Ladies of the Leaf met Jan. 18 at the Chickasaw Library.
Becky McGalliard reviewed “No Way Home: The Decline of the World’s Great Animal Migrations” by David Wilcove. A Princeton biologist, Wilcove warns that “the phenomenon of migration is disappearing around the world.” Despite their huge numbers, migratory species are particularly vulnerable to hunting, the destruction of wild habitat and climate change. Wilcove argues that it is not just individual species that we should be conserving — we also need to protect the migratory way of life.
Regina Turrentine reviewed “Hot, Flat and Crowded” by Thomas L. Friedman. After painting a frightening picture of where the world is headed, New York Times columnist Friedman says he remains a “sober optimist.” The title refers to the accelerating increase in average global temperatures, the ballooning of the world’s middle class with its insatiable thirst for energy, and the steady increase in world population.
Friedman says it would be hypocritical to ask poorer nations to give up their middleclass aspirations. But the alarming truth is that if other nations were to consume energy at U. S. levels, “it would herald a climate and biodiversity disaster.” That’s why it is crucial to begin a green revolution now to meet the world’s mushrooming energy needs, without reliance on polluting fossil fuels. Such an American- led effort could become the envy of the world.
The next meeting will be Monday, at the Ardmore Public Library.
