What choice do we have?

Once we begin to investigate these questions of global warming, we enter a labyrinth of fact and theory that could involve years of study. The question is, how? Is it possible for the non-specialist to form judgments about issues involving a high degree of specialized knowledge? The more specialized our culture and its problems, the more critical this question becomes.
Global warming, or global climate change, has been one of the most urgent and controversial environmental issues in the last decade. Scientists have determined that the maximum amount of global warming the planet can tolerate is two degrees Celsius. If we continue on our current path, we'll achieve that rise by about 2050, and we'd reach a rise of three degrees Celsius by 2070. With a temperature rise that high, the consequences are catastrophic-the polar ice caps would melt, warmer ocean temperatures would result in severe weather patterns, and we could lose 25 percent of the species on the planet.

This issue of global warming is slowly being recognized by the millions of people around the globe but unfortunately is going in the right direction slower then we need it. Designers around the world are beginning to cater for this diaster we have brought upon ourselves by creating systems like green star ratings and using further Environmental Sustainable Design.

One of the keys to slowing global warming on our little blue planet may be educating architects and other building professionals about designing and building more efficient buildings. We can achieve a better environment by making sure siting and orientation of buildings work with the environment and take advantage of passive heating/cooling and natural lighting.

The architectural community has the unique opportunity to lead the way in reversing the destructive trend of human induced climate change. They hold the key to the lock on the global warming situation. If they open the lock, and if the automobile industry also accepts its responsibility to decrease the fuel consumption of its assembly and if more countries use a percentage of their energy to come from non-polluting renewable resources then the world will have a possible strategy in place to combat global warming and restore its international good will and credibility.