Global- Warming BBL

Global Warming

            In recent years, former Vice President Al Gore and prominent scientists around the world have worked tirelessly to get the message of the dangers of Global Warming out to the public, and they have, to a great extent, succeeded. The creation of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is evidence enough of the scale to which this issue has grown. Their findings show that the burning of fossil fuels (creating C02 and Methane), deforestation, and the increase of urbanization has caused irreparable damage to this world. “Climate change is already insoluble, and life on earth will never be the same again.” (Point). Images of cities underwater, landscapes of decrepit wastelands, and storms of epic proportions have been burned into our minds, with the knowledge that it was caused by humans. Wide spread recognition of global warming has resulted in devout followers, frenzied in the disaster that is to come if we do not take immediate action to counter its effects. The freighting picture that has been painted has struck fear into the hearts of the populace; so much so as for many to consider any reproach or criticism of the theory as blasphemous and insulting. A blind following of everything “Green” has been brought about, and much of which is not critically analyzed for benefit or disadvantage. Al Gore’s devotion to alternate fuels, for example, shows resounding support for ethanol for a substitute to gasoline. This, he claims, will reduce our dependency on energy overseas, and will be a clean, renewable resource. However, this drive for a “green” solution does not take into account the vast amounts of water needed to produce ethanol, which would quickly exhaust the already depleting water supply. This shows a small example of how the support for environmentally-friendly society can be misconstrued and overzealous.  

            Though there are many, who simply refuse to believe that global warming is a threat to our world, and even go so far as to say that global warming does not exist. Despite countless studies conducted, strongly linking an increase in CO2 and Methane in the atmosphere with an increase in temperature, some still maintain it is just an elaborate hoax to bring about personal gain. “The whole purpose of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed…and hence clamorous…by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of which are imaginary… (while the populace is) waiting to be lead to safety.” (Beck). These skeptics believe that global warming is nothing more than an attempt to make money. They justify this by accusing scientists of concocting a problem of detrimental capabilities in order to receive funding and create a worldwide call for climate research. “Fear fuels the fire of political deceit,” so to speak (Beck). They see the tens of thousands of jobs that hang on the issue of global warming and raise the alarm. This realist point of view emphasizes the idea that politics is merely a struggle for power. They use quotes from 30 years ago to their advantage, contradictory to today, that the world was heading for age of global cooling; and that the world has experienced 9 global warming periods throughout its history, implying global warming is a natural process of the earth. They claim that the current heating trend is primarily caused by the sun, which has, in fact, had increased solar activity in the last 11 year solar cycle (Beck). To some extent, these cases would raise an eyebrow to the issue of global warming as a result of artificial causes.

However, the evidence to the contrary greatly outweighs their feeble attempts to deny the existence of global warming. It is true that the solar activity in the past solar cycle has increased.  Though, it has been shown that this increase in solar activity is minimal and could not produce the drastic increase in temperature that is seen today (global). It is also true that there has been nine periods of global warming, each of which accompanied with a larger than average amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Although, when the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere during a warming trend is compared to the amount of CO2 found in the atmosphere today, there is a severe difference. It is hard to argue against the presence of global warming, when islands are disappearing, more severe storms occur every year, and temperatures are reaching new heights. Global warming has not been conclusively proved to be a product of man; however, it would be a grave error if we were to ignore such findings, and discard the issue as irrelevant. These unabashed opponents of global warming blatantly defy all evidence for global warming, much like the child that claps his hands to his ears and hums loudly to block out all sound. The evidence is mounting, and yet is not heard (Global).

The real trial arises when one is confronted with both sides, and is delegated the arduous task of weeding through the bull shit. The apocalyptic picture of a world ruined by its inhabitants is something hard to ignore. However, it does not justify blindly jumping on the band wagon, and promoting everything that “scientists” tell you is “green”. So, out of this, two fundamental questions arise. Firstly, if global warming is all a hoax, do the ends justify the means? And secondly, if it is real and a present threat, “what is the proper balance between environmental protection and economic development, and what is the proper role of the international community to determine and enforce this balance?” (Eefywiki).

A more environmentally-friendly and green society is a goal that should be pursued with fervor and passion. A greener society withholds the beauty of the world that is so easily destroyed. The effects of society are clearly seen without mentioning global warming and severe hurricanes. It is seen in the deforestation, the pollution, and in urbanization. If global warming is truly a hoax, this vision of a green world should still be followed. Even if “green” becomes totally capitalized, becoming a product of Wal-mart and McDonals, totally debased and reduced to a scheme for profit, it would still be advantageous and beneficial. I would never advocate lying to the public, however, the ends, in this case, does justify the means.

In the case of international intervention, it is entirely pointless until the people demand it. Taxes can be placed on oil companies, the populace can scream bloody murder at the faces of big Oil executives, but nothing, NOTHING, will change until we stop buying oil (Meyer). The fact is, there will always be a seller, and until we eliminate the market for non-renewable resources, there will continue to be an oil-driven world. Not until the citizens of this world are willing to pay for their clean water, their clean air, and a “green” society will our dependence on foreign energy disappear. Thus, any attempt by the international community to force a “green” society upon us will be ineffective and futile, unless there is resounding worldwide support.

Works Cited

Beck, Glen. “Global warming: a Hoax?” Youtube. youtube.com/watch?u=cwbhwjjwwDM.

Feb. 1, 2008.

Global-warming. Solar-center.stanford.edu/sun-on-earth/glob-warm.html. Feb. 1, 2008.

Meyer, Prof. Judith. Interview. Missouri State University. Geography department. Feb. 3, 2008.

“Point of no Return.” Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVZSUsT-Ws.

 Feb. 1, 2008.