Buying into environmental issues
01/08/2004 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

In the summer months, it’s said that there are fewer people spend time in front of a computer screen and on the Net because the hours are lighter and you’re out in the sun.

Hello everyone

People have always associated global warming with well...just that. More sunshine. Everyone with all round tans. Little thought is given or considered that where one country’s temperature goes up, another will definitely go down as the air currents move more haphazardly although more predictably around the world (ever thought how or why our weather announcers are getting ever more accurate?). The hole in the ozone layer still neatly out the way over the Antarctic, even if it’s still growing, and who’s ever heard of a penguin with sunburn?

The fact that it has an effect on how the jetstream air currents move air around the world explains why we in the UK are now getting wind from the north-east and are having the dullest summer weather and, just for a change, a lot of rain in years. Oddly enough, there’s also a matter of no American space flights jockeying the warm weather back in our direction either. Those of you old enough to remember all the Apollo flights might remember how hot the weather became in the UK the following weeks after each mission. The space shuttles might not have such powerful rockets but without them this past two years is showing an effect on our weather. Fortunately, mostly in a good way with no real lasting effects world-wide. As to the Antarctic and other icy regions, the glaciers are melting and that will also have an effect on the ocean currents not to mention raising sea level. The point I’m making here is that the weather is dependent on what you chuck into the atmosphere as well as what affects us at ground level. More importantly, none of us are going to benefit.

The damage to the ozone layer is still more a problem of continual release of factory, car and other bi-products into the atmosphere rather than the occasional rocket launch. CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons emissions might slowly be brought into check, but the greenhouse effect will take years to fully stabilise, let alone restore itself to something we had a few decades back. Who wants a planet that looks like the Venus we have today?

It isn’t something that can be paid off or allowed by concession. what affects one part of the world today, will affect others tomorrow. One only has to witness the effect of turning the Amazon forests into timberland to realise the effect that also will have on the fresh water supply throughout the world, not to mention any other ecological damage. It would make sense to pay the Amazon lumberjacks to do other employment than tear up their landscape. As a species, Man has still to show some collective common-sense when it comes to looking after his environment so all benefit rather than the wealthier nations. The only legacy we’re likely to leave for whatever species that might one day replace us is a garbage tip that we once called Earth.

This kind of problem has been dealt with in various Science Fiction stories over the years and I’m sure you all have your favourite stories as to which brought that fact home to you and might have done something about it. What is significant is that wealthy nations always paying the poorer nations for their resources to keep themselves going in the manner they are accustomed to. Science Fiction invariably reflects our own reality far too much but offering little solutions other than do nothing and let nature take its course to restore itself. In some ways, this is understandable. I mean, if an SF author glibly came up with a deux ex machina device and wave the magic wand and had an instant solution, I doubt if few would really be impressed. Even if there was a real technological scientific solution, it would still take years to sort out the globe. If this is recognition in SF, then in our reality it would still take just as long. Man is supposed to be inventive and resourceful then it’s high time he started looking after his world by reducing environmental damage.

Resources are not infinite and if proper attention isn’t spent in developing alternative means of energy supply and implementing them then ultimately, we will face our own extinction by making the wrong choices. Granted that there are some moves in that direction, just not enough and with so much opposition when it looks like it's in your own backyard. Something such as wind farms that can provide cheap electricity without damaging the environment raises objections to the giant fans cluttering up the landscape and view. Such equipment can hardly be placed underground or in sheltered areas. [At the time of writing this editorial, it also appears that the political opposition party in the UK is making such claims but not backed up by the people living near the wind farms.] No doubt these same people will raise similar objections when tidal power is used, despite the fact that the machinery for this will be mostly underwater and not at any beach resort. They might also be the same people who object to nuclear power, too. Yes, there have been problems when nuclear generators haven’t been properly supervised and more work needs to be done with neutralising waste, but they don’t pollute the atmosphere in quite the same way as the finite supplies of coal or oil burning generators do. Talk about seeing all our resources going up in smoke.

As commented in previous editorials, part of the human condition is that some move along with change rather well while others prefer something akin to the status quo that exists now or in their childhood. Both have good and bad points even if the past tends to be pictured a lot more rosy than reality indicates. Back in the 1950s, to remove smog from London meant moving industry out of the capital. A decision that made for a much more healthy place. In today’s world, we have places like Los Angeles that have a constant hazy smog. I doubt if the Americans will stop using the key pollutant from their roads or even reduce traffic but to keep on going as if it will go away hardly seems to be a rationale decision. I’m picking those two examples of extremes as ones you’ve all heard about. For each of the countries you come from, I’m sure you can cite your own examples.

We all need to make some sort of contribution to controlling our environment. On an individual front, if your area hasn’t taken up recycling yet, then it needs encouragement to do so and as many participating as possible. We’ve had such recycling operations since last year but it still needs much encouragement and more things recycled. Those of you who’ve seen the statistics for how much is thrown away every day don’t need telling that this planet is likely to become one big rubbish tip by the end of the century unless we’re constructive about removing it. The more recycling that is done, the more ways will be found with things that aren’t just yet. I still find it remarkable that no one has come up with a way to recycle cardboard packing considering how much of it is around. Maybe they just need the right financial incentive? Can’t cardboard be pulped and be made into more cardboard? Gotta be cheaper than cutting down trees.

The real key to ensure recycling and other environmental issues are dealt with by big businesses is to show that there is a profit to be made from it. If the only language they understand and speak is money, then speak money back to them. If it seems like too small a profit, remind them of the PR values of being economical with excess and waste. Setting new patterns of thought tends to make many things standard practice once it's employed. Some companies do such things already but such activity needs complete support if it has to have any effect not just the small number we have today.

No doubt we all have our favourite solutions to all these problems but few of us are really in a position to do much about them other than, say, influencing a vote at an election. This isn’t a recommendation to vote for environmental parties by the way. A lot of the time, politics is as much a matter of bartering with the devil on many fronts as laying the law down and having companies holding things up in court cases for years on end.

Things rarely turn out as we expect either. Considering that we’re supposed to be heading towards becoming a paperless society, we seem to becoming even greater paper users. No doubt when we’re down to the last tree someone will think we’ve been using too much but by that time, I doubt if we’d have much topsoil or fresh water either, let alone a little thing called a breathable atmosphere. Pass the oxygen cylinder why I think about that problem. Last gasp anyone?

It is all too easy to spell out the dangers of destroying all our resources and people have undoubtedly brought out better arguments than me on the subject. If you’re in a position to or of influence to your respective companies or countries then check to see how responsible they are or need to improve and present sound arguments that they can act on. Providing viable solutions that are easy to implement and might even make a profit - the language of businessmen - can only earn brownie points for everyone.

Be happy. Be safe. Watch what you throw away. Enjoy the rest of the website.

Thank you and good night

Geoff Willmetts

editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk

PS My Mum’s beating me to it now having a frozen shoulder. Starlings like sunflower seeds.

Serious thinking: I started writing this editorial over a fortnight ago. Call it synergy or me being in tune with our reality but it's suddenly become a big talking point in the world news. Watch, read and learn and spread the word. Make sure your voices are heard as well.

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 1: Gremlins. Never quite understood the films about the cute little critters.. I mean, if you can’t feed them after midnight, when can you start feeding them? Likewise, if you can’t clean them with water how do you stop them getting nits?

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 2: Since ‘Thunderbirds’ is likely to be the topic of the month, has anyone given any serious thought as to why in the original TV series that all the Tracy brothers in uniform carry guns? Granted some of the situations they’ve been in have probably warranted carrying pistols, even if they are shot out of their hands a lot of the time, but it's hardly reassuring. I mean, would they have said, ‘If you don’t let us rescue you, I’ll have to shoot you’?

PS If you’ve survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you’re going to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you’re letting yourself in for when all you’ve got to go by is the cover and promotional blurb. That means actually reading the product and telling others what you think. For that, we’re always on the outlook for reviewers.

Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, either know or do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively expressing good and bad points about the books you read. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn’t I?

If you like reading books in the genre, think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled prohibits elsewhere), contact me below for my ‘Reviews Flyer’ - put this in the subject ebox and we’ll see if you’ve got what it takes. We can’t pay you but a review for the price of a book has to be a good incentive.

We have one of the most popular SF review columns on the Net. Think you’re up to writing a review or do you think it's a hard thankless task?? If you think the former and can write, then you’re really going to think you’ve landed your hands in the biscuit tin. If you want to avoid all this sport that’s going on this summer, then now’s the time to do something a little more constructive and rewarding with your time.

PPS: For those keeping track, I’m still about 20 months (late November 2002) behind. We had a short story pile ready for immediate attention so some of you read this far in my editorials last time.

With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who’ve gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you’ve sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you’ve changed address, especially e-mail address. I can’t give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you’re still there when I reach your sample in the pile is making it easier on my time and catching up on the slush pile.

This isn’t much of a repeat, just to show you’re not forgotten. Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines elsewhere on this website. They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I’m repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn’t be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place.

There’s an old editorial adage, if you can’t aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? If you’re a writer, then you should understand the words and grammar of the job you’re supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you’re ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn’t see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best.

Please don't confuse this with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We’re always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can’t pay for their efforts.