Time: Sun Jun 15 20:07:26 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id UAA07683; Sun, 15 Jun 1997 20:05:53 -0700 (MST) by usr06.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id UAA11386; Sun, 15 Jun 1997 20:04:50 -0700 (MST) Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 20:03:29 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: The Hamaker Hypothesis (6 of 7) [This text is formatted in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.] Video Review: "Stopping the Coming Ice Age" Directed by Larry Ephron Produced by the Institute for a Future Looking back, it seems that 1988 was the year for important, "new" environmental issues and concerns to surface. In particular, this was the year in which the idea of the so-called "greenhouse effect" finally gained public acceptance, if not notoriety -- a year that saw record-breaking drought, hurricanes, and forest fires. Suddenly, the idea of global warming was appearing everywhere in the media, and it seemed that concerned scientists and politicians were unanimous in their support for the global warming scenario. However, this unanimity is an illusion, media coverage to the contrary. In fact, there is much controversy within the scientific community as to the climatic effects and socio- political ramifications of the greenhouse effect. It is far from certain that the climate changes we're seeing are leading to or caused by global warming. In fact, there is actually considerable evidence that points to a very different conclusion: that the planet may be teetering on the brink of another Ice Age. One of the foremost proponents of this latter view is John Hamaker, a mechanical engineer who has extensively analyzed climate and ecological patterns, and has developed a comprehensive and holistic approach to understanding global climate change. His theories, expressed in his book The Survival of Civilization, are now being supported and disseminated by a foundation called "Institute for a Future" which recently created a remarkable video presentation: "Stopping the Coming Ice Age." This video is inspiring, frightening, challenging and very informative, as it takes us around the world in search of answers. While Hamaker agrees that the greenhouse effect is a very real threat, he believes -- and backs this up with hard data and expert opinion -- that it will not warm the Earth uniformly, but instead will increase the temperature differential between the equator and the poles, causing increased thermal convection, atmospheric turbulence, and rapidly shifting and bizarre weather patterns. In this scenario, high winds moving from the equator towards the poles will drop their abundant moisture in the higher latitudes in the form of snow and ice, often creating drought conditions in the temperate regions. He believes that the tropical and sub-tropical zones will indeed get hotter, but the temperate zones are likely to get cooler and drier. Hamaker's understanding of the greenhouse effect takes us far beyond the popularized, watered-down information available through the mass media, because he explores deeper levels of cause and effect, process and purpose. The most profound information presented in this video concerns the connections between the greenhouse effect and the development of an ice age, and the importance of understanding long-term cycles (100,000 years!) of climate change. The video demonstrates the causal connections linking together all the different environmental/ atmospheric phenomena that combine to bring on an ice age: (1) soil erosion and demineralization (2) the subsequent weakening and dying of the forests (3) the resulting increase in insect infestations, forest decay, and massive forest fires (4) the dramatic increase in carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by these natural causes, which induces the greenhouse effect (5) and in the 20th century -- as opposed to 100,000 years ago -- man-made pollution and our destructive tampering with the natural balance of life are intensifying and hastening the process. According to Hamaker, an ice age performs a vitally necessary natural function. As the glaciers advance and then retreat, they move and grind up immense quantities of rock, thus spreading gravel and rock dust over much of the temperate zones. This process, along with the winds that help distribute this rock dust even further, gradually remineralies the soil -- which feeds the plants and forests, promoting rapid and healthy growth -- during which time the plants breathe in much of the excess carbon dioxide, use the carbon, and release the oxygen back into the air which we and all other animals breathe! Thus, a primary function of glaciation is to remineralize and help reforest the Earth. The reason this video is called "Stopping the Coming Ice Age" is that Hamaker thinks we humans can -- indeed must, if we want our civilization to survive -- remineralize the Earth ourselves. We ourselves can fulfill the vital role played by an ice age, rendering such a geological event obsolete. This means, however, that the governments and peoples of all countries and regions would need to make it a top priority to remineralize our depleted soils, and also to engage in massive reforestation projects, planting billions of trees worldwide. Without healthy forests, we have no chance at all of slowing the tremendous buildup of carbon dioxide which fuels the greenhouse effect. As the video puts it, "The trees of the world are our best friends now, and only they can save us." Obviously, then, we also need to stop clear-cutting our forests, both here and in the tropics, and to limit our fossil fuel burning, which has been accelerating the greenhouse process. Only by doing all these things, says Hamaker, can we avoid horrific consequences for humanity in the very near future. The audacity of this theory and this proposal lies in its utter simplicity and common-sense quality. Yet, many people may not heed Hamaker's message and information because we have become so enamored of "high-tech" solutions and short-term planning, gratification and profit. Hamaker's plan demands a clear understanding of our planetary dilemma, and a deep commitment to creating a viable future, as well as some sacrifice of comfort and convenience. The video concludes with these questions: "Have we got the guts to do it? How much do we really want to be here?" Whether or not Hamaker's proposal is every implemented on a large scale, we can all do things individually and collectively to help educate people and help heal the planet. The video points out that, even if these theories are not totally "provable", or even completely accurate, we should still do the things that Hamaker suggests, for the sake of ecological balance, conservation, and planetary sanity. In addition to the ideas discussed in this review, this video explores many other aspects of our ecological and social dilemmas -- many more than can be dealt with here. There is so much vital information presented, within such a comprehensive framework, that this video ranks as a definite "must see" for anyone at all concerned about environmental issues and social change. [This review was published in Katuah Journal, Spring, 1989.] # # # ======================================================================== Paul Andrew Mitchell : Counselor at Law, federal witness B.A., Political Science, UCLA; M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine tel: (520) 320-1514: machine; fax: (520) 320-1256: 24-hour/day-night email: [address in tool bar] : using Eudora Pro 3.0.2 on 586 CPU website: http://www.supremelaw.com : visit the Supreme Law Library now ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this As agents of the Most High, we came here to establish justice. We shall not leave, until our mission is accomplished and justice reigns eternal. ======================================================================== [This text formatted on-screen in Courier 11, non-proportional spacing.]
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