Sleeping Through Global Warming

April 28, 2002

by Brian W. Peterson

We have survived another Earth Day, somehow. But, the attack on our language takes a daily beating.

Americans can no longer remain conservationists; we must all be environmentalists to avoid the wrath of the politically correct. “Conservation” used to be defined as keeping nature clean. Hunt and fish, but don’t take more than the limit. Camp, but keep the forest clean. Conservation was built upon the idea that we were part of nature and, endowed by God as the dominant species, should live with - not against - nature.

“Environmentalism” has replaced reasonable thought. Extremists have emerged who believe that humans are a cancer to life. New rules followed: do not hunt; do not fish; do not drive vehicles in the desert; do not operate zoos that educate people about animals. We humans are destroying the atmosphere, poisoning the water, and interfering with whale conversations. We must save the planet. From what? Humans. One wonders why, if humans are so terrible, some of the extremists don’t just pay Dr. Kevorkian a visit so they will no longer pollute the world.

The major problem with environmentalism is that it is founded upon a series of lies. The biggest yet most believed lie is the outlandish predictions of impending disaster from “Global Warming.”

Back in 1996, my curiosity was aroused after seeing a climatologist interviewed about the subject, and I found a book called Sound and Fury by climatologist Patrick J. Michaels. With the detailed explanations of a focused scientist, Mr. Michaels presents data that show the exaggerations, distortions, and outright lies of the environmental movement as it relates to “Global Warming.”

Unfortunately, scientists such as Michaels have been shut out of the debate by being labeled as “extremists.” Ironic word choice from the environmentalists.

Are you aware that the earth is near an historical low point in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Yes, the last 100 years have seen a significant (60%) increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but the levels are still low compared to that of thousands of years ago. With all that carbon dioxide, where is the warming that enviro-nuts have predicted? Temperature averages have increased only seven-tenths of one degree over the last 50 years.

This slight and unnoticeable temperature increase has taken place at night. This allows the growing season to lengthen, which allows more food to be grown. Because of an increase in cloudy days since 1900, the days are cooled (over time, on average - not necessarily every year) because clouds reflect heat. At night, those same clouds retain heat.

The models that are used by enviro-nuts to make their dire predictions are not accurate, and were never intended to be used for weather prediction. The models, called Global Circulation Models, were designed to be teaching devices, not crystal balls. When these models manipulate data from the past, they cannot even accurately “predict” the present.

Besides faulty data to show an increase, temperature measurements are compared with readings from the 1800’s. But that was at the end of a cool two-hundred year period known as the “Little Ice Age.” Temperatures increased without human intervention as the cool cycle ended naturally. The most significant recent increase took place between 1915 and 1930, years before the invention of supposedly lethal CFC’s. But after 1930, average temperatures again dropped. (Remember, this includes nighttime temperatures - the decade of the 1930s saw many record highs.)

The enhanced greenhouse effect means that the earth will become greener, have longer growing seasons for food, and have plenty of precipitation to meet human and animal needs. Arctic air masses may increase by about four degrees, from about minus-40 to minus-36 degrees Fahrenheit, so those stranded outdoors in northern Alaska may actually live two or three seconds longer before freezing to death. Otherwise, such a slight change in temperature is not even noticeable.

This is not the sort of news that the environmentalists want to let slip out. If we take away their excuses for trying to stop technological progress, how are they going to convince us to centralize the world’s economies?

Then again, maybe if they repeat their lies enough...

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Brian W. Peterson writes a political column for the Antelope Valley Press (circulation approximately 60,000) in Palmdale, California. He is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he majored in TV/Film. Brian’s weekly commentary and newspaper columns can be found at www.LifeAndLiberty.com.

Send the author an E mail at Peterson@ConservativeTruth.org.

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