The Ten Commandments of Global Warming

Copyright © 2007 by Keith H. Adkins

1. You shall not be in denial.
Most people today concede there is global warming, but some still ask if it is caused by humans? 80% of global warming is caused by the liberation of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.[1] Others suggest we’re just in a warming cycle, which brings us to the second commandment of global warming.

2. You shall see the big picture.
For the first time in history, humanity has brought about a geological era. The Anthropocene (age of humanity) started in AD 1800 with the dawn of the Industrial Revolution,[2] when humans began the process of destroying species from the buildup of carbon dioxide. The latest scientific report says there is virtually no possibility that global warming can be explained by anything other than human causes.[3]

3. You shall think systemIcally.
The “Web of Life” says everything is connected.[4] The fate of creation is the fate of humanity.[5] The biosphere is a fragile membrane clinging to the face of the earth,[6] so we must make peace with this planet and ourselves.

4. You shall make a difference.
Scientists say we must cut carbon by 80% by 2050.[7] You can do that today by buying a hybrid car. Use Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs. We offer a free “Tox Drop” at Church of the Saviour on the 3rd Saturday of every month. Just bring your paints, oil, batteries, etc. between 8 & 9 a.m.

5. You shall not waste energy.
If business as usual, we will need 2 planets worth of resources by 2050.[8] We use an average of 4 times as much energy as we did 100 years ago.[9] The 4% of humans who live in America produce nearly a quarter of the world’s carbon dioxide.[10]

6. You shall seek legislation.
First find out how politicians are reducing their emissions. Don’t vote for those who say global warming legislation is too expensive. Effective change would cost 1/10 of 1% of world’s gross national product each year.[11] Write to a politician about climate change and you could change the world.

7. You shall decarbonize power.
19th century technology is providing 21st century power. The power grid is #1 priority in war on climate change.[12] We could then use renewable power to decarbonize the transportation grid.

8. You shall be energy- efficient.
1/3 of America’s CO2 emissions is from domestic power, and 1/3 of a typical domestic power bill is for hot water.[13] Buy energy-efficient air-conditioners, furnaces, and refrigerators.

9. You shall love God’s world.
We are called to be stewards of creation.[14] God made this universe and called it good.[15] God wants us to treat this world as sacred space so there will be a sacred place for future generations.

10. You shall act NOW .
Earth’s thermostat is delicate, and CO2 is at the heart of it. Every ounce of carbon dioxide we add to the atmosphere takes a century to dissipate.[16] If we act now, we will have a difficult future, not a catastrophic one.

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[1] L.R. Kump, “Reducing Uncertainty about Carbon Dioxide as a Climate Driver,” Nature 419 (2002): 188-90.
[2] P. J. Crutzen and E. F. Stoermer, “The Anthropocene,” IGBP Newsletter 41 (2000): 12.
[3] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis,” (2007). Find at www.ipcc.ch/SPM2 feb07.pdf.
[4] J. Lovelock, Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1979). See also www.webofcreation.org.
[5] E.O. Wilson, The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth (New York: W. W. Norton, 2006), 14.
[6] Ibid., 27.
[7] B. McKibben, Fight Global Warming Now: The Handbook for Taking Action in Your Community (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2007), 11.
[8] T. Flannery, The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth (New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2005), 79.
[9] Ibid., 77.
[10] McKibben, 12.
[11] Ibid., 14.
[12] Flannery, 267.
[13] Ibid., 303.
[14] Genesis 2:15.
[15] Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31.
[16] Flannery, 5.