Stem Cells And Global Warming

Very controversial issues have a way of being discussed and often decided too quickly. For instance, there has been much anguish, political and societal bloodshed and acrimony over stem cells. The issue was often painted very starkly, with sides calling each other either murderers of the unborn or savages standing in the way of cures for the sick. Then, poof, a new discovery (actually a part of a series of discoveries) means the whole debate can go away. We can make stem cells without abortion. Blam, problem solved.

The question is, will Global Warming be the next issue to be resolved by matters outside politics. We have seen the evidence that global warming had occurred. What has still not been proved is that this is caused solely by man. This winter is already setting records for coldness. Last year, the glaciers in Alaska grew, rather than shrank. The jury is still out on the cause of climate change, and what exactly that change will be.

While there is still no good reason not to switch to renewable energy, we should also be cautious not to do too much damage in a rush to prevent something that we don't know is happening, and don't know why it may happen. As recently as the 1970's there were warnings of global cooling, and they have since been challenged, with many now folding the data into the global warming theory. The key here is to focus on things that make sense outside climate change, such as electric cars and renewable energy, rather than things that would only impact a possible problem.