Marco Tedesco on 2007 ice melt record in Greenland
Greenland (Image Credit: kaet44. Some rights reserved.)
Marco Tedesco is a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. He used satellite data to find that 2007 broke the record for melting snow at the high altitudes of Greenland.
Data from satellites indicated surface temperatures over the Greenland ice sheet were up to four to six degrees Celsius above average in 2007.
And as Greenland melts, sea level continues to rise.
Tedesco spoke with Earth & Sky’s Jorge Salazar.
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Steven Earl Salmony
AWAREness Campaign on The Human Population, established 2001
Global warming is a concept that is far, very far, from being a scientific fact. To operate under the assumption that global warming is a given and to attempt to convince others of the same despite the paucity of factual support is reprehensible to say the least. The fact also remains, however, that efforts to protect the environment, secure clean air and water, and fight pollution remain very important. The above are worthy efforts and scientifically proven to be so. Since global warming is not (scientifically proven), isn`t better to encourage what is (scientifically proven)? Ironically and unfortunately, perhaps, the focus on so-called global warming may have detrimental effects on environmental conservation by confusing the very purpose of such conservation—the purpose of conservation being conservation (not a fight against “global warming”). Consider the above and think very carefully before blurting next time: “It`s Global Warming!” The risks of confusing a nebulous “global warming” with scientifically supported efforts to conserve the environment are many and great.
Dear Randall,
Your comments are ones with which I am in general disagreement, especially regarding the efficacy of ‘mountains’ of carefully and skillfully developed scientific evidence of global warming and climate change. That as it may be, something you have declared above makes good sense,
“The fact also remains, however, that efforts to protect the environment, secure clean air and water, and fight pollution remain very important.”
The question I would like raise for your consideration is this. What can we do now?
As a way of encouraging dialogue, let me suggest something. I am going to assume that you would agree with the idea of having a discussion that seeks to find a reliable, secure, sensible and sustainable path to a good enough future for our children.
Inasmuch as human beings appear to be members of an adamantine species that is inadvertently threatening to outgrow the planet it inhabits, the idea of at least not over-consuming Earth’s dissipating resources could be an idea whose time has come.
Given the relentless plunder and obscene per-capita over-consumption of Earth’s finite resources we are seeing in our time, choosing not to fecklessly plunder and grotesquely squander might be a bit too much to hope for.
Perhaps a more modest goal will be achieved when human beings agree to do what is humane and necessary by eschewing conspicuous over-consumption and, alternatively, beginning to voluntarily restrain themselves from literally “eating the family of humanity out of house and home.”
Sincerely,
Steve
Dear Randall,
Let us take one more step forward.
How about consciously choosing to consume less resources as one reasonable and sensible way of responding ably to the “gluttonous” circumstances of described above?
Perhaps our children will soon enough come to understand that the choice to “consume less” is the most efficacious and powerful thing any person in the “overdeveloped” world can do to preserve life as we know it and the integrity of Earth.
If consuming less resources occurred collectively among individuals in the human community who are conspicuously over-consuming, as my generation of obscenely voracious elders is doing now, then a sustainable “consuming less” behavioral repertoire could make a huge difference, one that really makes a difference. It could help the family of humanity save itself from its unhealthy, recklessly increasing and soon to be unsustainable per-capita over-consumption activities.
Always,
Steve