Rhinocrisy

A number of interesting and alarming studies have come out in recent months underscoring the horrific pace of global warming. The most dramatic of these was one that claimed that the Atlantic currents that warm Europe have been shutting down. That claim, widely hyped in the press (and believed by yours truly), was probably overblown, it turns out. But other developments have a little more heft to them.

For example, a pair of studies came out in Science last month that examined paleoclimate evidence of sea level rise in the last interglaciation, and concluded that sea level rise of something like 4-6m might come upon us quicker than we might imagine. Since something like 450 million people live beneath the 10m mark, this sounds pretty problematic (the Gore-narrated “An Inconvenient Truth” illustrates this graphically with coastlines flooding and talks about refugee crises). Not to worry; last time the rate was 11 mm/year, which gives us something like 270 years to run away from a 3m rise. I think we’ll manage to avoid immediate catastrophes.

So, don’t panic. But DO panic. An assload of studies on Greenland give cause for concern that that pile of ice is thinning rapidly, and West Antarctic ice shelves are breaking up, contributing, by themselves, an astounding 0.4 mm/year to sea level rise. What’s most alarming about this to scientists studying climate is that all of these processes were more or less unanticipated.

If you believe this is the product of anthropogenic forces, this is all rather depressing news, since it seems there’s little being done to stop this particular trainwreck. Kyoto is set to come in to force in 2008, which means that the United States, the world’s number one emitter, is almost certainly not going to be in compliance (barring a miracle - I burn a candle in your name, Mithra). The number two emitter, China, is exempt. And even idyllic countries like Canada might be on the outs, now that the Conservatives are in power (Harper is apparently a Kyoto opponent). And, let’s not forget that I hate Kyoto anyway - in 1990 we were experiencing a rise of 2 ppm/year of CO₂, hardly small nuts, which makes all this agonizing to achieve those cuts pointless (or less pointy, anyway). As to what happens in 2012, when Kyoto runs out, it’s anyone’s guess. We’ll find out in November.

New poll on the right.

I see that although some cad voted to ban breasts in our latest poll, no one’s elected to ban breast-feeding so far. Hurrah for that, since breastfeeding is almost undisputably an unmitigated good.^* Aside from the obvious nutritional benefits, breastmilk contains lysozymes and immunoglobulin A antibodies, which protect the infant from bacterial (etc.) infection until it can develop an immune system of its own. No formula (the favorite alternative to breastmilk), as far as I know, provides the same, which at least partially accounts for the significantly higher rates of mortality and manifold increase in hospitalization rates amongst formula-fed babies. This, incidentally, is what prompted a bunch of people to call for a boycott against the Nestle corporation for marketing formula in third-world countries. Since formula is usually sold in powdered form and must be reconstituted with possibly contaminated water, this is a significantly greater risk to the child, compared to breastmilk, which is free, provides immune protection, and has other ancillary benefits as well.

There’s some indication that breastfeeding has other, long-term benefits, as well, including general mental development, possibly reducing obesity, and reducing the likelihood of childhood cancers.

It’s unfortunate, then, that breastfeeding rates are less than 100%. In the United States there’s a particularly high class discrepancy in breastfeeding rates that’s believed to be a product of a combination of lack of education on the subject (which, frankly, is dismal - even the Mayo Clinic says blithely that formula is “perfectly acceptable” as an alternative to breastmilk without discussing its failures), time and work pressures, and, unfortunately, the availability of the WIC formula credit.

We’re still at a vast improvement from the 1950s, when breastfeeding went completely out of vogue and was actively frowned upon by ignorant boob doctors^†. But as more women are forced into (or choose to enter) the workplace, hopefully this positive trend won’t backslide.

Post scriptum: Yes, menstruation won in the poll. No, no one is surprised.

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^* The one bad thing I’m aware of is that dioxins, which are fat-soluble and accumulate in the mother’s body throughout her life, can only be excreted through fatty discharges, viz., breastmilk. The mother’s first-born will thus receive her mother’s full complement of accumulated dioxin while nursing. Not a great way to start off life, but it’s probably still better to breastfeed.

^† Parse that as you like.

Crank volume, gather co-workers, click.

(For the song alone, click this.)