Posted on 08/28/2014 11:04:25 AM PDT by Phillyred
For many scientists, educators, environmental activists and citizens, the topic of global warming and climate change is alarming. Many agree change is the offset — change in how we live, our legislation and how people are educated about the issue.
During a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing about global warming and climate change hosted by state Rep. Steve McCarter, D-154, Aug. 26, professors, a meteorologist, state representatives, representatives from local environmental agencies and residents filled Curtis Hall in Cheltenham Township to listen, question and offer solutions, to what many say is an issue that needs be addressed now.
“Numerous studies and many of the world’s leading scientists are in agreement that climate change is a very real, very dangerous threat to the entire planet,” McCarter said in a post-hearing statement. “It’s important that we have more discussions like we had today and examine exactly how our environment is being impacted and what we can do to protect it.”
According to a 2014 study, 71 percent of Pennsylvanians say climate change is a very serious problem, while 30 percent say it’s a somewhat serious problem, said Brett Anderson, the senior meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc., who cited a survey conducted by Hart Research Associates.
Richard Alley, Evan Pugh professor, Pennsylvania State University, said, “Americans are burning fossil fuels about a million times faster than nature saves them for us.” More than 80 percent of our energy comes from fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide or CO2 into the atmosphere, he said.
“We will have to change, [the question is] when will we do so?” he said. “We put out to the curb … somewhat less than a thousand pounds of trash, per person, per year in the U.S. We put in the air almost 40,000 pounds of CO2 per person, per year. Our CO2 grotesquely dwarfs the trash we put out.”
The fear is the pollutants we release into the air are gradually increasing the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and leading to global warming and climate change.
Some attribute fossil fuel emission to climate change and severe weather conditions that are a detriment to the environment and people, according to Jennifer McIntyre, the Pennsylvania field manager for Moms Clean Air Force.
Referring to extreme weather triggered by climate change as “weather on steroids,” McIntyre said heavy rainfall and floods can increase insect-borne diseases that thrive in moist conditions, while extreme heat and drought can spike food prices and cause “general economic chaos for families.”
Pennsylvania is part of the climate change problem, according to Adam Garber, field director for environmental advocacy organization PennEnvironment.
Pennsylvania powerplants put out 48 percent of the state’s global warming pollutants and emit the third highest levels of global warming pollutants in the country, he said.
To mitigate the pollutants and continue to spur a more eco-friendly mentality statewide, Garber suggested legislatures support the Clean Power Plan initiative introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this summer.
The plan is a national effort to limit carbon pollutants from powerplants and aims to cut global warming pollutant emission by 30 percent by 2030, he said.
Although, the state has promoted renewable energy and cut energy use through energy conservation and efficiency programs, Garber said Pennsylvania needs to begin an implementation plan under CPP, as well as strengthen its Advance Energy Portfolio Standards and energy efficiency standards, he said.
In an article dated July 22 posted on ThinkProgress.org, author Joanna Foster references a poll conducted by British company Ipsos Mori that surveyed 20 countries, which included the United States, Brazil, France and China, as well as 16,000 people. Through the poll, it was found the United States leads the world when it comes to climate change denial.
Author and National Humanities medalist Barbara Kingsolver said the “political value of denying climate change has run its course,” and it’s time to “break bread and talk.”
“This means finding common ground, whether it’s the Green Party or the Green Church movement. Whether you think of it as defending God’s creation, or tending your ecosystem, we need your community and your compassion,” she said in written testimony read aloud by Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Executive Director Julie Slavet. “This time, nobody gets to love it or leave it. This is the world. We’re all in it together.”
Democrat?
Democrat politician?
Democrat politician dealing with science?
Bwahahahahahahahaah!!!!!
Supposedly the other 30% think it is a less serious problem. I say NONSENSE survey! This is coal country!
I'd like to see how that survey is worded. I suspect that some folks thought they were expressing concern about the climate change alarmists. How in the world do they propose that 100% of the populace thinks it is a problem?
Is this article from 1988?
These folks are still stewing about issues that made the hockey stick graph compelling in 1980. The facts have changed since then. But they seem to be stuck in some ancient spacial anomoloy that has them living in a time warp or loop circa 1988.
Their own latest data shows no warming and a trend toward cooling over the past 15 years. The last 15 years of actual measured data completely discredits all “model based proof” and research dating back to the 1990s. Folks, what we now have in this field of “science” is a CLEAN SLATE.
We finally know for certain, beyond any shadow of a doubt and with abosolute clarity, that we know less today about the cyclical causes of this planet’s climate than we did 30 years ago. THIS DEBATE IS OVER.
1. Climate Change isn’t the fault of humans.
2. Science cannot predict the future of the eath’s climate change.
3. Humans are not yet capable of controling the average global temperature of this planet.
Since Global Warming causes Rules and Regulations to be ordered & inacted by the federal government that negatively affect the coal industry in Pennsylvania, do you believe it is a serious issue?
Yea! That IS a serious issue!
A world controlled by Global Warming Nuts = ISIS on Steroids
Funny how I never get polled on these questions...
Many countries in Europe and Australia have found out what a farce it is and have turned away from it.
I guess the media and ignorant “educators” can make people believe ANYTHING.
It looks like one of the heroes of government supremacy had it right when he said words to the effect:
“Make a lie big enough and the people will believe it”
That’s why the morons call it C-uhO2. And how come nobody is taking soft drink makers to task? Or “dry ice” providers? Fire extinguisher makers, dimokkkrats exhaling.............
My response:
What a crock of BS. We’ve been in a cooling trend for the last 17 years. And I’m old enough to remember when “the next Ice Age” was the scare tactic, and “worldwide famine due to overpopulation”, followed by “global warming” that depended upon skewed “hockey stick” data to keep us in fear.
Make no mistake, when the populace is fearful, they are much easier to control. Scratch the surface of these scare tactics, and you’ll find our overloads waiting in the wings, salivating over the prospect of a one world government. With THEM in control, obviously.
Winter will be much colder than normal, with slightly below-normal precipitation and snowfall. The coldest periods will occur in early to mid-December, from late December into early January, and in mid- and late January. The snowiest periods will occur in mid-December and early February.
I am going to sign my contract for propane today.
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