Surviving Capitalism (Not) : In Sign of Warming, 1,600 Years of Ice in Andes Melted in 25 Years

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, April 7, 2013

In Sign of Warming, 1,600 Years of Ice in Andes Melted in 25 Years

Click here to access article by Justin Gillis from The New York Times.

This article contains an excellent, interactive picture of the glacial melt over time. One can move the split picture from before and after 1,600 years to see the effects.

Glacial ice in the Peruvian Andes that took at least 1,600 years to form has melted in just 25 years, scientists reported Thursday, the latest indication that the recent spike in global temperatures has thrown the natural world out of balance.

I often wonder and worry about how the glaciers, and indeed, the world will look like 25 years from now. Because of the increasing use of fossils driven by the obsession of capitalist elites for profits (along with power which is always associated with wealth under capitalism), it seems reasonable to believe that global warming will accelerate. Because of my advanced age, I feel fortunate that I won't be around to see it.