The only complaint I had regarding the Bard conference on Global Warming was the limited attendance from members of the local community. I would like to have seen greater community participation. 
          It is clear from my prospective that one third of the global warming issue is man made, one third is generated by the dynamics of the planet (volcanoes, earthquakes, internal changes to the earth’s core) and the remainder is astronomical (orbital precession, potential impact, etc.). Our immediate survival will depend on the first third. We will have to learn to adapt to the remaining two thirds as possible.
          It is interesting to point out that humanity has been dealing with these problems from the beginning of time. Ancient cave drawings and figurines clearly illustrate warming trends within the planet as well as ice ages and how the people coped with them. Their solutions weren’t far different than those being researched today. Yes, our technology has advanced exponentially but the ability to feed, clothe, warm and adapt to an ever changing earth has remained basically the same.
           It is clear for those who have been involved in environmental studies both formally and informally, that the planet is changing and our resources have now become stretched to the limit. Not only are the oil supplies dwindling, but potable water is now at risk and the recycling of plastics and metals are going to be routine. Even the design of our houses and the way we power and heat them is going to change dramatically. Transportation is also going to be seriously impacted. We are in many ways going to be going back to a lifestyle similar to that of the 1940’s and 1950’s, before the great economic surge.
          There is anywhere from 5 to 7 years of new oil reserves available on the planet. Once we reach this threshold, the availability and cost of food and our ability to heat our homes and businesses can become limited in many regions of our country and the planet. Yes, there are alternate sources of energy. Coal, nuclear, oil shale as well as active and passive solar energy systems are being developed and refined. Hydrocarbons, as in coal and oil shale, become a problem in terms of carbon dioxide. Nuclear has its own special set of problems in terms of waste, and solar has problems in terms of location and time of year. The bottom line is that no one solution fits all.
          Water is a serious problem. In the United States, the Great Lakes have begun shrinking. Shipping has been reduced by as much as 15% as a result of these shrinking levels. Several areas in California may not be able to recover from extreme drought and this region is known as the salad bowl of the United States. The large mid-west aquifers are being reduced at such a rate that they cannot be replenished. Beginning now, those in the eastern United States are going to be relying on eastern farms for food. Luxury farms devoted to horseback riding are going to have to be rezoned and mandated to the growing of food and fuel crops. The management of soils is also becoming critical. We have to review the different methods for protecting our topsoils. A number of panelists did a great job in alerting us to the need for soil protection and a variety of methods for accomplishing this.  
          I was somewhat amused at some of the suggestions being bandied about regarding cooling of the earth. I don’t know about anyone else, but when someone suggests that we as a species pump large amount of sulfates into the atmosphere, I cringe. After all, the earth is a dynamic, living entity that contains a rather large internal structure. If you cool the earth externally it stands to reason that you will build up an internal situation that could prevent heat from escaping, thus turning the earth into an oven. Think of a glass annealing oven or a ceramic kiln. It is my opinion that adaption is going to be the order of the day and I expect that people are going to be readjusting their lifestyles to meet those challenges. After all Mother Nature is going to have the final say. For those who are interested, I checked the voting records and Mother Nature is not registered in any political party and has no voting record, at least in New York State.
          One must understand that the dynamics of the earth’s atmosphere is fluid and changes made to it do not generate instantaneous results. The end result is a function of time, pressure, environment (location) and rate of reactivity. While one small change may appear to solve a problem in one location, it can kill everything and everyone in another.
          I was disappointed that there was little or no reference to the impact of disease due to global warming. The literature is now beginning to discuss the potential movement of diseases like dengue fever as well as disease bearing insects and parasites into northern climes.
          The only disappointing panel was the one from China. They generate 69% of their electricity from coal and were proud of attaining a 2% reduction in emissions. I personally felt that this fell far short of where they should be as the technology for emission reductions from coal fired plants has been around for over 100 years.
           I also expressed my dismay over China’s lack of concern for the health of their population. Their people are being poisoned with heavy metals from their heavy metal industry. The excuse that was given by one of the Bard professors was that the United States was exporting our polluting industries and manufacturing plants to a nation that has no problem in injuring their population. I took exception to this reply and found it offensive.
         The truth is, all of the systems being given to China at the expense of our working population include anti-pollution equipment. The Chinese government failed to install it. Anti-pollution equipment is passive, does not require costly maintenance and should not add to the price of the commodity being manufactured. I have worked in the field of process dynamics, industrial hygiene and environmental engineering for over 50 years. THERE IS NO EXCUSE for exposing people to toxic materials when the effects of the exposure are known and documented and where the solution for preventing said exposure is at hand.
          The topics were engaging and meaningful. The concerns regarding the issues involving food production were interesting and thought provoking. I hope that there will be more programs like this in the future and would like to see increased participation from younger students as well as senior citizens.  ¶