We haven't just seen this before; we're living it right now. I first published a public call to action about global warming in 1990 - before the onslaught of SUVs, plasma televisions, iPods, cell phones, and a hundred other technological marvels that outfitted the American "McMansions" (or "starter castles," as 6,000 square-foot homes have also been described) and triggered an explosion in energy consumption and carbon dioxide pollution. The piece was published as an editorial to celebrate the return of Earth Day as an official event after a 15-year dormant period. It laid out what was known about the environmental impact of carbon emissions at the time, particularly in methane, and essentially echoed what the scientist says in Latham's story: "There can be no doubt as to the course of events up to a certain point. Beyond that point there is no knowledge, only speculation and conjecture."
I hadn't read "The Xi Effect" yet, and wouldn't for at least another dozen years. And the really frustrating part now is that much of what was "speculation and conjecture" a decade before the third millennium began has become the "no doubt" factual data a decade after its beginning. Cars, coal, and cows—they were trouble then and have become threats now. And on that Sunday in 1990, Americans thought about recycling, and about conserving water, and about preserving forests and wetlands for wildlife; some might even have written a check and sent it off to a favorite green organization. Then Monday came, the work week began, and the planet would get its next few hours worth of awareness twelve months later. I said as much in the editorial.
As I recall, although the piece was published to a potential readership of about 300,000, I received feedback from two people. One said it was "good," and the other called it "important." Both were colleagues at the place where I taught at the time. I figured it was a professional courtesy.
Then we all went to sleep. Me, too—I bought an Explorer with four-wheel drive, and when the gas mileage on that proved too high at about 19, I traded it in for an F-150 pickup, another 4x4, that got 13. These two hogs propelled me through the decade, and it's not much of a defense to say that each of them did at least go off-road a few times on abandoned logging trails and obscure forest pathways in northern Michigan. They were exceptionally capable in deep snow, and they did well in spring mud, too. The truck, I could argue, was also necessary because I owned a small farm at the end of the decade and had a lot of "country" stuff to haul around, including a small tractor.
But all of this is just rationalizing, and more evidence of that can't-get-cars-out-of-my-system problem I mentioned earlier. The truth is, I completely contradicted my own passionate Earth Day editorial, and the only example set was how to be an utter hypocrite. If I'd had a couple of "Exxon Mobil Loves You" bumper stickers, the picture would've been complete. I suppose it's comforting to know that hundreds of millions of my American neighbors couldn't have cared less about any of it. Bill Clinton balanced the Federal budget, and the economy roared. Money came in steadily, money went out faster, houses doubled and tripled in size, car sizes did, too, and a company from Arkansas arrived to sell us totally unnecessary "consumer goods" made in China. In Seattle, a kid with blond hair had already written a theme song for it all: With the lights out, it's less dangerous/Here we are now; entertain us.
I hadn't read "The Xi Effect" yet, and wouldn't for at least another dozen years. And the really frustrating part now is that much of what was "speculation and conjecture" a decade before the third millennium began has become the "no doubt" factual data a decade after its beginning. Cars, coal, and cows—they were trouble then and have become threats now. And on that Sunday in 1990, Americans thought about recycling, and about conserving water, and about preserving forests and wetlands for wildlife; some might even have written a check and sent it off to a favorite green organization. Then Monday came, the work week began, and the planet would get its next few hours worth of awareness twelve months later. I said as much in the editorial.
As I recall, although the piece was published to a potential readership of about 300,000, I received feedback from two people. One said it was "good," and the other called it "important." Both were colleagues at the place where I taught at the time. I figured it was a professional courtesy.
Then we all went to sleep. Me, too—I bought an Explorer with four-wheel drive, and when the gas mileage on that proved too high at about 19, I traded it in for an F-150 pickup, another 4x4, that got 13. These two hogs propelled me through the decade, and it's not much of a defense to say that each of them did at least go off-road a few times on abandoned logging trails and obscure forest pathways in northern Michigan. They were exceptionally capable in deep snow, and they did well in spring mud, too. The truck, I could argue, was also necessary because I owned a small farm at the end of the decade and had a lot of "country" stuff to haul around, including a small tractor.
But all of this is just rationalizing, and more evidence of that can't-get-cars-out-of-my-system problem I mentioned earlier. The truth is, I completely contradicted my own passionate Earth Day editorial, and the only example set was how to be an utter hypocrite. If I'd had a couple of "Exxon Mobil Loves You" bumper stickers, the picture would've been complete. I suppose it's comforting to know that hundreds of millions of my American neighbors couldn't have cared less about any of it. Bill Clinton balanced the Federal budget, and the economy roared. Money came in steadily, money went out faster, houses doubled and tripled in size, car sizes did, too, and a company from Arkansas arrived to sell us totally unnecessary "consumer goods" made in China. In Seattle, a kid with blond hair had already written a theme song for it all: With the lights out, it's less dangerous/Here we are now; entertain us.
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