Dickinson to Durban » Archive
Who’s Got the Power?
Climate change is an expansive issue that needs reform on many levels from the individual choices we make to the framework of world politics. Bulkeley and Newell argue in Global Institutions: Governing Climate Change that on the political level the nation state is not as important as it is perceived to be and that there are other important actors in climate change politics. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), the IPCC, and large corporations do have significant influence on climate politics, but are they more important actors than nation states? NGOs did help shape negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol through the Climate Action Network (CAN) and the European Union. The UNFCC does have measures to check the parties who signed the treaty and the IPCC’s reports do have influence among the leaders, but what … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change
The Lorax Can’t Stand Alone
Dr. Seuss’s children’s book, The Lorax, demonstrates the effects of consumerism and industry on our environment, represented by the Truffula forest; as well as the regret we will experience should we fail to take action against these powers, illustrated by the Once-ler. In the end, the Truffula forest is destroyed except for one seed, which is given to a little boy in the hope that he will successfully care for the seed and undo the damage, bringing back the Lorax and his friends. Maniates says that the little boy charged with planting the tree cannot bring back the Truffula tree forest and the Lorax. He criticizes there is too much emphasis on the ability of the individual to effect change, and he makes a valid point. Maniates argues that the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change
What’s a few degrees warmer?
When discussing global climate change invariably someone starts talking about the weather. Weather and climate are not the same. We can comment on changes in weather from day to day or year to year, but climate is much bigger. Climate is from decade to decade or century to century. Sometimes the weather changes and there is a particularly hot summer or mild winter, but that does not prove that climate change is occurring. Climate does not change from year to year like the weather does. The increase of the global temperature even just a few degrees will cause smaller ice sheets, extinction of animals and changes their habitat range, as well as more severe weather. Depending on one’s location this could mean a more brutal winter. Our humanness would lead … Read entire article »
Filed under: Climate Change, Summer Reading Responses, Weather
Did violence strengthen the movement?
1. Explain the reasons behind the creating of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). Do you think adopting violence as a method strengthened or weakened the anti-apartheid movement? Umkhoto we Sizwe (MK) was formed after fifty years of non-violent resistance by the ANC. In those fifty years, non-violent resistance brought a sense of unity to the masses, but it had not managed to instigate changes in the government. After fifty years people were tired of having their peaceful resistance met with harsh and unnecessary violence. When MK is formed it is to take the resistance to the next level. Non-violent resistance has united the African people, but the movement was starting to fall apart as people became more frustrated with the lack of results. Fifty years later and they are still fighting the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Mosaic Action, Summer Reading Responses
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