According to Wikipedia, Global Warming is the increase in average temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans. And while I have noticed that summers do seem hotter and glaciers continue to thaw rapidly, I am not informed enough about the situation to lay claim to “weather” (lol) or not this is really happening. As Bob Ostertag noted in his article in The Huffington Post, many people believe this to be just another “money-making scheme.” I took it upon myself to make sure that any opinion I made on the topic was an informed one.
I recently finished watching Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and was disappointed that more of the film revolved around Gore’s accomplishments in life and less about how humans have gone about destroying the atmosphere. Or better yet, how we can repair the damage that has been done.
Here’s a little bit of what I learned about Global Warming. Carbon Dioxide, and other such natural gases are naturally released into the atmosphere which in turn trap the sun’s heat within the Earth’s atmosphere. This process helps make the Earth habitable, however, it is said that when we burn gas, coal and oil, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere keeps heat from leaving the atmosphere and thus making temperatures rise. Wikipedia notes that “Global temperatures on both land and sea have increased by 1.35 °F relative to the period 1860- “1900.”
The media, the internet and political campaigns cloud our filtration system when it comes to filtering out misinformation. The internet makes it so easy to find the wrong information, while the right information sits quietly, unnoticed, deep beneath the surface. As a student, educated American, or simply a curious mind, it often frustrates me that conspiracy theories and personal opinions are given more attention.
If you’re interested in some ways to cut the amount of Carbon Dioxide that is released, here is a list of Fifty things you can change. Whether or not these are viable is for you to decide. I know that I am more aware of how much I drive, the lights I leave on when I leave a room (although my boyfriend reminds me about the bathroom light!), and do my best to recycle whenever possible. These will not only save you money, but it might directly affect the globe.
My opinion? Thanks for asking! I’ve decided that what I believe is what I see. The price of fuel is outrageous; down the street from my home Chevron charges $4.89 for 89 Octane fuel. I also believe that with the growth of population, natural resources will become scarce far quicker than we are prepared for. I believe that these things need to be addressed and that the government should be making it easier to “be green.” I believe it is our responsibility to become informed and formulate educated opinions based on what the facts show us. Although finding the facts can usually be the hardest part.