Climate change, at first glance, seems to be a confusing topic. Politics and personal opinions often take over in discussions about climate change, which often confuses the facts for the general public. So first, before discussing public opinion regarding climate change, I think we should debunk the common misconceptions about climate change. We'll start with three of the biggest ones:
Misconception #1
The hole in the ozone layer causes global warming by letting more radiation enter our atmosphere.
The Real Fact #1
Global warming is caused primarily by increased amounts of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. While the hole in the ozone layer does allow more radiation to enter the atmopshere, it is not a main cause of Earth's temperature increase.
Misconception #2
Because carbon dioxide constitutes such a small percentage of the total gases in our large atmosphere, we are not emitting enough carbon dioxide to make a significant temperature difference.
The Real Fact #2
Most of the gases in our atmosphere do not trap heat; greenhouse gases, though, like carbon dioxide, do trap heat. While carbon dioxide constitutes a small percentage of the total gases in the atmosphere, the way that they trap heat truly does add up to make a big effect.
Misconceptioin #3
Weather irregularities can be used as scientific evidence for or against climate change.
The Real Fact #3
Weather and climate are not the same thing; weather lasts a short period of time -- it is what is happening outside our four walls right now. Climate, on the other hand, can be described as the average weather for any given region. Regional climate characteristics therefore "give rise to" weather. Therefore, there is an association between weather and climate, including irregularities. Any certain weather event, though, cannot prove that climate change is happening. However, observations that average weather has changed for a region can be used as evidence for climate change.
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