We are in the beginning stages of a climate catastrophe. Humanity's fossil fuel addiction has brought us to the brink of a future none of us want, one that will be a living hell by many expert predictions, including those of astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I'm worried, I think a lot of us are worried.
What if this is our last and only chance to create a livable future?
Hear me out. Humans have been the victims of disease, war, poverty and hardship for a very long time. My grandfather was one of the last to die of treatable pneumonia just before the advent of antibiotics. Not too long ago a toothache could kill you. The hard work of survival was soul crushing.
I think any civilization would have embraced fossil fuels, and the society they enabled as the savior that they were. We did nothing wrong and almost none of us knew of the CO2 hazard to come.
Well, we know now. It is vital to stop pouring CO2 into the atmosphere. The transformation to come is exciting as it is challenging. Just maybe humanity can keep a decent standard of living - for all without ruining our biosphere.
America passed a law that will go a long way towards transforming the electric grid to run on renewables and will also change the homes to all electric. There is an $1800 per house incentive to install heat pumps rather than forced air gas furnaces. Home builders as well as home owners are eligible.
Europe is being forced but the war in Ukraine to ditch natural gas as fast as possible. This is not the way they would like to go about it but the effect will be the same. Far less CO2 will be released than would have with business as usual.
I'm a glass half full person and see real promise for the future. Rather than asking blame, let's get to work!