Global Warming & the Nobel Peace Prize...

Not to discredit the former Vice President for his amazing work, but how it relates to peace, I'm clueless. Ever since claiming to have invented the internet, I've always been hesitant to believe anything Mr. Gore says, so perhaps I'm biased.

But when it comes to the issue of global warming, Gore is nothing more than the messenger - it's the researchers and scientists who should be basking in the limelight - not Mr. Gore.

Granted, this particular Nobel Prize was a joint award that also recognizes the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, I'm just still a bit befuddled as to where lies the connection between global warming and world peace.

My problem is that there's another side to the story and one that's not being told. For instance, how about the fact that cow flatulence contributes more to global warming than the entire world transportation sector.

Copenhagen Business School Professor, Bjorn Lumborg recently penned an article in the Washington Post where he claims one of the greatest problems with the global warming debate today is that it's all done in extremes. There's the "deniers" who think it's just another liberal crusade, then there's the Leo DiCaprio's and Al Gore's who preach a doomsday message calling for the world march to Earth's altar, repent and go-green.

There needs to be more middle ground in the debate. Many in the Jackson community are passionate about the cause and I admire their desire to effect real change in the world. What disturbs me is the amount of people who embrace Al Gore's message as gospel.

Think back to the Ozone craze in the 90's... the thinking and rationale behind the ozone hole was much similar to the pandemonium we're seeing today with global warming. Pat Buchanan, as crazy as he may be, is one of the most independent thinkers of our day, and he suggests that, "the global-warming scare and scam is all about frightening Americans into transferring sovereignty, power and wealth to a global political elite that claims it alone understands the crisis and it alone can save us from impending disaster." And this is from a guy who ran for president as a third-party candidate and pledges allegiance to neither Republicans nor Democrats.

Every generation wants to champion a cause bigger and greater than themselves, something that gives us purpose. And with less and less of our peers attending church or embracing religion, it's neat to see people preaching environmental stewardship with an almost religious zeal.

Clearly, the hip thing to do today is to "go green", but I'm going to be a rebel and stay on the fence on this issue until I've had the chance to dig a little deeper. Not that I'm denying global warming, I just weary of buying into all the media hype that surrounds it. So, until the day we're all driving Priuses let's continue to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

And to all my friends in those draught-stricken areas, remember... conserve... "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down."