A recent poll from Pew Research Center finds that Americans are pretty steady on their views of global warming. 59% of adults say there is solid evidence that the earth's temperature is getting warmer, while 34% say this is due to human activity. There are a few changes from poll results dating to 2006; the public is divided on the question of whether scientists themselves agree that the earth is warming because of human activity: 44% say scientists agree, and 44% say they do not. In July 2006, when a much higher percentage of the public said there was solid evidence of global warming, 59% said that scientists agree that global warming is caused by humans, while just 29% said scientists do not agree.
Another thing to consider is the media attention tied to global warming. Much of the general American public seems to be going back and forth between a crisis called global warming and another called climate change. Which is the correct term? Are they truly the same thing? It seems like one may be more socially acceptable than the other, that being climate change. It leaves room for some discussion beyond the earth is getting a little warmer every year.
The issue is one that seems to be on people's minds but the arrival of new evidence makes it slightly difficult to have a set opinion. So many sources throw information at us about polar bears having no where to live and the amount of rainfall in India all tied to how we fuel our cars or live our daily lives. It becomes overwhelming.
Given all the information available, I would say I believe that the climate of earth is changing. What do you expect from countries like North America and Europe that are constantly pushing limits and expanding their societies into new arenas? We tend to be a pretty wasteful society and the fact that there may not be tangible, immediate results does not put one damper on driving our gas guzzling SUV's.
No comments:
Post a Comment