Recently, I have seen a growing debate among people on the internet concerning the cause of climate change. Here are a few of the ideas that I have discovered.
The Ostrich Approach
First, there is the Ostrich approach. In this case, people are saying that nothing is really changing, that this is all media hype designed to enslave us to a political system that controls our every move. They are saying that these weather cycles come all the time. They believe that if weather conditions negatively affect our climate this year, not to worry. Things will be better next year.
Grand Solar Minimum
Grand solar minimum is a scientific cyclic phenomenon in which sunspot activity slows down to almost negative.
Two types of solar minimum exist. This type of solar minimum phase occurs approximately every eleven years and the sun’s activity is reduced to its lowest level and there are very few sunspots.
The second type is the Grand Solar Minimum in which the sun’s energy production decreases by about 7%. Scientists believe that the one occurred between 1645 and 1715. They also said that a grand solar minimum coincided with the mini-ice age that sparked the black plague and drove the Vikings out of Greenland.
According to Valentina Zharkova, Professor of Mathematics at Northumbia University in the UK, we could be at the beginning of a grand solar minimum that could bring on a mini ice age that would last approximately 3 sun cycles or 33 years and which would be at its peak around 2030. During this time we would likely to see shorter growing seasons and colder, more brutal winters and would be damaging to the world economy. They point to the world-wide decrease in crop production because of this decrease in sun energy production as the reason for the current weather patterns and devastating crop losses that occurred around the world in 2019.
As I have been reading about this event, I have found that this reason for the current agricultural difficulties is a favorite among the proponents of chemical agriculture. They believe that the reason for the crop losses is not the fault of the current agricultural system but the sun is completely responsible for what’s going on and there is not much we can do about it. It’s not your fault, farmer! Here, buy some of our GMO seed that we have designed for you!
Magnetic Pole Changes
There is evidence that the magnetic poles are shifting. Some people fear that it will lead to the polar ice caps melting and earthquakes. However, this is a magnetic pole shift, not a geographical one. All this means is that your compass will face south instead of north.
The main risk that would likely occur is that GPS satellites could glitch for hours, recovering once it is over – and of power cuts. We used to think that the power cuts could be severe and cost getting on for a trillion dollars and risk power cut for months or longer. Current estimates, however, place the damage costs to be in the range of the cost of damages of a major hurricane. It may also make it necessary for you to use more sunscreen during the time of the shift.
The big problem that is occurring involves the weakening of the earth’s magnetic field and the increased susceptibility to cosmic storms invading the earth’s atmosphere. However, this weakening is occurring slowly and gives the inhabitants of planet earth the chance to adapt and survive.
Carbon Emissions
Since Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth documentary came out, carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere has been said to be the cause of climate change. According to NASA’s Global Climate Change, Vital Signs of a Planet, carbon emissions from the earth remained relatively constant with generally balanced climatic fluctuations for 400 thousand years prior to the industrial revolution. However, since the industrial revolution and especially since 1950, carbon has been emitting into the atmosphere at an exponential rate. Just since January 16, 2005, carbon in the atmosphere has risen from 378.21 ppm to 412.43 ppm on December 16, 2019 with no indications of any real decrease during that time.
According to NASA:
Carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived “forcing” of climate change.
Can All of it be True?
Yes, it can all be true, and I am sure that it all probably is.
As you can see, there are a number of things that we can’t do anything about. We can’t change the sun or the earth’s magnetism, but we can change our part in the creation of carbon emissions. However, even decreasing the carbon in the atmosphere is difficult. Did you know that if every individual home did everything, they could to eliminate their contributions of carbon in the atmosphere that we would only decrease the increase the additions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 22%? The rest of the carbon issue is related to agriculture and industry.
What Can We Do About it?
So, what can we do? As a permaculture student and designer, I like to look at the big picture, the whole picture. I can cooperate with nature, the systems of the earth, and adapt to the climate changes. I see the value in heirloom seeds that I can save. These seeds offer diverse genetics that adapt to the current climate in my current location. I see the value of adapting to climate by realizing that I might not be able to grow the same crops on my land that grew on my land a few years ago.
Compost helps feed diverse micro-organisms that adapt more readily to changes. Bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and the like adapt to changes readily and help the neighboring plants adapt. Unlike pesticides, herbicides, and antibiotics, compost teas, vermiculture teas, insect frask, and other natural measures can be used to prevent or solve problems related to insect or disease infestations in a way that decreases the chances of reoccurrence.
As I get to understand my own land better, I can develop my own microclimate. If rain comes in buckets in just a few hours and then doesn’t come again for months, I can conserve my water through rain catchment, and spreading, and storing, and sinking water on my property. I can see where some technology can benefit the situation too. I can use greenhouses, row covers, indoor lighting, or shade cloths to capture or filter the sun depending on sun intensity.
I see the value of smaller localized farms that serve the communities in which they are located. I foresee the demise of giant agribusiness farms. We should consider that gone are the days where we get all of our fruits and vegetables from California, Texas, and Florida. We should realize that the Great Plains are better suited to range grasslands than corn and CAFOs. It’s time we started realizing that some crops should be grown and eaten in season whenever possible. We can grow fruits, berries, vegetables, and even livestock in our own backyards and produce a product that is healthier and more sustainable.
No matter what the reason for the extreme weather we are facing, we can change and adapt by working with nature rather than against it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the sun and the Grand Solar Minimum or changes in the earth’s magnetism, or carbon emissions, nature always has an answer if we are willing to listen what nature has to tell us.
Author Cygnet Brown 