There is a theory in Philosophy called truth relativism. This theory basically says that everyone has their own truth. Let's say we've got a religious guy who believes the Earth is around 7,000 years old. Then we've got a geologist who says the Earth is around 4.5 billion years old. Truth relativism wants to show that both opinions are right. This is where the theory fails. It's impossible for the Earth to be both 4.5 billion year and seven thousand years old. It's either one or the other...or neither. This is one of those occassions where opinion doesn't factor.
Another issue where opinion doesn't matter is climate change. Do we really need to waste time arguing about it? We spend years and years debating about issues...never coming to an agreement. Meanwhile, the world suffers for our indecision.
Some who don't believe in climate change have some good arguments. They say that it's a natural process that the Earth has probably undergone many times before, and therefore is not our fault and nothing to worry about. Others, when told how the overall temperature of the Earth could potentially change a degree or more within a certain span of time say, "So what? Even a few degrees won't make a difference to us. We'll hardly feel it."
I've usually been unsure what to say after that argument, but now I finally have the answer. In my Ecology class, I learned that a single degree can make a lot of difference.
Take for example coral reefs. They live only in specific, mostly tropical zones. They contain an abundant variety of corals, unique plants, fish that are both predator and prey, and other creatures like snails and seahorses. A single reef can contain several hundred different fish species.
So what's the deal here with climate change? Well, coral reefs--though they look tough and hardy--grow very slowly and are surprisingly fragile. In addition to this fragility, they can only exist at one degree of their thermal maximum. One degree too much, and they all die off. Fish used as prey will die easily at the hands of predators that no longer have to worry about the little fish hiding among the corals. The unprotected fish become easier for humans to overfish, being used for food. Species disappear because we want them in our aquariums. Tiny zooxanthellae, no longer having that symbiotic (beneficial to both sides) relationship with the coral, no longer have a home that provides them the nitrates, carbon, and phosphates that are essential for the process of photosynthesis
In other words, when one thing dies, there's a change reaction of effects down the line. And yes, eventually it can affect us too.
So, whether you believe in climate change or not, does it hurt to revert to new activities to keep from harming the Earth and changing our climate? It's been proven that many of our human activities are a cause for the change, and whether it's natural or not, we're speeding it up. We're messing thing up here folks, so why not drive a little less, promote alternative energy use, and more of that sort? Does it hurt anything if climate change is as real as a unicorn? No, because it's helping either way.
This is a Blog Action Day blog.
If I win, I would like ProgressiveU to donate to Big Cat Rescue.
