Sea levels continue to rise due to global warming. According to an estimate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels could rise another meter or more by the year 2100.
The below animated video shows what Earth would look like if all the ice melted, courtesy of BusinessInsider.com.
Meanwhile, we continue to argue about climate change as if we were all scientists, instead of actually trusting scientists to be good at what they do. It’s like getting on a plane and arguing with the pilot about how to fly it. There is close to a consensus among people who actually understand the subject that the earth is warming, and that human activity is contributing to it.
In my view, we should be arguing like cats and dogs over what to do about it rather than whether it’s real. Having worked in the energy efficiency industry (my day job) for the past 20+ years, I can tell you there are many ways America and the world can maintain a good standard of living while addressing human contribution to global warming. In America, people are far more likely to see a reduction in standard of living because of offshoring jobs, the demise of unions, and so on than anything the government would do to address global warming. We’re already seeing this with solar power. As the technology improves and costs fall, we’re seeing that industry start to take off and produce more jobs, at much lower risk to our health and environment, than an oil pipeline ever will.
More jobs, a healthier environment, and a planet able to support human lives with a good standard of living. This is something on which all Americans should be able to agree.
Leave a Reply