Over the past several months, I've come across several articles addressing global warming. Several articles in the recent issues of The Economist and Fast Company - two of my favorites - have discussed the issue at great length. Both magazines have had articles that accept global warming as a reality and encourage policies and practices on a national as well as personal level that may help reduce carbon dioxide emission - the chief cause of global warming.
In particular, I urge you to read "How Many Lightbulbs Does it Take to Change the World? One. And You're Looking At It." that may be accessed here (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/108/open_lightbulbs.html).
I came across a short article by Jeremy Siegel (found here) - an economist at the University of Pennsylvania - that sheds more light at the issue and, more importantly, the consequences if global warming continues at currently projected paths. The impacts are devastating to say the least:
The seas could be 10 feet higher in a mere 60 years. Of the five largest cities in the United States (New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia), only Chicago and... Philadelphia would not be seriously impacted.... And goodbye to New Orleans and trillions of dollars of real estate that lines our coasts. The economic consequences of rising waters would be catastrophic.
(Note: Kansas will not be affected!)
Solving global warming, on the other hand, is no easy feat. But, we've got to start somewhere and the relatively small cost to avoid complete destruction is worth it - call it cost/benefit or risk/reward analysis or whatever else.
Naturally, then, I've come to believe that this is a serious issue and a solution lies in our everyday actions.
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