Harper points out that life and climate coevolved in relation to one another. Life and climate are partners that wouldn’t have evolved the way they did had the other been absent or different.  When I first considered this partnership I felt that since we actively created the climate we have its only natural that we live our lives and let climate catch up, evolve with the changing nature of life on earth as is only natural, and if that means warming up so be it. Then I read further into the article and realised why our impact on climate is different than ever before. The buildup of factors that influence climate and life are slow processes, like the eukaryotes in the oceans that enabled our atmosphere to become oxygen rich. Only after a very long time were all the factors in place for the world to become such a lush, wonderful place that could support ever more sophisticated life forms. So the reason our impact on the climate is different now than it has been is the fact that these changes are too sudden for the climate to slowly evolve and change, or as Harper more aptly says, “adapt or migrate”. (Harper 93)  This was the biggest point I got out of this article because I am still struggling with why climate change is such an issue. I thought the world will adapt as it always has, and warmer weather would make things different but ultimately thats the nature of an ecosystem, it changes based on its members.  However I see that a sudden change would be a less of a natural shift in climate but a large abrupt catastrophe that allowed no time for things to slowly adapt.

   ii) Vandana article

            To me the most thought-provoking point that Shiva Vandana makes is that our society is using machines and technology to accomplish tasks that were formerly done by humans. Farming equipment is a good example of this. Instead of creating jobs for impoverished people around the world we’re using  fossil fuels to mass produce food with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. By employing much of the world’s poor in producing food we could simultaneously battle poverty and climate change. Shifting food production into community centered, human-powered endeavors would effectively make our earth healthy. We would need to stop asking LDCs  to mass produce cash crops for the first world and instead focus on nurturing themselves with the bounty of thier land. Sometimes I wonder if free trade is really in the interest of more developed societies. Because it enables us to purchase raw materials inexpensively from LDCs, process and manufacture it, and then sell it back.  When the IMF or the World Bank effectively force countries to lower their currencies in order to encourage trade it amplifies the ability of nations to purchase raw materials inexpensively. I think that rather than encouraging people in the third world to move to the city and get a job we could consider preventing poverty by allowing them to remain on their land to farm, and therefore feed their people. Of course this would cost the developed world their supply of cheap labor and goods. This would help to reduce poverty and global warming simultaneously.

An interesting documentary that depicts the role of these international financial institutions is called “Life and Debt” you can watch it for free at http://freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=91  

    iii) Effects of Climate Change in Colorado

         I read an interesting report titled “Colorado Assessing the Costs of Climate Change” and it predicted that Colorado would experience higher temperatures and water issues as a result of climate change. Higher temperatures would hurt Colorado economically because it would shorten the duration of the ski season. It estimated 30 days less to each season. Additionally the elevations that could support ski conditions would increase, making some lower resorts go out of business. This would really be devastating. Skiing gives our state character for us as residents, and losing this aspect of our home would be a tragedy. Additionally it attracts tourists on vacation and college students to our universities. Other negative effects include decreased biodiversity and water issues. The report estimated that in the coming centuries our state will spend one billion in climate change related costs. This makes me think about the video we watched in class that was considering world issues from an economic standpoint. One thing the speaker didn’t bring up was what an issue does or will cost us if it goes untreated. This unavoidable cost should be considered in the cost benefit ratio. While communicable diseases could be helped at a low-cost it won’t cost our state anything if we don’t act. So on a local level, if our main concern is preserving our own way of life, taking steps to stop and reduce climate change may be beneficial financially.  

http://www.cier.umd.edu/climateadaptation/Climate%20change–COLORADO.pdf

iiii.) Climate Change on the Global Level

              Climate change is very much a global issue. We all share one atmosphere, and therefore the green house gases that one country produces creates a warmer planet for us all. Therefore in order to create a solution we must agree with other nations, especially the industrialized nations that contribute most to global warming, like China. This becomes an issue. If one industrialized nation refuses to sign the Kyoto Protocol then others are less likely to spend the money to make adjustments and risk potential loss in revenue from the changes. When it’s so hard to decide how to react to climate change with in our own country how will we ever reach a consensus internationally? 

c.) I’m planning on becoming a nurse, and will therefore experience the health effects of climate change close up. With warmer weather the range of many infectious diseases will increase, because warm areas support these diseases. For instance vector bourne diseases like malaria and dengue fever have already been showing up in places that have typically been too cold to breed the mosquitos. This is a growing health threat that I may have direct connections to as a nurse. Another health effect is increased heat exhaustion and stroke during especially hot summers. This will affect the elderly and the poor heavily, and I will probably treat some of these patients. Lastly I could see compromised water sources that result from changes in precipitation causing a slew of health problems that would need addressing. Additionally natural disasters will harm many Americans. Business will be booming.

“Climate Change and Human Health: risks and responses”. World Health Organization.http://www.who.int/globalchange/climate/summary/en/