High School Teacher's Global Warming Video a YouTube Hit
The last time you were on YouTube, what were the most popular vids on there? You'd probably expect something with a funny baby, something political, something featuring cats, and probably a video focusing on the average male's favorite human anatomy part.
What you likely wouldn't expect, though, is a video featuring a teacher talking about global warming, which is precisely what has turned out to be one of the most popular videos on YouTube so far this month.
The video features high school science teacher Greg Craven chatting for nine minutes and 33 seconds about global warming. He doesn't spend much time talking about doom and gloom (submerged cities, global famine, etc.), nor does he go on and on about the scientific causes. Instead, he cuts to the chase, making a sound logical argument about why global warming should not be ignored. It comes down to this: Given our options of either doing something about the (potential) problem or not doing something, we're still better off doing something, because inaction is very, very risky. It may seem obvious, but the guy is compelling.
Take a few minutes and watch the video above. It's a lot more exciting than a 90-minute PowerPoint presentation.
From USA Today
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
David @ Dec 19th 2007 11:53AM
I agree with Mr. Craven, if we do nothing to try and prevent global warming and it does cause all of these catastrophe"s in column B then humans and animals will gradually be wiped off the face of the earth. In-action in this case is not a very good choice on our part. Anything we can do such as driving less and using less energy can help fight global warming. I believe it"s true, why else would the North polar ice be melting so much. Also, why else would there be such extreme"s in the weather all around the world that have never been seen before?
sonotekfb @ Dec 19th 2007 12:10PM
Simple, yet eloquent argument that is the most compelling I have heard. Kudos to Mr Craven who obviously does justice to his profession and helps to enlighten all of us.
toohot @ Dec 19th 2007 1:50PM
Sorry, Mr. Craven, you have sugar coated column A as to downside of "yes" actions. Many of B True box negatives will also be in A false or true. Also, economic depression of A False goes into A True. That leaves the only choice to be not on your chart. The right choice is to proceed as proper sewards of the earth without taking draconian anti-warming action.
Catherine @ Dec 19th 2007 3:39PM
I am personally tierd of the talk about global warming. It is a cycle that cannot be stopped. The Earth started warming over 14,000 years ago when no fossil fuels or land clearing. There is not a way to stop this cycle so why spend money on something that is going to happen anyway. It does cause more problems but the effects in collum one are completly downsisded. You can share this with others causingus to spend funds for a lost cause but there is no way to prevent it.
T L Heart @ Dec 19th 2007 3:52PM
It ia a joke! Get real. A hoax of the greatest magnitude
T L Heart @ Dec 19th 2007 3:53PM
The ice at the south pole is growing at the same rate that the ice is melting at the north pole
Gordon @ Dec 19th 2007 3:58PM
One argument that should also be taken into account is the block indicating that Global Climate Change is false and we take action. If the actions we would take are effective and GCC is false, would these actions not cause a GCC in the opposite direction that we had assumed? So, instead of Global warming, Global cooling? Thus, if we are only "playing once" action could be as devasting as inaction until we know whether GCC is true or false.
Dick Reed @ Dec 19th 2007 4:12PM
The Great Global Warming Swindle was also compelling, but it was done in Britain and the only way I could see it was to download it on my computer. The dvd was supposed to be available in the U.S., but I haven't seen it. I wonder wonder who's stonewalling it - probably Al Gore.
Devlyn @ Dec 19th 2007 4:47PM
I feel he presented it in a great way and a way everyone could understand . My thinking on this subject is I often wonder if we are actually at the end of the ice age and although a big change for us it is a normal change for the earth . Is it possible that all the natual disasters we have been having over the past 10 years or so is actually mother earth cleanseing herself and in a few years it will settle back down ? who knows no one person does so we have to prepare anyways just in case and do our part or that worst this guy is saying happens it is going to be quite nasty everywhere !
Rod @ Dec 19th 2007 4:47PM
The premise that the this fellow presents is based on the assumption that global warming can be changed / stopped, etc., by human actions... However, it is based on the cause also being based on human actions... There is also a vast group of scientists that have evidence that places the cause of global warming to be the Sun... He doesn't consider that aspect of the changes in climate... Several other planets in our solar system have EXACTLY the same rate of warming as does Earth. The same polar ice melt, the same ratio of surface temerature increase, etc... So, taxing us to death and creating HUGE govenment agencies to control our lives, will do nothing to change the activities of the Sun... There are no SUV's, no coal powered electric plants, or steel mills on Mars - or any of the other planets, but they are having the same increases in temperature as Earth - because of solar activity... The Earth has experienced climate change many times over millions of years, long before any human existed... This "All Gore" approach is "pop culture science" is not real science, and the beat of his drum is attracting millions of "lemmings" to run in mass without questioning the obvious flaws in his "Pied Piper" story...
emma @ Dec 19th 2007 4:54PM
Great job! I am with the teacher. Even if human made global warming was false, the actions suggested to slow it are the same actions we should be taking anyway. So given the FACT that the human population will continue to grow exponentially and given the FACT that humans will continue to use the planet's resources, outpacing sustainability, we will destroy the planet at the rate we are going REGARDLESS of global warming. I am happy to see that at least a couple of people on here can look past the politics to social conscience and ethical reasoning!
rob @ Dec 19th 2007 5:10PM
as usual AOL is SCREWED up and wont play this video for me. My GOD you can teach a Monkey TRICKS AOL. HIRE some competent people?
Greg Kirchman @ Dec 19th 2007 5:16PM
How many people existed when the first "native" Americans crossed the frozen ocean from what is now Russia to Alaska? How many were there when the ice disappeared? Was the "global warming" then man made? No - it was a natural occurrence. And today it is the same thing. Damn it, I don't want to change my ways because the climate is going to change with or without humans. My pedaling to work along with everyone else in the world isn't going to change a damn thing if weather patterns are up to mother nature.
What's missing from the argument is the FACT that whether or not we do anything climate is going to change.
Peace, yo!
Bret @ Dec 19th 2007 5:18PM
I agree that we have global warming, partially caused by mankind. I, although, believe that this premise is wrong or not fully correct. 1)This phenomenon is slow, very slow. We're talking 100's of years. 2) Mankind is, in fact, doing something about it today. Slowly, but still doing something. And third. Mankind adapts. I, personally, will support any global "fixing" but let's not yell "The sky is falling".
Randy @ Dec 19th 2007 5:26PM
The only thing that I have to say about this is what if we used this same concept in all the things we do. If so, we must all support the war on terrorism, anti-abortion, and the belief in God (just to name a couple of things). This arguement is no different then all the other scare tactics that are out there and have been out there for years. Using this arguement, everyone should stay at home all day because the possibility of you being in a car accident is there. Come on people, it is not good enough to act without information on something like this. This is one of the biggest problems with liberals and liberalism, it is based on intent not on results. Good intentions do not mean good results.
james gary @ Dec 19th 2007 5:52PM
I would not spend eight seconds watching some pinhead talk about global warming, when it is only a theory and not a good one at best. I declare if I hear one more word about florida going under water when the glaciers melt I'll puke. Of course if it were Frisco I'd say bring it on. drown all the bath houses
Well He's Just Plain Wrong @ Dec 19th 2007 6:03PM
In column A both true and false lead to economic depression and that will lead to war unrest etc. So we can either guarantee that we commit economic suicide, or we can take a 50 - 50 chance and hope we didn't cause Global warming.
Also, there is ample scientific evidence to show that the current warming trends are part of a cycle and there is scarce to no evidence to prove that global warming is human caused.
Jacqueline @ Dec 19th 2007 6:35PM
To those of you that STILL have not made the connection, please watch NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S "STRANGE DAYS ON PLANET EARTH" so you can be taken step by step on the SCIENTIFIC CONNECTION BETWEEN GLOBAL WARMING AND MANKIND ACTIVITY.
You can also read "BOILING POINT" by Ross Gelbspan- a prized journalist.
COPY AND PASTE:
http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographics-Strange-Planet-Earth/dp/B0007LBM4K/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1198106708&sr=1-3
John Yaeger @ Dec 19th 2007 6:57PM
Mr. Craven's presumption is that the evidence for the False row is equal to the evidence in the True row.
I’m not so sure that is the case.
matt matthews @ Dec 19th 2007 7:04PM
As usual another ed major trying to do a logic diagram. dodo, you have to put all the possibility's on the board and then weight them and look at the remedy not destroy the world's systems on Al "the jerk" theories!!! ask about the earth's [-] feed back systems none of you chicken littles want to include!!why because it says the worse case will not occur if man is the cause and if he is not,there is nothing we can do about it.I worked for 40 years as an engineer!!!go back to teaching espranza or the mretic system or the last failed ED subject.