Excellent. Funny how we’re sitting there unable to agree about the right name for the epoch. I guess it’s important though in as much as we got the name Climate Crisis wrong. It should be called Human Civilisation Crisis because we’re the one who’ll pay the ultimate price for our folly.
Glad you’re back Alia, monthly releases make each one more longed for so it’s working :)
Absolutely, considering what's at stake, the name seems so inconsequential. And it's very useful. From a scientific point of view though, I completely understand why they would want to ensure consistency in their classifications. The reasons for and against are quite interesting, although would probably bore the bejesus out of most people, so I kept them out. Interestingly, the Anthropocene camp was criticised for promoting the term for years in an attempt to drum up support for its instatement. It caught on and now the ICS look like the party poopers not accepting a new epoch has begun, haha. Whether or not it has will all be solved in a few million years or so 😂
Fabulous Alia, I too am familiar with the word Anthropocene, but the changes we are experiencing, and responsible for, aren’t a very small time scale. That’s very scary for Tehran and I can imagine it may be a possibility for many Aussie towns too, if we don’t start to take action and make choices about the way we live and use our precious resources. Water is life 💧
Absolutely. I suspect we'll see (already seeing) shifting rainfall manifest here with more frequent and severe bushfires, particularly here where I am and in your part of the world, too. And more frequent and severe flooding in other parts. I'm always relieved when we make it through another summer without being evacuated.
I hope your travels have gone well and you've arrived home safely, Kate.
Thanks for this essay. Great insights into the effects of climate change on cities. Years ago I wrote a story (my bottom drawer novel) based on this situation where the rain stops coming and the social impact of that. It’s real. It’s happening now.
Maybe it's time to get that novel out of the bottom draw Meg :)
Yes, it is absolutely happening. The rain stops in some parts, floods in others, and society hasn't been built to accommodate either. Things probably won't change much until peoples' insurance premiums start going through the roof.
I think about that story a lot. I began writing it during the 2009 drought when I was thinking about how drought affects society in so many different ways. How the disadvantaged are even more affected.
It sounds interesting Meg, a worthy angle to dive into. I agree there is a split between those who can afford to move and adapt and those who can't. I think of those people squatting in flood-damaged homes around Lismore, homes that are condemned or now can't be insured or sold. Being able to pick up and leave is a social privilege.
Meg, have you read The Drought by the late J.G. Ballard? It was published in the US as The Burning World. Along with that book, Ballard ended the world in his novels The Drowned World, The Wind from Nowhere and The Crystal World. Though he later disavowed The Wind from Nowhere as a piece of hack-work written in one week just for the advance money, Ballard destroyed the world in these books with the four ancient elements of Fire, Water, Ice (or Stone) and Air. They were all written over half a century ago and I think it’s high time someone reprinted all four under one cover. I agree with Alia that maybe it’s time for you to revisit your own dream-apocalypse. Good luck!
Alia, all my life I’ve been hearing people tell me how smart I am, and I have believed it from Day One. Right now I’m working on a piece called “Never Pose Naked For A Squid.” After reading your latest post I’m going to have to re-think that business about how smart I am.
Shocking news. I seem to recall Cape Town had a similar multi-year drought crisis that they handled . . . well? Not an ideal scenario but maybe something can help?
It is shocking Julie. I think the only thing that will save Tehran now is rain. The city (and broader region) have poor systemic water management that isn't a quick fix and the greater province has already been under severe water restrictions for months. It's quite sad. It's winter, so there's some chance they will get some rain, but the drought would need to break to get them through next summer.
I grew up in Sydney which experienced a 10-year drought. Strict water restrictions were enough to get us through like Cape Town, but we never reached the point Tehran is in.
Well, searching desperately for a silver lining here, climate destabilisation may solve the AI problem. AI processing needs vast amounts of energy to run and clean water to cool. Data centres are extremely un-portable and exquisitely vulnerable to climate change, so the chances of Artificial General Intelligence taking over the world when we’re busy migrating to escape our flooded coastal cities, our dustbowls, our wildfires and our landslides seem slim.
Okay, that wasn’t much of a silver lining, I admit. Living in a more energetic, less stable climate is going to teach our species some much needed humility. We’ve taken a 12-thousand year gift and trashed it. I’m helping to trash it right now with this device I’m typing this rambling response on.
The Permaculturist David Holmgren has written about becoming an ‘energy descent’ society, how it’s inevitable but we can manage it positively. I think he may be on to something.
It's gobsmacking just how much energy AI consumes. I'm really interested to see how it plays out when supply is pushed to the limits. So many possibilities, but I can see it becoming expensive, even more divisive, and elitist.
Alia, all my life people have been telling me how smart I am and I’ve believed it from the very beginning. Right now I’m working on an essay called “Never Pose Naked for a Squid.” After reading your latest post I’m starting to re-think that business about how smart I am.
Thank you, Rafael, although I highly doubt I'm any smarter than you. We just read different things and experience different parts of the world. You have lots to share. When we share our knowledge, we're all the smarter for it. I could have well fallen victim to posing naked for a squid, but now I never will and I'm greatly appreciative. You have a quick wit Rafael, and it takes a clever brain to process things that way.
Excellent. Funny how we’re sitting there unable to agree about the right name for the epoch. I guess it’s important though in as much as we got the name Climate Crisis wrong. It should be called Human Civilisation Crisis because we’re the one who’ll pay the ultimate price for our folly.
Glad you’re back Alia, monthly releases make each one more longed for so it’s working :)
Absolutely, considering what's at stake, the name seems so inconsequential. And it's very useful. From a scientific point of view though, I completely understand why they would want to ensure consistency in their classifications. The reasons for and against are quite interesting, although would probably bore the bejesus out of most people, so I kept them out. Interestingly, the Anthropocene camp was criticised for promoting the term for years in an attempt to drum up support for its instatement. It caught on and now the ICS look like the party poopers not accepting a new epoch has begun, haha. Whether or not it has will all be solved in a few million years or so 😂
Fabulous Alia, I too am familiar with the word Anthropocene, but the changes we are experiencing, and responsible for, aren’t a very small time scale. That’s very scary for Tehran and I can imagine it may be a possibility for many Aussie towns too, if we don’t start to take action and make choices about the way we live and use our precious resources. Water is life 💧
Absolutely. I suspect we'll see (already seeing) shifting rainfall manifest here with more frequent and severe bushfires, particularly here where I am and in your part of the world, too. And more frequent and severe flooding in other parts. I'm always relieved when we make it through another summer without being evacuated.
I hope your travels have gone well and you've arrived home safely, Kate.
Thanks for this essay. Great insights into the effects of climate change on cities. Years ago I wrote a story (my bottom drawer novel) based on this situation where the rain stops coming and the social impact of that. It’s real. It’s happening now.
Maybe it's time to get that novel out of the bottom draw Meg :)
Yes, it is absolutely happening. The rain stops in some parts, floods in others, and society hasn't been built to accommodate either. Things probably won't change much until peoples' insurance premiums start going through the roof.
I think about that story a lot. I began writing it during the 2009 drought when I was thinking about how drought affects society in so many different ways. How the disadvantaged are even more affected.
It sounds interesting Meg, a worthy angle to dive into. I agree there is a split between those who can afford to move and adapt and those who can't. I think of those people squatting in flood-damaged homes around Lismore, homes that are condemned or now can't be insured or sold. Being able to pick up and leave is a social privilege.
Meg, have you read The Drought by the late J.G. Ballard? It was published in the US as The Burning World. Along with that book, Ballard ended the world in his novels The Drowned World, The Wind from Nowhere and The Crystal World. Though he later disavowed The Wind from Nowhere as a piece of hack-work written in one week just for the advance money, Ballard destroyed the world in these books with the four ancient elements of Fire, Water, Ice (or Stone) and Air. They were all written over half a century ago and I think it’s high time someone reprinted all four under one cover. I agree with Alia that maybe it’s time for you to revisit your own dream-apocalypse. Good luck!
No, I haven't read it. I will continue to consider blowing the cobwebs off it and seeing what needs to be done with it next
…or until things like football-sized hailstones start coming THROUGH the roof! (Sorry about the all-caps but my low-end tablet won’t type italics.)
Yikes. Or that! That's probably when we'll all move into underground bunkers 😂
Alia, all my life I’ve been hearing people tell me how smart I am, and I have believed it from Day One. Right now I’m working on a piece called “Never Pose Naked For A Squid.” After reading your latest post I’m going to have to re-think that business about how smart I am.
Shocking news. I seem to recall Cape Town had a similar multi-year drought crisis that they handled . . . well? Not an ideal scenario but maybe something can help?
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/why-cape-town-running-out-water-and-whos-next/
It is shocking Julie. I think the only thing that will save Tehran now is rain. The city (and broader region) have poor systemic water management that isn't a quick fix and the greater province has already been under severe water restrictions for months. It's quite sad. It's winter, so there's some chance they will get some rain, but the drought would need to break to get them through next summer.
I grew up in Sydney which experienced a 10-year drought. Strict water restrictions were enough to get us through like Cape Town, but we never reached the point Tehran is in.
Well, searching desperately for a silver lining here, climate destabilisation may solve the AI problem. AI processing needs vast amounts of energy to run and clean water to cool. Data centres are extremely un-portable and exquisitely vulnerable to climate change, so the chances of Artificial General Intelligence taking over the world when we’re busy migrating to escape our flooded coastal cities, our dustbowls, our wildfires and our landslides seem slim.
Okay, that wasn’t much of a silver lining, I admit. Living in a more energetic, less stable climate is going to teach our species some much needed humility. We’ve taken a 12-thousand year gift and trashed it. I’m helping to trash it right now with this device I’m typing this rambling response on.
The Permaculturist David Holmgren has written about becoming an ‘energy descent’ society, how it’s inevitable but we can manage it positively. I think he may be on to something.
It's gobsmacking just how much energy AI consumes. I'm really interested to see how it plays out when supply is pushed to the limits. So many possibilities, but I can see it becoming expensive, even more divisive, and elitist.
Alia, all my life people have been telling me how smart I am and I’ve believed it from the very beginning. Right now I’m working on an essay called “Never Pose Naked for a Squid.” After reading your latest post I’m starting to re-think that business about how smart I am.
Thank you, Rafael, although I highly doubt I'm any smarter than you. We just read different things and experience different parts of the world. You have lots to share. When we share our knowledge, we're all the smarter for it. I could have well fallen victim to posing naked for a squid, but now I never will and I'm greatly appreciative. You have a quick wit Rafael, and it takes a clever brain to process things that way.
Thank you, Alia, you’re just too kind.