Is global warming real? Is it natural? Man-made? Can we prevent it? Does it matter....
When I was young, global warming wasn't a thing. Well, it likely was but it wasn't the thing that everyone had concerns about. Australia had a big hole in the ozone layer over it. It even sounds strange to say now, like the ozone layer is no longer a thing, just an 80s trend like big shoulder pads.
The hole was attributed to CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) from pressure pack sprays and refrigeration units. It has something to do with the chlorine in there and radiation that destroys the ozone layer so they were banned and alternatives found. I do not know if this was real or propaganda but it was a thing when I was a kid.
When I was young, rather than global warming being the enemy, pollution was. Initiatives like 'Clean up, Australia' were started where volunteers would collect huge amounts of trash thoughtlessly disposed of in the wrong places. I remember at primary school having to volunteer for it. I actually didn't mind this one though, I was convinced it was a good cause.
Since that time though, global warming has taken centre stage, bribed the spot light operators and convinced the audience that it is the real star. The problem is, not everyone agrees.
Over the last 20 odd years that the global warming war has umm, heated up, there are scientists making claims on both sides. Some claim it is natural, some say we cause it, some say we can't stop it while others blame capitalist greed.
The different factions spend their time arguing back and forth, paying for opposing studies and propositioning governments to do this or that. In some countries rules are changed, carbon taxes introduced and in others, coal and oil production gets ramped up. Check out @donkeypong's post about oil wells in Los Angeles, I found it interesting.
But there is still no agreement and those that were made some pulled out of because they decided they didn't agree after all. The issue I have is with my childhood lessons that had nothing to do with global warming per se.
My question is, is pollution okay?
I would assume that there is not a decent scientist on earth who would say that polluting our air, waterways and land is fine and has no effect on us as humans, even if they have differing opinions on the cause, speed and effects of global warming.
I had a friend that went to Shanghai to live when her husband got a work project there. The air quality was so bad that she started having respiratory problems after a few months. Are there any scientists that say, 'The Shanghai air is great! The best air even, everyone thinks so.'
It would seem to me that a conversation that had scientific and global consensus has been hijacked and replaced by one that can be debated. The old switcheroo as Maxwell Smart would say.
It also seems to be a planned and coordinated effort over the years. Pollution is largely caused by manufacturing, transport and the products we consume and dispose of. If a plan to stop pollution was implemented, big and old business sectors would bear the brunt of the reduction in consumption. As would government tax coffers.
But, if global warming takes precedence, consumption can actually go up as the demand for environmentally friendly products goes up. And then they create a slightly more environmentally friendly version and we purchase again.
I am no environmental expert but it would seem to me that rather than fight over causes and fixes for something there is not yet a conclusion for, it might be more beneficial to start in a place we can agree upon now. It is also likely that if global warming is a thing we are creating or can affect, cutting pollution will help or at least, not hurt.
Pollution is something most people at least do not want in their area. There aren't many people that think breathing heavy smog is good, swimming in rubbish is fun or walking through streets littered with cigarette butts and coke cans is sexy. And that is only the stuff we can see. There is a plethora of contaminants we cannot see.
Plus, this is also a global issue. It doesn't matter where the pollution is created, eventually it will flow through to affect all else and the amounts we are talking about are no beating butterfly wings. We may not have to worry at all about global warming with the health issues we are likely to encounter from contaminants.
There are some smart and learned people here at Steemit that can maybe offer me some clarity on the situation. Some that will offer agreement and disagreement on various global warming issues. But, does anyone think that polluting the environment is okay?
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
