Jingsamichty

Having a funny Einstein avatar hardly makes him a comedian.

iaink

Lord Vader

Carlin's point was that we are more caught up with the Earth serving our needs and how changes to the Earth (coastline, weather patterns) will affect humans and our lifestyle and habitat rather than about the health of the actual planet. The Earth doesn't care about coastline or where it rains, people do. The planet will rejuvenate at it's leisure if we all died of tommorrow or in 100 years.

laser558

Yes and very succinctly put. I have already admitted that I am ignorant and not a scientist but I am aware that looking after what we have and re-using where we can is important not only to the economy but the environment. If we really want to "help" the planet then perhaps we should stop all manufacturing, we should stop using the computers we are using, or living in the houses that we build or eat the processed food we eat or stop driving the cars we drive...oh the list goes on and would it ever be possible in this day and age. I mean, we couldn't even go back 50 years without complaint so to go back a few hundred thousand is probably going to be impossible.

Auld Yin

Actually he's a comedic legend in his own mind and in his own home.

Jingsamichty

Oooh, my ribs! No, stop it! I'm gonna wet myself!!

Alan2005

I'm not sure what your point is here. Is this a criticism of somebodies point of view?

When people talk about the planets health they are using a metaphor. Nobody in their right mind gives a shit about a bunch of rocks in and of themselves - of course we're only going to care about them in so far as their ability to support us.

iaink

Or we could just do what we know now would work, there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Put financial incentives in place to discourage emmisions, use the available technology to generate emmision free power generation, etc etc etc. Where weath redistribution comes into it is with how to treat the emerging/ developing world, who are not financially able to do the above things.

Everyone knows what needs to be done, but no one wants to be the one to do it, and once someone pulls out of the agreement (ie Canada), the rest will fall like dominoes for fear of being at an economic disadvantage compared to those who shirk their responsibilities.

Almost Canadian

What is your solution to that problem then? Leave them in squalor or tax them the same as the rest of the world?

Who administers the tax and how is it used? Seems like another way for the developed world to benefit at the expense of the non-developed one. I am sure that Mr. Gore and Mr. Suzuki would love to get their mucky mitts on such funding.

iaink

I dont have a solution, not my job guvnor

Off the top of my head, some sort of international slush fund with the wealthy countries that have far more to lose in the long term chipping in to get the poorer countries up to speed seems workable, a bit like the IMF, but clearly that will never fly with those with less liberal views.

There is so much money in the global economy that diverting say 5% of it for say 20 years * would have some short term pain, but much long term gain. God, just look at what developed nations spend on the military, just a fraction of that alone would make a difference, and do more for long term global stability than any number of aircraft carriers or steath aircraft.



* Numbers plucked from air for sake of argument.

Former Lancastrian

Might I suggest that the posters who are really passionate about this subject try to arrange a sit down and discuss this matter perhaps a Timmies

laser558

I have a feeling this would take more than one!

Souvy

Just to clarify, he's a comedian and not an internationally renowned and much-published professor of atmospheric chemistry. Absolutely not.

Alan2005

The solution involves legislation, taxes and the free market. No need to get all communist and totalitarian about it.

iaink

Cos the free market has worked so well so far right? That a bit like putting the fox in charge of the chicken coop if you ask me.