Earth Day rant

[sarahmichigan]

If I'm feeling the urge to write, "Your willful ignorance astounds me!" to someone online, I should probably just back away slowly, right?

The thing is, people, THERE IS NO CONTROVERSY ABOUT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.

In the news and general public? Sure. But time after time, when working scientists are polled - depending on the way the questionnaire is worded and whether they're working in a field related to climate change - between 80 and 90 percent agree that a) the earth is getting warmer and b) humans are at least part of the cause of it.

That's practically a consensus. The remaining 10 percent who don't agree? Well, there are always disagreements in science, as there should be. Those dissenting opinions could be the result of a) the scientists not being experts in climate-related science or b) not liking the way the poll question was worded or c) having some kind of pet theory or hidden agenda.

This amounts to a near-consensus with a few dissenting whack-jobs... not a controversy.

Comments

[seifaiden.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this, it's one of my "things". Also, we should get together and do something sometime, now that I'm free of classes.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Cool! Could I take you out for a drink (or lunch, if you don't drink- I can't remember) to celebrate the end of the semester?

I'm free both Saturday and Sunday evening (though busy on Fri).

[seifaiden.livejournal.com]

I would like that! I'm booked Friday and Saturday with obligatory TESOL department celebrations but Sunday sounds good. When/where do you recommend?