Global Warming: A Myth?

But then it happens. 

Another doctor agrees with the dissenter.  And then another.  Eventually, all the doctors reverse their decision and agree with the dissenter, admitting that they may have misdiagnosed both the disease and the cure.  The first doctor rejoices that he was correct.  The other nine are humiliated.

And you—well, you still have the symptoms.  And they’re getting worse.  Maybe they’ll pass, but there is no indication yet that that will happen.  You are faced with the fact that you don’t know what’s causing the symptoms, and your actions may not have any effect at all on your health.  In other words, you may still have some kind of fatal disease, but there is nothing you can do about it. 

Or is there?  Don’t you have the power to continue on your course and at least kick your addiction and combat some of its related symptoms?  It’s not a lot of hope, but it’s something, isn’t it? 

Because the truth is that the global warming dissenters are still a minority, and the weight of evidence continues to suggest that there is something we can do not just to improve our environment, but also to conscientiously rethink what we need, and how we extract it, from the earth.  And if we reduce our dependence on coal and oil, we can begin to get a handle on the consequences of burning fossil fuels—because even if the minority view is correct and humans bear no responsibility for the ways in which the planet is changing, no one can deny the heavy price we pay for burning fossil fuels.  Think, for example, of smog and suspended particulate matter, think of respiratory disease and increasing rates of asthma, think of heart disease and cancer.  And what about toxic spills in oceans that reduce an already dwindling supply of a major food source?  And what about the fact that our oil reserves at home are nowhere near enough to satisfy our raging addiction?  I could continue, but instead I ask, again, what is there to celebrate? 

And so to those of you reveling over what apparently feels like a victory, congratulations:  you have given us less hope for believing that we can cure the planet’s frightening symptoms and less reason to end our dependence on a substance that is draining our nation of lives, money, and resources. 

At least the oil CEOs here in Texas will continue to increase their vast personal fortunes.  Hooray.