Recent points made by doubters of global warming show just how out of touch they truly are. At best, they are out of touch, more likely they are simply cherry picking situations to suit their own point of view. In other words, they are deliberately trying to mislead. With the winter storms that hit most of the nation in the last two weeks, it is an easy segue to make; the problem is it is not a factual and has nothing to do with the issues that drive global warming.
For the most part, global warming deniers count on a lack of understanding by the general population of global warming as a phenomenon. While, as the name implies, during global warming the world sees an increase in average temperature, it is by no means the only trait of it. Nor is a rise in temperature the most devastating effect, the shift in worldwide weather patterns will drastically change life on a planetary scale. The name has created much of the confusion; while temperature increase does have a role, it does not mean all the earth will have weather like Miami Beach.
I think the real hang-up people has to do with the blame game, whether or not people are the cause of global warming. In the end, the cause does not matter. It is how to best deal with it, if we can at all, that needs to be studied. The question of humanity polluting the earth is one of good stewardship and does not require study at all. We simply should not destroy the only home we have. We owe it to our children to take care of the earth while we are here. Moreover, no one can deny damage has occurred due to mankind, it would be a nice gesture on our part to leave the place better than we found it for a while and give future generations a better home.
Back to the recent events, it is simply amazing that news organizations put up a photo or video clip of a winter storm and claim it disproves global warming. In fairness, they don’t claim it as much as imply it. Truth is it supports the theory as unstable weather is part of it. While some places have snow for the first time in years, like the Deep South, other places that normally have snow are without. Vancouver, for instance, they are trucking in show for the Winter Olympics’ skiing events. All it really proves is weather patterns are changing. Only through the lens of history is this change understandable.
Hemispheric temperatures have not been constant over the earth’s history. We only need to look back to the 1300s for a great example. This was the start of a centuries long weather pattern know as the Little Ice Age (about 1300 – 1700AD). During this period, it is thought the Northern hemisphere cooled rather than warmed, sort of the opposite of what is going on now. What is less well know is before the Little Ice Age, there was a different weather event known as the Medieval Warm Period, during this period (about 800 – 1300AD), it is believed the hemisphere was warmer. In both events, the average change was only about 1°C but still had dramatic results, everything from growing crops in Iceland and Greenland to crop failures in Europe due to extreme cold. The weather patterns changed, then changed again. It is possible we are seeing a similar event now.
Regardless of who is right this time, there is no doubt something is changing with the current long-term weather cycle, the question is what to do about it if anything. Global warming has turned into a referendum on pollution. Supporters of the theory were quick to determine human generated pollution was the cause. As big business is a primary source of pollution, they obviously disagree. Do humans cause global warming? The answer is it does not matter and the question is stupid to ask. Better questions are, can we change global warming and should we try to change it. The question of pollution is much easier to deal with; we simply should not pollute the earth we live on. Look at it at the household level, do you trash your home or clean it up now and then?
Don’t be fooled by news organizations that have an agenda. The weather is changing. It always has and it always will. It is how the earth functions. We are bound to see weather in extremes while this change takes place. Some places will get hotter and some colder. That does not prove or disprove the trend; it is simply part of it. People with political agendas use the smallest of opportunities to gain advantage. The current weather is just such an opportunity. Don’t fall for the hysteria; don’t drink their Kool-Aid.
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