On The Fence On Climate Change?
Posted: Friday, February 12, 2010
by Jack H. Schick
Miss Cunningham said I was a bad debater. She said I got too emotional and excited. So, after those Speech Lessons in 9 th grade, I steered away from that activity. I focused on persuasive and expository writing instead. I could get emotional all I wanted. I could say outlandish things. I just turned in the paper and didn't have to debate with the reader face to face. I could refuse to read or listen to the rebuttals and plunge on with my life, confident that I was right.
I remain a skeptic, however. I've learned enough of Human Nature to assume that I might be witnessing a "snow job", that someone might be exaggerating and trying to hype me up. I don't get "emotional and excited" anymore. I stop and think. I investigate all possibilities before I decide which side of the debate I'll support.
So, I still stand on the fence about Climate Change for several reasons: I've read a lot about Earth History, I've learned a lot about the Solar System, I've studied Environmental Science, I've been exposed to Climate Change debate for five decades, and I've witnessed the lemming like activities of the Media lately.
Earth History displays dramatic climate changes over the eons. Several times the planet was completely covered with ice. The only place there may have been open water during this "Snow Ball Earth" phase was around shallowly submerged volcanoes. There also were times when the planet surface was scorched. During the dinosaur era the Earth's average surface temperature is estimated at 113 degrees F. Then, more recently, the Ice Ages returned.
They say, the explosion of one large volcano could put as much green house gasses in the atmosphere as Mankind has in the last 50 years. Or, it could put enough dust in the air to give us perpetual winter. Or, I guess, they could balance each other out and nothing at all would happen.
The Sun seems to play a big role in Earth's climate, as I guess you'd expect. I saw a graph of solar activity since 1880 overlaid on an Earth's temperature graph. They were nearly identical. When solar activity went up, temperatures went up. We are now in a period of low solar activity and the Earth's average temperature has dropped over the past decade. If the Sun suddenly flared up violently the entire biosphere could be boiled then roasted in a few weeks.
When I was in an Environmental Science class in the early 1970s', we were all panicked about the coming Ice Age. My professor was a supporter of the goof-ball plan to spread soot over the ice caps to decrease the reflection of sunlight to warm us up. He believed the government needed to start spending money to prevent the Earth from freezing over. 1972 was one of the coldest years on record; and, coincidently, it is the starting year in many reports showing how far the Earth's temperature has risen lately.
The Media exposed me to a "truth" that is very inconvenient, but when my skeptical nature required me to investigate, it seemed too convenient. The Earth's reported average temperature increased dramatically since 1972, true. But, I found that with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 80's and early 90's, there were hundreds of weather reporting stations shut down. Mostly, they shut down the expensive to run ones in Antarctica and Siberia! I'd guess, that might make the average temperatures go up. I'm told the number of named tropical storms has increased by about 200% since 1906. That sounds pretty bad, until you think about it. There were no airplanes, then. There were no satellites watching every square inch of the planet. A ship might have radioed in gale force winds 1000 miles east of Tobago, but they didn't call it Mariah and plot its route to New Orleans.
No doubt, climate change is real. It's been happening for over 3 billion years. I'm not willing to say man made climate change is a boondoggle and a scam, yet. It's making a lot of people very rich. I've got nothing against people getting rich. I'd like get rich too. Reducing dependence on hydrocarbon fuel is a good thing. "Go green, baby," but try to make it economical first. I'd like that 80mpg car and that 10 cent megawatt from a windmill. Keep working on it. Maybe I'll be able to afford it some day.
You've got to remember what Miss Cunningham said, though. You won't win the argument if you get too emotional and excited. You can't just tell the other side to shut up and sit down. You can't get angry and close your ears, your eyes and your mind. Grow up. Get some wisdom. Remain a skeptic, investigate. Get into a debate with indisputable facts. You don't find truth when you just turn in the paper, refuse to hear the rebuttals and plunge ahead convinced you are right.
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)Very well written Jack ! That was an eye-opener !thanks for reading and commenting
AMEN - dialog we need. Arguing till we get past the point of no return (it there is a point of no return and if we can do something significant about it) would not be any kind of a solution.Hi, how you doing- thanks- do me on reader's club
Good article Jack, I find it hard to be so generous when I believe with all my heart I am right, even though I can't prove it. Thanks for sharing this with us.Thanks for reading and commenting again, Joel
Well, here we are on Reader's Club - I still enjoyed this one very much and still throwing stars at you! Blessings, Marijo
I think this is an absolutely brilliant article. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks so much for this very interesting addition to the site.I loved the idea about covering the ice with soot! Made me laugh.Thanks for reading and commenting
Nicely done. Both sides in this argument like to just 'plunge ahead' with complete disregard (or rather, selective regard) of all of the facts. Good job.Thanks for reading and commenting
There are many reasons for pushing climate change...but the most important reason is...follow the money. The European Carbon Market has just uncovered hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud. Al Gore, owns or has a major financial interest in 2 of the five largest carbon exchange companies. The BBC which has been preaching climate change, has 90% of its retirement funds invested in companies that produce "climate friendly" products...follow the money to see who will benefit from implementatiof of carbon caps/trading. Other than the governments of course who will reap trillions in new taxes...follow the money."it's making a lot of people very rich" said the author. thanks, Richard.
Good article, written in a not-too-partisan way.
Good article Jack. As an avid outdoor sportsman, I watch the weather all the time and have the same ambiguous feelings about how the weather has impacted our future. I' d read more of your articles. Have a great day Jack!Thanks for reanding and commenting
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