Climate Science

The debate over climate change has always puzzled me personally. Its consequences threaten humanity’s ability to survive on this planet and this fact alone seems significant enough to transcend any partisan or political divisions. The unique challenge of climate change and the pervasiveness of its causes throughout our economy may explain why it meets so much resistance. Some may seem threatened by policy prescriptions to fight climate change that ask society to fundamentally change the way it functions. Any challenge to an economic mindset of growth, expansion, and increased consumption can understandably be viewed with skepticism as it contrasts with free market orthodoxy. As a result, a false choice has been created between investing in our economy and protecting our environment leading many who are hard hit by the recession to question measures aimed at curbing greenhouse emissions.

Both websites are interesting. While I am biased towards the Grist perspective, I think the very existence of the Friends of Science website speaks to the difficulty surrounding dealing with climate change. With so many interests so invested in maintaining the lucrative status quo, any challenge to the current economic structure and addressing climate change, any debate between climate skeptics and advocates provides effective fuel for their misinformation. The politicization of science is extraordinarily unfortunate especially considering the ‘climategate’ controversy and other episodes of the climate debate. I hope that skeptics and advocates can resolve their differences in time to make the changes necessary to confront climate change and forge a more sustainable future.

The Climate Change Debate

I almost had to laugh looking through the "Friends of Science" website, it sounded so rote and simplistic. Of the two websites, I found the "How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic" one more believable - I thought it had more (complete) information and more detailed explanations for its positions - i.e., when FoS said that severe weather hadn't been increasing, the only marker they gave was tropical storms. Comparing the two, however, I was struck by the degree to which data can be manipulated to prove one point or another. For example, where FoS says that climate change isn't causing more violent weather and that the number of hurricanes has actually been decreasing since the 1970s, How to talk to a Skeptic argues that we have been seeing an increase in, if not the number of tropical storms, than at least an increase in intensity. It really is amazing how you can take a single set of numbers and come to such different conclusions.

Obviously the debate around climate change is critical. I think part of the reason it exists is that people do honestly disagree with one another about what various scientific findings could mean. I do think there exists a place in the scientific community for constructive and honest debate about what scientific findings really mean and how they can be interpreted. On a larger scale, though, I think the debate is motivated by fear - climate scientists and environmentalists spout all these doomsday prophesies about what we're doing to the Earth and what it's going to look like, and who honestly wants to believe that? On some level it might be easier to disagree with all your might than to open-mindedly face what we've done to the planet. I also think that climate skeptics seriously downplay the role of feedback loops in the planet's climate. Our Earth is a vast, complex mechanism with systems we've barely even begun to understand, and I think one of the real dangers of climate change is that it will act as a catalyst for processes we haven't even yet connected to the central issue of global warming. I also think it's incredibly difficult, given the vast amount of information (and data manipulation) that's out there, to objectively sift through findings and evaluate scientific claims. Some of the most important factors to look at, however, I think involve who's conducting the study, the strength of their research findings, if those findings have been backed by other independent studies, and what other, relatively non-partisan scientists are saying about these studies. Obviously this is a lot of work to do for every single piece of climate change evidence we come across, and it's much easier to just pick a website or newspaper we like or trust and let them inform us. Personally, I believe that climate change is real, that humans are overwhelmingly responsible for it, and that all this bickering over interpretation is really just a way for those who don't believe in it to waste the time of those who do; constructive debates certainly have a role to play, but at this point we should be arguing about solutions, not getting into petty squabbles about whether or not climate change is really happening.

The Atacama Desert

Last Fall I spent the semester studying abroad in Santiago, Chile. One of my most memorable moments was our trip to the Atacama Desert, the driest place in the world. After spending the day trekking over dunes we climbed to the top of some cliffs and watched the sun set. As there were no clouds in the sky was fairly unimpressive. But watching the sand change color in front of us as the sun set was amazing. Then the stars began to come out and it was breathtaking. I could see more stars there than I have ever seen in my life.

It was a truly humbling experience. I truly realized the massive extent of nature in terms of size as well as time. I also realized how helpless I was when left exposed to the elements. It really let me feel the brevity that is the length of a human life. Being 5'2" I've never thought I was very large, but standing in the sand dunes with sand as far as the eye can see, stretching all the way to the shadows of the Andes mountains in the distance, truly allowed me to feel microscopic.

"Saving nature" makes it sound as though we're far more important than we are. The truth of the matter is that we are trying to preserve something that could tear us apart if the weather continues to become more volatile. Furthermore, it is something upon which we all depend. In saving nature, what we are actually attempting is to save ourselves. Though we can continue to impact our environment, it will continue long after we are all gone.

It is vitally important that we conserve, reduce, reuse, and recycle, but it is for ourselves that we do these things. Conservation is in our best interest. It is what will ensure that the earth can provide for future generations. However, it will continue long past human existence.

The Meadow

Growing up my entire life in a city, true encounters with nature were really rare. I love living in cities and my city is very green (its called the city of the oaks) but I do wish that I had more opportunities to experience real nature. That being said, the most magical encounter with nature that I've ever had was in the center of my city, in a huge meadow tucked away that I never knew about. It was my Senior year in high school and I was with my friends walking around NC State college in downtown Raleigh. Although we've been to NC States Campus thousands of times, we've never noticed the meadow that's in the middle of it. It was this huge grassy area outlined by flowers and trees, with the brick buildings of the school surrounding it. It was the perfect combination of the peace of nature with the excitement of the city. I have no idea how we ever missed it before but we took full advantage of it. Running down hills, taking pictures, and playing frisbee, we were kids again. We knew it was one of the last times we would all be together before we left for college and we were so glad we found this magical place in the middle of the city where we could just play.
I do think "saving nature" is something we should concern ourselves with. If we didn't save nature we would have no chance at making memories like the ones we're putting in these blog posts. I can't imagine a life that did not have a park full of trees, a rose garden, or a hidden away meadow. Without all this, life would be dreary. Not to mention all of the different plants and animals that call nature home, we are visiting their home and it is our duty to protect it for them. We need to save nature and we need to keep biodiversity thriving.

Beauty in your own Background

I really enjoyed reading your posts, Ciara and Stephen! The pictures were great to look at. Unfortunately, I don't have any to share for my favorite nature encounter. While I wish I had a cooler experience than this to relate, I'd have to say my most magical experience with nature was a few years ago on a clear summer night in my backyard. My entire street used to be a farm, so my house backs up against two pretty dense fields. Normally, the most you ever see are some rabbits, deer, a hawk or two, and the occasional pheasant, but I remember one night my dad called me out in the backyard, saying there was something I had to see. I walked with him out past our pool and his shed to a point where two fields converge and saw a breathtaking sight: The entire field, which slopes downward and looks sort of like a valley, was filled with what looked like thousands of lightening bugs, all flashing furiously. At first it seemed to me like I was at a movie premier and a hundred paparazzi were flashing their cameras, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I was able to make out the farm down the hill from my house and the tree line and an old church off in the distance. I just sat there with my dad for a good twenty minutes taking in this unexpected but incredible view. I think what I like most about this story is that it happened right in my own backyard - it seemed to me like Aldo Leopold, when we read excerpts of "A Sand Count Almanac" for class this week, was making the case that the beauty of nature can be found most places you look, and I definitely relate to that. I realized that night (or maybe remembered is more accurate) that I live in an incredibly beautiful place, and I was reminded to keep my eyes open for the thousand little natural wonders that surround me every day.

To that effect, I absolutely think saving nature is something humans need to be concerned about. As much as this might be a cliche, I think that we have a responsibility to save nature if not for ourselves, than at least for the generations who come after us. They should have every chance we have had, if not more, to experience what an amazing planet we live on, to get caught by surprise in the beauty of an unexpected vista driving down the interstate or even just to realize how magnificent our own backyards can be. I also really like what Paul Wapner says about being members of an ecological community rather than masters of it. We are, as much as we might think otherwise, a part of this planet, and I think we have a duty to keep it as beautiful and vibrant as we can, for ultimately it isn't our earth to destroy. We're just borrowing it, and we should take the best care of it we can.

Haliburton

Wow Clara! The African Safari looks incredible! While I’ve never had any experience like that, the most incredible encounters I have had with the non-human world took place in Northern Ontario. Growing up in Toronto, Canada, on holidays I would visit my Grandparents who lived about three hours north of the city in a town called Haliburton, Ontario. They lived in a cottage on an isolated bay of Koshlong Lake. In the midst of the vast and beautiful Canadian forest, I found my love and appreciation for nature. The leaves and the mosses, the streams, and the stones are vivid in my mind every day. While the area was not particularly full of biodiversity, I spent great portions of my childhood there hiking, exploring, and discovering hidden sections of the woods on the lake. In periodic clearings formed by ancient rocky moraines, deer would flock together along with loons on the lake and other wetland creatures. In these woods I found some of the most incredible sights and had some of the most amazing experiences of my life.

I believe that nature is something that we should be very concerned about as we humans are fundamentally part of nature. We depend on nature for sustenance, water, and countless other resources. In fact, it is nearly impossible to think of a thing that humans use that does not come from nature. But more than simple survival, nature reminds us where we come from and the simple beauty of life. I think this journey of self discovery and adventure must be preserved so future generations can enjoy the beauties of Northern Ontario and other sacred places just as I did.

Magical African Safari

The most magical moment that I have ever had with the non-human world occurred when I was studying abroad in South Africa. During spring break, I took a safari/camping trip where we travelled to Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It was just an amazing experience with nature all round. One part of the trip, we were literally in the middle of nowhere in a place called the Okavanga Delta. We had to take a 45 minutes mokoro (boat made from a local tree) ride to this place. We went on walking safaris where we saw all different animals. The most amazing thing we saw walking around was the interaction between the giraffes and the zebras. We were told that they hang around together because the zebras feel protected by the giraffes because lions, hyenas, and other predators are actually afraid of giraffes. The most amazing part of this trip was when I was able to ride an elephant through another safari. I am normally completely against riding animals because really I just think it is odd and unnatural. However this was a tourist attraction and the money (supposedly) went to help elephants in the area and preserving the safari area which really needed help.
I obviously think saving nature should be something we concern ourselves with; otherwise I would not have had such an amazing experience for one. Nature is also very inspiring for people such as in the arts, whether is it writing books or painting portraits, or photography. Those reasons however are not very important for everyone. The idea of saving nature plays into the idea that we need to get everyone on board to care. In order to do these we must frame the issue as saving nature will help the human species. Saving nature, whether it is the rainforests, the coral reef, or your backyard, is very important. Scientific reasons to save nature include biodiversity or the fact that we rely on these ecosystems in various ways. For example we obtain certain resources for medicine or agriculture and can thank the rainforest systems for maintain certain weather patterns and the supply of fresh air and water. While I wish people would just have an appreciation for nature, it just is not that way. People need some more magical and enchanting time with the non-human world – I am posting pictures to share mine!!!