Is The Sky Falling?

I have teenage daughters. Not that I want a medal for surviving having teenage daughters or anything like that, but it was their inquisitive nature that got me thinking about global warming recently. Questions were raised while watching the Live Earth 24-hour, 7-continent concerts that took place last month. The concerts were to raise awareness for a “climate in crisis.”

Like most teenagers, mine like to listen to music and many of their favorite groups were playing throughout the day. So, our TV was glued to the channel with continuous coverage. After one band would play, the sponsors would cut away to someone offering tips on ways to conserve energy, waste less, etc. From what I saw, these were all good tips.

Some of the tips I had never heard of (or would never have even thought of), such as using old sweaters to cover the seat cushions of dining room chairs. That one probably wouldn’t fly at my house, but I am certainly in 100% agreement with turning off lights when you leave a room and reusing as much as possible. Those are just some very practical things to do to reduce energy use and create less waste.

My daughters, of course, asked the big question on global warming: “Is it really true?” I hesitated to answer.

Finding The Truth

I’m no scientist, but from what I’ve read, we’ve got two extreme points of view on whether global warming is a real threat to the planet. You’ve got those who say “the sky is falling” and we should work to pass legislation that would prevent further damage to our environment. On the other hand, some are saying that much of the talk about the “crisis” is hype.

According to John Stossel, an ABC News correspondent and co-anchor of “20/20” in his book Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity, he says the Earth may be warming, but it may or may not be because of us. He also says that the horrible weather that is predicted to ensue as a result of the warming, more than likely, will not transpire.

Presenting the other side, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an environmental action group, says on its Web site that the atmosphere is overloaded with carbon dioxide, and if we continue to emit carbon into the atmosphere at current rates, a temperature increase of 3°F to 9°F degrees by the end of the century may be inevitable. The resulting weather, according to the NRDC, won’t be something anyone will be looking forward to.

With both sides presented, what is your take on the global warming situation? As a grower, what are your environmental concerns? Send an e-mail to [email protected] and tell me what you think.

So what did I tell my inquisitive kids? I told them to do some research of their own and learn more about this topic. I also told them to turn down the TV because the music was too loud.