Two weeks ago, my friend Jim and I sat near the harbor in Greenwich, Connecticut, enjoying a quiet lunch while discussing life’s vagaries, until enough wine eventually led us to hypothesizing on what may bring about the end of the world.
Jim decided on asteroids, while my answer was cows and too many people.
I mentioned that Dr. Lawrence Rocks — a frequent guest on my radio program — regularly warned me about methane gas produced from livestock. In 2011, farm animals (especially large cows) released about 119.1 million tons of methane into the air from their mouths and butts. Carbon dioxide emissions from cars and trucks may have a greater volume than livestock, but methane gas is far more dangerous because it captures more of the sun’s energy. Cows also produce a substantial amount of manure, which is usually disposed of at a centralized location, resulting in even more greenhouse gasses.
Meanwhile, the earth’s population is growing so rapidly that we can expect another 4 billion people to inhabit the planet by 2,055. According to scientists, we will have to grow more food and raise more livestock to feed 12 billion people, which will also result in significant deforestation creating the largest carbon footprint imaginable. Additionally, we will not have enough water to serve this massive population, many who will be traversing the United States on an antiquated infrastructure as they desperately search for food and shelter.
Rather than scientists, today celebrities and politicians serve as our “experts,” issuing daily advice to us about climate change and other issues they deem crucial to our existence. This noble gathering of geniuses seems to have little or no interest in learning anything from real authorities because they prefer trumpeting a self-serving political platform rather than a legitimate cause that may do some good for the world.
To appease his base, Donald Trump is championing coal and is clearly uncaring about the world’s future as he continues to isolate us from our allies. Movie stars own private jets and multiple mansions, yet like petty despots, they preach that the rest of us must abandon fossil fuels.
Dr. Lawrence Rocks wrote "The Energy Crisis" in 1972 and helped form the U.S. Department of Energy during the Carter administration. I asked him for a worthy initiative the government could launch today, and he responded accordingly. “We should be focusing on solar architecture, a Mexico-U.S.-Canada Offshore North American wind alliance since they are our neighbors and longstanding friends, and couple corn-alcohol fuel with single cell food production.”
I am a realist, not a pessimist. I won’t be alive in 2,055 but my children will be here. Before then, I hope the right people will have an opportunity to speak and the rest of us listen to them.
Rob Taub has enjoyed an eclectic career in film, television, radio, and journalism. He has interviewed everyone from pop stars to presidents and he has written more than 250 articles for People Magazine, FoxNews.com, SI/Cauldron, The Huffington Post, and Thrive Global. Rob is a respected Diabetes Advocate and Obesity Ambassador, writing and speaking regularly about Type 2 diabetes and health. Follow him on Twitter @robmtaub or at www.RobTaub.com. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
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