Global warming of some debate on campus

A discussion is occurring worldwide about global warming, and while most agree temperatures are rising, there are people who debate the cause, the importance or even the existence of a threat to the planet.

Global warming seems to be a widely held belief on the USU campus. USU President Stan Albrecht has even made a climate commitment, working to reach climate neutrality.

One disagreement about global warming, however, can be found between Fred Wagner, professor and associate dean of the College of Natural Resources, and Randy Simmons, political science professor. Both professors agree the earth is getting warmer, however, they disagree as to its severity and the action people should be taking.

Wagner said global warming is a serious problem for scientists, politicians, economists and the general public alike. He said people must take action.

“It is both an economical and political question and I am neither economist or politician but I do think evidence indicates if we don’t do something about it in the near future, there is going to be some serious consequences for the world,” he said.

Simmons said he believes there is nothing to worry about. He said the planet has gone through similar heat patterns in the past and while this one may be encouraged by human activity, it could be worse.

He said, “The earth is in a warming trend and maybe, probably, encouraged by human activity but it is certainly not a catastrophe.”

Wagner said scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that the earth’s temperature rose during the 20th century to levels higher than in the preceding 1,000 years and possibly the past 650,000 years.

“I think it happened,” he said. “I don’t think there is a significant question.”

Simmons agreed the earth is getting warmer but that it is no cause for concern. He said the data he is looking at proves the temperature of the world is still below its average. Simmons said he simply doesn’t believe it is a threat.

Even with evidence like shrinking glaciers, he said the information he looks at reports melting since 1825.

Simmons said, “The glaciers are shortening but they have been shortening for nearly 2,000 years. When I look at data like this, yeah, but what is the worry?”

Wagner said the climate changes are having serious effects on plant and animal life in the valley and around the world. Over the next years, he said some scientists are predicting 40 percent extinction of plants and animals.

Simmons said, however, he believes we have the most standing trees on the continent since the little ice age which he said occurred 10,000 years ago.

In response to the many discrepancies between the evidence the two professors are studying, Simmons said, “Fred is a complete believer. Fred is a good scientist but I don’t know that we are looking at the same data.”

Wagner said it is hard to believe there are so many skeptics considering there are more than 2,000 scientists around the world who have produced evidence supporting his beliefs.

He said it seems many don’t believe for political or economic reasons. He said oil companies, coal companies and some auto companies are afraid of what “global warming will do to their bottom line.”

Both professors could agree humans contribute in part to the condition but the approaches to warming they offer are different.

Wagner said students should be taking this seriously. The effects, he said, will manifest themselves in their lifetime. Wagner said he supports the development of energy sources that aren’t dependent on fossil fuels like wind, solar and geothermal energy. Wagner said people should be more energy efficient-driving better vehicles, having better insulation and windows in buildings and using light bulbs that require less energy.

Simmons, on the other hand, said people should just adapt.

He said, “If it is a problem, the draconian things we’d have to do to fix it, people won’t accept that. They won’t do it. Let’s stop living in that fairy tale world. Let’s adapt.”

In January 2007, Albrecht signed on to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. By signing this, Albrecht agreed to develop a plan to achieve climate neutrality as quickly as possible, a plan Simmons does not support.

Simmons said if USU is going to spend money, it should try to reduce problems that are more threatening to the community, like the inversion. He said the school needs to stop “pretending to save the planet with a feel good global warming program.”

“If we are going to do something, let’s do something that matters,” he said.

To help USU achieve its goal, Joseph Dulin, USU risk manager, led the effort to measure USU’s carbon footprint. After completing his analysis, Dulin said USU has a daunting task ahead of itself.

Simmons suggested simply offering free parking or bonuses to people who carpool to help. Simmons said they could also schedule courses more creatively to help ease more pressing issues like the inversion.

Dulin said while USU works to meet the agreement and reduce its carbon footprint, he said it could only be beneficial for the school and the area. While it may cost in the beginning, any actions taken will save money in the future, he said.

Dulin said, “Any investment we make in the future to reduce energy consumption should have two-fold benefits of reducing energy costs and our carbon footprint.”

-arie.k@aggiemail.usu.edu