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Awareness | Earth Letter | Supplemental |Stormy Weather
Book Review
by Richard Gammon
Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change
by Guy Dauncey
and Patrick Mazza
New Society Publishers, 2001
Global climate change is happening and we are largely to blame. What a heavy message the scientists have brought us. Here, just in time, is a book that provides much needed answers to the question "What can I do about climate change?" The general public is finally coming to accept the international consensus on the science of climate change. As we move beyond the debate over the climate change science (Is the planet warming? Are we responsible?) to possible responses to this daunting global challenge, people have begun to search in earnest for positive, practical responses to what is otherwise an overwhelmingly depressing message. Absent these positive suggestions, most will retreat to denial. Stormy Weather offers a vision and a roadmap for the transition to a fossil fuel-free world, a message of hope rather than despair.
The vision is clear, and Stormy Weather sets the bar very high – an 80% reduction in fossil fuel energy use by 2025, for starters. This is a much more ambitious goal than the Kyoto Protocol (which is very likely to become international law this year despite United States rejection). To reach such a goal will require a rapid and fundamental restructuring of the global energy system in both the developed and developing world, and this in turn implies a profound cultural change. Will we as a world make this transition? I'm sure we will eventually, we have no alternative to sustainability. I only question whether we will move swiftly enough toward this 'world without fossil fuels' to avoid the worst damage global climate change will bring.
As the book is focused on solutions, the science of climate change is treated only briefly, but accurately and without exaggeration (it’s bad enough as is). Especially useful in confronting arguments is the section devoted to dealing with the climate change skeptics ("The Counter Arguments").
Most of the book is devoted to a comprehensive menu of 101 solutions, a call to action at all levels: individuals, citizen organizations, cities/towns, businesses, energy companies, auto makers, states/provinces, national governments, developing nations, and global-scale. Each two-page, self-contained 'solution' presents detailed, practical suggestions, and documents real examples of early actions already taken, drawn largely from Canada and the United States. Each solution includes detailed footnotes, and an excellent summary of websites for additional information (all available at www.earthfuture.com/stormyweather).
The writing style is engaging, even humorous (as is surely needed with this topic!). The text is packed with figures and graphs, but remains comprehensible, even as arcane energy units are explained in clear, non-technical language.
Of particular interest to the faith community, Solution #14 (“Organize a Church Initiative”) is an excellent summary of the growing involvement of church groups and congregations in environmental stewardship and the challenge of climate change (Earth Ministry is included in the website list of resources).
As authors Dauncey and Mazza themselves say in Solution #55 (Help the World),“...It is our massive use of coal, gas, and oil that is responsible for the awful future that lies ahead of us, that will bring climatic chaos to the world and untold suffering to our children and grandchildren, unless we act." They close Stormy Weather with the following call to action: "We have stumbled into a crisis that invites us to act. Global climate change comes as the greatest of teachers.… A profound leap in human understanding, insight, and compassion awaits us if we open ourselves to the fullness of our situation and commence the transformational response for which it calls."
Dr Richard H. Gammon is Professor of Chemistry and Oceanography, and Adjunct Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington. He gives the following description of himself: I have a deep love of the natural world and commitment to protecting it, and a personal need to find healing by going into the woods or to the ocean shore as often as possible. My career path has moved from laboratory chemistry outward to the natural world (astronomy, atmospheric science, oceanography, climate change) and to greater involvement in public understanding of science policy issues.
I met my wife Carol on a hike in the Sierra Mountains of California in 1971. We both teach at the University of Washington (Carol is in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science). After two years of teaching and research in Brazil, we came to Seattle in 1976, and have lived here ever since, except for two years in Boulder Colorado. Our two children (Dan, Kate) are now finishing college and heading toward careers in medicine(Dan) and international service(Kate--Peace Corps?) before graduate school(anthropology?). As empty nesters (for now), we enjoy weekends on Whidbey, and caring for our dog (Kowboy) and cat (Scooter).