Does an Artic Blast Mean No More Global Warming?

Filed in archive Global Climate on January 18, 2010

Why are you interested in alternative energy? Liberals are usually interested in alternative energy because they see renewable alternative as a way to reduce the use of carbon-emitting fossil fuels and combat climate change. Conservatives generally see alternative energy as part of a policy leading to energy independence; wind energy, biodiesel, and solar power could potentially free us from or reliance on foreign oil.

The motives for each group's interest in alternative energy tend to color that group's approach. Liberals think that climate change - and, thus, alternative energy - is an urgent issue. So damn the cost. Conservatives think that alternative energy only makes sense in an economic context. It has to be marketable and affordable to make sense.

Factor in America's system of opposition politics. Liberals place dealing with climate change fairly high on their political agenda. That puts alternative energy high on their agenda. Conservatives often remain unconvinced that climate change is a real scientific phenomenon. So alternative energy ranks lower on their agenda. And because our system of opposition politics runs on, well, opposition, sometimes conservatives seem (in my opinion) to be against alternative energy initiatives mostly because liberals are in favor it those initiatives.

So, we just had a huge cold snap in much of the Northern Hemisphere. So much for global warming? Watch the video and then you decide...