Urging Global Warming Debate Questions

We only have 50 or so days now until the election.... in past years, out of thousands of questions that were asked by media and debate moderators, only a small handful had anything to do with global warming and the current energy crisis. And this year, with one of the candidates publicly proclaiming that "I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity," it is more important than ever to bring the topic to the forefront of discussion!

Environmental Defense Fund is sponsoring a petition that is urging debate moderators to ask about clean energy and global warming. This is our chance to let them know that we want tough environmental questions, and we want the moderators to push for specific, jargon-free answers that clearly outline candidate's plans to tackle both the current energy crisis and global warming. Click HERE to sign the petition.

Like others I've talked to, I often get angry when I hear people denying global warming, which does not help my argument in any way.

I often hear the argument that somehow this fight against global warming infringes on personal freedoms. As if continuing to live with callous disregard for our planet and the other people (because, really, this all comes back to the politics of selfishness) is somehow one's personal right.

When I advocate for environmental issues, protecting our planet and our eco-systems, and social justice for all peoples the world over, I am not just doing so for me. I am doing it because I believe there is a universal truth, and it involves caring for each other, caring for our planet, and living a respectful life with honesty, integrity, and morality. All major religions challenge us to live such a life. When I hear the politics of Big Oil, Big Spending, and corporate globalization, it is usually a politics of greed, material wealth, and personal gain. When I hear nay-sayers ask why they should believe in global warming, what I really hear is, "What's in it for me?"

I've been told that assuming others are acting selfishly is a self-righteous and selfish thing to do in and of itself.... and I don't mean to point a finger. I am simply asking us all to challenge ourselves to live a life that is not about "me", not about "us" and "them", but rather about "We"- what we can do together, what we can do to help each other, and what we can do to make our planet not just a healthy and safe place for some, but for all.

What do you say to someone who doesn't believe in global warming?
I personally know and am related to a number of people who do not "believe" that global warming is real. To them I say this:

If you believe that, despite YEARS of research done by world-renowned scientists, we are not heading toward a global warming crisis, and wonder why should we make all these changes for something that doesn't exist, then please consider this: if I am wrong and you are right, then we have made a number of changes that are beneficial to both people and the planet, created healthier environments for our families, cleaner air to breathe, built local food systems that give people greater access to healthy locally-grown food, lessened dependence on foreign oil, created millions of new jobs in the booming alternative energies field, encouraged people to live healthier lives full of bicycle rides and long walks and exercise, and developed new technologies that help us live with a smaller carbon footprint. These changes have both PERSONAL and GLOBAL benefits.

If I am right, however, and you are wrong, and we continue to do nothing about global warming, we will find ourselves in the midst of a worldwide crisis. Sea levels will rise, destroying entire coastal communities. Entire species will go instinct, as delicate eco-systems will be destroyed by the changing climate, pollution levels will reach all-time highs (have you seen how people in many pollution-laden developing countries have to wear masks as they go about their daily business?), and numerous other very serious, negative consequences will ensue. So I ask you this- why not go the route that only has POSITIVE outcomes, even in the unlikely event that it turns out to be a false alarm? See, it doesn't matter if we are right or wrong about global warming- everything that environmental advocates are urging us to do is good for our health, our happiness, and our planet. It's a win-win situation!

For an excellent overview of the science behind global warming, click HERE.

For a thorough look into the history of global warming denial, click HERE.

And lastly, No Impact Man says it way better than I do: he gives a great list of all the wonderful things that would happen if we treated global warming as a crisis, but it turned out it wouldn't- a must read! Click HERE to read his post.

Comments

[Mick]

Though they may not admit in newscasts I'm sure the reporters who did a little research have found that the satellite and balloon data indicates we are entering a serious period of cooling alongside a profound solar minimum. Be glad they aren't paying closer attention to it.

In the name of the millions going blind from blocked access to golden rice, in the name of the millions who starve for lack of GMOs, for the millions upon millions who have died from malaria from the DDT ban I swear that despite this media brownout your millenarian lies will be exposed, and environmentalism put in the same place as eugenics and other creepy misanthropic philosophies.

[ert]

I found similar thoughts and concepts in the site: http://parthardas.googlepages.com/. It has many useful related widgets also. Nice site to visit. It shows end-of-world portents also.

[Joey L.]

Wow, Mick, I think you missed the whole point of my post... which was that in the end, it doesn't matter if we are right or wrong, only that as long as we treat global warming as a possibility and act accordingly, we bring about meaningful changes in our lives that only benefit everyone, with healthier air and cleaner water, strong local economies, and new alternative technologies.

Also, FYI, global warming does not mean that our temperatures will only rise. The rising average temperatures will cause extreme swings in either direction (meaning periods of cooling as well), violent storms, changes in current, melting of polar ice caps (which we know for certain is happening already), and changes in the climates of various ecosystems, in some cases getting warmer and in some cases possibly getting cooler. Global climate change results in more erratic weather, not jut warmer weather... we will still have blizzards, and hurricanes, and ice storms, and chances are they will be even more violent and heavy....

Your point about GMOs grossly underestimates the situation. Companies like Monsanto and Cargill have pushed their GMO crops on unsuspecting third world farmers- farmers who didn't realize that they were buying crops for which they could not save seed for the next year (because these companies have actually made it illegal to save seeds from their crops). This is devastating third world farming communities, many of whom are too poor to buy seed year after year, as these companies require with their "patented" crops; instead, they have agricultural traditions that go back thousands of years involving preserving seed, a gift of the earth, in order to have a harvest again next year. To me this demonstrates that these GMO companies ONLY want to make a profit, not help out these poor farming communities, as they advertise. This is all not to mention the potential health hazards of GMO crops, which we are discovering

I am left wondering why you are so vehemently opposed to my ideas (which you refer to as "millenarium lies") to protect our beautiful planet and build sustainable, meaningful, and healthy lives for all its inhabitants. The truth is they would help improve your life, too!