Trump’s election has caused a lot of concern and reaction. While I still have hope that his entire campaign was nothing more than a shell game, and he’ll actually just be a lame duck President, his words and potential policies have caused the entire internet to believe that their opinion matters, but fact and research do not.
This is evident in no debate more than that of climate change. Have you noticed the climate change deniers are louder now? I consider my social media feeds to be a wonderfully diverse cross-section of humans. In fact, I purposely set it up that way. I want to know what the left, right, centrists, anarchists, atheists, creationists, and those from all walks of life are thinking. And, since the President-elect has come out to call climate change a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, my feed has become much more vocal against trying to solve this problem.
Later, I’m going to offer an experiment you can do at home to prove my entire blog wrong, and to finally allow you to denounce climate change through evidence. Aren’t you excited? I’m going to give you a 100% fool proof way to shut us climate change proponents down. But first, let’s explore the issues.
So, why do climate change deniers feel that they have a position built on solid ground? Well, I can only articulate the conversations I’ve had with people.
Conversations with Climate Change Deniers
“The universe is a big place, and you’re telling me that what we’re doing here can effect any of that? Please. The Earth will be fine.”
That’s a quote from many, and just tells me that the enormity of the issue is too large for deniers to wrap their minds around. I get that. It’s a huge issue, perhaps the largest issue our human race has ever faced, and if we don’t all do our part, then the goal can never be achieved. That idea is scary, and fear is built into our lexicon as a mechanism for denial. Action for the whole is simply not something engrained in our DNA. We are a selfish species after all.
There’s plenty of evidence that humans act out of fear or ignorance against the greater good throughout history. The rise of Hitler, when police support an officer they know is guilty of breaking the law and killing someone, MMA (injury for sport), the ill-prepared Titanic, Three Mile Island, Fukushima, the BP oil spill, ripping down rainforests with no understanding of the impact, Alesia, and nearly every war since. Climate change is likely to be just another example in a long line of selfish human behaviour governed by fear or ignorance.
“Climate change is a natural process, and humans can’t do anything to speed it up or slow it down.”
This, and other amazing quotes can be heard across the world from arm chair bloggers. Yes, I see the irony in calling out bloggers. However, there is plenty of empirical evidence to counter this ignorant statement. Click here for research. Now, before you say you don’t trust that website, read the sources, and follow along. To get through this entire article will likely take over a year, as it did for me (depending on how busy you are), but again, your opinion doesn’t matter if it’s not based on fact. I mean c’mon, Conservatives lead the denier debate, and it is no secret Cons largely believe in God. There’s less evidence to support His existence, but yet you believe and structure your entire life around His principles. Hypocrisy at it’s finest.
“It used to be that people called climate change, global warming, but as the world realized that it can still get cold, they had to change the name to seem smarter.”
Wow. Just wow. Actually, both terms have been around for a very long-time. Let’s clear this up. Global warming refers to surface temperature increases. Climate change refers to all other changes. It’s okay that you don’t understand that though. Not even the leader of the free world does. Global Warming was just the hot button term, like “Grab her by the pussy” was during the latter part of the 2016 US election. Now it’s climate change that people attach themselves to. Just move on with this debate.
Climate change deniers are just scared, as they should be. How do we tackle such a huge problem? It's like finding out your girlfriend is banging the entire defensive line of the Oakland Raiders. Sure, you're mad but what are you gonna do? Fight them? Nope, they'll destroy you. Get revenge? They probably have more money and resources. Publicly shame them? Everyone knows that football players are dogs.
So, you either leave or shut up and let it happen because there is no easy answer. I'm going to guess you'd do the former because let's face it, after a night with the Raiders ... yikes. She's ruined for you just like the planet is for humans through abuse and neglect.
Ignorance is not a debate point. At least, it wasn't until social media. Just because you memorized some "facts" you Googled on the surface does not mean you're smart about an issue. Dig deep and you'll be disturbed ... as you should be. But hey, if you don't believe what science is saying, take a trip up to Greenland and spew this shit. They'll smack the taste out of your mouth.
I think I’ve beat up on those that don’t believe in climate change enough, don’t you? Let’s talk about what climate change is.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is the changing of our planet that isn’t congruent with supporting the eco-system that sustains life. It is not just rising oceans and green house gases as they effect humans. From humans to micro-bacteria, climate change is killing off an enormity of species around the globe. Here’s a short list from 2014.
Yes, 2014! That’s almost 3 years ago, and the debate needle has moved very little. Many say that climate change is a new invention to control the people. It’s not new! Not by a long-shot. In fact, the first reference can be found from 1896. That’s right, the issue was proposed over one-hundred years ago.
I remember David Suzuki talking about climate change in the 80′s. While he may not be the most informed on the spot, Mr Suzuki has interviewed, and presented evidence from independent scientists for decades. The problem is that those in power to do anything are generally dead within a couple of decades, and they don’t have vested interest in change 200 years from now. Sure, they’re great grandkids will be effected, but daddy needs a brand new Jag!
Climate change isn't just what we see either. It's permafrost melting, limestone degrading, gases being released into the air, ground shifting that causes ancient burial sites to re-open (ummm ... can I get my climate change with a side of plague please?), tectonic plates shifting as the ice deep below melts, and the list goes on and on.
Can We Stop Climate Change?
Now, before I get to the experiment you can do at home to prove me wrong, let’s just talk about how to stop climate change. Can we even do it? Many complain about new laws and taxes being added to the books to stave off climate change in the long-term. Will this work? In theory, yes. In practice, likely not. Government has a nasty history of using funds for that which they were not intended, and a lack of transparency. However, if we could somehow control the government (and don’t worry, it’s coming) then tax would pay for the needed change, and laws could enforce that change.
We accept that we have to be licensed to drive, and that there are laws to deal with one human murdering another, but yet we don’t accept new laws imposed on us to fight the killing of our planet. That seems odd to me. I’m going to guess, from what I’ve seen, that people are just tired of government mismanaging tax revenue. So, yes, we can fight back through tax and law, but first we must fix government. I see the enormity of that task, and understand your skepticism, but we’re getting there. Millennials and generations after just aren’t going to stand for this shit any longer. We already live in the most peaceful and accepting time in human history. The trend will hopefully continue, and government will be forced to do better.
Aliens
Now, our planet is wandering through space around the sun at a rate of approximately 18.5 miles per second. Around it is the vast universe. When I speak to climate change deniers, they often look at Earth as a room with an open roof. They look at pollution and carbon emissions as something that floats away into the universe for the aliens to worry about. That’s simply an uneducated viewpoint.
The earth is not a room without a roof, rather it is a closed room and the roof is the atmosphere. While greenhouse gases and carbon emissions are only one issue in climate change, the atmosphere does indeed trap our emissions, and eventually over time this becomes an issue. This is fact, and one only needs to look to China to see the empirical evidence.
All of that smog and pollution in the air was caused by us, and no one else. Don’t believe me? Okay. I want you to take a couple of days off work and go anywhere in the world where humans are not a constant factor. You will notice the sky is clear, the air is fresh, and at night, the stars are endless. That’s plenty of evidence, and you can find it by simply travelling.
Okay, now I’m going to beat up on the deniers one more time (sorry, not sorry guy) …
“The atmosphere isn’t literally a roof because we can launch rockets up in space and don’t hit anything.”
Well, that’s because the atmosphere doesn’t exist in a solid state, while a rocket does. Remember, grade school science class? Matter can be gas, liquid, or solid. The atmosphere is gas, and interacts with other gases. The rocket is solid, and interacts with other solids.
If it’s easier to visualize, imagine the atmosphere as a roof with cracks and seams. Every room has them. It’s how bugs get into your home, and a smell from an outside sewer backup can make your gag while sitting on your couch Netflix and Chillin’. You can’t escape out of that roof because you’re a solid, and the roof is a solid. However, if you light up a joint, and blow smoke into the air, that smoke will find the crack and exit.
But, this is all evidence you’ve heard before right? Well, that’s why I designed an experiment for you to prove me wrong. You can do it at home, but when you do, please video tape it. I’d love for you to prove me wrong so I don’t have to recycle. I mean, shit, there’s just too many bins! Cardboard in this one, plastic in another. But wait, only a certain plastic can be recycled. Man, it’s frustrating. So, you are my last hope. Let’s do this.
The Experiment
Step 01: Set a room aside in your home with nothing in it for now.
Step 02: Keep the room nice and cool. Now, put a huge block of ice in the corner, and some plants throughout. Add a fish tank, some bugs, and light the room up.
Step 03: Shut the door and attach a hose underneath at that seam.
Step 04: Move into the room, and don’t leave.
Step 05: Get someone you trust to start pumping smoke and methane into the room through the hose. If there’s a way you can just hook up a tailpipe from your car to the hose, and leave it running, you’re ahead of the game. Extra points for you!
Step 06: Each year, turn up the heat in that room by a fraction of a degree.
Step 07: When you get food brought to you, just leave the scraps in the corner. When you have to go to the washroom, just go ahead and do it on the floor Also, take some blood and spill it out on the floor. Don’t take so much that you pass out. Just a vile a week to be modest about it.
Step 08: Grow old in that room and never clean.
Step 09: While you’re growing old convince someone to spend life with you in that room. Here’s where you start having some fun. Make some babies. Have the sex. Lots of it. You’re going to need to have a whole bunch of kids. Bow-chicka-wow-wow.
Step 10: Repeat steps 4 - 9, for the rest of your life.
I know that what I’m asking requires commitment on your part, but c’mon; you’re fully committed to the fact that climate change isn’t real, right? So, just do it. If money’s an issue, just start a Kickstarter page. I’m sure other deniers would jump at the chance to fund your project.
Are you going to do it? Of course not!
I’m sure you were able to visualize what would happen as you read through the steps.
You are Earth. The mess you leave is human influence. The blood you spilled on the ground is oil. The room is the atmosphere (walls and roof alike).
Now, let’s review what happened between Steps 2 and 10. The ice melted, and the smoke made it nearly impossible to breathe. The blood and trash contaminated the water, and started to kill off all species in the room from the fish, to the bugs and the plants. The light kept you awake and didn’t allow for a natural light cycle. The walls are now discoloured. After a short-time the ecosystem is now dead. You begin to experience health complications, and eventually you, your loved one, and your children all die face down in your own feces.
I realize some of you might be saying that this is an unfair comparison. It’s not though. Science has proved that it’s not. Since you don’t trust those pesky scientists, and they're paid for opinions, this allows you to be your own scientist. You’re simply conducting a scaled down representation of climate change. Just multiple the effects over a few hundred years, and by the size of earth and atmosphere.