All that is solid melts...

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The aspect which is ironic and sad is that the people who are experiencing some of these problems first are the people who have effectively no responsibility for the increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

- Doctor Richard Taylor

As i sit here folding pamphlets and making buttons, one of my favourite things to listen to is CBC’s Quirks and Quarks science show. The above quote comes from the May 20th segment, where host Bob McDonald talked to Dr. Richard Taylor (a lecturer in physical geography at University College London) about the disappearing glaciers in the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. According to Taylor global warming is "the only key parameter... that could explain the changes in the glacial cover."

He notes that the glaciers are of the utmost importance for the indigenous Bakonzo people; in his words "it is the center of their belief system".

As Kahentinetha Horn has pointed out, “The natural world is not respected in colonial society the way it is in ours where we learn favorable lesson from every type of creature. 25% of the species on the planet are extinct now. We had something to learn from each of them that we will never now learn.”

How much reparations will make up for destroying the entire ecosystem?

Or as Gil Scott Heron asked, “Who’ll pay reparations on my soul?” (can you believe that i couldn’t find the lyrics for this online?!?!?)

(you can listen to the mp3 of this Quirks and Quarks segment here)