D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
April 2010
Taking the Heat
Are we sure enough about global warming to make public policy based on it?
Several years ago I took a lot of heat from a Desert Exposure column where, in passing, I questioned whether global warming was actually being caused by human activity. Detractors said some rather unflattering things about the old Lar, and even about the editor for daring to print my comment.
But, having rather broad shoulders (public writing tends to do that), I decided to let the subject die. After all, those folks were entitled to their opinions, too.
Then, on Feb. 17, 2010, ABC News made me sit up and listen; then I got mad!
It seems the government of New Mexico is thinking about mandating that all energy producers reduce greenhouse gases by 36% in order to reduce the effects of global warming. The report went on to say that the mandate could be disastrous to our industries as well as to private citizens. The cost to industry would be astronomical and result in one of two things: At the least, the residents of New Mexico would have huge rate increases in utilities that many of us couldn't afford, or, worst-case scenario, six of our state's energy-producing plants would have to permanently shut down.
Now it's bad enough that you and I will have to pay a whole lot more for electricity, but what really got my blood to boiling was the current growing evidence and consensus that global warming might very well not be human-caused! So why are state and federal governments foisting this upon us?
I did a little research on just what the heck is going on. I found out that as of May 19, 2008, nearly two years ago, 31,486 American scientists, including 9,026 PhDs, have signed an ongoing petition, part of which states, "There is NO convincing evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases are causing, or will cause, in the foreseeable future, catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate." (By the way, the UN is the main proponent of human-caused effects and they have only 52 scientists in their stable.) Then in December 2008 and beyond, 650 global scientists joined the Americans in disputing Al Gore's statement "that the science (human-caused global warming) is settled, and an overwhelming consensus of scientists agree with the hypothesis of human-caused global warming." Most recently, emails going back 13 years have been released showing the suppression of evidence calling into question human-caused global warming. (See eastangliaemails.com to judge for yourself.)
The above information was investigated by a US Senate report that verified the facts. So why are our state and federal governments so hot-to-trot on affirming dubious evidence in support of human-cause global warming?
Here is an interesting note about all of this: Russian and American scientists have found historical data to show that we might be on the verge of a little "ice age," and that ice ages are directly related to sunspot activity. They claim that La Nia's effect becomes stronger during a cooling trend; this was supported by the leading global physicist on solar activity, Theodor Landscheidt (who just recently died).
But here is where things get dicey. A La Nia-controlled weather pattern means that it is very dry and warmer in our southwest, while the northeast suffers with wet, cold, severe winters. That is exactly what is happening in the northeast as they experience the most and worst snow storms in decades.
The trouble is, we here aren't dry and warmer; we are experiencing El Nio effects, which are just the opposite of La Nia. We too, are experiencing colder and wetter weather patterns on a constant basis, and I haven't seen such since 1992.
On a personal note, my "house coveys" of quail are feeling these effects badly. They have gone from covey numbers of 30-50 down to fewer than 12, in just a matter of a month.
What this all translates to on a local and national scale is that we are much colder and wetter this winter, and nothing is set in concrete any longer.
If you will note, it has rained or snowed or sleeted hereabouts for every week since the beginning of January, or nearly so, and most storms have lasted two to three days. That hasn't been all that great for my outdoor activities and plans! In fact, as I pen this, in early February, it is snowing like crazy outside!
California is inundated with severe rain storms once or twice per week, as is supposedly dry Arizona, and the east coast is still digging out after the second worst snowstorm ever recorded.
Advocates of human-caused warming focus on polar bear populations as evidence to support their theory. But the bear population in the early 1950s was a dismal 5,000 or so; now their numbers are over 25,000!
On the other side, anti-global warming scientists are looking at the glacial ice layers that cover hundreds of thousands of years. Their evidence points to natural cycles of warming and cooling, and the last major cooling period ended about 12,000 years ago. We've been naturally and gradually warming since then.
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Last year I watched a National Geographic show supporting the same facts. The evidence they showed revealed that all of the arid southwest, approximately 12,000 years ago, was covered in dense pine forests. A normal warming trend began back then, with "little ice ages" interspersed on a regular basis, the last being in the mid-19th century. Huge volcanic eruptions will also reverse warming patterns as attendant ash envelopes the earth.
What this all tells me is that the entire global weather situation is very fluid. No man really knows what will happen next, on either side of the issue. What will be, will be!
In conclusion, I would like to throw my own little wrinkle into this mix of
theories, and theories they are. I'd like to quote two little-known passages
in the Bible, found in the New Testament — both references are to Jesus: "All
things have been created through Him and for Him." "He is before all things
(creation) and in Him all things (creation) are held together. But by His word
the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day
of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape
notice, that with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years and a thousand
years like a day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness,
but is patient toward us, not wishing any to perish but for all to come to
repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens
will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed by intense heat,
and the earth and its works will be burned up."
That's all there is, folks. As always, may the sun be forever be at your back, the wind forever in your face, and may The Forever God bless you!