Birds Weigh In On The Climate Debate

Link to September issue of Audubon magazine

"Follow the money," is something I frequently hear from both sides of the ongoing debate on how or whether humans are contributing to climate change.

That's why I pay special attention when a reputable non-profit organization like the Audubon Society publishes their results of studies on the subject.

Over half of our bird population, according to their findings, face significant relocations, problems with adequate food supply and even possible extinction based on what they believe to be largely human-caused factors.

I do realize the climate change issue is beyond complex and that no individual or group knows absolutely everything that should be known in order to come up with the best possible response. But to believe that the majority of the world's climatologists, remarkably united in their urging us to drastically reduce our carbon emissions, are in some kind of secret conspiracy to mislead us for the sake of their financial gain just seems preposterous to me. The scientists I know, independent to a fault, are all too eager to distinguish themselves by proving their peers wrong.

And to believe that groups like the National Geographic Society and the Audubon Society would join such a massive conspiracy and believe they could do so without being exposed as charlatans is way beyond believable to me.

I also find myself paying attention to some of my friends who devote hours of their time and tons of energy to help raise awareness of this issue, good people I know for a fact will never profit in the slightest from their efforts.

On the other hand, some of the following are in fact benefiting significantly by taking the public policy stands they do:

Earthjustice