By Karl Martini, Assistant Dean of College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Professor of Physics
Looking out at the frigid subzero landscape, marveling at the ice-flowers on my window, makes me long for the toasty days of summer. Is Global Warming dead? Oh shucks, that nasty little difference between weather and climate… do we really need to embrace the subtleties of statistics?
This got me thinking, since the climate never stays the same for a long time, what should we expect? Looking at the climate record of the last million years, it seems that we are way overdue for a major climate correction. The next ice age should have us already in its grip or knocking on our door.
What happened? Us – humans…Industrial revolution, population explosion, ever increasing need of more and cheap energy derived from fossil fuels. Yes, the exhaust of our combined well-being and well-living is changing the chemical composition of the air we breathe. Don’t worry, I speak of no poison here, actually you exhale it too. Carbon dioxide is the culprit. We have noticed a 50% increase of its atmospheric concentration over the past century.
Lore (and the opinion of all atomic and atmospheric scientists) has it that it is a greenhouse gas and that it will enhance the existing greenhouse effect, that keeps this planet from being frozen like a snowball, by 10-20% (translates to a temperature increase of 5-10F above today’s yearly average). Now the planet has seen heating before, just not as rapid. Rates of change make a huge difference especially in biology, just think: ”don’t have time to adjust to this…”. Humanity never had to deal with a change of this magnitude in recorded history.
So, if you care to keep the planet cool or “as is” what can you do? Start with the 3 R’s and I am not talking reading, writing… but:
Reduce – your consumption (ecological and carbon footprint);
Reuse – almost all your stuff has a lot of life left in it when you toss it;
Recycle – yes we can reuse all that paper, plastic and glass that you throw away.
Learn about the topic, take a class on it.
Get engaged, join or start a group that wants to make an impact, come and help. Yes without you we cannot do it! We could use some real action here on campus, let’s make it a green campus, more than it already is!! Talk to your friends about this, see what they think, suggest or want to do.
Other advice? First, don’t raffle off your winter equipment, as you will need it for the rest of your life! Second, don’t buy any ocean beachfront property, the water line in the near future will be much further inland than you anticipate. Third, enjoy the cold weather while it lasts – summer is coming.
