Bill McKibben’s Reality Check for Planet Eaarth

David Letterman recently welcomed Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, for an incredibly eye-opening interview.  McKibben explains how the world is much different than the place where we were born.  Climate change is happening and affecting how we live.

Most people can observe these changes with the unusual hot weather we have been experiencing this summer.  It’s probably even hotter than you think.  The federal government reported that the U.S. has seen record high temperatures in the last 6 months, one year, and decade.  Approximately 19 countries have broken heat records this year.  Pakistan achieved the all-time Asia temperature record of 129 degrees and soon after they had the worst flooding it has ever seen.   This should be no surprise; floods happen because warm air retains more water vapor than cold air.

Another shocking fact is that the world had 275 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide through the first 10,000 years of civilization.  Now, the world has 392 ppm of CO2.  James Hansen, one of the best climatologists in the world, stated that if we ever reached more than 350 ppm than it would “not be compatible with the planet on which civilization developed and to which life on earth is adapted.”  Pretty scary stuff!

Climate change is already affecting life on the planet today with the floods happening in Pakistan and Russia, rising sea levels displacing homes, and endless heat waves affecting farmers’ ability to grow.  Mckibben believes the only way to make sure it doesn’t get worse is by moving off oil, gas, and coal and towards renewables like solar and wind.

Bill McKibben started 350.org to unite people to find solutions for the climate crisis.  The “350” focuses on getting under 350 ppm CO2 which is the safe limit for humanity.  One of the organization’s major goals this year is to influence President Obama to put solar panels back on the White House by 10/10/10.  Jimmy Carter had previously installed them, but President Reagan had them removed soon into his tenure.  McKibben believes if solar panels are put on the White House this will educate and influence others to take similar steps.   I think it definitely has the potential to energize the solar industry.  Michelle Obama planted a garden in the White house, and the next year seed sales went up 30%.  Let’s hope solar panels on the White House can achieve the same results!