Why would we give up good jobs and a paycheck, leave our homes and hit the road for months?
We believe global warming (climate change) is a problem so important that we need to tell people about it and inspire action. Scientists tell us we need to act soon if we are to avoid the most severe consequences. Yet, global warming is a complex problem that some prefer to ignore because it’s too complicated or disturbing. Or perhaps they do not believe global warming is a problem created by humans that can be solved by humans.
A US poll from June 2006 shows 41% of Americans believe human activity such as burning fossil fuels is causing global warming, but just as many say either that warming has been caused by natural patterns in the earth’s environment (21%), or that there is no solid evidence of global warming (20%).
The public also is divided over the gravity of the problem. While 41% say global warming is a very serious problem, 33% see it as somewhat serious and roughly a quarter (24%) think it is either not too serious or not a problem at all.
We believe that the science is clear enough to show that global warming is being caused by human actions and that it is a serious problem that needs immediate attention. THE SOLUTIONS EXIST; WE NEED THE WILL TO ACT.
Here are a few others who agree:
“A (US House of Representatives) delegation recently traveled to Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand to visit researchers studying climate change. ‘Of the 10 of us, only three were believers,’ says Representative Sherwood Boehlert of New York. ‘Every one of the others said this opened their eyes.'”
Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), head of House Science Committee from “Global Warming Heats Up” by Jeffrey Kluger, March 2006, Time Magazine
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“There’s no time to wait because tomorrow is now. We are living in a carbon-constrained world where the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) must be reduced…But industry cannot get there alone. We need to work in concert with the government and environmental groups to promote and reward leadership.”
Jeffrey Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric, Ecomagination launch, May 9, 2005
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“DAVID BRANCACCIO (Host): Other scientists looking at different parts of our Earth’s system believe there is an urgent need to act now. Dr. Tim Barnett of Scripps Institution of Oceanography near San Diego used to be a skeptic. Then he began examining how global warming is affecting our oceans.
DR. TIM BARNETT: We’re not talking scare tactics here. We’re not talking about being doom and gloom. We’re talking about the situation that we’re creating for ourselves. And the best minds on the planet tell us that we’ve got a problem. And we better damn well pay attention to it. And we just have not done that yet.”
From the PBS Now Special Edition, “The Politics of Global Warming” aired 4/22/05
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“We accept that the science on global warming is overwhelming. There should be mandatory carbon constraints.”
John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon Corp., in Business Week, “Special Report: Global Warming,” August 16, 2004
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