When we experience cold weather, and somebody says boy, we sure could use some global warming right now, their motivation isn't clear. Are they making a lame joke? Do they not understand simple scientific concepts? Or are they deliberately saying something ignorant to get a rise out of people? (Woooo! Looking like an idiot to own the libs!)

Donald Trump, current US president and man who doesn't know how to close an umbrella, farted out that hoary climate skeptic cliché once again on Twitter. "In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded," he wrote. "In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the hell is going on with Global Waming? Please come back fast, we need you!"

(And yes, he said 'global waming,' not 'global warming.' Must have eaten too many "hamberders" for dinner with "Melanie" while discussing the "boarder.")

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Trump, of course, is referring to the once-in-a-generation polar vortex, a spinning pool of cold air which will sweep through the Midwest this week. Having grown up in northwestern Minnesota, and felt the arctic sting of  -30 degree Fahrenheit windchill, I usually roll my eyes when people complain about cold snaps. However, this upcoming storm looks insane.

At least 55 million people in the US will experience record-breaking cold temperatures, even in states with high winter tolerance. A state of emergency has been declared in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois. Officials in Iowa warned residents to "avoid taking deep breaths, and to minimize talking" if they go outside. And in Minnesota and the Dakotas, temperatures are forecasted to drop to the -30's and -40's, with a windchill in the -60's. (I am so glad to live in Los Angeles right now.)

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President Trump does not appear to understand that weather and climate are not the same thing. Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere at a particular place over a short period of time, while climate refers to the long-term atmospheric patterns in a particular area.

In response to the president's dimwitted tweet, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posted a child-friendly cartoon. The image illustrates how warmer ocean temperatures create more moisture which can cause devastating winter storms. However, Trump might declare this photo "fake news," since, according to a 2012 tweet, he believes "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

Similarly, global warming is not the same as climate change. Global warming refers to the long-term rise in the average surface temperature of the earth, while climate change refers to the global phenomena created by this rising temperature. These effects include rising sea levels, long droughts, and  extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires and, you guessed it, winter storms.

Several Twitter users roasted Trump for his cringeworthy comment on climate change, including Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson and The Newsroom's Olivia Munn.

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According to 97 percent of climate scientists, climate change is real and human activity is causing it. Last November, the US government's top scientists released a dire report warning that climate change could have catastrophic effects on the planet and the economy. In response, Trump stated, "I didn't believe it." (Wooo! Letting the planet and the economy turn to trash to own the libs!)

If you're at all concerned about the environment, or the fate of the world's ecosystems upon which we all depend, then you probably have cause to be extremely worried. We have now passed beyond the threshold of sustainability, the point at which the Earth's natural resources can no longer replenish themselves. Carbon monoxide levels are critical, the ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising rapidly around the word. At this point, it's never been more important for us to turn our bad habits around and focus on clean energy, recycling, sustainability and eradicating pollution. Worryingly for many environmentalists, the current official position taken by the Trump administration seems to be one of outright denial, and Trump's policies are very much geared towards industry, economic growth and production - at the expense of the natural world. When it comes to Trump and climate change, the environment isn't a high priority. In fact, numerous scientists have confirmed this month that the administration is actively suppressing any information concerned with climate change in a bid to avoid panic and to justify Trump's industrialist policies. This report for example, which was recently obtained by the New York Times, was apparently ignored by Trump. It concludes: "Many lines of evidence demonstrate that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases, are primarily responsible for recent observed climate change." Despite these solemn words, Trump still seems to have his head in the sand when it comes to issues pertaining to the environment. But to be fair to him, Trump is only thinking about the issue from the capitalist perspective that made him a billionaire. The truth is that Trump (and now, by implication, the United States government) frames the matter in terms of supply and demand. The production is so high and so devastating because our demand for commodities is out of control and there's profit to be made. Immediately after being inaugurated, Trump revealed a new, ostensibly environmental policy he dubbed: "America First Energy Plan", which gave ecologists serious cause for concern, since it appeared to focus exclusively on the promotion of fossil fuels at the expense of green energy sources such as solar or wind power. Trump made it clear that he wholeheartedly intended to repeal many of the fundamental energy polices of the former Obama administration, such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the US ruling, as well as curtailing the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency. The mandate from the White House's official website states: "The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximise the use of American resources, freeing us from dependence on foreign oil ... For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years." [[heroimage||http://cdn.junglecreations.com/wp/junglecms/2017/08/rsz_gettyimages-691393248-min.jpg]] The same press release states that the Trump administration is committed to exploiting shale oil and gas on American soil, and states that there's an estimated $50 trillion worth of energy to be plumbed. But it also states: "Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water." A number of environmental experts who were important authorities on climate change during the Obama administration have since come forward and claimed that Trump is undoing critical legislation for the sake of making a short-term profit off the back of fossil fuels, and over the last few months of Trump's tenure, the republican leader has repealed a number of vital initiatives, such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the US rule. Trump has expressed a desire to resuscitate America's coal industry and promote a gradual deregulation. Most egregious of all is Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement; shocking, considering that only two nations out of 197 have agreed to withdraw. Before this seismic move was made, the US had already pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by the year 2020. But Trump claims that following the Paris Agreement will mean that America will lose its dominance when it comes to energy, and that Obama's engagement with the accord has cost Americans valuable jobs and revenue. In a speech made shortly after the decision was made to withdraw, Trump stated that "It would once have been unthinkable that an international agreement could prevent the United States from conducting its own domestic affairs. At what point does America get demeaned? At what point do they start laughing at us as a country? We don’t want other leaders and other countries laughing at us anymore. And they won’t be." He is clearly ignoring the diplomatic disadvantages that this would surely present his administration, and the fact that the US alone is responsible for approximately 20 per cent of global fossil fuel emissions. Al Gore, former Vice President and noted environmentalist, stated in the wake of this decision: "removing the United States from the Paris agreement is a reckless and indefensible action. It undermines America’s standing in the world and threatens to damage humanity’s ability to solve the climate crisis in time.” At the heart of all of this furore is Trump's inherent obstinacy and stubbornness. The very same qualities that make him such an admirable statesman to his supporters also make him so troublesome to his detractors. It's clear that Trump wants to promote America's image as being ahead of the game, and to focus on an inward-looking, patriotic response to the economy and American jobs. But ultimately, even if Trump manages to secure the vast amount of money to be made off the back of new jobs in the energy sector, there's no guarantee that new green jobs won't instead be offered to overseas competitors. Trump wants short-term advantages and financial gain. But here's the thing about climate change: its effects are going to be long-term and disastrous, and we only have a narrow opportunity to fix things before the planet is plunged into a state of irreversible collapse. Featured illustration by Egarcigu

"Climate change" refers to a rise in the surface temperature of the Earth, primarily caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Human activities, such as agriculture, deforestation and burning fossil fuels, contribute to the proliferation of these gases. If we don't change our activity to reduce carbon emissions, there could be catastrophic consequences: rising sea levels, long droughts and unpredictable severe weather events, like tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires. (And worst of all, it might ruin beer for everyone!)

The overwhelming majority of scientists believe climate change is real and that humans are causing it. But unfortunately, a loud minority of skeptics has polluted the conversation, casting doubt on the abundance of evidence. And yes, that group includes President Donald Trump. In 2012, he tweeted, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." (It wasn't.) Then, in 2014, he tweeted, "It's late in July and it is really cold outside in New York. Where the hell is GLOBAL WARMING??? We need some fast! It's now CLIMATE CHANGE." (This childish argument has been disproven many times.)

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Last Friday, the Trump administration released the Fourth National Climate Assessment, a report conducted by 13 federal agencies and 300 leading climate scientists. The report contains dire warnings about the devastating impact of man-made climate change on both the planet and the economy. It states global warming could cause a 10 percent decline in gross domestic product and the "potential for losses in some sectors could reach hundreds of billions of dollars per year by the end of this century." Farm states, where many people voted for Trump, would be hit particularly hard. (Maybe this is why the Trump administration buried the report by releasing it on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when Americans aren't checking the news.)

The Assessment states, "Observations collected around the world provide significant, clear, and compelling evidence that global average temperature is much higher, and is rising more rapidly, than anything modern civilization has experienced, with widespread and growing impacts." It notes that "annual average temperatures have increased by 1.8°F across the contiguous United States since the beginning of the 20th century" and that "annual median sea level along the U.S. coast... has increased by about 9 inches since the early 20th century as oceans have warmed and land ice has melted." The fourth hottest years on record were 2016, 2015, 2017 and 2014.

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The report concludes, "While mitigation and adaptation efforts have expanded substantially in the last four years, they do not yet approach the scale considered necessary to avoid substantial damages to the economy, environment, and human health over the coming decades." That's a pretty clear warning that we should take seriously, right? Not according to President Trump.

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When asked about this exhaustively researched report from the nation's top scientists in his own administration, Trump said, "I’ve seen it. I’ve read some of it. It’s fine. I don’t believe it." He went to blather that it doesn't matter if the United States takes measures to reduce carbon emissions, because "China and Japan and all of Asia and all of these other countries" would have to do so too. And yes, this is the same Donald Trump who pulled out of the Paris climate change agreement. The United States is the only country in the world to reject the global pact.

President Trump then claimed, without evidence, "Right now, we’re at the cleanest we’ve ever been. And that’s very important to me. But if we’re clean, but every other place on Earth is dirty, that’s not so good. So I want clean air, I want clean water, very important." It sure doesn't seem like you think it's important, Donald. Even South Park appeared to admit it was wrong about this issue! Sticking your head in the hand won't save you from ManBearPig, or from climate change.

Ever since Scottish officials tried to build a "really ugly wind farm" by his Aberdeen golf course in 2006, Donald Trump has been an outspoken critic of wind power. He has also been a lifelong climate change denier, despite 97% of climate scientists agreeing that climate change is real and humans are causing it. "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive," he tweeted in 2012.

In response to alarming reports about the consequences if we don't take action on climate change, Trump has mocked renewable sources of energy. At a rally in Ohio last month, he predicted power failures if the wind stops blowing, quipping, "When the wind doesn’t blow, just turn off the television darling, please." That's a humorous scenario, but not accurate, as grid operators draw electricity from solar panels, natural gas turbines and hydroelectric dams during gaps of wind.

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However, Trump made his most bizarre false claim about wind turbines at the National Republican Congressional Committee's spring dinner on Tuesday. "If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 per cent in value," said the 72-year-old. "And they say the noise causes cancer."

There have been a few small studies suggesting wind farms might negatively affect property values, but larger studies suggest that is unlikely. According to a 2016 study of more than 122,000 home sales by the Journal of Real Estate Research, there was "no unique impact on the rate of home sales near wind turbines." A 2013 analysis of more than 50,000 home sales across nine states also found no evidence of such impact.

As for Trump's dubious claim that windmill noise causes cancer, that is totally baseless. "The American Cancer Society is unaware of any credible evidence linking the noise from windmills to cancer," said a company spokesman in a statement to the New York Times.

While it's disappointing to have a president who repeatedly makes false statements to the public, people had a lot of fun mocking Trump on social media. Here are some highlights!

I DECLARE EMERGENCYYYYY!

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Mini-golf just got mini-deadly

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They've had eight years to come up with something...but I'm guessing no

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There have been less one victims and the number is staying the same every day

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NO!!! PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS, PEASANT

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Hurts even worse then stepping on them

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Facts

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In the classic 1605 novel by Miguel de Cervantes, a nobleman loses his sanity and decides to become a knight-errant under the name Don Quixote. His comical quest to revive chivalry begins with an iconic scene where Quixote attacks windmills that he believes to be ferocious giants. After publication, "tilting at windmills" became a phrase meaning to attack imaginary enemies.

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"Of course windmills cause cancer," said Stephen Colbert sarcastically. "That's why everyone in Holland is dead. Also, noise does not cause cancer. Although I believe listening to Donald Trump does cause brain damage."

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On The Daily Show, Trevor Noah revealed that Donald Trump's beef with windmills originates from a petty dispute at his golf course in Scotland in 2006. It all makes sense now!

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Donald Trump is a president like no other. His ability to whip up excitement for politics, especially from those who previously despised it, is second to none. He has created a vast following of loyal supporters who - for some reason or another - don’t mind when he says something ridiculous.

Whether or not the average Trump supporter accepts that he says things which aren’t true, I cannot say. What the man himself has said, however, is far more interesting. In a speech last night to House Republicans, the 45th President of the United States made his way onto the subject of energy.

Trump’s disdain for wind power is almost as well-documented as his love of fossil fuels. "The concept of global warming," he told his Twitter followers in October 2012, "was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive."

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Despite being elected as president, Trump is clearly not willing to relinquish his outlandish views on the environment and, more so, energy. "If you have a windmill anywhere near your house, congratulations, your house just went down 75 per cent in value,” the president explained yesterday. “And they say the noise causes cancer."

Thus far, there has been absolutely no evidence to support the idea that wind turbines - no less, the noise they emit - are in any way carcinogenic. However, Trump holds a certain affection for wayward conspiracy theories, especially if they help further the interests of the gas, oil and coal industries. His dismissal of climate change has long put his administration at odds with environmentalists.

“It's really cold outside,” he mused on Twitter in October 2015. “They are calling it a major freeze, weeks ahead of normal. Man, we could use a big fat dose of global warming!" In 2018, he dismissed a climate change report created by his own government. “I don’t believe it,” he stated. Speaking of which, here for your enjoyment or dismay are some more of President Trump’s most questionable quotes.

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"I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."

- Campaign launch rally, 15/6/15

 

"What I won't do is take in two hundred thousand Syrians who could be ISIS... I have been watching this migration. And I see the people. I mean, they're men. They're mostly men, and they're strong men. These are physically young, strong men. They look like prime-time soldiers. Now it's probably not true, but where are the women?... So, you ask two things. Number one, why aren't they fighting for their country? And number two, I don't want these people coming over here."

- Face the Nation, 10/11/15

 

“If you look at President Obama and other presidents, most of them didn’t make calls. A lot of them didn’t make calls. I like to call when it’s appropriate.”

- 16/10/17

 

"No matter what you do - guns, no guns - it doesn't matter. You have people that are mentally ill. And they're gonna come through the cracks. And they're going to do things that people will not even believe are possible."

- Meet the Press, 4/10/15

 

"I think I could have stopped [the September 11 attacks] because I have very tough illegal immigration policies, and people aren't coming into this country unless they're vetted and vetted properly."

- Hannity, 20/10/15

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With one of the wealthiest cabinets America has ever seen, Donald Trump has plenty of friends with interests in the fossil fuels and mining industries. As a man of business rather than politics, his purported impartiality has repeatedly been brought into question.

However, Trump’s harshest critics might argue that lying and manipulation are par for the course. Yesterday, he criticised Angela Merkel, stating that Germany is “not paying their fair share” towards the military alliance.

“I have great respect for Angela and I have great respect for the country,” Trump then said, perhaps in an attempt to instantly fix any damage which had been done. “My father is German, was German, born in a very wonderful place in Germany so I have a very great feeling for Germany.”

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The late Fred Trump, who was an eminent businessman himself, was born in New York in 1905. Yet it’s not the first time that Trump has claimed his father was born in Germany. Trump’s grandfather, Friedrich Trump, was born in the German village of Kallstadt. However, he died in 1918 - meaning there is no way Trump could have confused the two.

But Trump has form when it comes to changing various people’s birthplaces. In July 2018, during his criticism of EU countries for trading with Iran after he had scrapped the Iran nuclear deal, he claimed that his father was born abroad. Trump’s mother was Scottish but, of course, Fred Trump was born in New York.

In the press conference, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump also urged Congress “to get rid of judges” and struggled with the word “origins”. Normally, one could safely assume that such verbal stumblings are a sign of old age. But with a man as unusual as Donald Trump, both his knowledge and capabilities remain largely unknown.