A scientist’s call to informed action on the climate crisis

“The human race is challenged more than ever to demonstrate our mastery, not over nature but of ourselves.”

Rachel Carson
Image credit: NASA

“Yes, we do need hope — of course, we do. But the one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere.”

Greta Thunberg

Who is that frog?

Image credit: Gore, An Inconvenient Truth (documentary film), 2006.

We are that frog!

The title of this site is inspired by an analogy that has been used to describe our behavior in the face of global climate change.

If you throw a frog in a pot of boiling water, it jumps out. But if instead you throw a frog in a pot of lukewarm water and slowly bring it to a boil, it may not sense the danger until it’s too late (unless it’s rescued!)

We are behaving the same way with respect to climate change. And we must learn to perceive the danger, implement solutions, and rescue ourselves.

This site is dedicated to seeking truth and taking action on the climate crisis.

Check out the menu for the site’s pages (left side of the screen on wide screens, menu icon in upper right for mobile devices).

Frog Blog — Periodic posts about current events, opportunities for action, and new material added to the other topics on the site. You can subscribe to my email subscription service to receive emails whenever I post something new on the Frog Blog.

Scientific evidence of global climate change: A brief history — The central element of this site, this page is a “storybook telling” of how scientists have assembled the evidence for global climate change, beginning with early measurements starting around 1900. Written in easy-to-read episodes, the story features links to the original research as it follows scientists from all over the world employing ever more sophisticated methods to document the measured evidence. Finally, we consider our present condition and future solutions.

Scientific consensus — a page exploring the extent to which scientists agree about anthropogenic global climate change. Did you know there have actually been scientific studies of how well scientists agree about the climate crisis?

Before Our Eyes — a collection of images and video of the changing Earth that anyone can see, and that have been attributed directly to global climate change caused by us.

Possible Futures — a collection of short articles on the best scientific projections of the likely consequences of the various decisions we might make with regard to global climate change. If we keep burning fossil fuels, what might happen to the sea level? To farm land? Which is likely to be more expensive, changing to carbon-neutral energy sources now, or adapting to the consequences of fossil fuel use later?

Voices for Our Earth — a collection of perspectives on the climate crisis that have struck me. Some may surprise you.

Numbers for Pondering — groupings of numerical statistics related to global warming in the tradition of “Harper’s Index,” each grouping arranged to inspire thoughtful reflection about an aspect of the problem.

Bibliography — a page of direct links to the original scientific papers referenced on other pages of the site. Writing a term paper? This is a gold mine!

Take Action — resources and suggestions for acting to influence our leaders on the issue of global climate change.

Will the frog rescue itself? I am convinced this is the most serious question our species faces – probably an existential question. It’s also a solvable challenge. In fact, technologies to address it exist now. They are even being built at the required scales, just not quickly enough. Meanwhile, some among us, including many of our leaders, continue to live in denial that we even have a problem. Surely, providing our children a livable planet must be our highest priority. We need to encourage our leaders to prioritize accordingly.

The time to act is now. The rescue will never be easier or less costly than it is at this moment, and every moment, month, and certainly year we wait will make the rescue increasingly difficult, expensive, and risky.

Please join me on a journey of learning and action.

#rescuethatfrog

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