Earth Day

[Guthrie]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

USA Today

Astronauts share the view in honor of Earth Day

The rarest view in humanity — Earth from afar — moves many of the lucky few observers to tears and gives them a new appreciation of that blue marble we all call home.

When astronauts return from space, what they talk about isn't the brute force of the rocket launch or the exhilaration of zero gravity. It's the view.

PHOTO GALLERY: Views of Earth from space

Only two dozen men — those who journeyed to the moon — have seen the full Earth view. Most U.S. spaceflight has been in low orbit where only a piece of the planet can be seen — a lesser but still impressive glimpse. Those travelers have seen the curvature of Earth, its magnificent beauty, its fragility, and its lack of borders.

The first full view of Earth came from the moon-bound Apollo 8 during the waning days of a chaotic 1968. Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders put it all in perspective in a documentary: "We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth."

...

Some of the photos Anders took were used on posters and pins on the first Earth Day in 1970. They've been "an environmental staple of Earth Days ever since," said Denis Hayes, the first Earth Day coordinator.

For Earth Day this year — at a time when perhaps some perspective is needed — The Associated Press asked space travelers to recall what it's like to see Earth from above:

"It was the only color we could see in the universe. ... "We're living on a tiny little dust mote in left field on a rather insignificant galaxy. And basically this it for humans. It strikes me that it's a shame that we're squabbling over oil and borders."

Bill Anders, Apollo 8, whose photos of Earth became famous.

"It's hard to appreciate the Earth when you're down right upon it because it's so huge.

"It gives you in an instant, just at a position 240,000 miles away from it, (an idea of) how insignificant we are, how fragile we are, and how fortunate we are to have a body that will allow us to enjoy the sky and the trees and the water ... It's something that many people take for granted when they're born and they grow up within the environment. But they don't realize what they have. And I didn't till I left it."

Jim Lovell, Apollo 8 and 13.

"The sheer beauty of it just brought tears to my eyes.

"If people can see Earth from up here, see it without those borders, see it without any differences in race or religion, they would have a completely different perspective. Because when you see it from that angle, you cannot think of your home or your country. All you can see is one Earth...."

Anousheh Ansari, Iranian-American space tourist who flew last year to the international space station.

"Up in space when you see a sunset or sunrise, the light is coming to you from the sun through that little shell of the Earth's atmosphere and back out to the spacecraft you're in. The atmosphere acts like a prism. So for a short period of time you see not only the reds, oranges and yellows, the luminous quality like you see on Earth, but you see the whole spectrum red-orange-yellow-blue-green-indigo-violet.

"You come back impressed, once you've been up there, with how thin our little atmosphere is that supports all life here on Earth. So if we foul it up, there's no coming back from something like that."

John Glenn, first American to orbit the Earth (1962) and former U.S. senator.

"I think you can't go to space and not be changed, in many ways ....

"All of the teachings of the Bible that talk about the creator and his creation take on new meaning when you can view the details of the Earth from that perspective. So it didn't change my faith per se, the content of it, but it just enhanced it, it made it even more real."

Jeff Williams, spent 6 months on the space station and set a record for most Earth photos taken.

"Earth has gone through great transitions and volcanic impacts and all sorts of traumatic things. But it has survived ... I'm not referring to human conflicts. I'm referring to the physical appearance of the Earth at a great distance. That it generally is mostly very peaceful (when) looked at from a distance."

Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon.

"I see the deep black of space and this just brilliantly gorgeous blue and white arc of the earth and totally unconsciously, not at all able to help myself, I said, 'Wow, look at that.'"

Kathy Sullivan, first American woman to spacewalk, recalling what she said when she saw Earth in 1984.

"...From up there, it looks finite and it looks fragile and it really looks like just a tiny little place on which we live in a vast expanse of space. It gave me the feeling of really wanting us all to take care of the Earth. I got more of a sense of Earth as home, a place where we live. And of course you want to take care of your home. You want it clean. You want it safe."

Winston Scott, two-time shuttle astronaut who wrote a book, Reflections From Earth Orbit.

"You change because you see your life differently than when you live on the surface everyday. ... We are so involved in our own little lives and our own little concerns and problems. I don't think the average person realizes the global environment that we really live in. I certainly am more aware of how fragile our Earth is, and, frankly, I think that I care more about our Earth because of the experiences I've had traveling in space."

Eileen Collins, first female space shuttle commander.

"You can see what a small little atmosphere is protecting us.

"You realize there's not much protecting this planet particularly when you see the view from the side. That's something I'd like to share with everybody so people would realize we need to protect it."

Sunita Williams, who has been living on the international space station since Dec. 11, 2006.

"I left Earth three times. I found no place else to go. Please take care of Spaceship Earth."

Wally Schirra, who flew around Earth on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions in the 1960s.

[ScottSA]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

Hey woody, I challenge you to spend a year, nay, a month, not using fossil fuels or any products which require them. Are you game? Can you go a month without eating?

[Guthrie]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

Hey woody, I challenge you to spend a year, nay, a month, not using fossil fuels or any products which require them. Are you game? Can you go a month without eating?

almost as if he knew what he were talking about --- people ate, long before they used fossil fuels and if we are lucky enough to survive the buffoons who now poison the earth with their fossil fuel derivatives and their personal stupidity, people will go on eating after fossil fuels are long gone

[Guthrie]

despite the actions of luddites around the world, humans are waking up to the truth

Christian Science Monitor

Finally, an Earth Day with promise

For many years, it was a hollow joke. But this year, we're on the cusp of real progress.

By Bill McKibben

middlebury, vt.

For too many years, Earth Day has seemed a kind of hollow joke. We gather in our parks and on our beaches, we pledge to protect the planet's environment, and then we go home to continue living in President Bush's America, where virtually nothing happens to make the earth a safer place to live. How could it when the environmental committees in Congress were chaired by men who insisted global warming was a hoax? The stagnation had grown so bad that by last spring I hardly wanted to be a part of Earth Day at all.

What a difference a year makes. After Al Gore's movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," and after last fall's election, America feels different. Gridlock on Capitol Hill hasn't ended yet, but I sense it soon will.

Last weekend, working with seven new graduates from Middlebury College where I teach, I helped organize a nationwide day of global-warming protests. We launched our website, stepitup07.org, in January, asking people to hold rallies on April 14. Since we had no money and no organization, our expectations were low: We secretly hoped we might be able to organize a hundred of these demonstrations.

Instead, last Saturday, there were 1,400 demonstrations across the nation. All 50 states were amply represented. There were evangelical churches and sorority chapters rallying; demonstrations took place on ski slopes and bike paths. Even underwater scuba divers off the coral reefs of Key West held up the same sign as everyone else, demanding that Congress cut carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050.

We couldn't have pulled off those rallies a year ago – and if we had, that 80 percent demand would have seemed extreme and radical. Instead, it's now emerging as a realistic request. Just in the past few weeks, presidential candidate John Edwards has made it the centerpiece of his energy policy. Most of his rivals haven't announced their targets yet, but expect them to be in the same range. Meanwhile, several bills have been introduced in Congress. Last Saturday, dozens of members of Congress took part in our rallies, including Rep. Ed Markey (D) of Massachusetts, who will chair the new House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

None of this means change will come easily. The opponents – big energy companies chief among them – are some of the most powerful political players in the country. For 20 years, they've kept action on global warming at bay. But the science has grown too obvious, and the political demands too loud, for that shutout to continue. Instead, the special interests are trying to carve out the easiest deal they can.

After so many years of no progress at all, some environmentalists will find any deal hard to resist. But in fact, precisely because we've delayed action so long, we need to hold firm now for reductions in coal, oil, and gas use large enough to meet the minimum scientific requirements. Demanding an 80 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2050 is not pie-in-the-sky; it's the kind of signal we need to send if we're going to affect investment decisions, subsidy policy, and every other part of our policy.

So this Earth Day (April 22), the talk shouldn't be sentimental or vague – or discouraged. It should come with a couple of numbers – 80 percent by 2050. And it should be hopeful. Because even though the transition to a green economy has yet to begin, we can finally see it looming on the horizon. It's as pretty a sight as spring wildflowers spreading across the meadows.

[sunsettommy]

YAWN.

[B. Max]

='Guthrie' date='Apr 21 2007, 03:55 PM' post='210669']

So this Earth Day (April 22), the talk shouldn't be sentimental or vague – or discouraged. It should come with a couple of numbers – 80 percent by 2050. And it should be hopeful. Because even though the transition to a green economy has yet to begin, we can finally see it looming on the horizon. It's as pretty a sight as spring wildflowers spreading across the meadows.

What a bunch of dopes.

[speaker]

What a bunch of dopes.

I'm thinking you've never seen wildflowers spreading across a meadow. There is nothing wrong with caring for the Earth and surprisingly there are some benefits. Economics, the management of the house, and ecology, the study of the house are related and interrelated.

There will be downsides to reducing energy use. For example the energy companies may have to wait for their next set of billions, but if they were good enough to make the investment in small scale alternatives that can be done on a local site specific basis, I for one wouldn't begrudge them the huge money they are still going to get from their known reserves.

[B. Max]

There will be downsides to reducing energy use. For example the energy companies may have to wait for their next set of billions, but if they were good enough to make the investment in small scale alternatives that can be done on a local site specific basis, I for one wouldn't begrudge them the huge money they are still going to get from their known reserves.

You'll not bleed them. The investors will shut them down first.

[speaker]

You'll not bleed them. The investors will shut them down first.

Where do you think the investors would go? Given the reason behind this thread.

[Guthrie]

Well, the newspapers are full of the 90% who can now see the truth.

And this hall tells us what kind of nut jobs comprise the trailing 10%

[B. Max]

You'll not bleed them. The investors will shut them down first.

Where do you think the investors would go? Given the reason behind this thread.

I can't really speculate where they might go, however they have operations around the world. I know a lot of it going to the US. They have already shut down the conventional side of oil in Alberta. That amounts to around eight billion dollars worth of investment in the country every year. Stelmach has introduced a budget trying to head off the fallout from the money fleeing Alberta complete with warnings of going into a deficit. The damage has already begun that Ottawa and Stelmach's government have caused so far.

[ScottSA]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

Hey woody, I challenge you to spend a year, nay, a month, not using fossil fuels or any products which require them. Are you game? Can you go a month without eating?

almost as if he knew what he were talking about --- people ate, long before they used fossil fuels and if we are lucky enough to survive the buffoons who now poison the earth with their fossil fuel derivatives and their personal stupidity, people will go on eating after fossil fuels are long gone

Right. So I'm challenging you to do the same. Starting now. Turn off your computer, your heat, your electricity, your water, take everything out of your fridge that was produced with the help of fossil fuels and give it to your neighbour, give away your car, stop going to work, and live outside your house without a tent or any bedding except whatever animal skins or nonindustrial cottage industry material you can dredge up. I dare you to give up the use of fossil fuels or its derivitives for a month. Since you think wind power is so easy to switch to, you can probably rig up some sticks and twigs into some sort of windmill, although where you are going to get the wire to transmit power, or to what end, is beyond me.

But hey woody, natural is best, right? Think you can do it?

[margrace]

Ever notice that the same group of posters on here deny changes to our climate, deny anything that puts control on big business, deny that we have a problem in how fat our people are becoming, deny that we should bring our soldiers home, deny that Mr. Bush is a big problem, hate anything that helps farmers such as supply management and the wheat board, complain continually about supporting people such as the Maritimers who have fallen on bad time and having to pay for other peoples health care and finally who support anything that Mr. Harper does.

Ever wonder who is paying them, don't you see the pattern.

[bush_cheney2004]

Ever notice that the same group of posters want government to solve all their problems, including the elected president of another nation?

[B. Max]

Ever notice that the same group of posters on here deny changes to our climate, deny anything that puts control on big business, deny that we have a problem in how fat our people are becoming, deny that we should bring our soldiers home, deny that Mr. Bush is a big problem, hate anything that helps farmers such as supply management and the wheat board, complain continually about supporting people such as the Maritimers who have fallen on bad time and having to pay for other peoples health care and finally who support anything that Mr. Harper does.

Ever wonder who is paying them, don't you see the pattern.

One thing we don't have to wonder about. Is where Earth Day came from, and why it should banned.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/ARticles/Printable.asp?ID=3965

[DogOnPorch]

Who here went out and picked up garbage? That's Earth Day...dramatic effect if enough people do it.

Imagine 1000s of years from now at an archaeological dig into the 20-21st century. We've reached the "McFlurry Spoon" layer...now into the "Roll-Up The Rim To Win" layer. In this epoch, lawyers grazed the blacktop plains looking for fresh bagels.

------------------------------------------------------------------

There is nothing so clean...as my burger machine.......You deserve a break today...so get up and get away...to McDonalds!

---

[ScottSA]

gARblEd InErFNo IgnItiNg fOretsn!1!!!1!11!!!!!

Meanwhile, in other news, 100s of seal hunter's boats are trapped in unseasonable ice.

Seal hunter Gill Cadwell told the network that the ice floes had pushed his boat high out of the water for a time.

"I've never, ever experienced nothing like this," he said.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.h...6f679da&k=19186

[Guthrie]

Ever notice that the same group of posters want government to solve all their problems, including the elected president of another nation?

once again, look who's talking about sucking on the govt tit ---- a retired submarine spy who says he doesn't get all his money from the govt as his pension isn't enough to live off and boy isn't it lucky he gets social security

[geoffrey]

The damage has already begun that Ottawa and Stelmach's government have caused so far.

What are you talking about?

[bush_cheney2004]

once again, look who's talking about sucking on the govt tit ---- a retired submarine spy who says he doesn't get all his money from the govt as his pension isn't enough to live off and boy isn't it lucky he gets social security

Military retirement, Social Security, another pension, 401K, Roth IRA, tax free municipal bonds, rental property, and T-Bills make for a nice nest egg while you slum. And hell, if I get sick there is Medicare A, B and D.

You have to give to receive...LOL!

[BubberMiley]

Is what they say goes on in submarines really true?

[bush_cheney2004]

Is what they say goes on in submarines really true?

Yes.

[Guthrie]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

Hey woody, I challenge you to spend a year, nay, a month, not using fossil fuels or any products which require them. Are you game? Can you go a month without eating?

almost as if he knew what he were talking about --- people ate, long before they used fossil fuels and if we are lucky enough to survive the buffoons who now poison the earth with their fossil fuel derivatives and their personal stupidity, people will go on eating after fossil fuels are long gone

Right. So I'm challenging you to do the same. Starting now. Turn off your computer, your heat, your electricity, your water, take everything out of your fridge that was produced with the help of fossil fuels and give it to your neighbour, give away your car, stop going to work, and live outside your house without a tent or any bedding except whatever animal skins or nonindustrial cottage industry material you can dredge up. I dare you to give up the use of fossil fuels or its derivitives for a month. Since you think wind power is so easy to switch to, you can probably rig up some sticks and twigs into some sort of windmill, although where you are going to get the wire to transmit power, or to what end, is beyond me.

But hey woody, natural is best, right? Think you can do it?

How sad, particularly for you slow pated luddites who can't see a transformation that is measurable in under 6 months and --- ****wake up here lads **** over the course of five years, a program which could be truly phenomenal and outward reaching across all aspects of society.

How drab and dull, the world you live in -- take a look, find someone who can inject some color into your brain and picture yourself leading the way to mankinds golden beginning.

take your hippie clap trap and your toxic-carcinogenic-toxic-waste,lesion-producing luddite past and give it over to the NEW TECHNOLOGY!!! --- HEY, IT'S AT YOUR DOOR

http://www.managenergy.net/products/R1002.htm

http://www.faz.net/d/invest/meldung.aspx?id=45345048

http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/Germany...terFischer.html

[B. Max]

The damage has already begun that Ottawa and Stelmach's government have caused so far.

What are you talking about?

Harper and his flip flop on energy trusts, Stelmach and his intensity targets, refusing to issue permits for construction of new sub stations and pipe line tie ins. Budgets for drilling and the construction of new lease roads and leases have been slashed by 75 to 100%. Other than the oil sands, the oil patch is for the most part is shut down. Other than FT. Mac the rest of the province is conventional oil and gas.

[ScottSA]

it's an expensive view --- but a lot of humans would only benefit from the opportunity to see what's really at stake --- an opportunity to see what they have been blind to -- a chance to correct their foolish support of fossil fuels and poisoning the earth

Hey woody, I challenge you to spend a year, nay, a month, not using fossil fuels or any products which require them. Are you game? Can you go a month without eating?

almost as if he knew what he were talking about --- people ate, long before they used fossil fuels and if we are lucky enough to survive the buffoons who now poison the earth with their fossil fuel derivatives and their personal stupidity, people will go on eating after fossil fuels are long gone

Right. So I'm challenging you to do the same. Starting now. Turn off your computer, your heat, your electricity, your water, take everything out of your fridge that was produced with the help of fossil fuels and give it to your neighbour, give away your car, stop going to work, and live outside your house without a tent or any bedding except whatever animal skins or nonindustrial cottage industry material you can dredge up. I dare you to give up the use of fossil fuels or its derivitives for a month. Since you think wind power is so easy to switch to, you can probably rig up some sticks and twigs into some sort of windmill, although where you are going to get the wire to transmit power, or to what end, is beyond me.

But hey woody, natural is best, right? Think you can do it?

How sad, particularly for you slow pated luddites who can't see a transformation that is measurable in under 6 months and --- ****wake up here lads **** over the course of five years, a program which could be truly phenomenal and outward reaching across all aspects of society.

How drab and dull, the world you live in -- take a look, find someone who can inject some color into your brain and picture yourself leading the way to mankinds golden beginning.

take your hippie clap trap and your toxic-carcinogenic-toxic-waste,lesion-producing luddite past and give it over to the NEW TECHNOLOGY!!! --- HEY, IT'S AT YOUR DOOR

http://www.managenergy.net/products/R1002.htm

http://www.faz.net/d/invest/meldung.aspx?id=45345048

http://www.wind-works.org/FeedLaws/Germany...terFischer.html

I take it that's a "no"?