Monday, January 28, 2013

An Achilles Heel Of Climate Change

January 28th in the U.S. Midwest is cold.  The ground is often covered in snow.  Birds huddle for warmth against the wintry wind.  People wrap themselves in thick clothes and boots, comforting themselves that spring will arrive less than two months hence.

However, January 28, 2013, in the Midwest was warm.  The sun shone.  The birds sang spring songs.  Trees almost looked as if they were going to bud.  People wore shorts, t-shirts, and running shoes.  Almost everyone enjoyed the weird warm weather.

Frequent storms, droughts, and ferocious forest fires may be harbingers of even greater global climate change to come.  These events frighten people, and spur them to condemn the causes of climate change.  On the other hand, beautiful summer days in January make climate change seem benign - even desirable.  Opponents of climate change might have difficulty getting others to agree with them on a day as clement as today.  This could be a serious barrier to achieving political action on climate change.  Perhaps people will contemplate this conundrum as they picnic on the grass.