My Thoughts on Cliamte Change

Since the issue was thrust into the limelight from Al Gore’s Oscar win I have been meditating on this global warming thing for the last few weeks. This issue has so many facets that it is tough to grapple, but the outcome(s) are easy to visualize. Arid deserts where there were once lush forests, cities flooded and decimation of populations are just a few of the calamities that we all assume would result form global warming. I felt it was time to throw my two cents into this penny pie.

This issue does not have one cause as it does not have one resolution. How do you quantify the problem? Why must we fault any particular industry? Why should you conserve energy?

There are hundreds of thousands if not millions of variables that enter into the atmospheric equation. Number one is the Sun, number two would be the ocean, number three would be the land itself this goes on and on until it gets down to me exhaling every few seconds. The sun generates 4 X 10 to the 26^th power of wattage. If that number gives you a headache you can equate one second of the Sun’s output to the yearly output of 2.5 billion major power plants. Would anyone say that a single percentage change up or down would cause havoc with the Earth’s environment. When the oceans cover 75 percent of the planet they will drive the atmosphere in any direction they please. If a giant volcano erupts you may not hear it, but you may feel its effects on cooling the atmosphere. Humans affect their environment, but does all the human activity on this planet equal the effects of the sun or ocean or a single volcano? It is impossible to quantify, but I’ll say no.

Where we lay blame is interesting. Cars and power plants are easy targets for environmentalist to pick on. Cars are great things. I get into my new 2007 Dodge Nitro SUV drive to work (5 miles) work for eight hours drive home and relax for the night. It also allows me to drive to my Parent’s house on the weekend (about 25 miles.) Do I cause global warming? Maybe, but I am living the way I want to live. I want a reliable car to get me to work and home on time and without the real possibility of the car breaking down on me. Mary and I bought the Nitro to accommodate our lifestyle and to also be a safe and easy car to access for our children when we have some. I drive the distance to my parent’s house because I want to see them for a few hours at least once a week.

I love power! You and I use it every second of the day. Power runs my alarm clock, keeps my food cold or hot, washes my clothes, lights my way at night, runs my laptop, and most importantly keeps my iPod running. Let me tell you all a dirty little secret of energy you can not produce or expend energy without making a byproduct. Blaming a coal fired power plant for emissions is like blaming a baker for emitting doughnuts form his bakery. I don’t care where power comes from it can be wind, coal, nuclear, fuel cell or hamster wheel. I demand that power is there all the time for me to use and that it is affordable. If you have a problem about where your power comes from then stop using power altogether. Go use a wind up alarm clock eat MRE’s all the time, wash your clothes on a rock by the river, use candles at night and don’t forget to hand crank your laptop (See Below) for power.

As much as I love power I do like to conserve on power. One of the first things I bought when I purchased my condo was a thermostat. I was nice and very expensive. I have also used copious amounts of Great Stuff. This is the ooze that fills in cracks around anything. I have used 3.5 cans of this stuff in a 975sqft condo. Needless to say there were a lot of cracks to fill. I have also weather stripped my doors to fill in the wide spots. I have also had a fluorescent light bulb in my bedside lamp for over 7 years and counting. Now why did I do all of these things? It wasn’t for the fear of an ocean lapping at my door tomorrow it was for saving money on my electric and gas bills. This rather selfish motivation does help the environment, but these acts are not done for the environment. Could I do more? Sure I could drop thousands of dollars and buy solar panels and wire my house up to the Sun, but I can’t afford it.

I hope you enjoyed my tirade. As serious as this issue may seem, none of us will die tomorrow of global warming. The seas will not rise to cover cities nor will our forests die and fade away to dust for a very long time if ever. You should conserve where you can, but not at the cost of not living the way you want to live. Most importantly tell your children that they are safe and not to fear and you should sleep well at night for living a life well lived.