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July 14, 2008
beetlemania: blame climate change
Last week's issue of the economist has a story about Pine Beetles in British Columbia. Evidently the beetles are killing on the pine trees. The beetles aren't new and they're a natural part of the forest, but due to strict wildfire control the bugs are multiplying fast. I find it fascinating that environmentalists have fought the use of controlled burning, but then they blame Climate Change for the bugs.
The pine beetle is a well-known pest, not an exotic import, but no effective means has been found to stop it. The beetles swarm up trees in large numbers, killing them by boring through the bark, sapping their nutrients and emitting a damaging blue fungus. Cold winters and forest fires normally keep the beetle populations in check. Some forest scientists trace the current outbreak to 1994, when provincial-government foresters, fearing the ire of greens, failed to eradicate a small infestation in a provincial park by cutting and burning. In any event, recent British Columbian winters have not been cold enough to kill the beetles.
This climate change paradox is annoying and it begs the question, who is going to determine the optimal temperature for the planet? The average temperature of the Earth hasn't changed in ten years but everywhere I look "climate change" is to blame for some problem. At some point the theory of man made Global Warming and Climate Change became synonymous. Let's be frank, the Earth has always and will always change.
Posted by nemov at July 14, 2008 12:34 PM
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Comments
Environmentalists are actually pro burn. Its the developers and the department of the Interior who have come up with the insane "fight no matter the costs" firefighting technique over the last 100 years. Fires control beetles, future fires and ensure that nutrients return to the land.
Instead, we have this fear of fire coupled with the desire to build in fire prone areas. Its the same as living in Sarasota and the threat of Hurricanes or living along the Missisippi or Kansas or Missouri rivers and getting flooded out. You know its coming, why fight it? You will loose.
I am green.
Just don't make me drive a Prius. ewwwwwww.
Posted by: BunE at July 14, 2008 4:57 PM
BunE, you raise a good point. The Dept. of Interior has a lot of problems; however, this specific case is in Canada. I think the US has had more success with the the beetle.
I am green as well (expect for the global warming theory). I'm actually going to rent a Prius for a road trip in September. It's cheaper to rent the car for 5 days and pay for the gas than to drive my own car. It's actually significantly cheaper. At least in the theory. We'll see how it goes.
Posted by: nemov at July 14, 2008 5:27 PM
Drive away, I just can't haul my gear, dogs, ladies, manifestos, guns and money in it on vacations!
Also, it is ugly. TURBODIESEL!!!
Posted by: BunE at July 15, 2008 1:08 PM