Climate change. Those two words mean something different to just about everybody. For some, those words mean a threat to their crops and cattle. For some, those words mean a threat to their kid’s asthma. For some, those words mean a threat to clean water. The pipeline fights has changed my mind about climate change. Those two words mean Randy, Suz, Bruce, Laura, Tom, Kathy, Calvin…I get it now.
Five bold UNL climate scientists made a clear, scientific-based argument this week on why climate change is real.
John Hansen, Nebraska Farmers Union President and all around populist hero to many of us, wrote this email to a listserve today after reading the UNL press release that climate change is indeed real.
“In case you missed this article in today’s OWH, I am sending it along. The statement of the 5 UNL climate scientists is right on the mark. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just not their own set of facts. It seems the most prudent approach on this critical issues is to error on the side of caution when it comes to protecting the earth’s ability to sustain life as we know it.
That is precisely why NeFU has been proactive on this issue by looking for ways to engage agriculture in a positive way. Agriculture is a major user of energy, but it is also a potentially major source of renewable energy that reduces carbon emissions, including ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, solar, and wind. In addition, agriculture can be incented to capture and sequester carbon from the atmosphere into our soils through cultural and conservation practices. Agriculture can be a major leader in helping reduce and mitigate carbon emissions. Our voluntary market based carbon sequestration program based on the Chicago Climate Exchange came to an end when the Senate failed to pass the cap and trade legislation was technically sound, and should be resurrected. NeFU was the top of three carbon sequestion aggregators in Nebraska. We alone not counting the other two aggregators had over 1.2 million acres voluntarily under contract. We know that farmers and ranchers are willing to do their part to help reduce and sequester carbon.”
You can read the full statement on the OWH site.
ACTION:
On Dec. 1st in Omaha, Bill McKibben and other climate leaders will be in Omaha for the “Do the Math” tour. We will post more info soon, but save the date and spread the word. There will be limited tickets available.
