Florida’s a mess. Hurricane Charley raged through the
Sunshine State last month, tearing roofs off family homes. Lately,
we’ve been experiencing terrible hurricanes, starting with
Hurricane Andrew in 1992 ““ and it’s pretty scary stuff.
Now, I’m no scientist (and I usually leave the speculations
to the experts), but I’m wondering whether global warming
could have influenced this disastrous weather. According to some of
these experts, there’s a real chance. Though my critics are
quick to point out that there is no hard evidence to back up my
argument, I’m still concerned, and I’m sure that many
Floridians ““ especially those left homeless or without their
loved ones ““ are concerned, too. The hurricanes should serve
as a wake-up call for everybody. And as for the Bush
administration, it’s imperative that more money, research and
concern be directed toward the issue of global warming ““ only
with research will we have hard evidence.
There’s no doubt that Hurricane Charley was bad news.
Really bad news. It’s proven to be the fiercest hurricane to
rip through Florida in 12 years, speeding through the state at a
whopping 145 mph. Charley killed at least 25 people and left
billions of dollars in damage for insured homes, It cut off
electricity for more than 2 million people and left half a million
without water. Only a few weeks later, Hurricane Ivan has killed
dozens of people. So, what are we going to do about it?
Well, we could blame the hurricanes on “seasonal
changes.” We could shrug our shoulders, flip the channel in
sunny Southern Californian blissful ignorance, and remain
comfortably numb. But there’s another choice, of course: We
could live as conscious, concerned citizens considering all causes
for this horrendous weather, and then try to do something about it.
What a novel concept, huh? We might even discover that
there’s a potential link between global warming and stormy
weather: Heat not only effectively causes hurricanes but is also
theorized to exacerbate them. Conscious and concerned citizens of
California, global warming is a serious issue. And it will affect
us all.
The Bush administration, however, is providing a different (but
evolving) story. In March 2001, President Bush expressed his
opposition to the Kyoto Protocol, a global accord that limited
greenhouse gas emission. Even though the developed countries such
as the United States account for over 75 percent of all emissions,
Bush chose to protect corporate interests. So no Kyoto Protocol for
the United States ““ period.
Apparently, the Bush administration thought global warming just
wasn’t a big problem.
Yet, lo and behold, the administration has shifted its message.
In August it produced a report for Congress, specifying that plant
and animal life suffered due to, yes, global warming. I for one am
very proud our president has come to realize what the rest of us
already knew.
“The administration is finally admitting what the National
Academy of Sciences and virtually every other scientific body has
concluded: Climate change is happening now. “It’s time
for the United States ““ the world’s biggest greenhouse
gas polluter ““ to step up to the plate and start cutting
emissions,” said Annie Petsonk, international counsel for
Environmental Defense, in a Washington Post article.
Though we’re finally noticing political improvements, a
report’s not enough. I hate to sound cliche, but action is as
essential as ever. And the first place to start is, as always, with
the people. If we show the government that we’re tired of the
smog in Los Angeles, if we voice our concerns about the hurricanes
in Florida and Louisiana, and if we make it clear that we must
protect of our lakes and forests, our voices will matter.
Otherwise, we’re contributing to the problem rather than
helping it. So please get involved.
We must urge the president to focus the upcoming G-8 summit on
climate change, as British Prime Minister Tony Blair has requested
of the president. We must lobby for a valid federal response to the
August report.
Most importantly, we must ensure that future environmental
policy proves more sturdy than the administration’s past
failures.
To be honest, we all make mistakes. I don’t always
recycle. Sometimes, I use Styrofoam cups. I never attended the
Environmental Club meetings in high school. I used to wear hair
spray.
But when I see the Florida homes ripped to pieces, I feel
something different inside. I’m realizing that
environmentalism and ecology matter.You don’t have to blaze
trails with the Sierra Club; I’m not asking for warriors.But
I’m asking real people to make important decisions for our
future.
So please, dear readers, act wisely.
Fried is a second-year history student. E-mail her at
ifried@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to
viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.