One of the weapons we have in our arsenal to combat climate change is technology. To expect technology to magically make things better is not in the cards and would be a false expectation. However, we can expect new tools and methodologies that may ameliorate the effects of climate change effects. For example, renewable energy sources costs have decreased, and their efficiency improved, thereby providing a more affordable pathway to the elimination of greenhouse gas generating fossil fuels.
An article in EcoWatchillustrates the amelioration possibilities of technology. I’ve written in the past about the effect of pollution and rising ocean temperatures on coral reefs. Reefs are important to the ocean and coastal environments and helping combat coastal flooding. According to the article, the Florida Aquarium in Tampa has for the first time successfully mimicked the ocean conditions that “will signal corals to reproduce by using LED technology to mimic sunrise, sunset, moon phases, temperature and water quality to create spawning conditions.” This may allow the breeding of new coral colonies to repopulate decimated reef systems. It doesn’t magically solve the problem of climate change, but it is one tool that we can use to reduce its effects.
I’ve also written about the Law of Unintended Consequences and how it’s something we need to watch for, even when we’re doing what seems to be the right thing. This is not a real, “hard” scientific law like Newton’s Laws of Motion, but more of a learned rule. I came across an article in TheEnergyMix.comabout how climate change is making record-high Great Lakes the “evolving normal”. The article states that it wasn’t only climate change that caused this, but the removal of “72-73% of the natural infrastructure of forest fields and wetlands, which gives water a place to go…” In other words, the elimination of wetlands for development purposes removes a place for the water after rains to go. Instead of being absorbed it ends up in the lakes. I posted this article on my Facebook page Saving the Earth – A Scientific and Moral Imperativeand immediately received a comment from someone who is moving from his home on Lake Ontario because of the repeated flooding. Clearly, an unintended consequence of real estate development.
Last Updated on 10/03/2019 by wpadm