By Gum, Let's Pat Ourselves on the Back

Trey Smith

In this competitive dog-eat-dog world, people like to think of themselves as the top dog, the champions, numero uno, the chosen people. We want to feel special. We want to be able to point at ourselves to say that we've accomplished something that no one else has.

Well, humanity as a whole has done just that!! We can now prance around with our chests stuck out. As a group, we just set a record that has never been equaled during the span of time that Homo sapiens have walked this earth. So, let's raise a mug and give ourselves a pat on the back.

For the first time in human history, the concentration of climate-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has passed the milestone level of 400 parts per million (ppm). The last time so much greenhouse gas was in the air was several million years ago, when the Arctic was ice-free, savannah spread across the Sahara desert and sea level was up to 40 metres higher than today.

These conditions are expected to return in time, with devastating consequences for civilisation, unless emissions of CO2 from the burning of coal, gas and oil are rapidly curtailed. But despite increasingly severe warnings from scientists and a major economic recession, global emissions have continued to soar unchecked. (Source: The Guardian)

Now that we've set this "noble" record, we should not rest on our laurels. I say, if we can get to 400 parts per million, 500 or 600 should be no problem. In fact, I have supreme confidence that we can get to 1,000 parts per million in no time at all.

So people, are you with me? If we really put our noses to the grindstone, we could wipe out our entire species in only another generation or two!