Auntie Mim's heart is in the right place, but sometimes you wonder about her head. Actually, she just needs a little educating. You'll get your chance over hot cider and ginger snaps.

Aunt Mim says: People keep talking about this global warming, but I'll be darned if I can understand it. It's colder than a well-digger's behind out there this morning.

So you say:
That may be, Auntie Mim, but don't confuse climate and weather. Climate is the weather averaged out over time. When scientists talk about climate change, they're concerned with long-term trends across the entire planet, not so much about the temperature in Topeka this morning.

Aunt Mim says: Well, from what I can tell the scientists don't even know whether or not this warming thing is for real.

So you say:
Actually, no one in the scientific community doubts that the earth is warming. And, in fact, the latest data shows that warming is occurring faster than previously thought. Heck, even the Bush administration formally recognizes that global warming is a fact. Unfortunately, that just makes the president's unwillingness to confront the issue all the more dismaying.

Aunt Mim says: But do you really think we're causing it?

So you say:
What we know is that everyday human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and rampant deforestation are increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. One of the worst culprits is the carbon dioxide spewing from our cars and power plants. CO2 is building up in the atmosphere, forming a kind of heat-trapping "blanket" around the planet.

Aunt Mim says: Well, it can't be that serious. I mean, we could use a little warming on days like this. Would it really be so bad?

So you say:
Maybe "warming" is too nice a term, Mim. Think of it, instead, as a climate crisis. A delicate balance has been thrown out of whack and the consequences are really rather frightening. At this pace, Mim, we could see an ice-free Arctic in summertime by mid-century.

Aunt Mim says: Then why aren't we seeing any effects here at home?

So you say:
We are, Mim, but many of the changes are subtle -- things like the slow spread of dengue fever and West Nile virus are thought to be influenced by warming. But some changes are more pronounced. Take Montana's Glacier National Park. In 30 years, scientists believe it may not have any glaciers at all. That kind of news has startling implications for the American West, where most cities depend on snowmelt for their water supply. What will they do if the snowpack is diminished?

Aunt Mim says: Well, I see what you mean. It's just too bad we can't do anything about it.

So you say:
There's plenty we can do about it, but we're squandering our chance. Making cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas would be one giant step in the right direction. We could also make our power plants cleaner and the power grid more efficient. Modernization of old coal-fired plants can significantly cut CO2 emissions, not to mention noxious air pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Unfortunately, the current administration seems bent on going in the opposite direction, favoring the interests of the energy industry over the health and well-being of American citizens.

Aunt Mim says: Is there anything I can do myself?

So you say:
There are lots of little things we can all do. We can drive and fly less, for example, or buy more efficient cars. And we can try to offset our carbon emissions. But the most important changes need to be made at the top. This is a global problem, after all. We need to elect public officials who take this problem seriously and have the vision and foresight to do something about it. After all, America is not only the word's superpower, it's also the leading producer of greenhouse gases. We have a responsibility to do something, and soon.