Cruise Ships: What Are They Telling Us?

I have come up with the perfect example of our species and the dangers we face from our own success. Humanity is thriving - now adding 1 billion more people every 14 years. Incidentally, that's why it's ludicrous to suggest humans can't impact the weather. Just look at smog. What the hell is that? A naturally occurring phenomenon that goes through geologic cycles?

Why are so many people who don't want to deal with global warming connected to the pro-business-at-any-cost, anti-environment Republican Party? I know you're willing to overlook the Constitution for your team, but would you even sell out your home planet just to get richer? Just because caring for the environment strikes you as a sissy, counter-culture move? Perhaps this is driven by religion. Does the Bible say we're supposed to be good stewards of the land or use it up in anticipation of the End Times? I literally don't know, but let's talk some common sense here.

I mean earth is basically a closed system. We gain sunlight, and some material from outer space, but we're not shedding anything, except for heat. It makes all the sense in the world that a species that does things like burn oil could eventually affect this closed system, especially when you consider that the atmosphere is an extremely thin layer when compared to the rest of the earth. I mean the crust is a thin layer. Our existence is carried out in a tiny fraction of the earth's total presence. With growing numbers, we are going to change things. I believe we already have but if you don't, go right on dreaming. And when you get to L.A. take some pictures of God's smog - the natural occurrence that isn't affecting the amount of sunlight.

Here's my Friday analogy. We've heard a lot about polar bears and ice shelves but this is what I see as the "canary in the mineshaft" image for humanity:

It's these cruise ships. Have you noticed how many cruise ships are turning into floating sickbays? Think of the population of the earth as it approaches a breaking point. We will have so many people packed on this planet that something will spread among the earth's passengers, like it does on those cruise ships.

We face increased temperatures like a trip through the Caribbean. Something nasty that mutates into existence could find it easier to thrive. It will spread through us on Cruise Ship Earth and we'll have no safe port to return to. We'll be dining at the Midnight Buffet of our existence, and for many, it will be a farewell cruise.