“How do I know these are the things nobody wants to hear? Because I was the one saying them over and over until I was blue in the face ...”

– Jennifer Pastiloff, blogger for MindBodyGreen

Maybe it’s just me.

I mean, I should have been thrilled when I attended the recent community “Climate Summit” sponsored by several environmental groups in my town. After all, I, and many others, have been writing about the dangers of climate change for years, and finally people are beginning to take action – or at least discuss what actions they might take, an essential first step toward initiating change.

I arrived at the summit with low expectations. But to my surprise, there were about 250 people there, many representing groups that had sizable constituencies in our community. Environmental stalwarts such as the local chapter of the Sierra Club were represented, of course. But so were a number of organizations I didn’t expect, including the city government, unofficially represented by some city councilmen, our local university and others. Everyone, it seems, now wants to do something about climate change.

The purpose of the event, we were told during the introductory remarks, was for the attendees, through loosely guided discussions, to formulate a “climate action plan” for the community. I began to take notes.

The introduction was followed by a roll call introducing the 30 or so groups represented, complete with brief statements about their goals and a round of applause for their representatives. Excited, I prepared to jot down some new sources of information, new possibilities for my participation.

But when a group that focused on water issues took its bow and announced that its goal was a 50 percent reduction in our community’s water use by 2050, I found myself writing, “Noble goal, but 2050 is way too late for this action. Climate change has arrived. We’re already running low on water.”

Just then, I remembered that some of the city councilmen in attendance had recently cast the deciding votes to approve a controversial development that will harm a wetland while significantly increasing traffic in our community. And I found my hand writing “DISCONNECT!” in large letters, despite my determination to share in the crowd’s enthusiasm. Sadly, the thrill was gone. You see, it’s too late for half-measures on climate change; too late to conduct business as usual while hoping to address the problem by talking about some future action. For years, climate experts have warned us of a deadline – now just 15 years away – for drastically cutting fossil fuel emissions or experiencing dangerous, probably irreversible climate change.

The early effects of climate change – including the deepening Western and West Coast drought which is exacerbated by our new climate conditions – are not waiting for the future: they are upon us now.

I knew that no one in the “we-can-beat-climate-change” crowd wanted to hear my misgivings. So I held my tongue as we were led through the guided discussion and generated ideas that, for the most part, would take years to implement or affect the course of climate change.

But I had to write to warn you that wolf’s already at the door of your ecological house.

Philip S. Wenz, who grew up in Durango and Boulder, now lives in Corvallis, Ore., where he teaches and writes about environmental issues. Reach him via email through his website, www.your-ecological-house.com.