Friends and acquaintances,
If you answer yes to any of these questions below, even one, I strongly suggest that you read my entire soliloquy and I thank you in advance. If you cannot answer affirmatively to any of these questions, there is no reason for you to keep reading.
- Are you a parent?
- Are you a grandparent?
- Are you an aunt or uncle to the children of a sibling or friend?
- Do you have any friends that are parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles?
- Do you have any aspiration to ever be a parent?
- Is there any possibility that you may one day be an aunt or uncle?
- Do you at all care about the world that you will inevitably leave behind to the future generations that will follow you?
Like I said, feel free to stop reading if you answered ‘No” to every one of the above questions.
For those of you still reading, the topic I am going to discuss is Global Warming. Global warming is a very real topic that needs to be taken extremely seriously. Anyone who claims that this is a hoax or some off the wall theory is wrong. The damage that has been done to the environment and as a result, to the human population, is also very real. Fortunately, there is still time to make changes that will allow us to avert the destructive path we are on. However, there is NO time to wait to make these changes.
This is not a political issue, no matter what you may have been told. This is a human issue.
What is Global Warming?
Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.
Is there any dispute that Global Warming is in fact real?
No. There is indisputable scientific evidence that Global Warming does exist. It is real. It is not some phenomenon. However, if you don’t believe in science and instead prefer to believe the uneducated opinions of people who have never studied the topic, then you may have a strong argument that global warming is a myth. However, if you discount fact in favor of theory, you may also have a strong argument that Santa Claus jumped down the chimney to deliver gifts and suck down milk with his cookies last December.
What are some examples of the current effects of Global Warming?
· The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
· Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
· The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
· At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.
What are the expected future affects of Global Warming without any changes?
Well, actually they are pretty catastrophic. In addition to more of the current effects above, you can also expect to see:
- Deaths from global warming that will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year.
- Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. Areas like:
- NYC (Manhattan), most of the Netherlands, Beijing, Shanghai, Calcutta, San Francisco, Florida
- Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.
- Droughts and wildfires will occur more often.
- The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.
- More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.
We all need to take action. We have no choice.
What can I do?
Well, you started doing something by reading what I have sent you. Here are some other things you can do:
· Send this message to everyone you know and tell them to see the film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and visit the web site http://www.climatecrisis.net/.
· Replace your regular incandescent light bulbs with compact, fluorescent ones
· Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
· Regularly clean and replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
· Install a programmable thermostat
· Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
· Use less hot water
· Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
· Turn off electronic devices you’re not using
· Only run your dishwasher when there’s a full load and use the energy-saving setting
· Insulate and weatherize your home
· Be sure you’re recycling at home
· Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
· Seek out and support local farmers markets
· Eat less meat
· Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
· Carpool when possible
· Keep your car tuned up with regular maintenance
· When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel-efficient vehicle
· Telecommute from home when possible
· Fly less
In Summary,
It is time to look in the mirror and ask yourself what you are doing to improve rather than damage the environment. I know I have been an environment abuser for way too long and now realize that it is up to me to decide whether I will make a difference or not. If you don’t feel like making any changes, take solace in the fact that you don’t have a choice, because:
DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION ANY LONGER IF WE WISH TO LEAVE A WORLD TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN THAT IS ACTUALLY WORTH LIVING IN
For more information, please see the film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and reference the following website http://www.climatecrisis.net/.
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