We almost always assume that the past, though very different, and mostly barbaric by our "civilized" standard, was nonetheless, very much the same as the present.

This is most often wrong.

The current trend in the rise in temperature world wide is a case in point. The fact is, that temperatures have been rising for a couple of centuries now, and there are variations in the amount of fluctuation.

During the American Revolution, the colonists experienced the "year without summer," at the point where the "little ice age" was slowly coming to a close. In truth, it is just now over. We are just getting back to the levels known prior to the event, which may have been a few degrees higher than our current temperatures. We have little information on that period . In other words, we don't know what normal is for the earth!

The vast polar ice caps, may not be the norm! Perhaps they were 1/4 the current size before that event, who can tell? Those polar bears we see floating on islands of ice, may have had more difficulty adapting to more icy conditions, than they will have adapting to the previous normal temperatures, whatever they were.

We know that the earth is warming. What we don't know for certain, is whether this is a natural phenomenon, or whether it is man made. I know that this is now claimed to be the "assured result of scientific investigation," but it is not. Not all scientists agree, no matter what you have heard. The ones that are claimed to be in agreement, are often miss quoted, and many have tried to explain this fact to a media that will not retract. All this aside, While the reasons the media is reporting for becoming more green may, or may not be valid, there are still other very good reasons for doing so.

What is troubling to me is that we are arguing over the theory. We all know that something needs to be done, and whether it is done to  benefit the polar bears, or human beings, we all know we need to curb our fossil fuel use, albeit for different reasons. We know it needs to be done, one group for environmental reasons, the other for economic reasons. Stop the squabbling!

Reasons for developing alternate energy:

Fossil fuels are becoming less abundant, and world population, and therfore, usage is increasing.
We may not ever run out, but the prices will become higher.
To reduce our dependence on outside fossil fuel resources which may at any time become unstable.
The technology becoming available is making it easier to have renewable resources of energy, with eventual real savings.

Things to avoid:

We should not become so immersed in growing our fuel, that we ignore the potential gains in solar power, wind power, hydrogen power, and yes, even nuclear power.

What it boils down to is shear economics. We can develop more cost effective ways to become more self reliant for our energy needs, and it will be done. The reason behind it, is of little consequence.

HOME >Alien Pests Exotic Aquatic Biofuels IPM IPM: Starting Environmental Motivation New IPM Model New IPM Part 2 Alien VS. Alien Site Map  Alien Predator In Texas Milk For Alcohol?  Global Or Normal Warming Copyright (C) 2007 James Burns  Note: The material on these pages is original content except where noted otherwise. This is the contents point of origin. Some of this content can also be found on blogs, and is published though ezines and various other media on the internet and in print, where it is on loan from the author.