The winds of change seem to be blowing in Washington D.C. At least at a committee level in The US House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology. The recent political shuffling suggests that Texas Democrat Eddie Bernice Johnson will be the next head of the committee, which is probably a good thing for Mother Earth.
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson is at least open to the idea that human pollution could be behind climate change, and this is a shift away from the precious chairperson Lamar Smith. Congressman Smith wasn’t a fan of global warming theories, at least as far as they could be tied in with human-led carbon emissions.
The outgoing committee head also took money from the fossil fuel industry, which may explain his reluctance to bit the hand that had been throwing him scraps. The new boss is into pushing STEM education in the US, which would be a great move for the nation.
A Small Change in the Right Direction
The US House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology isn’t a major player when it comes to environmental policy decisions. The previous head used the committee to create Congress-approved propaganda for this fossil fuel overlords, but the net affect of his efforts are questionable.
Regardless of its overall effects, it will be good to have someone who knows how serious climate change is on a US government science committee. At this point the difference we can make in changing people’s attitudes toward climate change is questionable. Many people are passionate about making a difference, but there is little in the way of positive results.
A Rough Hand
There are no shortage reasons to start making changes in how we power out lives. Whether or not humans are responsible for the climate shifts that are happening should be seen as secondary to the known effects of a global push to destroy our environment.
We know, for a fact, that burning coal is terrible for human health, and the plastics industry is making a hugely negative impact on our planet. The Pacific Ocean is covered with discarded plastic waste. As it breaks down, it enters the environment at a level that isn’t reversible. The damage is done, but we are still expanding our ability to produce these materials on an almost unbelievable scale.
Of course, this could all be stopped by the government. Cracking facilities that churn out the raw material to create plastics are subject to a lengthy licensing process, which seems to be no problem for the major oil companies. Maybe this new found voice of reason will help the US government to see that the environment’s ability to sustain human life is limited, and could be worth protecting.
photo (c) sciencemag.com
