Is It IS or Is It AIN’T
Some of the world’s most renowned scientists have made their assessments on global warming explicitly clear. They cite truckloads of research data and present countless charts, graphs and statistics to backup their opinions. The only problem is, some of them say there’s nothing to worry about and others say the planet is doomed if we don’t do some things – right now! So which is it?
This writer does not presume to know nearly what all of those scientists know – not by any stretch of the imagination. And the data that is presented is so dreadfully in conflict with itself, that I am not even able to make an informed decision. I, like you, after all, do not have the education, tools, expertise, staff and time to perform my own tests on our environment. So I am left to take a guess about whether global warming is, or is not a viable concern.
I am not opposed to guessing about some things. Like parking in front of a meter downtown that does not make it clear whether parking after 6PM is free or not. Or which new TV is best – since they all clearly say they are. But the potential consequences of global warming (and the failure to act soon to stop it) are so horrific, that it seems ill-advised to rely on a mental coin toss. I might liken it to standing next to an explosive device and guessing if it will detonate or not.
I have seen several incidents, some of which are still going on, that reflect how environmental changes can lead to wholly undesirable effects. Killing off the wolves lead to a coyote population explosion, for example. Over zealous hunting of the sea otter off the California coast lead to a glut of sea urchins and the decline of the necessary kelp. And the current decline of the Great Barrier Reef – for reasons as yet unknown – has far reaching negative effects.
Myself, I am guessing that global warming is real. That is indeed happening. I was swayed by two simple pieces of information. 1) The Polar Bears are having trouble feeding because the ice is breaking up too early every year now. 2) Because farmers, most notably in northern latitudes, have extended growing seasons. Some places in the northern latitudes are now, for the first time, able to grow food.
Unfortunately, now that I’ve made my guess, I must decide exactly what the fallout will be, and how I can best deal with it. Thus far, mental gymnastics about these subjects leave me with a feeling of helplessness – and utter ignorance. It doesn’t seem that I am really helping solve the problem by slowly switching over to solar energy, when nobody else I know is doing so. I am also driving less, turning my thermostat down in winter and up in summer, and growing my own small garden. But again, I don’t think I am going to reverse the process – and clearly there is no global consensus about remedial actions on the horizon.
Oh well, regardless of your guess about global warming, I’d think seriously about using some stronger sun block this (longer, hotter, dryer) summer.
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