I’m currently (okay, not currently, but I wrote this during lunch – ed.) watching big fluffy flakes of an entirely-localized weather phenomenon which should not be considered indicative in any way of the global climate trend (ELWPWSNBCIIAWOTGCT) fall from the sky. By my reckoning this is about the fourth such ELWPWSNBCIIAWOTGCT this month. In this part of Minnesota it would be unusual (though not unprecedented) to have even one such ELWPWSNBCIIAWOTGCT before November. Four ELWPWSNBCIIAWOTGCTs is pretty notable, and just serves as a vivid reminder how much colder than normal most of this year – especially this month – has been.

Which probably goes a long way toward explaining this…

Survey Says: Americans Not Worried About Global Warming

A new poll out today on Americans’ attitudes about climate change presents sobering findings for those that favor aggressive action to curb U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases.

The survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds a sharp decline over the past year in the percentage of Americans who see solid evidence that global temperatures are rising. According to the survey, conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4 among 1,500 adults reached on cell phones and landlines, fewer respondents also see global warming as a very serious problem; 35% say that today, down from 44% in April 2008.

The survey also points to a decline in the proportion of Americans who say global temperatures are rising as a result of human activity. Just 36% say that currently, down from 47% last year.

The thing is, I am perfectly and contentedly aware that those fluffy white flakes outside my window truly are a local phenomenon and that they do not tell me anything about the global climate. But then I also think the same whenever some hot-headed alarmist points to a single melting glacier, stranded polar bear, or Australian drought as part of the global warming “evidence all around us.” If you’re going to invest so much time and energy fashioning a petard, you ought to be aware about the dangers of hoisting is my point.

It’s entirely possible I’m totally wrong in my views about global warming (it’s natural) and mankind’s role in it (negligible). But even if I’m wrong about that I’m certainly not going to make the foolish argument that the snow flying around outside my window at the moment proves my point. I am, however, going to engage in a little shadenfreude as the fluffy white flakes of ELWPWSNBCIIAWOTGCT help to put a very real chill on the attempted panic of public opinion regarding global warming and the “evidence all around us.”

[note: It’s probably a good idea to note that the above was written by Bogus Doug and not Mitch.  In the site’s recent technical issues, we seem to have lost the post-author thingy.]

[Mitch adds:  The “author name” thing will be fixed this weekend.  Especially if it’s too rainy for yard work]