Problems, Predicaments, and Technology

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , Michigan

This article is a collaboration with John Peach, from  Wild Peaches .  John Peach is an applied mathematician who held a research position at MIT Lincoln Laboratory until retirement in 2020. As lead investigator of a team of physicists and mathematicians at MIT, he spearheaded development of an atmospheric lidar propagation model accounting for scattering, refraction, and object response. This technology enabled 3D mapping of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to locate and assess damage, expediting recovery efforts. As part of the disaster relief program, he made three trips to assist FEMA on-site with model implementation, and co-authored the paper  “To Expedite Roadway Identification and Damage Assessment in LiDAR 3D Imagery for Disaster Relief Public Assistance.”

  Cabwaylingo State Forest , West Virginia

In addition to my regularly scheduled article this week, I also am providing a link to this hugely popular collaboration of writers started last year and continued with Volume 2 this year.  With a Foreword by Erik Michaels and Afterword by Dr. Guy McPherson, authors include: Dr. Peter A Victor, George Tsakraklides, Charles Hugh Smith, Dr. Tony Povilitis, Jordan Perry, Matt Orsagh, Justin McAffee, Jack Lowe, The Honest Sorcerer, Fast Eddy, Will Falk, Dr. Ugo Bardi, and Steve Bull. IT BEARS REPEATING: BEST OF...VOLUME 2 For those interested in accessing last year's compilation, follow this link: IT BEARS REPEATING: BEST OF...VOLUME 1

  Mash Fork Falls, Camp Creek State Park, West Virginia

Clover Hollow Covered Bridge, Virginia

  The Blue Ridge Discovery Center  in Konnarock, Virginia I read many articles every month, which allows me to detect certain patterns within these articles. (I am working on slowing down on the number.) A large percentage of most of them contain so much bargaining and hopium that a reader who understands the predicaments we face can only laugh or cry at them. I try to glean what I can from them and ignore the parts of denial of reality and optimism bias , but some articles are so full of crap it's just not funny. Here's a prime example of what I'm talking about (although I often list these types of articles and have even written entire articles based upon them, named appropriately, Fantasies, Myths, and Fairy Tales ). That article (the prime example) lists an issue caused by several different symptom predicaments of ecological overshoot , namely, pollution loading , climate change, and ocean acidification (also a symptom of climate change).  Now, to be sure, the bleac

  Beartree Lake at Beartree Recreation Area

  Backbone Rock in northern Tennessee

  The view from Pretty Place Chapel , South Carolina

  Picture of Table Rock Mountain in South Carolina taken from Bald Ridge Heritage Preserve

Lake Jocassee as seen from the boat ramp at Devils Fork State Park in South Carolina

  PHOTO: Paul M. Walsh/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK

  Eagle Rock Train Station, Eagle Rock, Virginia

  Recently, I saw a comment from John Robin Strohl that really struck home, quote: " We are here for conversation, not conversion. " I see it the same way; that most everyone wants change, but nobody wants TO change. People are consistently looking for external change but don't seem to realize that external change can only come about from internal change. Another set of facts about change is equally important: Here's the thing...changing behavior isn't really as difficult as it may seem, but it does require a desire to change and the commitment to follow through. Most people really just don't want to convert (change), thinking that, "Why should I do it if I don't have to?" Most of my regular readers will understand that in reality, it isn't optional. If society doesn't change our collective behavior, then nature will force behavior change upon us and those who don't comply will perish. Of course, people are going to perish regardle

  Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

  Fairy Stone State Park, Stuart, Virginia

  Lover's Leap Overlook, Virginia

  Dave Gardner is going to run for President of the USA in 2024!   I've never been much into politics simply due to the fact that there are no political (or any other types) solutions to the predicaments we face. This is extremely difficult for most people to fathom, as denial of reality and optimism bias seem to rule the day with so many people who think technology or some other form of idolatry will save us. I also realize that reducing overshoot in the US might not have much effect around the rest of the world. As I've seen some people put it, so-called "solutions" are 4 or 5 decades too late. Still, I do see benefit in attempting to reduce the harm by reducing overshoot. Whether or not such attempts are successful are not as important as simply making the effort, in my mind. Of course, I've been made fun of for quite some time for this very stance, and yet it doesn't really bother me anymore. More often than not, the reasons folks laugh are because they

  Coxhall Gardens, Carmel, Indiana