Fantasy Weather

Back in late September NOAA meteorologists sailed with us from Brazil to South Africa. The crew deployed expensive oceanographic equipment in the Atlantic that tracks valuable water currents and temperature information. Between PBS ‘NOVA’ programs and winning an Emmy for a show produced with a CBS weather team, I’m quickly becoming a connoisseur of climatology. Hawaii means more to me that just surfing and sunning, my ‘Fantasy Island’ (remember Wailua Falls in the opening sequence?) also offers a tour of an observatory responsible for proving greenhouse gases are increasing because of humans. In fact, did you know that CO2 levels are higher now than they have been in the last $450,000 years? A little trivia learned from Bill Nye, the Science Guy (geek alert, geek alert). I know the debate on the effects of greenhouse gases is a contentious one. I’ve been following the pro’s and con’s of the issue for several years and given that historically the US government stalls on policy change until carnage is shed, the burning of fossil fuels will continue for some time. It’s disturbing to me that the most powerful country in the world can’t set an example for the rest of the world to follow, starting with its own consumers and auto industries. SUV to hybrid is a start but a panacea to this apocalyptic challenge begins with renewable energy. Wind farms and solar are promising but lack consistency and large tracks of land. Nuclear and Breeder reactors sound ideal until your reminded of the consequences that plutonium and radioactivity bi-products might have in the hands of a terrorist. Even fuel cells use natural gases that expel carbon atoms. So what’s left? CO2 may be a benign gas, a fertilizer that helps plants and forest grow but like everything else, it must be balanced in moderation. El-nino, Kendra, countless hurricanes, ice-caps melting… the ying and yang CO2 levels are obviously out of balance and from what I know sailing for 100 days, Mother Earth is not a force you want to upset.