Our planet is in peril. If we do not change course, we'll hand our children a situation that is out of their control. Article by James Hansen (NASA) in Observer
To all climate change septics - a message from Bob Wilson (CELT)
Fact 1 - global temperatures are steadily rising, as measured by thousands of meteorological stations, universities, schools, etc, around the globe
Fact 2 - CO2 levels in the atmosphere have risen dramatically in recent years and records show that temperature levels follow them.
Fact 3 - Ice at both poles is melting - last year was the first time in recorded history that boats were able to circumnavigate the Arctic. Also, in Antarctica, the Larsen B ice shelf broke up in just 35 days following development of hundreds of melt-pools.
Fact 4 - Permafrost is melting around the Northern Hemisphere and creating thousands of lakes that are bubbling methane into the atmosphere
Fact 5 - Extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace
Fact 6 - Everyone on the planet will be affected as a result of drought, floods, storms - especially regarding security of food and energy supplies
Do you really think it's a good idea to ignore it all and make no preparation because the measurements might not all be accurate - or maybe you imagine that the many thousands of scientists, engineers and scholars involved in the measuring are all part of some conspiracy ?
Quote from author Thomas Keneally : "I always throw Nome, Alaska, at anyone who expresses doubt about climate change around our place. Admittedly, Nome is a long way from Australia, but last summer my wife and I saw there a number of moored, well-rigged but unexceptional yachts that had come through the Northwest Passage. Only Arctic melt made this possible. Then, a month ago, my grandson and I went with others for a flight over the coast of Antarctica. A scientist on board pointed out clearly discernible blue melt-pools on the surface of the tongue of an ice shelf, an utterly new and unprecedented symptom of increasing temperatures. And in between, Australia with its long-term droughts and violent storms and awful catastrophes..." (Guardian 20.2.09)
GREENLAND - Ammassalik Harbour
Melting ice shelf, Antarctica
Permafrost melt-pools, Alaska
GARY ELLIS - R.I.P - Sadly Gary passed away on the morning 21st June. Gary was
a stalwart of CELT Weekend in the Woods and other events. As our Site Manager
he put in countless voluntary hours of hard work helping build and repair work
shelters, water pump, plumbing, kitchen, etc, then welcoming everyone and
minding health and safety, making sure tutors and staff had all they needed,
organising the raffle, thanking all concerned on behalf of CELT and then coming
back a day or two later to dismantle things and tidy up - not to mention playing a regular part in management meetings, often taking on the difficult role of chairman.
We will all really miss him and our thoughts go to his wife Shelley and family. A Gathering for Gary, Saturday 17th July, 8pm in Bealkelly Woods.CELT is holding its
Summer in the Woods event on Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th July, in Bealkelly Woods,
at which Gary was to be Site Manager and one of the organisers. We will miss him hugely.
On the Saturday night we will have a bonfire, open to all Gary's friends, where we can
share memories and stories, photos and poems. On Sunday, we will build a commemorative
stone bench in a quiet area of the woods, near the rampump, where Gary spent a lot of time.
Our Summer in the Woods workshops will run from 10am on Saturday and from lunchtime on Sunday. Click on Weekend in the Woods page, under News & Events (above) for full details
Gary saw the bigger picture of what groups such as CELT and Seedsavers are about - what 'sustainable
living' really means - improving health and happiness for all life on the planet. However difficult the
work-load might occasionally be, he said that just to see the look of sheer joy on people's faces when
they had created something beautiful and useful with their newly learned skills made everything
worthwhile. He also had a great appreciation for the ecological aspects such as habitat management
- after working alone deep in the woods with the 'ram-pump' water system, he would say what a blissful
experience it was to be down by the stream among the trees, wildflowers and birds - at one with
nature. The least we can do is to continue doing what we can and remember Gary's philosophy.
Centre for Environmental Living and Training,
Main Street, Scariff, Co Clare, Ireland.
Phone : +353 (0)61-640765 E-mail: info@celtnet.org
CELT (Registered Charity CHY 14519) welcome sponsorship of projects, programmes and events. Sponsors will benefit from any media coverage and will be included in our brochures and newsletters. Please get in touch if you can help - you can make an important contribution to environmental education and training.
