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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2019)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2019 | 7A CLIMATE from page 1A no abrupt climate change,” said Eales. “As recently as the 1920 and 3M’s, we had much steep- er and greater magnitude in- creases than from 1990-2005. ‘Abrupt’ climate changes in the past have always been ris- es from much colder to warm, with slow decay to colder.” Eales added that, in all cas- es, CO2 lagged the changes by about 800 years. “The current warm period is cooler than any in 500,000 years in spite of greatly in- creased C02,” Eales said. “Run- ning projections forward and reverse from projected val- ues and arriving at historical conditions over 500,000 years would be pretty convincing — but as yet it’s not happened.” The level to which human impact and the subsequent dangers created by the release of toxic waste into the air and oceans, over centuries, is the remaining question. In this era of human control of the planet, humans have seen huge swaths of land go from undeveloped forests and fields to cities covered in con- crete and asphalt. This change has altered the manner in which natural processes deal with excess heat retention and biomass transpiration. The thousands of facilities that produce steel or burn coal to fire electrical plants have launched hundreds of mil- lions of tons of toxic waste into the atmosphere for decades, changing the way natural plan- etary mechanisms absorb and recirculate air and water. The vast majority of the es- tablished, academically based scientific community has used data from decades of observa- tion and testing as the basis for the argument that human ac- tivity has negatively impacted the biosphere. In 1859, Joseph Fourier, a respected Irish physicist, found that water vapor blocked the movement of hydrocarbons like methane and carbon diox- ide, effectively trapping them in glass tubes during his ex- periments. This simple experi- ment is the basis for the Green- house Theory. The implications of Fourier’s experiments suggest that solar radiation received on Earth is absorbed by the Co2 in the atmosphere rather radiating back into space. The buildup of both the gases and the heat is one of the primary causes of concern for Climate Crisis ac- tivists. Many of the arguments that are in opposition to the idea that man is the primary cause of climate change are postulat- ed by less than 5 percent of the scientific community. The points most often cited to deny the argument that the planet is in a climate “crisis” in- clude the following: • The climate has changed before and will always change. • The climate change mod- els cited to support theories of a climate crisis are unreliable. • Co2 increase is natural and not a serious issue. • Ocean acidification and air pollution are not as serious to planetary health as suggest- ed by the traditional scientific community. • Ocean level rise is exagger- ated. “Climate is always chang- Florence Food Share Ask us about volunteer opportunities. 2190 Spruce Street • P.O.Box 2514 Florence, Oregon 97439 (541) 997-9110 info@fl orencefoodshare.org Volunteer Get involved Donate Habitat for Humanity ReStore processing volunteer needed to help with donation sorting process. For more information contact Floyd at 541-997-5834 Helping Hands Coalition ing. We have had ice ages and warmer periods when alliga- tors were found in Spitzber- gen,” said American Physicist Richard C. Lindzen. “Ice ages have occurred in a 100,000- year cycle for the last 7,000 years, and there have been previous periods that appear to have been warmer than the present despite CO2 levels be- ing lower than they are now.” Lindzen noted the medieval warm period and the little ice age. During the latter, alpine glaciers advanced to the cha- grin of overrun villages. “Since the beginning of the 19th Century, these glaciers have been retreating. Frankly, we don’t fully understand ei- ther the advance or the retreat,” said Lindzen. In response to these com- ments Howard Lee, a colum- nist from Skeptical Science, wrote that “Life flourished in other times of high CO2 in the atmosphere because the green- house gasses were in balance with the carbon in the oceans and the weathering of rocks. Life, ocean chemistry and at- mospheric gasses had millions of years to adjust to those lev- els.” Lee argued that there have been several times in Earth’s past when Earth’s temperature jumped abruptly, in much the same way as they are doing to- day. “Those times were caused by large and rapid greenhouse gas emissions, just like humans are causing today,” Lee wrote. “Those abrupt global warm- ing events were almost always highly destructive for life, causing mass extinctions, such as at the end of the Permian, Triassic or even mid-Cambrian periods. The symptoms from those events (a big, rapid jump in global temperatures, rising sea levels, and ocean acidifica- tion) are all happening today with human-caused climate change.” In regard to sea levels, there is considerable data that shows those levels are rising, slowly flooding coastal cities around the globe. Eales offers a different per- spective, which is that those cities are not flooding but sinking. “New Orleans is sinking,” he said. “There are at least 5,000 more square miles of coastal area than 30 years ago. Coast lines have always changed. The lunacy is expecting they won’t. The New York tidal gauge has been rising approximately 2.85 mm a year for the past 150 years.” The following observation was made by Christopher Monckton, a Scottish scientist that is often quoted by those who disagree with the state of a climate crisis as an authority on climate-related matters. “Ocean acidification, as a notion, suffers from the same problem of scale as ‘global warming,’” said Monckton. “Just as the doubling of CO2 concentration expected this century will scarcely change global mean surface tempera- ture because there is so little CO2 in the atmosphere in the first place, so it will scarcely change the acid-base balance of the ocean — because there is already 70 times as much CO2 in solution in the oceans Buying or Selling? I can help. Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local non-proft organizations in our community! We are in need of volunteers on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. We need volunteers to serve food, set up for meals and also prepare meals beginning at 11:00 am and fi nishing at 2:00pm. New Location: Community Baptist Church, 4590 Hwy. 101, Florence (Across from Fred Meyer) Brian Jagoe Principal Broker 541 999-1314 91 Windleaf Way – Beautiful .31 acre lot in the wonderful community of Heceta South. This is a great opportunity to build your dream home close to the beach. Seller is willing to carry, so bring us an offer and start planning your future in Flor- ence. $68,000. #2797-18615048 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 as there is in the atmosphere.” This sounds reasonable to many who support that side of the argument. However, the majority opinion is quite dif- ferent. A recent study conduct- ed by Oregon State Universi- ty, undertaken with financial backing from the state to deter- mine the reasons for declining oyster and mussel production on the Orgon Coast, found that a slight increase in the acidity of the ocean was responsible for the decline. Concrete proof was obtained when the acidity was mitigated and oyster pro- duction rebounded quickly. This study was referred to as a success by State Senator Ar- nie Roblan at the recent Ore- gon Coastal Caucus Economic Summit. These are just some exam- ples of how a scientific opinion can be established from data that can be interpreted differ- ently to support differing con- clusions. This of course assumes that the motivation for the analysis in these studies is unbiased, which is also an ongoing point of contention. Do they have a financial stake in the outcome of their study? Are they using up-to-date equipment for their work? Do they have the exper- tise and knowledge to properly analyze the data collected? In the minds of many cli- mate change dissenters, the main-stream scientific com- munity — and those associated with efforts related to climate change — have something to gain financially from the dra- ma of a “crisis.” Though this is unlikely considering most scientists would gain more fi- nancially by working for major oil and gas companies than in academia, the suspicion per- sists as activism escalates into what some see as liberal con- servatism. Some people are concerned about the future for the planet as related to human activities. Some prefer to consider it as part of a cycle of change that is recurring and normal. Ultimately, only time will tell. (Editor’s Note: In Part III, we’ll explore how both sides could find some middle ground on the question of climate change.) Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60 Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly, regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new friends in a dining room setting. 1570 Kingwood, PO Box 2313, Florence 541-997-5673 laneseniormeals.org Z*Q*KW11/b KMWbWMb -FM=b4MRb*Ub GMK=b*Ub `MZbM]Kb`MZRb ?MI1bMSb]1b]AGGb -G1*Kb`MZQb=ZWW1QUb4MQb4R11b Memory Care Respite of Florence Come join the team! Memory Care Respite of Florence is looking for new volunteers to spend time socializing, playing games, listening to music, and having coffee and lunch with our participating senior citizens. Our program depends on volunteer power to stay afl oat and time is running out! If you’re at all interested in socializing and relaxing with seniors while their loved one takes a break, please email us for more information. We need more volunteers like YOU to keep our program going. Contact us at memcarerespite@gmail.com Oregon Coast Humane Society relies heavily on volunteers. There are many opportunities to volunteer and a variety of skills and talents are always in need. Volunteer interest forms may be found online, at the shelter and at our Thrift Shop on Bay Street. www.oregoncoasthumanesociety.org/volunteer/ Peace Harbor Volunteers Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers, you will fi nd an area of interest in a caring organization. 400 9th Street, Florence 541-997-8412 ext. 2218 To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441 Us Too Florence Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!” 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net www.ustoofl orence.org XN2VbLNYbBL.H[02b.NVYbN3bJ+Y2TB+H b _OBT2Vb b HHbO+TYB.BO+LYVb^@Nb+YY2L0b+Lb2VYBJ+Y20bbJBL[Y2bBL@NJ2b OTN0[.Yb.NLV[HY+YBNLb^BHHbT2.2B\2b+bb>C<b.+T0 b&2Y+BHb\+H[2bCVb b#72TbVONLVNT20b,ab2+3[+T0bNH0BL>VbL. b BJBYbNL2b O2Tb@N[V2@NH0 bNJO+LabOTN.[T2VbV2HGVb+L0bCLVY+HHVbV2+JH2VVb>[YY2TbOTNY2.YBNL b(@BVbN82TbBVb\+HB0b;Tb@NJ2N^L2TVbN\2Tbb a2+TVbN3b+>2 b3bJ+TTB20bNTbBL\NH\20b^BY@b+bHB6bO+TYL2Tb,NY@b.N@+,BY+YBL>bO2TVNLVbJ[VYb+YY2L0b+L0b.NJOH2Y2bOT2V2LY+YCNLb YN>2Y@2T b$+TYB.BO+LYVbJ[VYb@+\2b+bO@NYNbb,2b+,H2bYNb[L02TVY+L0bL>HBV@b+L0b,2bH2>+HHab+,H2bYNb2LY2TbBLYNb+b.NLYT+.Y b(@2b ;HHN^BL>bO2TVNLVb+T2bLNYb2HB>B,H2b;TbY@BVbN352Tb2JOHNa22VbN3bNJO+LabNTb+9GB+Y20b.NJO+LB2VbNTb2LYBYB2VbY@2CTbBJJ20B+Y2b 3+JBHabJ2J,2TVbOT2\BN[VbO+TYB.BO+LYVbBLb+bNJO+LabBL@NJ2b.NLV[GY+YBNLb^BY@CLbY@2bO+VYb bJNLY@Vb+L0b+HHb.[TT2LYb+L0b ;TJ2TbNJO+Lab.[VYNJ2TV bB3YbJ+abLNYb,2b2_Y2L020bYT+LV32TT20bNTbV[,VYBY[Y20b2_.2OYbY@+YbNJO+LabJ+abV[,VYCY[Y2b+b >B<bN3b2P[+HbNTb>T2+Y2Tb\+H[2bC3bBYb022JVbBYbL2.2VV+Ta bB<b.+T0b^BHHb,2bJ+BH20bYNbY@2bO+TYB.BO+LYb\B+b:TVYb.G+VVb)LBY20b'Y+Y2Vb !+BGb^BY@BLbb0+aVbN3bT2.2COYbN3bY@2bOTNJNYBNLb;TJ b"NYb\+HB0bBLb.NLD[L.YBNLb^BY@b+LabNY@2TbOTNJNYBNLbNTb0CV.N[LYbN3b+Lab EBL0 b#352TbLNYbVONLVNT20bNTbOTNJNY20b,abN^2Vb+L0bBVbV[,D2.YbYNb.@+L>2b^BY@N[YbLNYB.2bOTBNTbYNbT2V2T\+YBNL b _OCT2Vb b/HDI*XDUGRSHUDWHVDV/HDI*XDUGRI2UHJRQLQ2UHJRQXQGHUOLFHQVHQXPEHU
