would you sell your soul for $10,000?

ok, so some of us probably would. but would you sell your integrity? today npr's marketplace covered a story about the UN's most recent environmental report. and it looks grim. 2500 scientists from around the world took part in this all-important research. they asked the question: Global Warming, Who's to Blame?

Their answer? Us.

These scientists are 90% sure that human activity is causing the earth to warm up. They believe the earth could be 11 degrees hotter by the end of the century. on a day like to today, blustery with snow, this may seem like a God-send to us michiganders! but let's think beyond ourselves for a moment. imagine if you were bangladeshi, a country which already suffers from dreadful flooding each year. with warming temperatures come rising waters. millions of peoples' homes will be under water. and if it's too hard to think of a land so far away, then think of our own beloved new yorkers.

this report should make us all shake in our boots. it is scientific evidence. unbiased evidence. i mean c'mon, it's hard to find 2500 scientists from around the world who belong to the same political party, religious group, or science club. i doubt they all subscribe to the same science magazines. and then there is this:

"A conservative think tank reportedly offered scientists and economists as much as $10,000 each to undermine an unsettling UN report on global warming released today. So if they write an article or make a speech which picks holes or finds flaws in the UN report, they could earn themselves up to $10,000."

hmmm...now why do you think they would do that? afraid of the truth? interesting. what's even more interesting is that this so-called "conservative think tank" has been linked to Exxon Mobile, an oil company, probably one of the only groups who will lose out on a cleaner earth. hmmm...what's even more interesting than that is that Exxon Mobile is the oil company most commonly tied to our very own George W. one of the only major world leaders who refuses to sign on to Kyoto, "an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to signatory nations." (Wikipedia)

now, i'm just reporting what i heard reported to me this morning. but the whole idea of it makes me sick. i mean, this report could have real potential to spur our leaders to actually DO SOMETHING to help counter this crisis. and more than that, it could have the potential to spur all of us to do something. in fact, one of the scientists interviewed on the show listed simple ways that the every day commoner could help tackle global warming, things like taking the heat down a notch, turning off your lights and using energy efficient bulbs, taking the bus or better yet, your bike. obviously we've all heard things like this before, and then ignored them. but, no time like the present after the release of a very scary report to start implementing them. the scientist then went on to point out that "green equals green." taking care of the earth can save you money in the end. save money? why...count me in!

let's just hope that $10,000 is not enough to sweep this little bit of evidence under the political carpet and out of our minds.

if you'd like to listen to the report yourself (or read part the transcript), go here:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/2007/02/02/AM200702021.html -sn