SamSaid!

WARM, OR HOT

     The debate over global warming is heating up  — no pun intended. Looking at all of the evidence at hand, it appears that there is indeed a global warming trend. That's not monumental or unprecedented news because the earth has experienced warmer and colder cycles throughout thousands or millions of years. That helps to explain why ice ages come and go. It also seems clear that fairly small temperature changes can have major results, meaning that a 1 degree change globally –  on average  –can be a very big deal.

      Scientists are pretty smart guys when it comes to research and generating numbers. But pinpointing causes may not be their strongest attribute. While many scientists may agree that a warming trend can be verified, they are all over the lot when it comes to explaining why. On one side of the argument are those who want to pin the blame on man for polluting the air and causing the elevated global temperatures (see Kyoto accord). Others contend that there is no evidence that that is the case, and that anything man has done in the last 200 years is marginal at best. The earth is a pretty big place, and there are a lot of natural causes of air pollution that far outweigh the by-products of 19th, 20th, 21st Century activities of man. Similarly, many of the so-called air pollution remedies are very questionable considering the magnitude of the forces at work in our atmosphere and oceans. There has been a lot of air pollution on earth long before man started walking on 2 feet.  

     If strong remedies are needed, it seems to me that the proof of the need should come first. If scientists are smart enough to verify global warming, they should be able to prove what is causing it. Absent that proof, it is hard to justify stringent measures to “fix” it.  Maybe we all should be fans of “clean” air. Basically that notion appeals to me and probably does to most other folks. But even in pursuit of that goal, I hesitate at the drastic measures that may not even be related to the problem,  much less solving it. It stretches the imagination that there are so many well educated scientists who differ sharply over whether man is responsible — all or in part  –  for global warming. Somehow, that sets off an alarm bell. It seems to me that there are too many of these high brow types who declare that man is responsible for global warming and then take the next giant step to say what we should do about it.   Moreover, they seem offended that their conclusion that man is the culprit should even be questioned. That is not a very good way to gain concurrence.

     Let's take it one at a time, guys  —  in this order. . Make the case, prove the point and then let's talk about remedies. Who knows? We may have to levy a stiff fine against the sun for throwing off flares or sun spots.