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Nikki Tomblin
May
English 15
08 December, 2015

We Shouldnt Worry About Global Warming

Global warming, undeniably, is happening, and it is a problem for multiple different
reasons. Maybe this reason is rising water levels due to the melting of the ice caps; maybe it is
the possible extinction of a species, or many species due to climate change. The reason it is a
problem may vary from person to person, but science has proven that it is happening, and that it
is not a good thing. The real question that is to be debated about global warming is whether or
not the common man or woman should be worried about it. The answer to that question is no; the
common man should not be worried about global warming. They should acknowledge it, and if it
continues to be a threat in the future the situation is different.
First lets look at some of the problems that we have encountered as humans. We have
had many problems that threaten our ability to survive. David Victor makes the point in Climate
Change Debating America's Policy Options that when humans did not know how to deal with
fecal matter in a sanitary way that it would ruin water supplies and cause disease in humans, but
when confronted with this problem wealth was attributed to the problem and an innovator was
able to solve it by creating the first sewer system. Throughout human history, we have always
had major problems; many of them even threatened our survival, but we have almost always
come up with a solution if we dedicated the resources to it. Global warming is no different than
any other problem we have encountered in our existence. Technological advancements are

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always happening and there will always be a solution to a problem eventually. This is already
being displayed in the world. According to Jeff Biggers Iowa is producing a massive portion of
their energy consumption needs by using the wind turbines to create energy without carbon
emissions. This is only one of the many possible solutions to our energy needs that are being
developed to solve this problem. This leads me into my next point about technological
advancement.
A person who believes that we should be worried about global warming might say that
there is less incentive for developing clean energy alternatives to burning fossil fuels, which are
causing the climate change we are experiencing, if people do not worry and spread awareness. I
disagree with this point because there are other incentives for developing new energy
means. First of all the United States, for example, experiences a lot of issues because the country
is not energy independent. The US relies on other countries ability to provide fossil fuels to
thrive as a country. It would be very beneficial to many people if the US, and other countries, are
energy independent. Another incentive to creating new energy means is the possibility of the
money that could be made with new innovation. Not only would someone rather pay for a clean
energy alternative, but an alternative could ultimately be cheaper than fossil fuels. There is a
huge amount of money to be made for the person or agency that discovers and creates a way to
develop clean energy for less money than fossil fuels. If this is the case, then the problem with
the dedication of resources to solving the problem is almost obsolete because ultimately there
would be more to be made than what would be put into the solution. There are clearly incentives
to solving this problem without the media hyping it up, and without the common man thinking
that it is such a monumental threat to the Earth.

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Another argument that could be made is that even with an energy alternative it would
take a long time to filter out the carbon emissions that are already in the air. This is true, and a lot
of damage is already done, but there is a simple solution that no one seems to acknowledge. If
emissions are completely removed from the system, then all that must be done is to plant
trees that filter a large amount of carbon emissions. Almost anyone in the world can plant one
tree; any tree is a contribution to the solution of the problem. Over time the CO2 emissions will
be back in a natural balance and there will probably be new problems that will have to be solved
by technological advancements,
The argument could be made that it would take a long time to convert to a clean energy
means even if a solution is found, but if a good enough solution is found that it is cheap, then
people will invest their money in it either to save money or to make money through
investments in what could end up being a business as large as when oil first boomed. This
doesnt change the fact that it would still take time, which is an issue, but I dont believe that this
is enough for the common man to fret over.
To conclude, I personally do think that global warming and climate change are huge
problems for the Earth, but I have faith that humans can solve the problem and that with the pace
of technological advancement it really shouldnt be very hard to solve. The problems will come
when we think that there are no more problems, and when we stop searching for them. Humans
will be able to figure out the answers that they need for any situation that they are in. We always
have been able to. and we will continue to be able to do so, if and only if, we continue to raise
our generations of children to not only be problem solvers, but to be problem finders. I know that
I have been raised with an importance stressed on engineers and innovators, and I know that I
will raise my children stressing the same importance on innovation. If the same trend continues

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throughout the future of humans that has so far we should never worry about our problems. We
should acknowledge them, and if no one is trying to solve them someone will have to step up.
Any issue we encounter can and will be solved.

Works Cited

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Biggers, Jeff. Iowas Climate-Change Wisdom. New York Times, November 21, 2015,
Opinion sec. Accessed November 29, 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/21/opinion/iowas-climate-change-wisdom.html?ref=topics.

Masson, V. "Solar Panels Reduce Both Global Warming and Urban Heat Island."
Frontiers. June 4, 2014. Accessed November 29, 2015.
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2014.00014/full.
Silberg, Bob. "Satellites Shed Light on Solar System-the One on Your Rooftop." Climate
Change: Vital Signs of the Planet. Accessed November 29, 2015.
http://climate.nasa.gov/news/2198/.
"The Effects of Climate Change." - WWF UK. Accessed November 30, 2015.
http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/tackling_climate_change/impacts_of_climate_change/.

"Thorium As Nuclear Fuel." Whatisnuclear. 2015. Accessed November 29, 2015.

https://whatisnuclear.com/articles/thorium.html.
Tisdale, Bob. "Don't Let The Term Anomalies Concern You." In The Man-made Global
Warming Challenge, 1-187. Bob Tisdale, 2013.
Victor, David. "Speech One: Adaption and Innovation." In Climate Change Debating
America's Policy Options, 76-80. New York, New York: Council on Foreign
Relations, 2004.