“It attracts the full spectrum of climate change [information] to raise awareness. And for skeptics who don’t believe [in the global warming hypothesis] it offers a fair perspective,” Gunson said.
He added that the website highlights some of the changes the Earth is going through, like ice melting in the Arctic. Much of the data used for the website has been analyzed over the past 15 years. Gunson said that the purpose is not to offer an opinion but the facts from years of study. He explained that science is based on hypothesis.
“Science is based on the ability to falsify, and sometimes when you fail to do so then the hypothesis is true,” he said.
Global warming is based on a hypothesis, not a belief system, he said. The data used came from facts and some of which are now shared on the site. He added that the idea of the Earth warming due to human influences is not a new concept. In 1859 scientists proposed that gases, like carbon dioxide, would be caught in the atmosphere, creating a warming effect on the Earth.
“We exude a lot of energy and leave an impact,” Gunson said.
But global warming pros and cons are not the only value of the website. It also explores areas that will help local firefighters determine the at-risk areas for wildfires and keeps track of El Niño and La Niña conditions as well as Santa Ana wind conditions.
“We can help predict the severity of the wildfire season,” he said.
The site also highlights areas affected by smoke from fires, like those in Northern California. Residents in the Crescenta Valley, especially those with asthma and difficulty breathing, will be able to monitor the amount of smoke that travels to the area.
