Blog Action Day for Climate Change

Today is Blog Action Day for Climate Change.

The idea that climate change is bogus has a lot of traction in Wichita Falls and many conversations about improving sustainability have gotten side-tracked on the "climate change is Al Gore's personal campaign to stay in the spotlight and make piles of money" argument. Although sustainability and climate change are related, there is a lot more involved in sustainability than the issue of climate change (although that's a big one.)

I really don't care about whether we're getting hotter or colder. I am not overly concerned about the arguments about how fast the climate is changing and the precise impacts. What I am certain about is that people are using resources, many of which are finite. I am also certain that not all of the changes in the climate (or other environmental factors) are good. If past history proves out, some of them will have far-reaching and as yet unknown negative impacts.

Finally, I know that if Al Gore and the majority of climate scientists are right, we have to tame the climate change monster. If we act and there is no climate change issue, then we have some severe economic shifts we will have to cope with. As resources dwindle (especially oil), we will have to make these adjustments anyway. If climate change is indeed coming upon us quickly, then action is a matter of life and death for many.

There's the bottom line. It's a matter of doing a risk analysis. Likely neither side of the argument is 100% correct. If we could be certain, we would know what we have to do. We don't. So where is the greater good? It is in working toward a sustainable lifestyle that ensures our children and grand children have access to the resources they need for a healthy and happy future.