'The late-in-life ecowarrior !

Climate change :

I think I mentioned in my ‘all about me’ section that I used to work in the oil industry as a processing geophysicist. All those years I spent hoping the oil prices would go up so that I would get paid more, telling people that global warming is nothing to worry about because it has happened so many times before in the geological record.
Well, last year I learnt the error of my ways... I took a level 3 course called ‘Climate Change’ with the School of Science, and boy did I change my attitude after taking that course ?! We learnt a few crucial things :

Ø  The current rate at which climate change is happening is unprecedented.

Ø  As of 2010 the current level of CO2 in the atmosphere is 390ppm.

Ø  The ‘point of no return’ whereby we will have to deal with the consequences of several centuries of warming, is 400ppm.

Ø  If current trends continue, we could see 400ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere is the next seven years!

So I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether it is an important issue... On a more light hearted note, even the Uni catering establishments are doing their bit to reduce, reuse, recycle. Did you know that you can get a 10p discount on your hot drink if you bring your own mug?

To celebrate this fact, my friend gave me a lovely climate change mug, which shows the polar ice caps and glaciers melting, followed by global sea levels rising... See picture above !

J’s record of the week.

‘Waiting in vain’
by Bob Marley

This true reggae classic needs no introduction! It was recorded for Bob Marley’s 1977 Exodus album, and reached number 27 in the UK singles chart. It was reputedly penned by Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett (so called because so many local kids called him ‘Dad’!).
I’ve chosen this as my record of the week, as I’m still waiting for news of my imminent house move and I hope I’m not ‘Waiting in vain !’ A Jamaican friend of mine once asked ‘Why do all you Cornish people love Bob Marley so much?’ At the time I couldn’t think why, but having thought about it, I suppose it must be all the sun, sea, surf and palm trees in Cornwall...  Jerushah X