James Hrynyshyn is a freelance science journalist based in western North Carolina, where he tries to put degrees in marine biology and journalism to good use.
Forget efficient, clean, renewable technologies. Never mind grandiose geo-engineering schemes. No need to choose between carbon taxes and emissions caps. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has a cheaper, simpler alternative to the climate change conundrum: prayer.
Perdue's state-wide day of prayer, scheduled for this Tuesday, isn't an answer to climate change in general, just the crazy drought that's taken hold in much of the US Southeast. Atlanta has maybe 70 days worth of drinkable water left in the one reservoir that city engineers assumed would be forever sufficient.
Up here in the southeaster corner of western North Carolina, we are also suffering through an "exceptional drought" and although my little hamlet is doing OK for now, things are pretty bad for many neighboring towns and farms. So if prayer actually worked, why not use it for all our weather and climate woes?
Thanks, IPCC, but we really don't need to know the details. God will come through with whatever we need to forestall a runaway greenhouse effect, so long as be pray hard enough.
The blurring of the line between church and state isn't the big problem in Georgia, though the Atlanta Freethought Society has a legitimate beef. No, the real problem is a lack of bloodflow to Perdue's brain. Praying for rain? You've got to be kidding.
But seriously, before we turn to wishful thinking, perhaps the City of Atlanta could consider removing such notable exemptions to the mandatory water conservation measures as golf course tees and greens, commercial car washes, ornamental growers and new landscaping.
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Comments
Did you see the report on a residence in Cobb County, just north of Atlanta, that used 440,000 gallons of water in October? It seems that the extremely wealthy owner had a staff of professional gardeners who were constantly planting new landscaping plants, and professionally-installed plants can (or could at that time) be watered for 30 days. You will be relieved to learn that the latest spot check found the water use down to 2,000 gallons per day.
Posted by: Mark P | November 14, 2007 9:04 AM
The Gov. is a bright student of politically advantageous 'dynamic feelgoodism'. If y' can't DO anything about it rustle up some public prayer event as a solution. Most of the voters thereabouts will be impressed by puttin' the problem 'in the hands of God'.
Posted by: Skeptic8 | November 18, 2007 1:52 PM
I think it is best to try to cover all the bases! Do everything you possibly can and then pray as hard as you can with the assurance you are doing your best to get things right and fixed.
Dave Briggs :~)
Posted by: Dave Briggs | December 5, 2007 8:46 AM
one day of prayer... that should just about do it.
way to go Sonny. Makes me PROUD to be a Georgian, where in my county, the Industrial Development "Authority" was quoted recently saying Madison County has plenty of water! I sure wish he hadn't told anybody. It's best to keep such things secret.
Posted by: arb | December 11, 2007 10:49 PM