Year End Musings

2008 has come and gone, what will 2009 bring?

I am optimistic for a new President that believes in science and who appoints actual scientists to top positions, but the challenges he will face are daunting. Renewable energy should be a top priority, as well as bringing climate change to the top of the agenda. Unfortunately a couple of La Nina assisted cold winters in North America have given ammunition to those who want to continue business as ususal, but there is a difference between weather and climate, and delay could be catastrophic.

I want to read Mark Lynas' book Six Degrees - I recently saw the National Geographic show based on it and it was very good and very frightening. I like how it showed the differences in the climate and ecology one degree at a time. Think about it - six degrees doesn't sound like much, but if your body temperature was raised by that amount you would be dead.

But it's a new year, and time to be optimistic that our species has more sense than bacteria (which will use up all their resources in a closed environment until they die).

And since it is cold and windy today in Grand Portage with snow everywhere, Here is a photo I took at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica.