Blah blah blah, climate change.  I hear you.  I don’t know anything about climate change.  I’ve never even seen that drowning polar bear movie.  I’ve always assumed that climate change is a real problem, and that it’s a bad thing, and that we should do something to save the planet, damnit…but beyond that I’ve never really looked into it.  Where’s the evidence, what does it mean, and where do we go from here?

I found a book that discusses each of those questions:  How We Know What We Know about Our Changing Climate.  What’s great about it is, it doesn’t just explain what global warming is and why it’s happening.  The bulk of the text is about different scientific studies that provide evidence that these climate changes are, in fact, occuring.  Each two-page spread is about a different study—finding evidence in blooming flowers; tracking changes in where certain species are living; finding information in tree rings; and the melting of icecaps and glaciers.  Those are just a few examples.  Some readers will find these scientific discoveries a bit mundane, but just as many (and hopefully more) will find them fascinating.

This book isn’t just about climate change.  It’s about using scientific evidence to form theories.  It’s about not just accepting what we’re told about drowning polar bears, but questioning those assumptions, and finding answers to the questions raised.  It’s all about critical thinking, the foundation of all intelligent discourse.  Go science!

The book is both empowering and optimistic.  It talks about how to conduct similar research, and about what can actually be done to improve the situation.  There is an ample resources section at the end of the book, plus there’s also a supplemental teacher resource guide.

So, there you have my contribution to Blog Action Day 2009.  It’s not just about taking action—it’s about understanding the cause and knowing why (or why not) it’s worth supporting.

the book:
Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch.  How We Know What We Know about Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming.  Dawn Publications, 2008.  Age 8 to 14.