It’s Hot, is it Climate Change or Summer?

            It is August and it is over 100°F. It has been this hot all week. It makes people miserable and irritable. It is also the time of year climate change becomes a hot topic. I think most everyone can agree that climate change is a real thing, but the debate comes down to is it man-made or just a natural cycle and what are the effects?

Climate Denier

            If you’ve ever said you do not believe or even that you are skeptical of climate change, you have probably been called a climate denier. But if you have been called that, it is probably the least offensive name you have been called. Take heart, you are in good company. Galileo and Copernicus were called crazy for challenging the commonly held belief, so was Charles Darwin. If someone accuses you of being a climate denier, don’t take it personally, just ask them a few questions.

Challenging the Faith

            First I would ask if they think climate change is man-made or a natural cycle of the earth? I think you’ll find a surprising amount of people who think it is a mixture of the two. Next ask, what they think are the primary contributions people make to man-made climate change? Follow that with what do you think could be done in regards to those contributions? To cap it all off ask, why aren’t you doing that yourself? If they think burning fossil fuel is the major contribution than how can they justify their airplane trip to Europe or driving a car every day to and from work while desiring everyone else to stop doing those things.

The Sky is Falling

            Those that believe in climate change have their own apocalypse narrative. Like most dooms day predictions they will probably never happen. Climate change is happening but the impact humans have on it is not understood and the effects of the change are not understood. There are more pressing issues that need to be dealt with before everyone can focus on climate change. For starters we could address the amount of plastic trash that is ending up in the ocean and threatening fishing and wildlife. North Korea is becoming more and more out of control. What the heck is going on in education?

The Solution

            If you want to do something about climate change or anything really, than take action. Not the sign waving, brow beating activist action but real personal action. Find things in your life that need sorting out and attend to them. Put into action what you believe and if it works out, show others how to do what you are doing. You will make far more of an impact that way than waving a sign in a vain attempt to appear morally superior. Plus people will probably like you more.