Global warming is one of the most complex scientific/political subjects being discussed today. Is it caused by anthropogenic forces, solar flares, Earth’s natural patterns? What are the solutions? Do there need to be solutions?
There are many scientific papers supporting or deriding the theory that man is causing the Earth to warm up. There has been serious debate on the topic for almost 20 years now. Politicians have used the topic to rally their constituents; whether they are environmentalists from Seattle or oil men from Houston. Some say that carbon dioxide needs to be reduced drastically to save the planet while others say that no action needs to be taken and business should continue as usual.
People on both sides of the argument are so caught up in championing their cause that they are unable to see the forest through the trees. Whether you believe Global Warming is being caused by man or not, there is an initial solution out there that benefits everyone (everyone unless you work for Big Coal, belong to OPEC, or benefit in any way from the current energy status quo). The current solution doesn’t require billions of dollars to implement. The first step to solving this problem is simply to foster the idea that energy efficiency and clean energy benefits the United States of America. It is so mind-bogglingly simple, yet it is this vital tipping point in American thinking that must happen before any substantial gains can occur.
There are skeptics reading this saying, “I’ve heard this before. I lived through the 70’s. I listened to Jimmy Carter. Blah Blah Blah.” This pig-headedness is the reason that America’s economy is held hostage by the fluctuations in the price of oil, it is why we are fighting a war in Iraq, it is why you can see brown air in many of our cities, and it is why the billions of tons of carbon dioxide currently spilling into the atmosphere may be the reason your children or grandchildren laugh at your ignorance on their way to the zoo to see the only known polar bear in existence.
Here is what is so confounding to me: The steps needed to lower the effects of Global Warming are the same things that enable us to finally break away from the grip of Saudi Arabia’s oil fields and they are the same things that allows kids with asthma living in big cities to be able to play outside in the heat of summer; yet Global Warming skeptics are so adamant with their denial to one topic, that they fail to see how implementing its’ solution benefits America as a whole.
As a society, we are the most wasteful on this planet. We waste energy like it is our God given right. This attitude must be replaced with one that preaches efficiency. You see, even if Global Warming is some environmentalist hoopla - as Michael Crichton would have us believe - the change in mindset needed to reduce this potential threat to humanity will benefit America in ways that average citizens have yet to realize. Continuing to insist that the status quo is adequate is a failure of foresight and a foolish mistake causing irreparable damage to this great country.
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2 comments:
I couldn't agree more. Growing up, I never really paid much attention to this topic. I thought it would never effect me. But now that I have a daughter, I realize that she'll have children, her children will have children, some that I may actually live to see. They are the ones who will truely suffer. To have that on my conscience, is devastating. This country has known this for years, so why haven't we taken this simple step to rid ourselves from the addiction of oil? The answer is greed. The big guys have all their money invested in the oil business.
As far as global warming goes, i think we have 2 distinct types of thinking going on. The first are the people who will let others do their thinking for them...they have been told by someone that eveything will be fine..that global warming is just a phrase created by people to create panic.
The other group includes scientists and enviormentalists...they are truly commited to their cause and most have litte to gain financially.
I don't believe we need to panic...but we do need to start getting our heads out of the sand and turnig things around, NOW! PLEASE watch "An Inconvenient Truth"!!! Just watch it, if anything, it will get you contemplating!
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