Co-authored by Whitney Hank
Front groups opposing sound scientific evidence of climate change are continuing to pop up on the Internet. “Plants Need CO2” (http://plantsneedco2.org/default.aspx?menuitemid=216) and “CO2 is Green” (http://co2isgreen.org/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) are claiming that CO2—at any level—is good for the environment. They argue climate change is not real and, therefore, not a problem. It is shocking that people are still trying to disprove settled science.
Here is one falsity purported by these groups: “If the U.S. moves to the most expensive energy sources, the economic impact will be suicidal.” The truth is the Congressional Budget Office’s latest estimate (mid-Sept. 2009) says the cost would be $0.44 per day per household. (http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10573/09-17-Greenhouse-Gas.pdf).
The possibility of not acting on climate change and remaining dependent on fossil fuels are the real danger. America spends a billion dollars a day on fossil fuels because we import 70% of those fuels. Not only does this negatively impact our economy but our over-reliance on oil from hostile nations helps our enemies, and puts our national security at risk.
Here is a second false accusation: “The reduction in U.S. economic activity will reduce U.S. employment.” Again, the truth is quite different from the claim. In its estimate the CBO also states that Waxman-Markey will have minimal long-term employment effects and will create 1.7 million good-paying, green, American jobs.
While the front groups state that without CO2, no life will exist, they fail to mention the negative impacts of too much CO2. Stronger tropical storms and longer droughts are real consequences of an atmosphere over-saturated with CO2. Hurricane Katrina displaced 1.1 million people and destroyed a great city. Climate change causes drought and threatens to dry up the Ogallala aquifer, which supplies 70%-90% of the irrigation water used by major grain producing states such as Texas, Nebraska, and Kansas.
We have moved on from the debate of whether climate change exists and are now addressing the long term consequences. The facts presented by these front groups are juvenile and are moving us backwards. The question is no longer whether climate change exists, but how we are going to combat it.
Great post.
Saw the CO2isgreen.org ad on tv tonight, and it just didnt sound right.. Ive been looking online for something to dispute the website but this is the only one Ive found. This is a strong one folks..TIME TO WAKE UP!!!
I saw the “CO2 is GREEN” commercial at the gym this morning — ridiculous!
I can’t believe that they actually think they can insult the American people’s intelligence and get away with it!