“Severe Weather Alert!” screamed the Weather Channel day after frightening day as tornadoes wreaked havoc across the country in May. As is my custom when I hear of an “unprecedented” weather phenomenon, I checked out the precedents, i.e., the historical record, to see if the event really was unprecedented since I usually find hyperbolic outbursts over some weather event tied to global warming overblown), To my surprise, May’s tornadoes really were extreme.
Disappointed that the data did not support my skepticism about global warming alarmism, I could take some solace in the fact that prior to May the number of tornadoes had been quite average. Also, looked at over a longer time frame, this year’s count was way exceeded by that 13 years ago (2011):
Moreover, the data does not support the global warming alarmist claim that the frequency of severe tornadoes is increasing:
(Based on the Fujita Scale)
If I were to encounter an article entitled “A Profession of Faith on…”, I probably wouldn’t read it—even if it supported my personal beliefs—as I would assume it to be long on opinion, short on facts. I want to know the facts; I can form my own opinion. If you are like me, you might want to stop reading here as I am about to make a profession of faith. (If you do read on, you can learn some of the facts behind my opinion by consulting postings to this blog 13, 20, 24, 25, 32, 40, 62, 79, 98.)
I believe the earth is getting warmer (who doesn’t?*). I believe the Greenhouse Effect is good science and so carbon emissions are a factor in the warming, though it may not be the only factor or even a major one. I believe it is good that we look for alternative energy sources like wind and solar**, regardless of whether this leads to reduced carbon emissions, because the bonanza of cheap energy we have enjoyed from the exploitation of fossil fuels is coming to an end.*** To believe wind, solar, and the like can replace fossil fuels entirely is a fool’s errand. If Global Warming is being hyped—and I believe it is—our delusion is being fostered by those who promote the hype instead of forcing us to face the truth.****
We, like all species, thrive and multiply according to the amount of energy available to us. Barring a new source of energy equivalent to fossil fuels being found or devised (hydrogen, nuclear fusion, etc.), we must necessarily experience a decline in our global standard of living. We can plan for this***** or just watch it happen—so gradual as to be imperceptible, but with increasing chaos and suffering.
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* One of the best known “deniers” maintains a monthly calculation of the mean global temperature based on satellite data, which posits a warming of 1.5˚ C per century.
** Switching to electric cars may not be such a good idea, however, as many more power plants would have to be built to charge all those batteries, and, as the graph below suggests, the most likely fuel to be used in these plants is coal, a notorious carbon emitter:
Unlike oil and natural gas, there is plenty of coal still left—hundreds of years worth–and it remains easily exploitable. And it’s the cheapest fuel available.
*** Regarding petroleum, we are not running out of the black gold yet (half of what was in the ground originally is still there), but it is becoming increasingly expensive to exploit (i.e. the Energy Returned on Energy Invested (ERoEI) is decreasing)—think hydraulic fracturing.
**** It’s inexplicable to me why there is so much clamor over global warming but so much less over an issue which is more immediate, more susceptible to human amelioration, and more of an existential threat: nuclear war. If you are ready to take action on this danger, there are several events surrounding the NATO Summit in Washington, DC on July 6th and 7th you might attend or watch online:
Saturday, July 6, 2024
No to NATO – Alternative Summit, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM, at St. Mark’s Church Capitol Hill, 3rd Ave. and A St. SE, Washington, DC (https://nonatoyespeace.org/)
Resist NATO Coalition – Peoples Summit, New York Ave. Presbyterian Church, 13th Ave. & H St. NW, Washington, DC (https://nepajac.org/unac_061924.html , https)
Sunday, July 7, 2024
March from McPherson Sq. (15th Ave & K St. NW) to White House, Noon, Washington, DC (https://www.ilps.us/resistnato)
***** For instance, by reducing the number of cars on the road and/or the number of miles driven; the same for ships (less transnational cargo) and planes (fewer flights). Also, by building more compact housing and fewer mega-mansions.
Ken's Blog 
Nuclear?
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You dissed nuclear FUSION. So, what about nuclear FISSION – what I’m using right now?
Joe
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I didn’t diss nuclear fusion; I mentioned it as a possible next energy bonanza. But it’s perhaps instructive to remember that 70 years ago dreamers were saying the same thing about nuclear fission. Hasn’t quite worked out that way. There’s a reason we didn’t build any new nuclear fission plants after 1970 until two were put online recently in Georgia. In fact, from a peak of 112 reactors, we were down to 92 as of 2022, and 18 0f 22 commercial reactors are in various stages of decommissioning (Germany is closing down all of its reactors). I don’t know whether it’s a question of danger, cost, waste disposal, or uranium availability (We still get 20% of the uranium for our reactors from RUSSIA!). Should we assume nuclear energy–fused or fissed–will save us?
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