Fumento Commentary Cooling off on Global Warming Omits Some Facts (as Usual)

[Guest guest]

" Cooling of on Global Warming. [Commentary]. " Washington Times, 8

July 99, A15.

Fumento, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute,

responds to a report from the nonprofit group Public Agenda

that found that overall, Americans say they are less

concerned about environmental problems such as water

pollution, toxic waste, air pollution, ozone layer damage,

and global warming than they were in 1989. Fumento suggests

that in some areas, like air pollution, people are less

concerned because there have been actual drops in the amount

of air pollution. He goes on to conclude that the drop in

concern over global warming is due to a lack of firm science

to support the theory, and states that " three-fourths of the

public thing Mr. Clinton, Mr. Gore, Newsweek, and the

mainstream media are blowing hot air. "

's take on the world, as we all know is slanted towards protecting

the

hand that feeds him. In order to read the truth about the above quotes go

http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/attitude_study.html

" Waiting for a Signal: Public Attitudes toward Global Warming, the

Environment and Geophysical Research "

In a nutshell, it reports that people care very much about the environment

and environmental issues - but they are frustrated and unsure about what

they can do to make a difference.

" The public's attitudes toward the environment are complex and are affected

by a number of different factors. On many aspects of the issue, the public

is already convinced of the gravity of the problems. But, other

considerations and complexities sap their energy for thinking further or

dealing with these problems. For one, these issues are so complex and

technical that scientists themselves don't agree about them. Furthermore,

many people doubt there are viable solutions to these problems. Many

respondents in our focus groups were convinced that the underlying cause of

environmental problems (such as pollution and toxic waste) is a pervasive

climate of rampant selfishness and greed, and since they see this moral

deterioration to be irreversible, they feel that environmental problems are

unsolvable. As a result, convincing people of the seriousness of the

problems is at best only part of the solution, and may, in fact, be

counterproductive. "

" The issue is not that people are apathetic, but that they are frustrated

and confused. More talk about the seriousness of the problems -- without

also convincing people that something can be done to alleviate them -- may

only increase their sense of hopelessness rather than lead to productive

debate and dialogue. "

http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/attitude_study.html