Global Warming is For Sissys

The Flat Earth Society, Utah chapter, has finally found someone willing to risk their reputation to say that there is no scientific evidence that humans are causing global warming. Really.

In a half page colour advert (you will see my reason for the English spelling) on page A20 of this past Sunday's "The Best Newspaper Ever" the Viscount Monckton (or is that Mockn') of Brenchley (a small town 100 miles SE and 100 million years away from London in the UK ) will amaze and dazzle us with his expertise in the area of the science, economics and politics of global warming (whom Al Gore refuses to debate - so the article says).

The article goes on to say - and I am quoting here - "'Global Warming' is No Global Crisis. Is there really an apocalyptic threat to the planet requiring a complete transformation of the US government? Does Congress really need to shut down five-sixths of the US economy and impose on you a 19th century standard of living?"

First notice the inner set of quotation marks around the words "Global Warming" like it is a false label. What is he talking about with the governmental transformation and 5/6 economic elimination? Sounds like someone was stuck with a lot of buggy whips when that thing the automobile came along. Will he produce his Jules Verne time machine also.

As as scientist (I got my BS in geology) I know the earth is a living organism. I also can intuitively deduce that 6 billion people burning fossil fuels will have an impact on that organism. I know science can take many forms and with something this complex it is reasonable to think there will be conflicting results from studies done, but I don't want to risk my future on something that looks inevitable to me.

If nothing else, we will some day soon run out of fossil fuel and will need an alternative. Why not do something proactive and beneficial for the living organism we call home now, rather than react when things get really bad?

We already see the effects of something. The water shortages, the polluted rivers, shrinking glaciers, weather extremes and natural disasters. Wouldn't it be best to do something to improve our lot as a whole civilization and make our stay here more sustainable for us and our descendants than come to the end of the road, stair off a cliff and wish we had read the map?

It only makes sense to think of this planet as a finite resource and one that will need our management to be sustainable. We do it with forests, game, birds and water, why not see the whole planet as something we need to preserve.

Back to Lord Crackpoton. On Tuesday March 23rd you can choose to listen to a ney-sayer and feel good that the sky isn't falling and that you don't have to cut back consuming, or you can choose to do something to preserve this earth.

I recommend we do some act of service for the earth on March 23rd to counteract the effects this "Major Utah Forum" will have on the state. Let's hope it doesn't convince too many people and maybe it will get some to thinking about preservation of resources.

As a side note this Utah Event is being held in Utah valley. I'm surprised it isn't being held in conjunction with a certain university down there. For those who care, that isn't a religious barb, it is borne out of pure guile from many decades of rivalry with that university. You see, I got my degree from THE University of Utah.