Climate Mama wRAP, December 11, 2009: Holiday Check Lists, Copenhagen Updates, Climategate and Spreading Cheer!

T’is the season of giving, receiving and spreading peace and joy around the world. Instead, this past week we heard a lot about spreading rumors and uncertainty in the wake of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. “Climategate” as it is being called, was global warming skeptics nirvana, as they rejoiced in the stealing of thousands of e-mails from a prestigious university in England well known for its work on climate change. As we all know, its easy to manipulate information, and what the e-mails seems to point to, actually, is that scientists want to be as sure as they can about their data before its released. Recognizing uncertainty in science is a fact, questioning their results, is the job of a scientist. Science is about hypotheses. We could wait for apples to fall “up” from trees, but we might be waiting a long time. The theory of relativity could still be “disproved,” it is just a “theory” after all. However hard they try, Climategate and climate skeptics can’t hide behind the irrefutable proof of thousands of “peer reviewed” (operative phrase) studies that show clearly that “anthropomorphic” (a fancy word for “human caused”) climate change is happening. We can argue for days about the timing of consequences, the rate and pace of change and how we should address it, but what is actually happening, and who is causing it, isn’t in doubt.

With heads of state from 110 countries expected to join delegates from 192 countries in Copenhagen next week, world governments recognize this, and recognize the seriousness of the issues confronting us. Why is it that we always want to accentuate the negative and not focus on actions required to achieve the positive? I guess it’s just easier? “Talk up” the climate conference with your friends and families, it’s definitely something out of the ordinary and away from the mundane. Talk about it at your work or neighborhood holiday parties. Find out how much your friends really know, or what they don’t know about climate change. Chances are they have heard about “Climategate” but probably not the fact that the Maldives will be underwater and uninhabitable by mid-century or that this week, the US government formally declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases constitute a threat to human health and welfare!

Check out In the News this week to see 3 ways that the first week in Copenhagen has been commemorated. In Climate Mama News, we look at ways to make our Holiday Lists with the environment in mind. Remember, the holidays can be a wonderful time to remind people you care about, that caring for the environment is high on your priority list! Our new “featured partner” is the Light a Billion Lives Campaign. At this time of joy and giving, think about giving the gift of “light” to someone in need. Also, when wrapping up your presents, look at our new “product,” Wrapsack, listed under our Product Seal of Approval; a smart and easy way to wrap up your presents. Find out how you can follow the Wrapsack trail, as the “sack” is used, and used again.