Global Warming

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Global Warming?

• Just Another Y2K?
• Dr. Don Williams
• Park University Associate Professor of Biology

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Do you remember the Y2K hype?

• But
• When the clock ticked Jan 1, 2000, no major
  problems were reported,
• Almost every bank worked fine,
• No major power outages were reported,
• Airplanes still flew, and
• The whole world went on with its normal life.

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Is Global Warming

• Just another Y2K scare?
• Maybe or maybe not!
• What is science telling us?

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The Practice of Good Science

• Scientific work exhibits openness
• Many trials and much data are used to formulate
  models and explanations
• Researchers are open minded to new ideas
• Communication and the sharing of ideas occurs

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But for controversial issues, scientists
sometimes forget.

• Special interest groups public interest groups
  get involved
• Non-scientists (celebrities, et. al.) get on
  board
• Politicians wield their power
• The Media becomes a major player
• All to influence the public to think their way!

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Other Controversial Issues similarly affected
include

• Evolution vs. Intelligent Design
• The Embryonic Stem Cell Debate
• Population Control ZPG

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The groups with the most and notoriety

• Are heard, to the exclusion of dissenters.
• Dissenters may even be ridiculed.
• What happened to those nice scientific
  principles?

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So, the debate continues.

• 30 years ago, some scientists believed we were
  entering a new ice age due to smog and air
  pollution (Humphrey, C. C. and R. G. Evans 1971)
• Now, The great majority of scientists today
  believe that Global Warming is the case.
  (Keller and Botkin, 2008)
• Which side to believe?

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Sources of Informationhttp//captain.park.edu/dwi
lliams

• Understanding Global Warming (Anon.
  2007)
• IPCC web site http//www.ipcc.ch/
• U. S. Gov. web site http//www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/d
  efault.php
• The Weather Channel Position Statement on Global
  Warming _at_ http//climate.weather.com/globalWarming
  Statement.html

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Sources of Information

• The Global Warming Debate is not Settled
  (Sturdivan, M. 2007)
• www.globalwarmingheartland.org
• www.globalwarminghysteria.com
• http//www.oism.org/pproject/s33p36.htm
• 20/20s Jon Stossel on Al Gore Global Warming
  Debate http//youtube.com/watch?vuO9laiUXS1o

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Sources of Information

• Other dissenters (Google any of these)
• Bjorn Lomborg (aka the Skeptical
  Environmentalist)
• Richard Lindzen, atmospheric physicist and MIT
  professor
• S. Fred Singer, President and founder of the
  Science and Environmental Policy Project
• John Coleman, the founder of the cable TV Weather
  Channel and currently a TV meteorologist in San
  Diego, CA

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Sources of Information

• The Global Warming Review Paper available _at_
  http//www.oism.org/pproject/s33p36.htm
• The American Policy Center _at_ http//www.americanpo
  licy.org/un/thereisnoglobal.htm

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How should one respond? (Wright 1989)

• Look thoroughly into the issue and form an
  opinion based on your best judgment
• Dont hold on to that opinion very tightly
• Be slow to condemn those who hold differing
  views.

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My additions to Dr. Wrights suggestions

• Do what you can to bring about a greener world,
  but dont be an extremistyou will just alienate
  people!
• Be able to laugh at yourself and see the lighter
  side of life, once in a while!

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References

• Anonymous. 2007. Understanding Global Warming.
  The Kansas City Star, May 10, 2007, p. A15
• Humphrey, C. C. and R. G. Evans. 1971. Whats
  Ecology? Ecology Action Educational Institute,
  Modesto, CA.
• Keller and Botkin. 2008. Essential Environmental
  Science. John Wiley Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ

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• Sturdivan, M. 2007. The Global Warming Debate is
  not Settled. The Kansas City Star, July 28,
  2007, p. B9
• Wright, R. 1989. Biology Through the Eyes of
  Faith. Christian College Coalition and Harper
  Row, Publishers, San Francisco

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• THANK YOU!