Are you Tired of Winter?

I can't get on (or off) the phone these days without someone saying how long this winter is lasting. As of February 22, 2008, we have had 26 snow days in Kansas City. Not only snow--but cold temperatures will stay in the area for at least the next week. Always in the past, I have enjoyed the last week of February because there were always at least one or two days of weather above 60 degrees. I don't have high hopes this year.

So is another part of the globe receiving a warmer and shorter winter than we are? Not on the other side of the world! China has experienced the worst weather in five decades, resulting in freezing a third of their vegetable crops, that will be in short supply during the spring.

Perhaps Afghanistan is getting warmer weather? No, Afghanistan is the coldest it's been in the past 10 years, and more than 650 deaths are blamed on the cold weather.

What about Greece and Turkey? It's colder there too, and snow fell on the island of Crete early on Monday; even parts of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast experienced rare snowfall.

I've found it--the place which is warmer than usual this winter! England just had the fourth warmest January on record! Perhaps that is why Prince Charles of England has delivered an apocalyptic warning that the world faces a catastrophe without a "revolutionary" approach to global warming. His solution is to stop using common sources of energy that supply most of our power.

It's a shame that politicians and princes don't understand global warming (or perhaps they do and are using threats of catastrophe for other purposes). Michael Crichton's novel, "State of Fear," does a good job showing how and why science has capitulated to fiction and politics many, many times in the past--and is doing so today with "Global Warming."

Do you want to bet a lot of people can't (or won't take the time to) understand some simple calculations on global climate forcing? Or the long history of climate from ice cores? Do politicians know that the sun is much more important to climate forcing than man-caused CO2? Do they know that humidity (water vapor) is a far more powerful greenhouse promoter than CO2?

Another perspective on the "problem" of global warming considers the effects on our economy and society from reducing CO2. The U.S. Energy Information Administration determined in a 1998 study that U.S. compliance with Kyoto would mean a loss of 4.2 percent in Gross Domestic Product (or $437 billion). As many as 3.2 million Americans could lose their jobs.

Interestingly, a recent trip to Science City, Union Station, in Kansas City showed an exhibit with Fox 4 Chief Meteorologist, Mike Thompson, who says he is uncomfortable with claims that global warming is caused by man. He's probably familiar with the science presented here and here that discuss the question, "If Global Warming is Real, What Could Be Causing It?"

A new scientific paper with the most comprehensive information (132 references) on global warming is found here and concludes:

There are no experimental data to support the hypothesis that increases in human hydrocarbon use or in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are causing or can be expected to cause unfavorable changes in global temperatures, weather, or landscape. There is no reason to limit human production of CO2, CH4, and other minor greenhouse gases as has been proposed (82,83,97,123).

We also need not worry about environmental calamities even if the current natural warming trend continues. The Earth has been much warmer during the past 3,000 years without catastrophic effects. Warmer weather extends growing seasons and generally improves the habitability of colder regions.