one more indicator of a world waking up. On the other hand right-wing Seattle radio this week featured a retired Canadian geologist who writes letters and op-eds attempting to debunk the whole idea that the planet is warming (he says it is stable or cooling). The radio host and most of his callers were thrilled, THRILLED, that finally someone on the radio was telling the truth. I suppose it is self interest that drives them to hope, wish, or claim that nothing is going on with the climate.
Also yesterday I heard a local Hummer dealer air this radio ad, paraphrasing but nearly verbatim.
“Voice: The weather has been so bad, what with our floods, windstorms, and snow that my brother just got himself an Ark!”
“2nd Voice: You’re kidding, he built an Ark?”
“Voice: Well not quite, he did something even better. He went up to _____ dealer and bought a Hummer. Those are built to last, just like the Ark – they can get you through any weather safely.”
I’m sure the irony of buying a Hummer to cope with wild weather is lost on the dealer.
