Dose-coloredhouse BY SANDRA STEINGRABER One recent morning in the sweltering glass box of a North Campus bus stop, two men were discussing the greenhouse effect. The morning shadows were still long, but it was already oppressively hot. One man explained to the other what happens when trees are cut and burned, how the carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and traps the sun's heat. He spoke about the deforestation of Madagascar and Malaysia. The other man nodded. Under the glass, his face assumed a pained expression of deep concern. As an ecologist, I am always interested in these kinds of conversations since they reveal much about how people perceive the natural environment and their connection with it. This summer's drought has everyone discussing the greenhouse effect. In the popular imagination, it seems to have superseded nuclear winter as the ecological metaphor of choice. I ask everyone about the greenhouse effect: the taxi driver, the waitress who brings coffee, the guy who cuts my hair, my friends in the English department. Do you believe it's happening? Do you think itsis scary? rWhat should we do about it? On one level, there seems to be a kind of consensus: well, we've really fucked things up now. Such statements are usually punctuated by resigned shakings of the head. When pressed, most people interviewed in this informal way express fear that the greenhouse effect could be the most serious crisis faced by humankind. No one seems to have too many doubts about its impending reality. In this last respect, popular perception is not much different than that of the atmospheric researchers who have been monitoring the situation. The greenhouse effect is not controversial. It is real. In fact, nearly a century ago, some scientists were predicting dramatic changes in the hworld's climate due to massive amounts of carbon dioxide produced as a consequence of the Industrial Revolution. By the 1950s, elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were starting to be detected, and by 1985, an international group of scientists became so alarmed, they held a special conference and issued a global warning which was worded in no uncertain terms: rising levels of greenhouse gases will without a doubt have profound effects on world temperatures, rainfall patterns, winds, ocean currents, sea levels and agriculture. All of these findings, wamings and predictions were dutifully reported to other members of the scientific community - through magazines such Ngs BioScience - long before this summer's drought brought the issue to the attention of the public through the current wave of greenhouse stories and editorial cartoons in the mass media The media misrepresent the greenhouse effect in at least two ways. First, they mislocate the focus of controversy by implying that scientists hold many different opinions on the reality of the phenomenon. What the scientific community in fact perceives as uncertain is not the reality of imminent climatic change but how the specific consequences of this change will play themselves out and on what time scale. For example, it is clear that - if current trends continue - carbon ioxide levels will double by the second half of the 21st century. And it is clear that this doubling will cause global mean temperatures to rise between two and five degrees. What is not so clear is what effect this global warming will have on the frequency of forest fires, or the life cycles of plant pests like the gypsy moth, or the pollution levels in coastal wetlands where fish breed. And so forth. Second, the media wrongly imply that technological change will be able to compensate for climatic change. Last week's front page article in the New York Times was typical. Researchers at U.S. agricultural universities were lavishly described as working at a feverish pace to develop drought-resistant crops - with seemingly hopeful results. Such reassuring reportage implies that agricultural policymakers are responding prudently to the predictions of the greenhouse scientists. Such stories overlook the recommendations of the climatologists themselves who stress not fatalistic adaptation to a very real phenomenon but the need to restructure socio-economic policies and political priorities in a way that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions, slow climatic change and buy time to better understand the specific effects. It is understandable why the U.S. government would favor the promotion of techno-fix adaptations over deep structural change - such as a ban on coal-burning power plants - but it is disquieting to see how the media follow this lead. r The man in the glass box waiting for the bus was doing a pretty good job explaining the greenhouse effect to his comrade. They, and everyone else who quietly despairs about the atmosphere we all inhabit, deserve better information. The Michigan Daily - Friday, August 5, 1988 - Page 3 Pollack wins 2nd district Dems race BY ANNA SENKEVITCH ber election largely from her ability high cost in light of Pollack's spend- After an eight-month campaign, to raise campaign dollars. ing during her primary campaign. state senator Lana Pollack (D-Ann , "(Tuesday's) results were no surprise Arbor) captured the 2nd congressional "The bottom line is it doesnt given the amount of money Pollack district Democratic candidacy. matter what your argument is," Mc- spent in the primary," Cates said. She will face 6- Pollack, who term icumbent in several public Carl Pursell (R- appearances in Plymouth) in the past few the November months called general election. for a unified U.S. ENATE Michi an Washenaw Counyf orauif The primary, Democratic which had only party, hopes a 16 percent Republicans Jim Dunn 244,909 4,849 Baker and his estimated Robert Huber 159,616 2,802 campaign vol- Washtenaw unteers will County voter U.S.H contribute to the turnout, also .S. OUSE 2d District Washlenaw County party's Novem- determined party ber campaigns, candidates for Democrats Lana Pollack 12,051 6,966 Evans said. the U.S. Senate Dean Baker 5,049 2,602 But Baker, spot, currently who throughout held by Demo- DRAIN CSW shenaw Couny his grassroots crat Donald D E primary cam- Riegle, paign insisted Washtenaw Democrats Janis Bobrin 6,808 positive change County drain occurs from commissioner, Bob Hubbard 4,842 stirrin u o- and circuit court Republicans Phil Bondle 3,885 litical parties, judge. C. Delores Sigal 3,012 said he doubts RepublicanCOhe will help Jim Dunn seized 2 D IRCUITCOURT Washtenaw County with any more an entry into the 1988 political Senate race with Nancy C. Francis 6,364 u1 think (the 61 percent of Melinda Morris 5,928 call for party the votes; Bruce Laidlaw 3,204 unity) is some- Democrat Janisthn hath Bobrin will John M. Barr 5,071 thing that the square off with party moderates Reulcno-Wner peri od have used to Republican op- ~ i ~ Wk ~ ' ' blackmail ponent Philip~ ,~ p - b- progressives," Bondle for the drain commissioner's seat; and Nancy Cauley said, "if you can't commun- he said. "I never thought it was a Francis and Melinda Morris will run icate it to the people." worthwhile goal. I just want to sit for the nonpartisan 22nd circuit court office. Gary Cates, Pursell's press sec- back and see what sort of positions Pollack, who faced recent Uni- retary, said Pursell is preparing for a Lana is talking." versity graduate Dean Baker, pulled 71 percent of the 2nd district Demo- cratic vote, and 73 percent of that in UM News in Subscribe to Washtenaw County. The landslide -he Da y The results did not surprise Mike Mc- Cauley, Chair of the 2nd congress- 764-0552 Michigan ional district Democratic party. Daily! "I didn't think it was going to be close," he said. "People I interviewed Planning to travet or The Michigan Daily felt that she had a better chance of will be publishing ,, study abroad? September through April Pollack had said during her LOWEST A12 ./T014 S (Fall & Winter terms) primary campaigning that she was TO3{/NA 80OR1tNT confident of an August 2 win. In a TOKYO fr. 5775 r.t Subscriptions Rates: meeting with University student ONG KtN, TA $855 r.t Fall & Winter terms groups July 16, she stressed that her NGKK, SINGfPtt E $1155 r.t. In-town .................... $25.00 greater challenge would be to unseat 7ays angkk Fr. $1175 Out-of-town ............ $35.00 Pursell. super Days "If (Pursell) can defeat me, he can Hong Kong Fr. $1099 Fall term only defeat anybody," she said at the talk 9 Days Bangkk/ In-town .....................$15.00 with students. 22 Dog Tour r.1 Out-of-town ..............$20.00 Second district representatives Cruise or hina r. $2935 from both parties expect the con- 21 Days thina o JapanF r. $2835 Send prepayment to: gressional campaigns will be expen- 1RA NDV IEW TRJ4AVEL The Michigan Daily sive. In fact, McCauley said he be- 313-583-7555 420 Maynard lieves Pollack could win the Novem- 1-800-462-1520 Ann Arbor, Ml 48109