A Blizzard of Climate Denial
Conservatives attempt a snow job.
Philly got a LOT of snow last week.
Last week's weather in Philadelphia felt a lot like the New England I thought I'd escaped for good: no sooner had the city begun the process of digging out from more than two feet of snow, another foot dropped on us Wednesday night. You may be watching even more snow falling as you read this!
This record-breaking storm has been an inconvenient novelty, bring out the best in our communities. We help each other shovel paths down the sidewalk and dig out each other's cars. I live in West Philly, and it's a short walk to Clark Park where families, kids, and a hella lot of adults spent the week sledding into the bowl, formed a century ago when the city buried the Mill Creek under a massive pipe, paving the way for the first streetcar suburb.
But there's a downside -- the storm that paralyzed Philly last week also brought forth the climate change deniers, who seem to show up the minute a flake falls to insist that because there's snow, our climate is hunky dory.
You have the importantly-named Media Research Center, taking time out from shoveling to claim that "climate change supporters" have a "vested interest" in making people believe the world is getting hotter. And then you have the brilliant Republican Sen. James DeMint, who went on the aptly-named Twit[ter] to say "It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries 'uncle'." Given enough time, Philadelphia's Christine Flowers, Michael Smerconish, and/or Rick Santorum are likely write a column full of similar know-nothing gibberish.
Behind all of this is, as Martin Longman at Booman Tribune points out, is an inability to grasp the fact climate change and the record snowfall might well be connected. "I guess that's why people stopped using the term 'global warming,'" he writes, "since it obviously mystifies conservatives."
I'll admit the term is confusing, but the fact remains that our crazy weather, from our incredibly wet summer 2009 to the blizzards we just went through, are tied to climate change/global warming. In fact, the connection was predicted almost a decade ago by scientists at the World Wildlife Fund, who argued that in the years ahead, we'd see more precipitation, stronger El Niños, and more extreme changes in the weather overall as the planet heats up. And what do we have this year? A stronger than usual El Niño, a Pennsylvania so soaked in precipitation that we had one of the worst growing seasons ever, and record-breaking blizzards in Philadelphia.
And it could get worse.
That impact? North American and Europe end up with a climate like Siberia's.
Time Magazine made the connection between the snow dump and climate change: "warmer air," they note, "could be supercharged with moisture and, as long as the temperature remains below 32 degrees Farenheit, it will result in blizzards rather than drenching winter rainstorms. And while the mid-Atlantic has borne the brunt of the snowfall so far this winter, areas near lakes may get hit even worse. As global temperatures have risen, the winter ice cover over the Great Lakes has shrunk, which has led to even more moisture in the atmosphere and more snow in the already hard-hit Great Lakes region." Did I mention we have more snow predicted this week? And even more predicted for March?
Now, I'm no expert myself. I'm just a guy who reads a lot and has an instinctive distrust of conservative dogma, which has a disturbing tendency to be rooted in self-delusion and magical thinking. So maybe I'm already inclined to disbelieve the rosy scenarios the Republicans and the Heritage Foundation have come up with.
But it seems to me that when our insane weather matches predictions made a decade ago by scientists who specialize in the field, when Philadelphia gets buried under snow more suited to Massachusetts, then maybe it's time to get a little concerned. Maybe stop driving so much, find ways to generate energy from non-polluting renewables like wind and solar -- both of which created jobs in Philadelphia, by the way -- and reduce our carbon consumption.
It's either that or buy a really warm coat.
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1. Ed said... on Feb 15, 2010 at 12:13PM
“You're talking about the same conservatives who still argue that Obama isn't a citizen, never went to Columbia, is a secret Muslim, heads a vast socialist conspiracy to create a one world government, etc., etc. These people have viral e-mails as their primary sources of information and are apparantly incable of of using such "sophisticated" sites as snopes.com. I'd buy that coat if I was you.”
2. Amy said... on Feb 15, 2010 at 12:22PM
“Hey Brendan, I like your twist on this week's weather. So much of the media was focused on the immediate - road closures and snow totals. We need to remain focused on the big picture. I hope we can all continue to make the necessary life-style changes so that this novelty does not become common-place: Plant a garden, eat local, recycle, get a rain barrel, walk or take mass transit.”
3. crimekate said... on Feb 15, 2010 at 12:36PM
“Brendan, thanks for taking on this important topic. Anyone who has more than a superficial understanding of the global warming/climate change situation (and that wouldn't include most people, sadly - simplicity rules these days) understands that the process of global warming (yes, we are, over the long term, getting warmer) entails, extreme weather (both hot and cold) along the way. This was covered in An Inconvenient Truth, really it was. Maybe folks should compare notes with a classmate or refresh their memories before coming out with stunningly idiotic pronouncements like "it snowed. That proves that the planet isn't getting warmer!" Sigh.”
4. retdetvet said... on Feb 15, 2010 at 04:34PM
“"Big Picture", - "Snopes" as final answer, -"long term". Are you people real? The earth has been warming and cooling for billions of years. Do you have any idea of what created the great lakes or that sub tropical temps were once common North of the Arctic circle? Man created co2 is .002 of the atmosphere. These are all easily researched FACTS.
No one (except the occasional moron "getting over" on the man) wants to pollute or destroy the planet. Believe it or not!”
5. bettyboop said... on Feb 16, 2010 at 04:52AM
“For Ed: I am a conservative and don't believe the bullshit you just spewed all conservatives believe. I don't agree with many of Obama's policies, but please don't lump me and other free thinking conservatives in with the loonies. Just as I won't lump you in with the extreme liberal progressive loony party. Or should I?”
6. bettyboop said... on Feb 16, 2010 at 04:57AM
“Whether climate change/ global warming is a reality associated with man, I think we as people need to take care of our planet regardless. However,
maybe people like "crimekate" should have more than a superficial understanding of the global warming/climate change situation. I guess simplicity does rule these days, as she quotes Al Gore of all people. Here is an informative website on Al Gores inaccuracies.
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/monckton/goreerrors.html
We could also look at the climategate situation.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125883405294859215.html
Or we could read the article associated with this headline: Global Warming in Last 15 Years Insignificant, U.K.'s Top Climate Scientist Phil Jones Admits
So before people like crimekate and Brendan start putting the intelligence of others on trial, lets tell the whole story, not just the convenient truth.
”
7. Ray said... on Feb 16, 2010 at 08:08AM
“Yes, let's tell the whole story, not just the convenient truth. From the WSJ article: "Most climate scientists today argue that the earth's temperature is rising, and nearly all of those agree that human activity is likely to be a prime or at least significant cause. But a vocal minority dispute one or both of those views." In other news, four out of 5 dentists recommend brushing your teeth with the lone hold out suggesting the evidence just isn't in that not brushing contributes to early tooth decay. "The evidence just hasn't been scientifically tested", Dr. Reelebig Cavity was quoted as saying.”
8. Dougetit said... on Feb 16, 2010 at 11:30PM
“Everyone knows that snow doesn't mean Global Warming..........
.
It's Climate Change silly!”
9. AnimuX said... on Feb 17, 2010 at 03:31AM
“Einstein's Theory of Relativity led to the development of nuclear weapons.
Guess what?
It's still just a theory.
Just like evolution.
Just like anthropogenic global warming.
I hope everyone is sleeping well knowing "the stupids" will eventually kill us all one way or another.”
10. crimekate said... on Feb 17, 2010 at 12:13PM
“Did I call anyone stupid? I don't think so... I did refer to the statement "It snowed! That proves the planet's not getting warmer" as idiotic, it's true... but my comments referred more to the lack of depth (or intelectual laziness, if you prefer) that seems to dominate discussions of complex issues in the media and popular culture. Feel free to attack Gore, I'm not his spokesperson - in trying to meet halfway, I referenced the film only because many people would be familiar with it. I'm aware of the right-wing dissection of some parts of the film, but I'm pretty sure that none of those "smoking guns" (as the critics would call them) invalidate the basic point - that people who are actually qualified to speak authoritatively on such matters (climate scientists) are pretty much in agreement that a) the actions of the human race have accelerated the warming of the planet and b) that part of this process involves extremes in weather on both ends of the spectrum.”
11. Ray said... on Feb 17, 2010 at 07:19PM
“For those who didn't catch it, there was an excellent special on PBS last night dealing with climate change and specifically, glacial retreat. Those whose only education on the subject of climate change is the Glenn beck show and/or FOX News should especially watch this program.”
12. bettyboop said... on Feb 18, 2010 at 07:53AM
“scienceandpublicpolicy.org is a non-partisan group. I guess it's not just a "right-wing" dissection. When there are such inaccuracies in a movie that won Gore the Nobel, people have the right to question the validity of that research as well as their conclusions. The Climatic Research Unit was found to have sent e-mails that included discussions of how to combat the arguments of climate change sceptics, unflattering comments about sceptics, queries from journalists, and drafts of scientific papers. The e-mails showed climate scientists colluded to withhold scientific information, interfered with the peer review process to prevent dissenting scientific papers from being published, and deleted e-mails and raw data to prevent data being revealed under the Freedom of Information Act. So crimekate, please excuse some of us for questioning the validity of the research being conducted by those whom you feel are qualified to speak on such matters. Qualified and corrupt at the same time.”
13. Bettyboop said... on Feb 18, 2010 at 07:59AM
“I would love to discuss this topic further, but Glenn Beck is on and I must go educate myself. Keith Olbermann is on for you Ray.”
14. brendancalling said... on Feb 18, 2010 at 11:07AM
“crimekate: don't get upset. the natural state of the North American Wingnut is perpetual victimization. So to them, "disagreement" means "you called me stupid, waaaaah."
Also special is their pathology around intelligence. The North American Wingnut has internalized a hostility to anything it perceives to be intellectual, while at the same time telling itself that it is smarter than all those other smarty-pantses with their fancy degrees.
It's sad, really.”
15. Bettyboop said... on Feb 18, 2010 at 03:22PM
“There he is ladies and gentleman, the master of The Argument from Intimidation. What kept you?”
16. Vested interests said... on Feb 19, 2010 at 12:33PM
“So many "facts" are being shown false, yet that does not alter anyone's conclusions? Does anyone one remember global cooling of the late 70s? Many scientists world wide were just as convinced of this. Oh but scientists are much smarter now, right? Sure.
Lets face it, their are many agendas at work here. On one side, academics and scientists stretch arguments to enhance their careers( see James Hansen, NASA), environmental groups want the end of fossil fuels ( a laudable goal), undeveloped nations are hoping for a wealth redistribution plan, governments are salivating over a new way to tax, Al Gore is hoping to cash in trading Carbon Credits, and many leeches hope to cash in on government money to fund their own solar/ windmill companies. In many cases, the end justifies the means to these groups and they care not if they lie to achieve their agendas.
On the other hand, we have people who rely on fossil fuel industries to keep from being a 3rd world country.”
17. brendancalling said... on Feb 19, 2010 at 12:47PM
“@bettyboop15: "intimidation"? is that what you call it?
see, i call that "poor me, being victimized by the mean ol' lefty." i thought conservatives rejected the culture of victimhood. guess not.”
18. bettyboop said... on Feb 23, 2010 at 04:40AM
“"The Argument from Intimidation is a confession of intellectual impotence."
Ayn Rand, The Virtue of Selfishness, 1964
The liberal left attempts to intimidate the free discussion of views
that oppose them. You wrote an ariticle, I debated with some facts, and you proceed to make personal attacks rather than counter my facts. You are a classic example.
”