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Fibs,Fables,and Facts

In this day and age, people are very divided by their opinions about global warming. Some believe it is real, some don’t. And there are also the people that really don’t know what global warming is, so they are simply uninformed. Many ask “Is global warming real?” Here are some fibs, fables, and facts to help you decide. 

Some people think that global warming and the extra CO2 that is being produced is actually a good thing! 

They think that the carbon dioxide will stimulate more crop growth.  The real truth is that the damage caused by global warming will be far worse than any benefits that come from more carbon dioxide or warmer climates.  For example, rising sea levels would wipe out communities along coastlines and contaminate fresh water supplies with salt.  There would be extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts and floods that could harm people and kill crops. Even though CO2 can fertilize crops, scientists know that the effect is not as strong after a few years as the plants get used to this fertilizer and eventually, weeds will get more benefit than the crops.  Another warning from scientists is the potential damage that higher levels of CO2 can cause on marine life and fisheries as it increases the acidity of ocean water.

Do you wonder if global warming is just part of a natural cycle and maybe it's really nothing to worry about?

The real truth is that global warming is NOT natural and that people are the ones causing it by emitting more CO2 into the atmosphere than ever.  It's the buildup of all this CO2 from burning fossil fuels (like coal, gas and oil) and cutting down forests that is the biggest cause of global warming. Scientists have been studying the effect of greenhouse gases and CO2 since 1895.  They have studied other possible causes of global warming, like sunlight, volcanic eruptions and cosmic rays, and ruled these out.   

Some think that we shouldn't be afraid of global warming because humans can easily adapt to climate change; we've done it before! 

The truth is that, even though the human race has survived drought, heat, and cold at other times in history there have been entire societies that have suffered and collapsed because of dramatic changes in climate - and that is bad. Our current warming trend will cause major hardships for later generations. The consequences will be terrible for densely populated areas in low-lying coastal regions. Those that are poorer countries or small island nations will have the hardest time adapting and surviving. Another consequence of dramatic climate change would be decreased food and water supplies throughout the globe.  Even if people could adapt to this, the wildlife and plants that we depend on might not.   

There are some who think that even if global warming is a problem, making big changes to fix the problem will hurt the American economy and cost workers their jobs. 

This isn't true. If we do it right, we can decrease pollution in cost-effective ways.  In fact, some companies that are already cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions have discovered that they are actually saving money. If there were mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions, it might even cause companies to be more innovative, creating more jobs and more money.   

How can there be global warming when the winters feel so cold and summers feel cool?

The fact is that you have to consider overall trends, not just what is happening in different pockets of a country at one time or another. The trend for the Earth's climate over the last century shows warming in all seasons and in most regions. It's misleading to point out a single cold winter in the northeastern U.S. as representing a trend in global climate when the definition of global climate means a long-term average that covers an entire planet.  

If we can't even get an accurate weather prediction more than a few days ahead, how can we trust the climate predictions 20 or 30 years in the future?

Climate and weather predictions are two very different things, just as climate is different from weather. It is much more difficult to make an accurate weather forecast than a climate prediction because the weather depends on being able to describe the exact state of the global atmosphere at the present time. Predicting climate changes is more reliable because it uses longer ranging factors.

Cyclone Catarina

Soon we won't have to worry about global warming because the ozone hole is shrinking. 

The fact is that global warming and the ozone hole are not related.  The ozone layer is in the earth's stratosphere, about 9 to 31 miles above the earth's surface.  The ozone hole is a thin spot caused by man-made chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and causes more ultraviolet (UV) radiation to get in. Global warming, caused by the buildup of CO2 other greenhouse gases, causes an increase in the earth's temperature. These are two different problems.  

Scientists and environmentalists exaggerate the issue of global warming so that they can get more funding for their research. 

In fact, it is often the case that speaking out about environmental issues like global warming can be bad for a scientist's career.  Sometimes they will actually lose their jobs!  Big oil companies that have a lot of money and power will lobby in Washington and can sometimes influence the flow of funding into the environmental community. 

This statement is false. Coal companies just say this so you will keep using there energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we do not have any power plants in the US that are using carbon capture technology. Coal burning is the dirtiest way we create electricity because of all the CO2 being put into the air.

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