Climate Change / Global Warming . . . "Another side of the story"

The Wednesday, November 28, 2018 edition of our local newspaper, the Parsons Sun, included a front-page article titled, “Report: Climate change to impact ag, infrastructure and health of Kansans.” The following is not meant to be a critique or endorsement of said article, but rather to offer a constructive and otherwise appropriate related point of view. By way of “another side” of the “Climate Change” story that, as a Public Mind submission by the undersigned, has been provided to (but to date not yet published by) the Parsons Sun.                                                  —William James Moore   12/01/2018

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"Another side of the story":

Reportedly: The Planet Earth is about 4.5 billion years old; the earliest fossil evidence of modern human existence, along with stone tools, date to about 300,000 years ago; World industrialization started in Western Europe in the late 1700s and early 1800s; the first considered safe and practical oil engine was developed in 1873 (about 146 years ago); in the remote past, Kansas was covered by seas; and people first came to Kansas some 11,000 to 12,000 years ago, during the last of the most recent Ice Ages.

And, although Kansas was reportedly not glaciated (covered with glaciers/sheets of ice) at that time, the climate was cooler and less seasonal than today, and huge animals such as mammoth and mastodon roamed the area until a gradual “warming trend” brought an end to our most recent Ice Age, and mass extinctions occurred—“around 10,000 years ago.” Long, long before we mere humans fired up our gasoline engines, coal-fired furnaces; and other fossil fuel burning, carbon dioxide emitting, technologies.

And, long, long, before we started putting concern about our so-called “carbon footprint,” and our delusional-craving to control our 4.5 billion year old Planet Earth’s ever-changing climate, ahead of other likely more pressing matters. Such as: the safety of our schools, places of worship, and other areas of public assembly, from murderous atrocities; our nation’s ever-spreading addictive drugs epidemic; the safety and security of our nuclear-powered electric plants and electrical power grids; control of nuclear weapons, both foreign and domestic; security of our U.S. borders; U.S.-beneficial immigration control; and “our” rapidly growing $21 trillion National Debt; etc.

Human serenity and survival seems to ultimately rely heavily upon our ability and willingness to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference. A perspective likely important to keep in mind, as we try our best to wade through and responsibly deal with the smothering load of past, present, and future information about our Planet Earth’s ever-changing climate. A climate that reportedly has, over billions of years, so far included some five “Ice Age” cycles—without the aid of we mere humans.

And, when faced with “Global Warming”/“Climate Change” related warnings, predictions, government-mandates, etc., especially those that don’t seem to satisfy the common sense test, it is likely especially important that we "identify and critique the source,” and also, as they say—“follow the money.”

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As cautioned by James Madison (1751-1836) many years ago, “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.”

—William James Moore