First of all, a cold winter is not proof against global warming. The cold winter was caused by a polar vortex coming down from the North Pole. The polar vortex is cold air that swirls above either of the geographical polar vertices and usually stays there. Sometimes, the cold air from the poles dips down, which is what happened a few weeks ago.
The phenomenon that triggered the polar vortex to dip down into North America is called a sudden stratospheric warming. In layman’s terms, higher-than-average temperatures at the poles disrupt the atmosphere which sends down the cold air. The cold weather was a consequence of warmer weather elsewhere. Global warming does not mean there will never be cold weather, but rather the average temperature of the Earth is rising, and there will be more extreme weather events because of disruptions in the atmosphere.
The area of the Earth affected by the polar vortex was very small. While Wisconsin was in a deep freeze, Australia was experiencing record highs, up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The people who say record-cold weather negates the idea of climate change are focusing only on a tiny corner of the world.
Most of the people who speak out against global warming are politicians or pundits, such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, claiming it’s an elaborate hoax. However, not one scientific paper has been published providing evidence that climate change isn’t happening or that it’s all a scam. Science supports the evidence, but the politicians are louder and more outspoken and know how to interact convincingly with the public. Despite their lower numbers, they have the upper hand. And that is why global warming is still a controversy.
Let’s say there’s no such thing as global warming. What advantage would anyone have by saying there is? It would be great if we could do whatever we wanted without having to worry about the environmental consequences. Global warming is a huge inconvenience.
The benefits of denying it are great. If there is no global warming, there are fewer pesky environmental regulations and less money has to go into research for cleaner fuel. People only perpetuate a hoax when there’s some benefit to it. If anything’s a hoax without evidence, it’s the idea that global warming isn’t happening at all.
[email protected]
Only politicians claim global warming is a hoax
January 22, 2014
Buddy Zuckerman • Feb 4, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Colorado Rob nailed it.
Also, some of us benefit in this discussion by being older. We have a few more winters and election cycles under our belts. News flash Sally: people manipulate scientific theory for political gain, and I’m not talking about republicans. The climate change pushers are not as pure as the wind driven snow as you think. Al Gore has made a ton of money getting people to dump money into green energy companies where he owns a large share of those green companies. Keep in mind the fact that Al also has major investments in oil. Aside from traveling by private jet, you should know Al has a house in Nashville that has 20 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. How much energy do you think that one house consumes? Don’t you think if Al believed what he was saying he would live his own gospel?
There have been times before when it has been unusually cold and times when it has been unusually hot. People have not been around very long in the grand scheme of things, and the internal combustion engine is a tiny blip within the tiny blip of humanity’s impact on the globe.
There were huge and catastrophic changes long before humans were present. You could present the most cogent and convincing article about anthropogenic climate change today, and tomorrow solar flares could erupt causing sea levels to rise, crops to fry in the fields, and first degree burns within minutes rendering our whole discussion over our impact on climate change beyond irrelevant. Or, subtle changes leading to a pattern of cooling could usher in a new ice age (as was the consensus among scientists in the 1970s, so much for consensus).
Buddy Zuckerman • Feb 4, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Colorado Rob nailed it.
Also, some of us benefit in this discussion by being older. We have a few more winters and election cycles under our belts. News flash Sally: people manipulate scientific theory for political gain, and I’m not talking about republicans. The climate change pushers are not as pure as the wind driven snow as you think. Al Gore has made a ton of money getting people to dump money into green energy companies where he owns a large share of those green companies. Keep in mind the fact that Al also has major investments in oil. Aside from traveling by private jet, you should know Al has a house in Nashville that has 20 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. How much energy do you think that one house consumes? Don’t you think if Al believed what he was saying he would live his own gospel?
There have been times before when it has been unusually cold and times when it has been unusually hot. People have not been around very long in the grand scheme of things, and the internal combustion engine is a tiny blip within the tiny blip of humanity’s impact on the globe.
There were huge and catastrophic changes long before humans were present. You could present the most cogent and convincing article about anthropogenic climate change today, and tomorrow solar flares could erupt causing sea levels to rise, crops to fry in the fields, and first degree burns within minutes rendering our whole discussion over our impact on climate change beyond irrelevant. Or, subtle changes leading to a pattern of cooling could usher in a new ice age (as was the consensus among scientists in the 1970s, so much for consensus).
ColoradoRob • Jan 24, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Lizi, no offence intended, but you’re a little uninformed about both the issue, and the stands taken on it. Perhaps you would have been a bit more relevant back in the ’90’s, but things have evolved since then. “Global Warming” as a buzzword is mostly dead – because yes indeed, everyone knows that global climate change is a natural phenomenon. We’ve even detected evidence of global climate changes on Mars.
The debate (for many years now), has been about humanity’s impact in this regular cyclic process of heating and cooling. Most climate change scientists agree that humanity is having an impact. But there is wide and diverse disagreement about what that impact is, and whether it’s beneficial, detrimental, or irrelevant.
You do admit to a certain amount of ignorance: “Let’s say there’s no such thing as global warming. What advantage would anyone have by saying there is?”
Here are some answers: For foes of the US or capitalism, pushing for economy-crippling changes is a way to advance your agenda by weakening your opponent. For politicians looking for votes, pandering to the environmental lobby is a way to win them. For Al Gore, it was a way to make money.
Have a good day.
ColoradoRob • Jan 24, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Lizi, no offence intended, but you’re a little uninformed about both the issue, and the stands taken on it. Perhaps you would have been a bit more relevant back in the ’90’s, but things have evolved since then. “Global Warming” as a buzzword is mostly dead – because yes indeed, everyone knows that global climate change is a natural phenomenon. We’ve even detected evidence of global climate changes on Mars.
The debate (for many years now), has been about humanity’s impact in this regular cyclic process of heating and cooling. Most climate change scientists agree that humanity is having an impact. But there is wide and diverse disagreement about what that impact is, and whether it’s beneficial, detrimental, or irrelevant.
You do admit to a certain amount of ignorance: “Let’s say there’s no such thing as global warming. What advantage would anyone have by saying there is?”
Here are some answers: For foes of the US or capitalism, pushing for economy-crippling changes is a way to advance your agenda by weakening your opponent. For politicians looking for votes, pandering to the environmental lobby is a way to win them. For Al Gore, it was a way to make money.
Have a good day.