I read the news today, oh boy

 

Good news is ‘nice’ but there’s nothing that tantalises the tastebuds quite like bad news and sensation, and the mainstream media is quick to admit it’s that which sells newspapers, promotes debate and fires up people to the extent we have now regarding climate change and global warming. 

However, there is nothing new in the world. It’s all been done (and said) before, somewhere, sometime, somehow. Ever-growing sensationalism sells. Even as a kid the word pollution was rarely used but we used and re-used and recycled until things wore completely out. 

But for those more scientifically minded, messages of impending doom are nothing new. Here are some international forecasts emanating from yesteryear. Some are made by scientists while some are made by politicians with ulterior motives and of which many of the younger generation will be blissfully unaware. Let’s Recap:

1966    It was considered that world oil supplies would be gone in 10 years.
1967    Dire famine forecast by 1975.
1968    Overpopulation will spread worldwide.
1969    Everyone will disappear in a cloud of blue steam by 1989.
1970    World will use up all its natural resources by 2000.
1970    Urban citizens will require gas masks by 1985.
1970    Nitrogen buildup will make all land unusable.
1970    Decaying pollution will kill all the fish.
1970    Ice Age By 2000.
1970    America subject to water rationing by 1974 and food rationing by 1980.
1971    New ice age coming by 2020 or 2030.
1972    New ice age by 2070.
1972    Oil depleted in 20 years (refer back to 1966).
1974    Space satellites show new ice age coming fast.
1974    Another ice age?
1976    Scientific consensus planet cooling, famines imminent.
1977    Department of energy says oil will peak in 90s (refer again to 1966).
1978    No end in sight to 30-year cooling trend.
1980    Acid rain kills life in lakes.
1980    Peak oil in 2000.
1988    Maldive Islands will be underwater by 2018 (they’re not).
1989    Rising sea levels will obliterate nations if nothing done by 2000.
1996    Peak oil in 2020.
2000    New millennium, computers will crash in Y2K disaster. 
2000    Children won’t know what snow is.
2002    Famine in 10 years if we don’t give up eating fish, meat, and dairy.
2002    Peak oil in 2010.
2008    Climate genius Al Gore predicts ice-free arctic by 2013 (Refer 1972).
2009    Climate Genius Al Gore moves 2013 prediction of ice-free arctic to 2014.
2013    Arctic ice-free by 2015.
2014    Only 500 days before ‘climate chaos.
2019    Something MUST be done NOW! 

I read the news today, oh boy

Good news is ‘nice’ but there’s nothing that tantalises the tastebuds quite like bad news and sensation, and the mainstream media is quick to admit it’s that which sells newspapers, promotes debate and fires up people to the extent we have now regarding climate change and global warming. 
However, there is nothing new in the world. It’s all been done (and said) before, somewhere, sometime, somehow. Ever-growing sensationalism sells. Even as a kid the word pollution was rarely used but we used and re-used and recycled until things wore completely out. 
But for those more scientifically minded, messages of impending doom are nothing new. Here are some international forecasts emanating from yesteryear. Some are made by scientists while some are made by politicians with ulterior motives and of which many of the younger generation will be blissfully unaware. Let’s Recap:

1966    It was considered that world oil supplies would be gone in 10 years.
1967    Dire famine forecast by 1975.
1968    Overpopulation will spread worldwide.
1969    Everyone will disappear in a cloud of blue steam by 1989.
1970    World will use up all its natural resources by 2000.
1970    Urban citizens will require gas masks by 1985.
1970    Nitrogen buildup will make all land unusable.
1970    Decaying pollution will kill all the fish.
1970    Ice Age By 2000.
1970    America subject to water rationing by 1974 and food rationing by 1980.
1971    New ice age coming by 2020 or 2030.
1972    New ice age by 2070.
1972    Oil depleted in 20 years (refer back to 1966).
1974    Space satellites show new ice age coming fast.
1974    Another ice age?
1976    Scientific consensus planet cooling, famines imminent.
1977    Department of energy says oil will peak in 90s (refer again to 1966).
1978    No end in sight to 30-year cooling trend.
1980    Acid rain kills life in lakes.
1980    Peak oil in 2000.
1988    Maldive Islands will be underwater by 2018 (they’re not).
1989    Rising sea levels will obliterate nations if nothing done by 2000.
1996    Peak oil in 2020.
2000    New millennium, computers will crash in Y2K disaster. 
2000    Children won’t know what snow is.
2002    Famine in 10 years if we don’t give up eating fish, meat, and dairy.
2002    Peak oil in 2010.
2008    Climate genius Al Gore predicts ice-free arctic by 2013 (Refer 1972).
2009    Climate Genius Al Gore moves 2013 prediction of ice-free arctic to 2014.
2013    Arctic ice-free by 2015.
2014    Only 500 days before ‘climate chaos.
2019    Something MUST be done NOW! 

But what, and by whom will forever remain the question?

Rob