i think they should hang a banner that says "welcome to the gunks." i wonder where they would hang it....

At the Uber-Pooper

Yellowhouse, it might or might not surprise you to see me picking up trash in parks or at the cliffs, recycling, and generally trying to be a good earth steward. I simply find the evil human GW campaign completely lacking in causal evidence and find it sounds more like the self-important projecting how much they think they are capable of. I don't think they are bad people, just mislead.

BANNERS R FER QUEERS

To think that I'm for hanging slogans is to be shortsighted. Shortsightedness is why the problem of climate change exists.

I am surpirsed that climbers are split on the issue of global warming. I am surprised that climbers would be against any action that would promote protection and proper stewardship of our environment. It's called the Mohonk PRESERVE, and that's what we should do for it. Is it really worth the risk of having no place to climb (or camp, mtn bike, swim, ice climb) because we cooked the planet? I know it sounds overly dramatic, but then so did talk 70 years ago of a 'nuclear age'. We need to preserve this land, because it's all we've got.

Hanging a slogan from the cliff is not the point at all.

The fact that the 'Step It Up' slogan made you ask the question, 'what does step it up mean', means that it's working. Hopefully you did some research and learned about the cause.

It is certainly not pointless. This is a very real problem and since I thought climbers were usually on the educated forefront of environmental issues, I find it surprising that someone would argue against it. Of course, the Preserve has agreed to allow the display of the banner at the visitors center, so all this is slightly moot.

Perhaps hanging a silly banner isn't as effective a 5 page forum thread on the region's premier sounding board for climbers...

there will always be something fun to do.
but perhaps it will just be a bit farther north.

If the 'self-important' didn't project how much they were capable of, the preserve wouldn't exist in the first place.

A group of people, climbers actually, took it upon themselves to prove that they could care appropriately for the land so that they could climb there. Our roles have not changed since its establishment.

Lacking in casual evidence? Puh-lease. Have you been paying attention? More and more World Cup ski races in Europe have to be cancelled each year due to lack of snow. Ice climbs that have formed for years no longer form. Entire forests in Alaska are being destroyed due to melting permafrost. Go there. See it. You will not leave unimpressed by our obvious impact on the earth.

And I'm sure your karma is boosted by caring for your immediate environment, but we need to look further than perceived politcal agenda and ask ourselves what's really at stake?

I think you again miss my point. I'm not arguing that global warming is not occuring. It has been for at least 100 years, more likely about 150. I do not think that the cause is a slam dunk, although it is portrayed such by many. I could just as easily say that global warming is occuring because people started sticking ice axes in glaciers over this period of time and continue to do so at an accelerated rate. The statistical correlation is just as strong as what is currently being promoted. The difference between our views is that I do not yet see significant evidence of our activity being the primary cause of this change, and I do pay very close attention to what is being researched in this field.

No, 'fraid not. I'm not one to buy into viral marketing, which is what this gimmick sounded like.

Personally knowing those who started this mess, I would just like to say that their plans had no intentions of reaching this level originally. At first plans were something small, like climbing in T-shirts or something, but somehow the preserve got word of plans for the event. The immediate reaction of the preserve was to attempt to shut down any actions but upon hearing the details the preserve changed its tune and wanted to join in. Apparently the preserve wanted to make it a town-wide day for the step it up campaign. Now Im not so sure what the status is and Im guessing nothing will take place.

Chip- I dont think any scientist who is seriously engaged in this study would say that human gas emissions are the only or primary cause of global warming. What has been shown, in many different studies, is that the release of greenhouse gases are indeed accelerating the natural process of warming. In fact, many argue that this effect is on the order of natural processes and hence causing warming at a far too rapid rate. In this light, it would be foolhearty to ignore the impact humans have on this. If no action is taken now, impact from the growing population will only exacerbate the problem.

Hope that clears some things up.

Ross