week 3: threat of global warming?

Is there really such a thing as global warming?

The article I read this week was about progress made to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. Apparently, greenhouse gases have decreased by three percent, according to the White House’s top environmental advisor. He says that this can be partially attributed to new programs under the Bush administration. However, it goes on to say that the private sector and favorable weather conditions have also helped, along with the government. The article claims that the U.S. has taken the major steps to “combat global warming.” I guess he wants everyone to take a minute and thank the Bush administration for its hard work and the greenhouse gas decrease. The policy director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s climate center thinks otherwise. According to him, government statistics show the opposite of what the environmental advisor believed. Therefore, the question is what can possibly be done and is there a threat?

It seems pretty clear that there is a lot of pollution. It is definitely important to try to reduce the pollution and greenhouse gases. According to Climate Change Central, “Strictly speaking, global warming and global cooling refer to the natural warming and cooling trends that the earth has experienced all through its history.” Ok then. It seems the temperature of the earth has fluctuated throughout history. Does that mean there is something called global warming that will melt the polar icecaps and flood the world? It’s impossible to know for sure. NOAA.gov says global warming is “an overall increase in world temperatures which may be caused by additional heat being trapped by greenhouse gases.” The debate seems to be on whether or not the horrible definition of global warming is a real threat or not. We should definitely consider reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. I think there definitely is a possibility that something could happen in the future. Since there has been a trend in fluctuations in the earth’s temperature, it makes me feel like the threat is not that bad. If temperatures continue to rise though, there could be a problem. I’m always open to new things and the possibility of this concept. I think we need to continue the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, before it’s too late. In response to the article, I don’t think anyone person/thing can be credited with the decrease in greenhouse gases as it occurred from a number of sources. No one could really definitively say that it is all because of the Bush administration that the gas emissions have decreased.