ROCK ‘n’ ROLL!
“Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t Noise pollution, Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t gonna die, Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t noise pollution, Rock ‘n’ Roll it will survive…” (Courtesy ACDC – Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t noise pollution)
Rock ‘n’ Roll does not require formal training or reading of sheet music. You just have a feel for something. Letting imagination run its course is really the only way of Rock ‘n’ Roll. After all the Gloom, Doom and frustration of what has been written here, we seriously need to fire the imagination up and have some Fun! It doesn’t matter what the idea is, just throw it out there. Let us have a bit of Mind exercise for current Covid 19 times. What may be ludicrous and outrageously expensive today may not be so tomorrow.
SOLUTIONS
If we could stop every polluting smokestack on the Planet right now, we would mitigate much heating impact from greenhouse gas emissions. My solution? Rock ‘n’ Roll. We fly 1000’s and 1000’s of wireless networked Drone mounted with compact and Solid Heavy Duty (orig. definition of “HD”) speakers to the lower atmosphere around the Globe and set volume to maximum. I suggest we gain everyone’s attention with “Hells Bells” by ACDC, followed by“Attack” from Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, with “Re-make-Re-model” by Roxy Music hot on it’s heels. After Roxy? “One step Beyond” by Madness. Then? The playlist is all yours (the reader) to have fun with. After all, “Groove is in the Heart”, courtesy of Dee-Lite.
Maybe every Polluting smokestack across the Planet will disintegrate at this Sonic Bells, Drums, Guitar, Piano and Ska driven onslaught. Maybe the inflated Egos of Global Warming deniers and some Scientists will damp down to Ego safe operating levels? (see “Adapt or …”) Maybe? Maybe not……
Maybe we can lay down smooth and soothing underwater grooves like “The Sea” by Morcheeba, to renew bleached and almost dead Corals that have been cooked by increasing Ocean water temperatures. Maybe, Maybe not. But almost anything is worth having a go at if it means keeping our House – the Planet habitable for many years to come. True or Not ? True.
There has been much imaginative research from Individuals, Universities and Research organisations over recent years, with focus on reducing sunlight radiation and absorbing Greenhouse gases.
- Wherever practical paint any and all surfaces Gloss white or close enough. This will reflect the Sun’s UV radiation straight back out to Space at a gazillion miles per hour. We would need to all be issued with the best Sunglasses that “Ray-Ban” can provide! Only issue is how to paint the Oceans as they cover 70.8% of the Planet. This approach of reflecting the Sun away and staying cool has been around forever. On and around the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, buildings have been whitewashed forever! They have adapted their surroundings to have a more comfortable existence. A very simple thing to do. Still amazes me why humans like Black Cars and Black roofing!
- Fill the Oceans and Seas with Iron salts to create massive algae blooms that will absorb massive amounts of CO2. Still some issues as to the potential impact, but is promising. Jury is still out on impacts to Ocean acidity levels. Maybe ok in shallow waters while increased acidity may happen to deeper waters. Potential affects on marine life must be first and foremost in these considerations.
- Inject Sulphur into the atmosphere, that acts to deflect UV radiation from the Sun. Is already proven to effectively cool as with the Krakatoa volcano explosion in 1883. Only small problem that this would also result in much Acid rain! Some cooling yes, but at the expense of our health.
- Using Nano based technology, create artificial CO2 munching trees that are many times more efficient in absorbing CO2 than Natures trees. The CO2 is then stored underground. Where to store underground is the issue, but it certainly has promise especially to those areas of the Planet that are currently hostile to plant life. More to come.
- Like sunglasses, seed the atmosphere with reflecting particles that bounce the sunlight back before it reaches through the atmosphere. Not sure about that one, but in the future they might. Someone needs to do the research now, Oh yes, the Scientist!.
- Strictly limit future Green House Gas emissions to stabilise the flow of these to the atmosphere. Enough said as this was first raised 50 years ago with much proven Science since then to know that it works. Politics and Ideology are the two big stoppers of making this truly effective.
- Just keep on planting more Greenery as we have been doing for many years. Trees disperse sunlight and keep life cool. Trees absorb CO2 and pump out Oxygen. It is not quite as simple as planting trees. Many other aspects need inclusion such as protection of remnant vegetation, landholder education of green practices especially soil moisture management and more efficient water usage for greening places. Areas like “The Sahal” in Niger have benefited from this holistic approach with massive support from organisations such as “Both Ends and CRESA Niger. They are leading the way.
Out of the above, the last two are the only ones that provides the ‘easy wins’. With emission reductions we have the proven ability and technology now. Remember the Kyoto Protocol of 1997? The participating Countries dropped emissions by a whopping 20%. If every one of the Industrialised and developing Nations had taken this commitment on then, where would be now some 20 years later? We would have a measure of control of these nasty invisible gases. Left leaning Governments really put their hands up and said yes, appreciating that there were short term costs to the profit bottom line. But what happened? Left leaning Government turned into Right leaning Conservative Government who dumped the commitment to enable more profit for their in-bed Industry buddies.
We must accept most climate changes are irreversible and move on, preferably in an adaptive forward way. We must plan for the inevitable of more weather extremes and more often. This is where the gap between the ‘haves and have nots’ of the Planet is so stark. Perth, Western Australia may be subject to Cyclones tracking further south more often. Building Regulations currently are not cyclone rated as they are further North in the Cyclone corridor. Imagine the structural damage and Coastal erosion from just Category 2 or 3 cyclones. But the building Regulations can evolve to Cyclone rated as they have the Governing capacity and authority to do so. There is also massive Insurer push to plan for this inevitable future. Unfortunately, there will be higher cost to doing work to a higher standard. Better the cost being absorbed now rather than in ten years’ time.
Adapting to a future of less rainfall? Perth has built two de-salinisation plants to assist with this future proofing. They have been adapting their water usage for some time now. Water supply should be okay for the roughly 3 Million humans that depend on it.
Increased flooding to lowest lying areas of Asian Cities like Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Chittagong and other delta areas of the Bay of Bengal? Tricky. We know how to erect sea walls and dykes, create artificial islands, but much of these areas also house the poorest living in difficult conditions already. Their access to benefits of Adaptation Planning for increasingly moody climate is extremely limited. It is a depressing tale indeed. Will the ‘Free market’ so avidly spruiked by the far right to cure all our future issues come to our rescue? The $200 Million they spent last year arguing about Climate Change would certainly help! But no, the Free Marketeer’s and their followers will selfishly guard their loot. To suggest otherwise brands us as Leftie Liberals and Communists! Cannot have those caring human traits of social responsibility!
Climate Change can bring benefits as the far right keep on telling us. More rain may happen where there has been little to no rain for a long time. We will be able to grow crops, plant trees and grow pasture in these areas. They will not be particularly productive though as all the nutrient rich Topsoil would have blown away years ago. But these areas will provide a measure of relief to long term drought suffering locals. Enough though? We really cannot forecast and cannot leave the future to what ifs and maybes. We need Adaptive Planning now for those areas identified that will reap the benefits of milder climates of the future. Get in there and plant as much Greenery as we can over the next 10, 20-30 years. Areas that are currently not supportive for human population, will be once vegetation has established. Quite simple.
China has led the World in this regard, undertaking astonishing amounts of tree plantings to areas that were semi-arid to arid and land that had been stripped bare by population growth. 66 Billion trees have been planted over 40 years with planting continuing through to 2050. Weather is changing in those areas as green cover takes hold. But it is not without its problems. Many trees planted are not native to these areas and utilise far more water to keep them alive than native species. Typically, they tend to be one or two species that in reality do not contribute to ecological diversity. They are also susceptible to disease that have wiped out millions of trees. In some areas locals have been cutting down local vegetation to be able to get grants to plant trees! Trees are being planted in areas that have not seen trees for thousands of years. It would have been better to revegetate with local plants that have already adapted to live in these arid conditions. The successes far outweigh the disadvantages and mistakes of the past. A whopping 115 Million hectares now have Tree cover! Wow! That is a massive Carbon sink as well.
The little things approach works as in parts of Africa. The big State sponsored approach works as in China. They both work as the people are mobilised and incentivised once partial success is seen. Yes, it takes combined community, NGO’s and State sponsorship, but isn’t this what we need? Cooperation of all? It works. Yet, to those of the far right we would all be better off if left to our own individual devices. This plainly will not work in adapting to our future no more than 30 years away.
We know the issues of increasingly moody climate. We know the issues of polluting our own backyards. It all comes down to whether we can cooperate in resolving these now common environmental hurdles facing humanity. We have solutions that can at least ease our future pain. Do we have enough resolve? I really don’t know. Given that this senseless egotistical argument has been going for many years, my hope is slim indeed. Will we see the end of civilisation as we know it by 2050?
Read more soon in “Blue Marble” revisited.
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