Today I'm thinking about global warming. I really hope the new administration takes it seriously. I know that I come from a school that has played a critical part in the discovery and study of global warming, which is why I've asked other scientifically minded people from other universities what their take on global warming is. The science community gives a resounding YES, global warming is not only real, it is anthropogenic. If you look at all the articles published in peer-reviewed journals (which, if you ask me, are the only reliable source), something like 99% of them agree that global warming is not a joke, and it has been exacerbated by humans. But when you look in the media and newspapers, something like half of them are skeptical that global warming is happening at all, much less that it is caused by humans. I wish I had the exact statistics that my professor used in her lecture. The funny (or sad) thing is that there is this terrible disconnect between what science is telling us and what the media is telling us about global warming.
The real problem with global warming is not a scientific question of what's causing it, but a political question of what should we do about it? People who deny that global warming is real generally are against government regulation of business. So they say global warming is a fraud. That way we won't have to regulate anyone. But the thing is, there are multiple solutions to global warming. We can trade carbon credits, for example. That's a very business-savvy idea.
It frustrates me to no end when I listen to people quote Rush Limbaugh or Dr. Laura as their "scientific" resources that anthropogenic global warming is not a reality.
If you'll note the picture, global warming has shot up in the last century to a height even taller than me!
I saw Al Gore speak at UCSD a couple years back on global warming. Whether you like the man or not, I couldn't deny that he was a gifted public speaker. I liked that that his science was sound and that the layperson could understand it. I urge you to check out An Inconvenient Truth. There's also a rockin' exhibit on global warming at the Birch Aquarium. I know there's a big hubbub about it, but really, the debate is all political.
So what's all the controversy about? It's not among scientists, that's for sure.
