A frightening report by the US Climate Assessment released on November 3rd says that the earth is warmer now than ever in the history of modern civilization.
“Mandated by law and released every four years, the Fourth National Climate Assessment (or NCA4)—which states that recent years have seen “record-breaking, climate-related weather extremes, and the last three years have been the warmest years on record for the globe”— concludes (with emphasis in the original) that “based on extensive evidence, that it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.”
The Trump administration is not acting on this alarming news, and indeed casts doubts on it because of Trump’s relationship with the fossil fuel industry.
Here in New York City at half past six in the morning it is already 53 degrees, predicted to go up to 64 degrees, on the 5th of November! Several decades ago, there would likely have been snow on the ground and temperatures below freezing. Though there were days in the winter months without snow and there was not the continuous snow coverage found just a little further north and inland away from the Atlantic, New York had cold and snowy winters.
Fossil fuel plant in New York State
I do what I can as an individual not to contribute to this dangerous warming of planet Earth. Since I live in New York City where there is excellent public transportation, I do not even own an automobile. I also walk as much as I can, so I use the transportation system only when walking would take more time than I have or in bad weather. When I travel outside of the city I take a train when that is possible. Most years I go to Chicago at least once and I have been several times to Charleston, SC–for both destinations there is good train service. Only when my only option is flying do I go anywhere by plane.
US passenger train
To get to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I have gone several times, I fly. It would be possible to go overland by a combination of trains and buses (I have an Argentinean friend who has done that), but that trip takes a very long time. I also fly to France when I go there. A friend of mine goes to France by boat, but that also requires a much longer time. When traveling within Europe, I take trains; there is excellent train service there.
Though it is more difficult (even impossible in some places) in the United States than in Europe to live without an automobile, more of us here could do that. It would help some to reduce carbon emissions, though I am not expecting that people here will do it. What is really needed is restructuring of cities and towns is such a way as to require less space. The single family dwelling with a yard which has been very prevalent in most of the United States is not conducive to reducing carbon emissions.
