Keep it simple, silly

Sunday, July 02, 2006

The Earth our heat sink

I’m not used to typing my blog. Usually I write it on paper, then type it up. Today is different. Today my notebook is at home and I’m not. Today it’s going straight onto virtual paper.

The sun ekes through the shades, pummels the walls and says, “You can’t keep me out forever!” Well, it would if it cared. It is too big to care. Like me stepping on an ant, it’s own business is far more important to it: burn, baby, burn.

The sun is not the only heat source in this room, though. The computer hums and whirs, works even when nothing appears to be happening, pumping electricity: heating not only this room, but somewhere away from here lies a power station undoubtedly generating more heat. Global warming comes from more than emissions: we are heat generators. The Earth our heat sink.

Until it’s not. It isn’t news to anybody that this can’t go on forever. Soon enough, if we don’t stop being ourselves, this place will be too hot to handle. Sure, we’ll adapt; we’ll find new ways of doing things; we’ll rearrange the deckchairs again and again and again. But I’m not too sure that many people really get it: we’re killing ourselves. Suicidal society.

I used to care so much about this. I used to think it was a problem. But now I’m beginning to see it is just our way. We are really good at destroying things, and I’ve always been told that if you’re good at something, stick to it. So maybe the destruction of the planet is not a problem, maybe it’s simply our path. We’ve been working on it for thousands of years, and of late we’ve been getting much, much better at it. Let’s stop berating ourselves for it and give us all a big slap on the back instead: “Well done friend, you’ve found your talent!”

1 Comments:

Blogger Sean said...

The earth will survive us. The problem is, what will become of us if we continue on our current path, and how much of our planet's existing ecosystem will remain? Nature enforces a balance that is quite instantly restored if you're running on geologic time. Humans tend to disrupt this equilibrium too dramatically and we are rewarded with ever more tumultuous weather. I have faith that we'll come around but I doubt I'll see an equilibrium fully restored in my lifetime.

Sean

6:26 am, July 03, 2006

 

Post a Comment

<< Home