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Learn more about global warming by reading a presentation presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Nov. 2007.

Read more about Wisconsin presidential candidate Bill Ingram's plan to construct windmills and solar panels on interstate medians.

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Global warming influencing environmentalist voters

When Zac Driscoll talks about environmental issues, his eyes light up and his face conveys excitement and intensity.

Audio version of this story Participants in Step it Up, a nationwide environmental rally Zac Driscoll helped organize in Milwaukee last year. (Photo by Carrie Arnold)

Driscoll is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee majoring in biology. He is an organizer for environmental rallies on the UW-Milwaukee campus, a student senator on UWM’s environmental sustainability committee and a member of the Wisconsin Student Public Interest Research Group, an organization that organizes environmental rallies and advocates for the protection of the environment.

Driscoll said he altered his lifestyle in order to offset the negative effects of global warming. He said he is a vegetarian, buys locally grown vegetables, rides his bicycle often and invests money in renewable energy in order to make up for the time he drives a vehicle. Driscoll said he made these changes partially because he wants to offset the high amount of greenhouse gases produced by the meat and transportation industries.

Many scientists believe greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, causing global warming.

Driscoll said environmental issues such as global warming concern him, as they have harmed him and threaten the future of the world.

He said studies have shown that global warming has altered habitats and subsequently threatened species of animals.

Studies have shown that more carbon dioxide in atmosphere allows poison ivy to grow bigger, faster and more potent.

Addressing the studies, Driscoll said he "got really bad poison ivy" last summer.

Global warming's effects are not limited to changes in the environment, but also have influenced environmentalists like Driscoll who plan on voting in the 2008 presidential primaries.

According to an April 2007 CBS News/New York Times poll, 52 percent of Americans believe that government leaders should make global warming a high priority, while 37 percent think that it should be considered a serious problem, but not a priority, and 8 percent think that it is not a serious issue.

Brandon Wipperfurth is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire seeking a comprehensive major in biology with an ecology and environmental biology emphasis and a minor in chemistry.

Wipperfurth said environmental issues such as global warming are very important to him and will influence whom he votes for in the 2008 presidential primaries.

He said while he does not know which candidate he will vote for in the primaries, he will most likely vote for a Democratic candidate.

Wipperfurth said he believes Democrats have traditionally taken the issue of global warming more seriously than other political parties have.

Scientific studies have hypothesized that global warming might alter where wheat production can occur and increase the variability of the world’s coastlines, Wipperfurth said, adding that he fears for the children he hopes to one day have and the world they might live in.

Specifically, several studies have suggested that if temperatures continue to rise, historically colder areas, such as Canada, might become more suitable for agriculture, while warmer areas, such as the Midwest, might become less suitable.

Wipperfurth said he tries to minimize his effect on global warming by walking often, conserving electricity and striving to become an environmental lawyer.

"(Global warming) is an issue that I am probably going to spend my entire life tackling," Wipperfurth said, adding that he believes efforts to curb global warming need to begin now.

UW-Eau Claire Department of Chemistry professor James Phillips is interested in global warming and has experience teaching environmental chemistry.

Phillips said he believes global warming is the most important issue humanity will face.

By the end of the century, he said, estimates suggest that the amount of carbon dioxide in the air might be more than double what it was during the pre-industrial revolution.

According to a Sept. 2007 presentation by the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, the global average temperature increased about 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit during the 20th century.

If temperatures continue to rise, Phillips said, fish in Wisconsin's lakes and rivers will face serious threats.

Aside from the scientific reasons for stopping global warming, Phillips said he believes it is important to consider the moral implications.

"It's about what risks you're willing to put your future generations of humans and animals at risk for and how much sacrifice you're willing to make as a person to avoid it," Phillips said.

Not everybody shares the same intensity when it comes to global warming.

Zachary Franks said while he is concerned about the potential ramifications of global warming and thinks that changes are needed in order to reduce it, it is not the most important political issue for him.

As a veteran of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said he believes the war is the most pressing issue.

If the government pulls out of the war now, he said, everything accomplished will seem as if it was for nothing.

Karen Fiedler said she does not know much about global warming but would like to know more.

In the meantime, other issues, such as abortion, gay marriage and health care are personally more important, she said.

Jed Likiness said he thinks politicians do not address global warming appropriately but is unsure whether a candidate's stance on global warming will influence his vote.

Likiness said he does not expect that global warming will affect him in his lifetime.

Political parties and candidates running for president in 2008 have addressed global warming with a variety of different stances and solutions.

As a result, eligible voters interested in taking a stance on global warming can vote in the Wisconsin Democratic or Republican primaries on Feb. 19 and in the general election on Nov. 4.

Eau Claire County Democratic Party executive boardmember and City Councilmember Brandon Buchanan said studies by the scientific community on global warming have influenced the party to believe that measures are necessary in order to reduce global warming.

"Our party believes it is wrong and immoral to destroy tomorrow’s gift to our children for short-term, temporary and unsustainable profits," Buchanan said.

He said the party believes in investing in renewable energy, as opposed to relying on Middle Eastern oil and that renewable resources can build long-lasting buildings.

Jose Rodriguez is a campaign field organizer in former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel's presidential campaign. He said the Alaska Democrat considers global warming to be a serious issue and is in favor of an "aggressive environmental program."

Gravel wants to eliminate the United States' use of oil within 10 years, Rodriguez said. In order to do this, Gravel wants to utilize alternative sources of energy, such as wind power.

The chair of the Eau Claire County Republican Party, Laurie Forcier, said the party currently does not consider global warming a main issue because of the lack of a complete consensus within the scientific community regarding how much humans have contributed to global warming.

The movie "An Inconvenient Truth" increased the popularity of the issue of global warming, Forcier said, adding that the party's county caucus happened before the film was released.

Forcier said the party believes that other issues, such as the war, taxes and the state budget, are more important.

Addressing environment issues, Forcier said the party wants to reduce the United States' dependency on foreign oil and see more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Forcier also said many party members have worked hard to preserve land, grow plants and ensure clean water.

An assistant staffer for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign, Andrew Ward said global warming is not a major issue in the Texas Republican’s campaign.

There are more important issues in Paul’s campaign, such as the war in Iraq and property rights, he said.

Addressing the environment, Ward said Paul believes bringing U.S. troops back from Iraq, ending the subsidization of oil companies and respecting property rights will improve the quality of the environment.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado is also running for president. The chair of his campaign, Vay Buchanan, said global warming is not an important issue in the Republican’s run for office.

Buchanan said Tancredo does not believe global warming is important because there are scientists who have disputed how much humans have contributed to the Earth’s warming.

Bill Ingram of Elk Mound is running for president as an independent. He said global warming is not the top issue in his campaign but "definitely on the A list of things."

Ingram said he supports the development of a more efficient electrical engines and increasing the utilization of renewable resources, such as solar, wind and water, in order to curb global warming.

Windmills constructed on interstate medians could serve as refueling stations for electric vehicles at rest stops, he said.

Ingram said he believes not having a political party affiliation is advantageous when it comes to addressing global warming.

There are no feelings of obligation to take a side, Ingram said, adding that he can use ideas from "the best of both worlds."