Should You Care About Global Warming?

The answer is a resounding “Yes!” according to Matthys Levy, who wrote “Why the Wind Blows: A History of Weather and Global Warming.” Why? Levy states that reversing the global warming course will help future generations. My belief is that through choosing greener ways of living, we improve our own lives today as well.

I think you will enjoy reading Mr. Levy’s personal insights to questions I posed to him recently. I know I did!

I recently read “Why the Wind Blows” and I found it very enjoyable, interesting, and easy to read. I also feel that it is an important book that has the power to motivate people to live more “green lives.” I’ve written before on “Green Living” and how you can reduce your impact on the environment.

What’s In It For You?

The neat thing about living a more “green” life is that it opens our eyes to living a more simple life. We realize that we can live with less. We can enjoy life more fully when we slow down enough to live more “green.” And I think it’s very likely that if everyone joins in that we will have healthier lives from producing less toxins in our world.

“Why the Wind Blows” teaches us about the weather on our planet along with very interesting stories about each aspect of the weather. Importantly, it also contains information about global warming.

Interview with Matthys Levy

Here are some questions that Mr. Levy was gracious enough to answer for Life Learning Today’s readers.

1. I loved reading “Why the Wind Blows: A History of Weather and Global Warming.” It is so enjoyable to read, full of interesting information as well as serious information about our future. For whom did you write this book and why?

It is addressed to a general audience and is appropriate for people from 8 to 80. The book follows a series I started with Mario Salvadori, including “Why Buildings Fall Down” and “Why the Earth Quakes” that deal with failure and natural phenomena. Weather is the last natural phenomena that I felt would complete the series. As I began the book, it evolved as the issue of global warming became more critical and needed to be fully explained.

2. What will readers learn from “Why the Wind Blows” that will help them improve their life?

Hopefully, people will realize that for the first time in history, man has impacted future weather and has the power to reverse course and return us to what nature intended. Unless we take decisive action to reduce carbon emissions, we are dooming future generations. By understanding weather, we can all benefit by anticipating changes and being prepared for them. Also, it provides a guide to where and how we want to live.

3. Every day more people are making personal changes to live a more Green Life and lessen their impact on the environment. But what about the macro picture? What is the most effective way that individuals can help move our society towards the mainstream use of renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels?

We all have an impact on our environment from what we consume to how we discard our garbage. Water will turn out to be our most critical resource so we should do whatever is necessary to engage our government in conservation and resuse of water. As to the issue of carbon use, which is the principal global warming element, government needs to establish caps to reduce CO2 emissions.

4. Are there any organizations that you would recommend individuals check out and join to foster positive environmental change?

There are a number of environmental organizations that I favor such as the Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Action Fund. On the local front, participation in Town and City boards to influence action on environmental issues is strongly encouraged.

5. What is the most alarming piece of information that most people don’t already know about global warming?

What has already been set in motion cannot be changed! This means that all we can do today is to slow the arrival of the consequences of global warming. These are clearly elucidated in my book.

6. Is there hope? Are we beyond the point of no return or can we reset the dial on global warming? Any best case/worst case future scenario predictions?

We should not be looking for hope in the short term because the train is already rapidly moving down the track. We should instead, think about our children and grandchildren and act to give them a better future. We can do this by slowing and eventually turning the train of global warming by reducing carbon emissions.

Thank you, Matthys!