Monday, February 22, 2010

The Fighting Patriots, Troops Fighting for Climate Change

Fighting climate change is not only good for the Earth, but apparently it's also patriotic. National security and climate change may not be the likeliest pair, but the two are more interconnected than you would think. "Climate Patriots," a video presentation released by the Pew Project on National Security, Energy and Climate, explores how solving global climate change can make for a safer America, drawing on science and military experts to find new strategies.
According to The Pew Project's Web site, "if left unchecked, global warming could lead to civil strife, economic stress, conflicts over water and other resources, mass migration, and increased terrorism."
It goes a little something like this: As tensions mount because of the adverse effects of climate change, so does political instability, leading to more conflict, fundamentalism, and increased terrorism.
"It's like taking every hornet's nest we already have around the world and shaking it up," James Morin, a former captain of the U.S. Army, said.
Our lack of energy independence (dependence on foreign oil), combined with climate change, will pose an "unacceptably high threat level," according to a recent study by retired military leaders.
"We can be a better country, we can better support our troops by becoming more energy efficient, more sustainable, by using other forms of energy-- it has to be something that all Americans feel a part of," retired Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn said.

Huffington Post
http://huffingtonpost.com

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