Discussion Post: Global Climate Change
Let there be no question in your mind: Global climate change is real! I say that from the start because way too many people believe that it is all just made up and fabricated. This is not a theory to be debated and personal opinions have no value in the discussion, sorry. Overwhelmingly, scientists, i.e., "the experts", around the globe agree that we have a big problem on our hands: The temperature of the Earth is warming. And for those who are not familiar with the issue, global temperature increases is NOT a good thing not only for us humans, but most of the other living creatures and things that we share our world with.
Global climate change, also known as global warming, is the result of a variety of factors including rapid world population growth, expanding industrialization, deforestation, agriculture and farming (particularly what I believe is inappropriately called, "livestock") and emissions from power plants and automobiles. While much could be done to reduce the impact each of these has on the environment, many argue that little progress has been made over the years. For specific examples, why don't the residents of the state of Florida (i.e., the "Sunshine State"), use solar power to provide most of their electrical needs? Why isn't more done to promote harnessing the wind in areas that could benefit from wind power? Based on the United States' need of volatile foreign oil supplies, why hasn't the country aggressively conducted research and development in the area of alternative fuels? Has the U.S. federal government done enough to promote alternative fuels such as the two mentioned above?
In addition, overwhelming scientific research supports the notion that the Earth is undergoing global climate change. More specifically, environmental scientists report that the overall temperature of the Earth is warming at a faster rate than would be expected if we were simply going through a natural warming period. Scientists report that the temperature change IS human induced. In other words, it appears that we humans, through increasing pollution such as carbon emissions (factories, automobiles, etc.), are having a significant negative impact on the natural environment.
Here's a side note. I often hear people say when, for example, we learn about a severe snowstorm, "oh, so where's that global warming they talk about?" I'm not an expert in this field; however, from how I understand it global climate change means that on average, the Earth's overall temperature is rising. Global climate change also means that hot temperatures get hotter than normal and cold temperatures can become colder than normal.
If you are knowledgeable about global climate change, help me to understand something: If not, just give me your input about it. Nay Sayers believe that global climate change is completely fabricated and untrue and that's there no need to modify human behavior when it comes to this issue. It's hard for me to believe that there is a huge conspiracy to support the notion that humans are not contributing to global warming. If indeed it is a huge conspiracy to get people to believe that global warming exists, what's the point or benefit?
Furthermore, assuming that global climate change is a conspiracy and totally made up, what would be the harm in making changes to human behavior to decrease pollution emissions and researching and developing technologies that would decrease our carbon footprint (e.g., cleaner burning fuels, higher efficiency automobiles, more insulated homes, and businesses, etc.). In other words, I just can't seem to come up with any negatives for saying, "Hey, maybe we are negatively impacting the natural environment and maybe we should do something about it."
The response must include a reference list. Using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.