By Denis G. RancourtThose who argue that climate change driven by fossil fuel burning is a dominant threat to the environment and to humankind should act according to their beliefs. With knowledge comes responsibility.
If it is true that scientific consensus leads one to the undeniable conclusion that unchecked global warming or climate change will likely lead to humankind’s greatest threat in its short history on Earth then two things follow:
(1) Powerful interests which oppose climate change mitigation or which do not sufficiently endeavour to mitigate climate change and which obviously have access to science experts and their published reports must knowingly desire the destruction of the biosphere as we know it, and
(2) Citizens who become aware of the scientific consensus have a moral responsibility to do everything they can in self-defence to avert the eminent destruction of the planet.
Each individual citizen who becomes informed that increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration from the burning of fossil fuel will lead to world catastrophe on the scale of the planet has a duty to do everything he/she can to stop as much fossil fuel burning as possible.
The time for discussion, organizing and lobbying is over. The planet is on the edge.
Simply reducing one’s carbon footprint rather than actively participating to reduce fossil fuel burning by multiplicative actions is a cowardly escape from responsibility. By this false logic why not kill yourself and reduce your footprint to zero?
The slashing of automobile tires can no longer be seen as a crime but must be understood as a service to humanity.
Likewise water in gasoline tanks, derailing coal-bearing trains, bombing pipelines, forcibly shutting down extraction operations, and destroying home furnaces must all be understood as noble emergency service to humanity rather than seen as property and economic damage.
Poisonous CO2 must be brought under control without further delay. Those who cannot fight should stop breathing and kill themselves for the greater good.
Surely climate change threat advocates do not realistically expect the same technocratic government-NGO-corporate-finance enterprise that created the problem and that refuses to expediently fix it before it is too late to act as needed to avert the impending catastrophe?
That would be like asking investors to prevent stock value bubbles and market crashes because of the harm to ordinary people and the devastating impacts on communities.
No, responsible citizens must take immediate individual direct and effective action to stop as much fossil fuel burning as possible.
A single teenager slashing five or so tires per minute on a parking lot (church or Wal-Mart say), counting internal combustion engine down time, is equivalent to shutting down one coal-fired power plant every two years.
Live according to your beliefs.
Anything else is pure hypocrisy and selfish escapism.
