Global warming is the term used to describe the phenomenon of rising global temperatures. The prevailing theory to explain this monumental .6°C change in average temperatures over the past century (since the difference should be, invariably, precisely 0 degrees different) is that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, have increased the greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere, causing more heat to be retained in the atmosphere. Indeed, since the Industrial Revolution of the 1700’s it is estimated that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased 30 or 50 % (depending upon which of the accompanying articles you read). Additional evidence includes how the ten hottest years on record have occurred since 1991, water levels have risen, and glaciers have melted. Thus we see that as correlation inevitably proves causation without a doubt and as readings from some 120 years of history (a sample representing a whopping .000003 % of global history) have risen about a degree Celsius, it must be that humans are heating up the earth and we all gon’ die because George Bush and oil and Halliburton and horrible Republicans grrr… And , of course, the most persuasive argument of all is that Bill Clinton says so, thus it must be true. Anyhow, it is difficult to predict how global warming will proceed because we do not currently have the motivation or resources to track and simulate weather patterns around the globe. The limitations of current computers and understanding of weather give us long-term weather forecasting maps that cannot work very quickly or reliably. This is the same problem met by those who attempt to forecast the economy and fail miserably. It is believed, however, that within the next fifty years we can, with the proper commitment, develop a working and fast-paced simulation that will give us insight into the extent of human impact on climate. But the timing of events is such that if we wait until we have that proof to begin implementing change, it will be too late to prevent major disturbances in the climate. The same way we were told 30 years ago that if we didn’t act soon the earth would descend into another ice age. And did we listen? No, we went on our jolly little way and ended up freezing to death. And do you want that to happen again? I think not.

Global warming has the potential to cause great damage to the global environment and the human experience. Rising temperatures will necessarily lead to additional melting of the polar ice caps, which will in turn cause the seas to rise as more liquid water flows through them. They have already risen some 20 cm in the past century. This rising water level would cover certain coastal areas and cause erosion. We could also see that with increased heat energy in the atmosphere, storms will be more frequent and more intense. These risks together make flooding a very real possibility. London has already had to use the Thames Barrier, which prevents flooding, more than ever before, using it 6 times a year rather than once. To do my part to combat global warming, I suppose I can drive less (not a problem, as I don’t have a car) and hold fewer fossil fuel bonfire parties in my backyard. As one person, of course, this would likely do very little, so I suppose I could write nice letters for my congressman to ignore, because the government is evidently the only mechanism by which any useful change can take place.

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