Science And Policy

An interesting letter entitled 'Climate Change and the Integrity of Science' has been signed and published by 255 members of the US National Academy of Sciences.  The letter clearly explains how science is made and how its conclusions may be incorporated into policy formulation.  Give the letter a read.  Recent interest in climate change and its impacts on ecosystems and economies has sparked policy and political controversy that affects all of us.  Climate change is linked with human energy consumption and the increased generation of heat-trapping gases.  We are responsible for our energy use.  Learning about how to measure personal consumption and to make informed decisions on energy use is a necessary condition for being a responsible citizen.  Include all uses in your calculations: home, food, clothes, transportation, entertainment, education, and work.  Without being quick to compare or judge your energy consumption with that of others, find out if you are content to continue with current patterns.  Are there ways that you can change energy behavior to support your long-term view of wildness.

We need wildness to encourage imagination and to gain perspective.  Wildness allows us to step back, take a deep breath, and run the clock out on ideas that may not support our health.  Wildness is supported by our efforts to be responsible for energy use and the choices we make for its production.  Criticizing and blaming others will not help.  If we all take responsibility, then we will all be in the same boat, the good ship survival.

Posted by michael