I had an interesting conversation at work yesterday about global warming with a predoctoral bioengineering student. He didn’t think the science is strong enough to back the claim that human beings are doing anything to speed up climate change. I confessed I had not gone straight to the scientific literature and had depended on other people to digest the science for me, which was mistake number one — when I debate I have the tendency to open up my pitfalls before the first round of is over. Fortunately I was able to pick up the pieces and get a few shots in before we both went our own ways.

Let’s posit global warming isn’t real. Ok. Does that mean we don’t have conflict in the Middle East over oil, we don’t have a pollution problem, and we don’t have issues with toxic waste? My God no! These are all problems we have created and they are endangering our species. The next time I engage in debate about the environment I am not going to use the phrase global warming. Climate change doesn’t even have to enter into the picture. The indisputable facts are real enough. Next time I see the aformentioned bioengineer, I am going to dare him to take a drink from Lake Washington. I wonder if he would do it?

In the meantime, I am going to spend some quality time reading climate science journals.