You may have heard some high-profile human-induced climate change skeptics tote the benefits of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for plant life. Some lobby groups have even released press releases and documents to senators and the public in an attempt to further the illusion that there is no scientific consensus that humans are affecting the climate in bad way. As you can imagine, these energy-industry supported groups, which include the misleadingly named “Greening the Earth” group and Competitive Enterprise Insititute, latch on to any shred of science they can to make their position seem valid.
Scientists are in consensus, however, that this global warming is in human-induced.
It is true that plants use carbon dioxide to grow. They “inhale” CO2 and use the carbon, the C, along with water and sunlight, to, in essence, create themselves. More CO2, more growth. Millions of years ago when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, there was much more CO2 in the atmosphere due to various factors. The earth was much warmer, sea levels were much higher (warm water expands), and indeed, much of the earth was covered in lush vegetation.
However, with our rising CO2 levels, the situation is quite different. When plants have an increased rate of respiration (they are “breathing” more CO2 to grow faster), they also need more water. It’s like if we were running a race, we need more water than if we were simply walking. Our CO2 excess has not come with increased rainfall. In fact, in many areas of the globe, we’re seeing less rainfall. Sadly, what rainfall these plants do get is increasingly toxic. “Acid rain” is now the norm – which means that the rainwater gets more acidic due to emissions largely from coal plants (sulfur and nitrous oxide). The plants suffer – many studies have documented the die-off of trees in North America due to acid rain (read Dying of the Trees by Charles Little).
CO2 is a greenhouse gas – which means it’s contributing to the warming of the earth. This warming means that many plants’ ideal habitats are moving up mountain slopes and towards the poles, where it is cooler. Trees, which take a long time to move, reproductively, will be at a particular disadvantage. Some trees are just beginning to make it back to their ranges before the last glaciation. They can’t keep up with the rapid-change of human-induced global warming.
In summary, our CO2 emissions are not good for plants, mainly because they come with a whole host of other toxic chemicals, and they do not come with increased rainfall. Human-induced global warming is also not good for most plants, including the ones we rely on most, because plants cannot move quickly enough to adjust to their moving ideal habitats.
As a strict environmentalist, I think you might mention that we have a unique opportunity to have a genuinely green Superbowl this year. Please inform your readers that the only way the SuperBowl goes green is if the Philadelphia Eagles are in it and moreover that they win it.
Definitely. Unfortunately, the Eagles didn’t make it. BOO!!!