Global Warming

Nov 30, 2007


Despite my casual (arguably irresponsible) indifference to the matter concerning the proposed relation between the earth’s rising temperature, increased carbon dioxide emissions, and the melting of our north polar ice cap, I searched various YouTube clips of Al Gore and his inconvenient truth.

“We are facing a planetary emergency,” said Gore in his testimony to the Senate on C-SPAN Mar 21. Gore is the Governing Council Chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection.

His truth, though, was rather convenient at the 79th Academy Awards on Feb 25, where Gore won an Oscar for best Documentary Feature.

“There’s no question at all that the climate crisis is by far the most serious threat that human civilization has ever faced,” said Gore in An Inconvenient Truth. “It has the ability to end human civilization.”

Our ex-Vice President has been called hypocrite and his message has been called hype, but he is convincingly passionate and undoubtedly serious about this hot topic that has been presented to over 2000 audiences.

It has heated up pop culture as well. Just Monday I was half-watching ABCs October Road episode that was written with a global warming motif.

Over Thanksgiving break I came across my Postal Service album Give Up from my freshman year – lead vocalist Ben Gibbard sang the Sleeping In through the speakers of my car stereo while driving through green Seattle: “… concerns about the world getting warmer … people thought they were just being rewarded.”

And during my flight I watched The Simpson’s Movie, which had the common green theme.

Despite my feeble attempts to avoid this inconvenient truth, it seemed to be stalking all of us. What is all the fuss about?

The United Nations confirmed Feb 2 that evidence for global warming is “unequivocal” and that it is “very likely” that human activity is responsible – a change from the 2001 report that found humans “likely.”

This year there are 383 parts per million CO2, up from 300 in 1983, according to the Alliance for Climate Protection. More CO2 signifies higher temperatures. Since 1990 we have experienced the 10 hottest years on record, while 2005 was the hottest year ever and 2006 the hottest year in the United States, said the Alliance.

In under 100 years we have quadrupled the earth’s population, and it has been reported that every day we are putting 70 million tons of pollution in the earth’s atmosphere that has fueled global warming.

The hottest issue by far is the summer’s huge polar ice melt that has been verified by scientists a reported the world around. The New York Times has an article online where you can see the change in shape and size of the polar ice caps for yourself: Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts.

The evidence shows that the earth is warming. Whether humans are at fault is arguable. Whether it is a long-term trend is up for debate. But for Gore it isn’t.

“Didn’t they see the north polar ice melting, didn’t they hear the signs that it may gone in as little as 34 years,” said Gore hypothetically. He’s trying to pass laws that regulate CO2 emissions. Regardless of global warming, legislation like this would be beneficial for cleaner, greener and healthier lives.

As a Christian it is hard for me to believe that we, or our future children’s children, are destined to burn on earth. The bible tells a slightly different eschatological account. While we are on earth, though, it’s not too bad of an idea for us to take care of it until Christ comes, or until He brings us to Him.