by Jacquie Schmall

Created on: January 30, 2008

It has finally become clear the environment is being changed, however, the impact on society is not as clear. There has been severe weather changes in some places that will surely affect society if they continue to occur. The current deep freeze conditions in the Midwest are testimony to this potential.

Let's reason together in order to find a rational perspective on this very broad topic. The media, from Al Gore's film to a spot on 60 Minutes, has made attempts to inform us of the coming disaster caused by climate changes, or to squelch the idea that the process is happening at all.

Imagine that society and the environment are two organic and fluid modules on an interactive slide together toward an unknown result. In this case the impact of climate changes on the environment plus the changing needs of society are escorted by Entropy, or the inclination of matter in the universe to move toward random assortment. The environment is affected by all three, society, climate change, and Entropy.

At this point it does seem that any opinion based on research equals any other opinion based on research. So we can take a wait and see approach before we offer a toast to the winner. Meanwhile the environment may be passively though brutally assaulted.

There is an ongoing increase in the desalinization of the oceans due to melting polar ice and glaciers. This phenomenon tends to change the temperature and therefore the patterns of ocean currents. And, consequently, these changes affect the wind patterns. Irreparable damages? Absolutely. As the oceans become less saline, it's more likely they will freeze during extreme weather conditions. They will support more and less numbers of ecosystems. Then it will become a clear problem for society as well as the environment.

We can measure and photograph the changes in global environments. We have noted rainfall patterns and desertification to shift. What remains is for the passage of time to reveal the fundamental changes as they affect society on a regional basis.

Will our efforts to conserve and remodel, utilize less and reserve more, and take individual responsibility about global survival produce the desired effect?

Societies will have to survive more climate changes and more than a few transitional changes in the environment, sloshing through excessively heavy rain and snow, and unpredictable temperature variation. It appears there is no easy answer to what seems an easy question.

To paraphrase John F. Kennedy: ask not what the environment can do for you, but what you can do for the environment!

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