Question of the Week: Is Global Warming/climate change fact or fiction?

By DUANE NOLLEN
The Oskaloosa Herald

OSKALOOSA June 23, 2008 12:18 pm

— Almost two-thirds of the people who answered this past week’s Question of the Week: Is this year’s flood worse than The Flood of ‘93? answered YES.
Twenty-six — 65 percent — said YES while 14 — 35 percent — answered NO.
The Question of the Week poll is not scientific and only reflects the opinions of those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The Question of the Week is just another way the Herald’s readers can voice their opinions about issues that affect them.
This week’s Question of the Week deals with Global Warming and climate change.
Iowa’s extremely cold winter followed by the deluge of rain in late spring that has caused many major rivers to rage out of their banks may be a harbinger of Global Warming or climate change.
The issue of Global Warming is a hot-button political issue that wasn’t around back in 1993 during the state’s other recent major flood. But, this year being a presidential election year, the issue will likely take center stage.
Global Warming advocates point to the polar ice caps melting to prove their point. They are arguing more these days about “climate change” in general as opposed to just Global Warming.
The History Channel has broadcast several shows detailing climate change. They say that as the Earth warms and the polar ice caps melt, fresh water gets dumped in the North Atlantic Ocean. This fresh water disrupts the “North Atlantic Conveyor” — the Gulf Stream — which brings warm water to the Northern Hemisphere and sends cold water south to be warmed at the equator. When that gets disrupted, the climate up north gets colder.
Proponents point to humans’ use of fossil fuels that release “Green House” gases as the cause of the heating of the climate.
Opponents to Global Warming can point to factors other than fossil fuels such as the waxing and waning of the sun’s solar radiation and natural Earth processes.
Who is right?
What do you think?
This week’s Question of the Week: Is Global Warming/climate change fact or fiction?
People can vote on The Herald’s Web site, oskaloosa.com, from Monday through noon on Friday. Then, votes will be tallied and published the following Monday.