Exclusive: Elevated CO2 Levels Directly Affect Human Cognition, New Harvard Study Shows

In a landmark public health finding, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health finds that carbon dioxide (CO2) has a direct and negative impact on human cognition and decision-making. These impacts have been observed at CO2 levels that most Americans — and their children — are routinely exposed to today inside classrooms, offices, homes, planes, and cars.

Carbon dioxide levels are inevitably higher indoors than the baseline set by the outdoor air used for ventilation, a baseline that is rising at an accelerating rate thanks to human activity, especially the burning of fossil fuels. So this seminal research has equally great importance for climate policy, providing an entirely new public health impetus for keeping global CO2 levels as low as possible.

Read Joe Romm’s ThinkProgress story - “Exclusive: Elevated CO2 Levels Directly Affect Human Cognition, New Harvard Study Shows.

Another negative, depressing, disempowering global warming story

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egative, depressing and disempowering stories discussing the implications and complications of global warming are manifest.

Another tells of tells how that if the world community fails to act and act quickly we head toward a chaotic situation in which it will be man against man, rather than man with and for man.

VICE News is an international news organization created by and for a connected generation.

It claims to provide unvarnished look at some of the most important events of our time, highlight under-reported stories from around the globe, and get to the heart of the matter from reporters who call it like they see it.

Maybe so and maybe they are doing as it’s claimed, “calling it like they see it”, and maybe it is news we need to hear, but it is news such as this which neuters us and add little, or nothing to helping us see some sort of conclusion; a conclusion on which humanity can build for tomorrow.

However, the VICE story - “A G7 Report Says Climate Change Can Fuel Political Upheaval Like Civil Wars” – is loaded with grim news; news that dumps the responsibility for global warming, consciously or otherwise at our feet.

Jumping on board to be 'green' and 'sustainable', fashionably

Everyone is jumping on board in an attempt to paint themselves as “green” and “sustainable”.

And the latest to squeeze on the green/sustainable wagon is the fashion industry.

The Guardian says in a story headed: “Fashion meets renewable energy – clothes that charge yoursmartphone”, that fashionably clothing using solar, wind and even kinetic energy is able to charge devices, keep us connected and even donate our energy to non-profits is being explored by a number of design houses.

As encouraging as clothes providing you with energy might be, it is simply not enough.

Thoughtful people aware of what is needed to slow or even stop climate change, argue we need to initially cut our emissions by at least eighty per cent, immediately, followed by a quick jump to zero emissions and then an almost immediate move to negative territory.

A few T-shirts, dresses or jackets is simply not going to be enough rather, what we need is a meaningful and immediate change to how we live – a significant social disruption that will see a society-wide move to a decidedly different way of living.