Comments cfigallo has made

  • Stuart - oblivious to climate change?

    I don't know how you can discuss the future of farming in America and assume that climate is static through the next 10, 20, 30 years.

    Changes in season length, temperatures, precipitation and water supply, overall weather patterns will become greater factors in determining what and how much can be grown where. Whether you can afford to run the tractors and artificially fertilize the soil will not help if you're in a state of drought like northern Alabama. Or if your land is submerged by flooding or overrun by pests.

    How about we inject some credible global warming parameters into these future scenarios.

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On Will peak oil force the localization of agriculture? posted 1 year, 10 months ago 9 Responses

  • That's a stretch...

    It's difficult enough getting our climate forecasting accurate enough to justify definitive action. Forecasting mass human reaction to looming scarcities? There's plenty of scarcities out there now. How many are igniting conflict?

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On Not really posted 2 years, 3 months ago 7 Responses

  • dysfunctional politics

    "...the political dynamics in this country is the most important thing we can do for the environment"

    Absolutely. The dumb political dead end neutralizes so many other efforts. Talk about an offset...

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On Here are some posted 2 years, 4 months ago 32 Responses

  • Migrating away from disaster

    Good analysis, Geoff

    Migration has historically been a way for humans to adapt to changing climate - at least if they weren't killed off by the change. But we seem to be in a time of accelerated global climate change and even the most educated of us don't know what to expect or where the severe changes will come.

    If and when the sea level rises, will millions need to relocate from the delta in Bangladesh? To where? Will water shortage and heat drive hundreds of thousands out of Arizona's Valley of the Sun? Where will they resettle?

    Is it even feasible that we can plan for such things, or will it all happen in reactive mode?

    It's not like we have fertile frontiers where pioneers can settle open land anymore.

    Not to be a "doomer" but just trying to think realistically.

    -Cliff

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On It's sometimes problematic to attribute migration specifically to climate change posted 2 years, 4 months ago 9 Responses

  • Tightrope

    Well said, Peter. There are and will be the people who are impacted by climate change and those who are lucky enough to avoid it for a longer run. At some point - even if we've failed to "sell them" on the need to change - the reality will force them to decide to act.

    Having lived collectively for the first 12 years of adulthood, it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but neither is it completely unappealing if you like living around your good friends. And if times begin to get hard or scary, many people tend to bond tighter with one another. Some people will rise to the challenge and some won't.

    Yes, it matters what everybody does, not just the environmentalists. But it's hard to push an idea before it's visible as a reality. And persuading people of the reality that's coming is going to meet resistance.

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On How to talk about the future without depressing everyone posted 2 years, 4 months ago 54 Responses

  • How about some preparation?

    I imagine the average IQs of all these people making and receiving these grants is pretty high, so it boggles my modest-sized mind that there's so little focus on addressing contingencies for dealing with the impact, which is already upon us in many locations.

    Take Phoenix, for example. Before we run out of water and see the return of the Dust Bowl in the American Southwest, let's study what that might mean in terms of displacement, migration, resettlement and other possible secondary impacts.

    Cliff Figallo Climate Frog climatefrog.blogspot.com

    On The winners? ED, NRDC, The Pew Center for Climate Change, and other familiar faces posted 2 years, 4 months ago 4 Responses