by Chuck Correll

Created on: November 21, 2008

You know, it bothers me when people get all smooshy about things. Sayings like "save the planet" or "leave our children's world better than we found it" all conjure up images of Leave It To Beaver in my mind's eye. Making things too cutesy just turns me off. I suspect a lot of people feel that way.

So, let me say it straight up - you need to be concerned about Global Warming.

Whether or not it is caused solely by man is up for debate. There are indeed normal variations in the planet's atmosphere that cause warm cycles, cold cycles, and the like. There were Ice Ages long before the Industrial Revolution and there were warm periods as well.

However, it appears that there is a strong correlation between rising levels of CO2, global temperatures, melting glaciers and snow caps, increased desertification, etc. Numerous scientists, climatologists and other experts now believe mankind is indeed the cause of much of the changes we are seeing on our planet.

There is no doubt that our expansion is causing a dramatic increase in the rate of extinction of animal and plant species. There is no doubt that our damming of rivers and dumping of industrial waste into them is greatly reducing the amount of potable water on the planet. There is no doubt that 11 years of the last 12 years have been the warmest since 1850 and that the rate of warming averaged over the last 50 years is nearly twice that for the last 100 years. There is no doubt that CO2 levels in the atmosphere have risen from 278 ppm to 380 ppm (+37%) since industrialization began. There is no doubt that average Arctic temperatures have increased at almost twice the rate as the rest of the planet in the past 100 years.

You get the point. I'm not asking readers to believe Global Warming is a real potential menace based on my own beliefs. Do some research on your own. Go to some of the links here or Google it. Base your opinion on what you learn for yourself, not based on the high level talking points of those that are believers or non-believers.

The potential ramifications are serious enough for each of you to learn more about the phenomenon and to take action, if you become convinced we have a problem, by raising awareness with your friends and peers and by pushing your legislators and yes, even your President, to take appropriate action. You an go to http://www.yournationsvoice.com and click MORELINX to contact your elected officials and communicate any concerns you may have.

This world is the only one we have and if we screw it up there is no exit strategy.

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