{"id":200,"date":"2010-04-13T01:50:33","date_gmt":"2010-04-13T08:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tatianaserafin.com\/speakers\/?p=200"},"modified":"2010-04-28T11:14:38","modified_gmt":"2010-04-28T18:14:38","slug":"a-christian-perspective-on-global-warming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tatianaserafin.com\/speakers\/a-christian-perspective-on-global-warming\/","title":{"rendered":"A Christian Perspective on Global Warming"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve been writing a book examining climate change and energy policy from a Christian perspective. <\/em>The book, Jesus Wants US to Stop Global Warming<\/em>, relates climate and energy issues to values Christian Americans hold dear: increased national security, personal and national financial prosperity, America\u2019s continued supremacy as a global superpower, and, of course, the teachings of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Whether you believe global warming is happening or not, global warming solutions make sense.\u00a0 The developed world is transitioning from a carbon-fuel economy towards a renewable-energy economy. \u00a0Consumer preferences, the inevitable regulation of CO2<\/sup>, the innovation of efficiency technologies, and the production of cheap renewable energy are all fueling this transition.\u00a0 As always, firms and industries willing and able to adapt to the changing economic environment will remain competitive; firms and industries unable or unwilling to adapt will fold.<\/p>\n

While global warming is often the focal point of energy and environmental politics, peak oil is startlingly left out of the conversation.\u00a0 Peak oil scares me because it\u2019s deleterious effects will be felt in my lifetime.\u00a0 Oil industry executives, petro-geologists, and Saudi Princes agree: The world\u2019s supply of cheap oil is running out.<\/span> Sometime in the next two decades (if not already), world oil production will begin a slow, steady, and terminal decline.\u00a0 Some predict demand will surpass supply as early as 2015.\u00a0 When this happens, the dominos will begin to fall.<\/p>\n

Our complete dependence on an uninterrupted supply of cheap oil cannot be overstated.\u00a0\u00a0 Our food supply is grown with petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides, planted and harvested with heavy machinery, and then transported thousands of miles in trucks.\u00a0 Rising oil prices mean rising food prices.\u00a0 Any extended interruption in the supply of oil means an interruption in the food supply.\u00a0 Since grocery stores turn over their inventory every three days, we are\u2014as one commentator stated\u2014\u201cnine meals from anarchy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The extraction of coal, the manufacture of medicine, our national defense, and our transportation systems all depend completely on the uninterrupted supply of cheap oil.\u00a0 Still, we do nothing to curb demand despite knowing supplies are running out.\u00a0 If we continue failing to act, we will leave our children a world broken of constant scarcity and war.\u00a0 Or, we can profit by implementing solutions.\u00a0 Now as always, the choice is ours.<\/p>\n

Tim Mahon is seeking a publisher for <\/em>Jesus Wants US to Stop Global Warming.\u00a0 He blogs at<\/em> <\/a><\/em>www.JesusConserves.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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