Books: Climate Confusion

Intrepid Librarian Goes To Work

How did discussing the weather get so political? Geez Louise! I’ve decided to take it out of my toolbox of small talk topics. But should I? A lot of people complain about the weather, but as Mark Twain said, “nobody ever does anything about it,” Wise words, but the discussion of weather or more precisely, “global warming” or even more precisely “climate change,” has gotten a bit dicey. Touchy people are everywhere. What used to be banal small talk has turned hostile__ take your side, are you right or left of climate change? Do you stand for climate change or don’t you? All the while the weather goes on doing whatever it pleases oblivious to all the red-faced people arguing about it. Point in question: as I shoveled the 3 tons of snow out of my driveway for the third time this winter, I casually mentioned to my neighbor, as we stood in a 3 foot drift, that this storm had put “global warming” to rest. Quite nastily, I was told I was shortsighted, that weather was different than climate and that George W. Bush was to blame for firing up all the smoke belching coal plants. I felt like hitting this man with my shovel, but I let it pass. After my blood stopped boiling, I realized I had almost taken a side about something I knew nothing about. I had almost engaged in fisticuffs over the weather! My comment had only been meant as a point of irony, but had bounced off my obtuse neighbor. As any librarian is wont to do I consulted a book, which is where, Roy W. Spencer’s book, Climate Confusion: How Global Warming Hysteria Leads to Bad Science, Pandering Politicians and Misguided Policies That Hurt The Poor, comes into the discussion. At first this book seemed to have an inflammatory title. But since I had become all worked up about the weather anyway I decided to read it. But I wanted to know just what were Mr. Spencer’s credentials? The back of the book told me that he was a distinguished climatologist and a person with connections to NASA. Well… so I would take his counsel, but remain open minded lest I take a side about something I can do nothing about, the weather. It seems to me Mr. Spencer has taken a middle course, which is still political, but less so than extreme right or left. He tries to navigate the facts and apply them even handily. Spencer explains how the climate system really works; how man has much less impact on the climate than his puffed up ego would have him believe, and that bad facts engender bad policy. Spencer has a sharp wit as well as intellect and he did a good job of almost making me take a side. But he is still biased. For me the verdict is still out. When it snows I just accept it. Still I recommend this book. It’s a great introduction about an issue you are likely to bump up against.