Global Warming: Outcome of Ignorance, Input for Poverty

Global Warming: outcome of ignorance, input for poverty

By Savannah Williamson, Lindale High School

While interviewing the students and teachers around me on poverty and climate change, I was troubled to find just how few people truly knew about the connection between the two. I was even more concerned by the lack of education on the incentives to combat both. After a brief talk with my chemistry teacher, who was sadly one of the only people who was able to provide answers to my questions, and some research of my own, I found that the strongest connection between poverty and climate change is the effect temperatures have on the production of food.

As the temperatures rise, many central food production locations become too arid or warm to grow native crops. An example is China, who has many corn crops which are distributed around the world, but also whose crop production was yielded due to drought last year. Logically, if global climate change continues to exist, as the temperatures grow warmer, and droughts such as the one in China continue to destroy crops, food distribution in many places will come to and abrupt halt. This means the farmers will lose jobs, and move into poverty. Followed by the distributors of the crops. Then by the gas companies that sold their gas to those trucks, then the petroleum companies which sold to those gas companies, and so on and so forth until all of the small manufacturers, doctors, businessmen and bankers are all out of a job and into poverty.

An obvious solution to this great movement into global poverty is to stop global climate change. But, the future of this option is very dim. Until our population becomes more motivated and educated, we will find it impossible to stop global climate change and prevent global poverty. Out of the surveys I sent out to 10 people, only 1 was able, or motivated to answer about the importance of combating global warming. With such widespread apathy and ignorance, global warming cannot be stopped and the earth cannot be preserved. Through my survey, I’ve learned that we must all take steps to educate and help motivate all those around us to take steps to a healthy and prosperous planet.

Submitted by Ahh to be an idealistic high schooler at: January 7, 2010

To piggy back on Morgan's Dec. 3rd post it's beyond me that global warming supporters believe it is man made; even more so that man can somehow stop global climate change as the author puts it. I know as humans we do not understand our existence on this earth and to believe in man made global warming gives us as a race a sense of importance. Mother Nature is much more powerful than we can even fathom. The earth has been around to long and has survived much more than humans. The earth will dispose of us when it is good and ready and then millions of years thereafter will start new life. Temperatures fluctuate, that's just the nature of the world. We need much more than 100 years of temperature data in order to determine if the changes in temperatures over the past 20 years are truly statistically significant. Scientists simply found a cause and gain momentum because most people don't have the ability to understand what they are talking about. Stop this man made global warming canard; no matter what we do we will NOT reverse temperatures. Humans simply do not have that kind of power of the earth or better yet universe.

Submitted by Neeraj at: December 31, 2009

First of all, I would like to congratualte the authors for writing such an article. Especially, for establishing a chain that identifies how global warming will lead to more people becoming poor. We should not forget one thing. Our earth cannot take the burden of our population, which stands at 6 billion today and is expected to cross 10 billion mark by 2050. So when we talk of educating people about global warming, we should make a point to educate the educated and uneducated alike regarding the affects the growing population can have on the planet.

Submitted by WTF at: December 14, 2009

I'm a believer of global warming.If we as a nation are to turn our world around I think "We the People" must take back our country.As a disable Vietnam veteran,I am ready to get in my wheelchair and do whatever I can to help however I can.Thanks Mr.Zinn for your knowledge and your books."We the People" was great,Looking for a used paperback book to buy.

Submitted by Wally 1 at: December 12, 2009

On 12/10/09, I posted a response, in which I did not agree with the Global warming discussion. I was disagreeing with the overall consensus. This site would not post my reply. Obviously this site is more interested in censorship than having open discussion. I guess if I don't agree with the enviromental staus quo, My opinions should be deleted. "the people speak" is obviously a contradiction in terms.

Submitted by hmmmm at: December 11, 2009

what about the arable land created by warmer, drier air? Is not most of the world's landmass in areas that could use some warmth to grow crops?

Submitted by Morgan at: December 3, 2009

You're missing out on the possibility that "climate change" is happening without human impact. Humanity has been coping with climate changes for thousands of years, and we have to keep doing that. No biggie....it's a fact.

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