Our war with Climate
September 03, 2009
Michael Glantz
Hosted by Eric Maloney
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Abstract
Societies have been at war with their climate regimes, most likely since the beginning of humankind. They had to devise ways to find or make shelter appropriate to their local climates, find and store foods for long periods on time across the seasons, find and store water, protect themselves from natural climate, water and weather related hazards. That so-called war continues today. But now there are more than 6 billion people on the planet and societies are engaged in activities to feed and improve their well being that have taken a toll on the planets resources. For the past century and a half societies have sought to modify their climates to suit their wants. Several of these will be noted. Today, in response to what is seen to be a human-induced changing climate, scientists are beginning to call for geo-engineering schemes to cool down the current global warming trend. Should we be continuing to try to dominate Mother Nature (e.g., the climate system) or should we be learning how to live in harmony with it?
