The Confounding Issue Known As Global Warming

In my naivety I can remember days earlier in life when I would merely scoff the issue of global warming out of hand, as if the subject was but a fanciful idea thought up by parents to sedate young children in bed. Willful ignorance probably was the largest reason for this attitude, yet I can say that my ignorance was ratcheted into place by the politically polarization of the subject. As my political views have changed over the last few years, so has my approach to this subject. Personally I can't deny that global warming is happening, however I still wrestle with a) the severity of it given in the context Earth's meteorological history and b) how much impact man has upon it. Allow me to say one thing before I move on here: *I am not suggesting that just because I might personally feel man has a reduced role then some believe in global warming that we are to do as we place.* I fully support more energy-efficient, waste-reducing lifestyle habits. There is no need for the waste which so many people in America have grown accustomed too. Removing the threat of global havoc does not excuse us from being more environmentally minded--despite what China, Russia, or India is or isn't doing. That said, allow me to move on. I doubt I'll find resolution on this issue, at least to the point where I feel major questions are answered. For every "fact" that I'm given that states the urgency on one side I see a countering viewpoint. The question creeps up within me how much of man's relationship with global warming is cause-and-effect and how much is coincidental? It could be. We could be having a huge effect on the environment; but it could be one of those items that merely happen parallel to each other, interacting with one another but one not causing the other. Maybe. I don't know, but then again I don't need to know everything. It honestly shouldn't matter what our contribution is toward global warming because we should produce the same effort of action at all levels. We're still called to care for that which we have been given. That's not being environmentally minded. It's called being responsible. And personal responsibility is the discussion most people need to be having right now. You & I -- we waste far too much. In December I remember reading an essay by _Bill Bryson_ in which he states that 10% of energy that is generated in America -- the equivalent of *five* nuclear power plants -- goes to power items which are left on but are not being used by anyone. *10%.* Can you imagine the positive impact that would be made on the environment if people would just turn off lights, computers, stereos, and other electronic items when getting up out of the room? Over the coming year my wife and I personally would like to start recycling more, utilize less disposable items, and overall develop more concern for our ecological footprint on the earth. Granted it's much easier just do things the way we've always done them; but that's irresponsible, destructive, and wasteful. I might not have an answer to global warming right now, but I know that shouldn't hinder us from doing our part to make sure that the world is better off when we leave it versus then when we found it.

Posted by Joshua Hynes

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 31, 2007 at 10:59pm. It has been filed under Science, Thoughts, Joshua.

Comments

Finally! 2 loving people have cared enough to share their thoughts with me. Why don't you join the party?

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car insurance wrote on Thursday, December 27, 2007 at 7:23am.
There’s a good deal to be said for both the natural and man made causes of global warming. It’s the man made contributions that deserve attention.

Global Warming Graphs wrote on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 12:19am.