I wasn't sure where to post this, so I hope I have got it in the right place. As children nearly 60 years ago we used to collect fresh holly to decorate our home from this very tree. This picture was taken yesterday and there is absolutely no way that these berries will still be on the tree by the end of November, let alone into December. That means that this tree is at least 6 weeks ahead of where it was in the late 1950's. Now is that climate warming or general air pollution??
Not early for here, the holly trees are laden. As I said on another thread, when we were making Christmas wreaths the holly was picked now and kept in shed in buckets of water.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Yes, the problem is immense and we are all responsible for it - perhaps our parents before us too - the governments and the consumers too.
The tree is in our garden, we are lucky to have such a beautiful tree which we had pollarded approx 15 years ago - it looked dreadful for a few years, but now is far denser and a nicer shape too - the birds love it.
We must follow your suggestion Lyn, I usually take some to my parents grave, sadly no children come asking for it to use to decorate their homes over Christmas as we used to. Everyone wants bling these days.
Such a complex topic. First there has always been and will always be climate change. Our Old Red Sandstone was laid down under desert conditions our coal from when we had tropical forests. But these changes are caused by very slow,long term continental drift. Then there are very long term astrological change caused by our orbit round the sun etc. What were talking about is very rapidly short term changes caused by increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere inextricably linked to human industrialisation and agribusiness .Warming causes instability and more extremes. It will show in many ways but not as a coherent pattern, yet! However most climate scientists agree on a tipping point which I believe is 1.5 degree C increase which is approaching rapidly. Feel helpless, large scale,long term decisions are not being made because politicians operate on short term ,small scale, popular decision making. Phew!Sorry about the soapbox.
I can highly recommend 'A farewell to Ice' by Peter Wadhams if anyone wants to read more about climate change... It is both a first hand and scientifically based view of climate change with good scientific explanation without getting too bogged down. It is fascinating and terrifying.... it would seem that we are certain to overshoot the predicted 'safe' temperature increase in the not too distant future. We have already disturbed systems that will lead to the melting of the permafrost and other calamities, including the possible release of ancient disease (I'm a medical bore so fascinating to me at least!). The antarctic seems safe at least for now so not all doom and gloom but we need strong government to make changes. The most worrying part of all seems to be the 'silencing' of respectable scientists. Sometimes it is the voice of one strong person that can make such a huge difference (the refusal of Thalidomide a license in America for morning sickness for example) and it is deeply concerning that profit can come so far above human health. So anyway, an excellent read! (I get no royalties 😉)
Global warming is happening whether we like it or not, there is no denying it now. Recent summers here in the UK have been not just hotter but hotter for longer. Deniers could argue that 1976 was very hot, but if trends continue then summers like 1976 will become the norm, if they are not already. The very real danger now is that the planet's climate will reach a tipping point where events will be set in motion (again if they haven't already), regardless of what action we take.
We came to be here by a freak of nature and will go the same way as have all the other planets. I see no point now in me getting het up about it, not using the plastic flower pot or a carrier bag from Tesco is just a drop in the ocean. (Scuse the pun) all we can do is keep pressing the round the world governments but if they won’t listen what can we do? Everytime a rocket shoots up into space it burns a bloody great hole in the ozone layer. The hole over the Antarctic which happens every year and then heals itself is getting bigger each year, there will probably come a time when it won't heal. What can we do,sod all!
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Watching Prince Charles last night talking about the plastic problem way back in the early 1970's (or was it before), and people laughed at his concerns. I am as guilty as the next person - Fisher Price toys for the children, single use plastic bags and much more besides.
Nobody thought long term - they still don't. Now it is fracking, authorities and governments just don't seem to care long term, they won't be there to pick up the pieces, but our grand/great grand children will be and I do fear for them, what will they think of us?
Was it on the Prince Charles programme that they mentioned the man who discovered what we were doing in mid 1800’s ? We watch so many documentaries it could have been another programme. When they first discovered that it was CFC’s making holes in the ozone layer, they stopped the polystyrene chip trays and spray cans almost overnight, now they all say they will do something by 2025 or even more. We had a very close shave with an asteroid a couple of months ago, it comes between us and the moon that’s close, one day it may hit, then there will be no worries about any of it. It will be like Planet of the Apes films, we will have to start again that’s if there are any survivors. Cheerful little bunny arn’t I? 😀
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
As I said on another thread, when we were making Christmas wreaths the holly was picked now and kept in shed in buckets of water.
What were talking about is very rapidly short term changes caused by increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere inextricably linked to human industrialisation and agribusiness .Warming causes instability and more extremes. It will show in many ways but not as a coherent pattern, yet!
However most climate scientists agree on a tipping point which I believe is 1.5 degree C increase which is approaching rapidly.
Feel helpless, large scale,long term decisions are not being made because politicians operate on short term ,small scale, popular decision making.
Phew!Sorry about the soapbox.
I see no point now in me getting het up about it, not using the plastic flower pot or a carrier bag from Tesco is just a drop in the ocean. (Scuse the pun) all we can do is keep pressing the round the world governments but if they won’t listen what can we do?
Everytime a rocket shoots up into space it burns a bloody great hole in the ozone layer.
The hole over the Antarctic which happens every year and then heals itself is getting bigger each year, there will probably come a time when it won't heal. What can we do,sod all!
When they first discovered that it was CFC’s making holes in the ozone layer, they stopped the polystyrene chip trays and spray cans almost overnight, now they all say they will do something by 2025 or even more.
We had a very close shave with an asteroid a couple of months ago, it comes between us and the moon that’s close, one day it may hit, then there will be no worries about any of it.
It will be like Planet of the Apes films, we will have to start again that’s if there are any survivors.
Cheerful little bunny arn’t I? 😀