Is it me? Or doesn't it just feel a little warmer now than say, 20 years ago? To me, the summers seem a little warmer and the winters aren't the same either. Thirty years ago in New Jersey, when I was in grammar school, I remember colder winters with a lot more snow. Others agree with me. And according to a recent report from the National Academy of Sciences, maybe there is something to all of this. The report was requested by the President and consider the "global warming trend" over the last 100 years, and anticipated what might be in store for us over the never several decades.

The NAS concludes that in fact our collective temperature is rising. We do not have a fever - at least not yet. But we are running a little warmer than before. And, the NAS expects the trend to continue.

Not to be an alarmist, and I certainly am no expert on this subject, but just reading that prediction is disconcerting to me. There are certain things that are constant, we take them for granted. There will always be ample water to drink (although we are messing that up), clean air to breathe ( can't take that for granted) and a roof over our heads (for the most part, that still seems to be true). And, summers will be what summers have always been, and so too will be winters. We all take comfort in knowing that whatever else might change, these basics will not.

But now we know that summers and winters in fact will change. If its warmer outside, even just a little warmer, that means that our seasons will not be the same. And that will really mean that our lives will be a little different. I just don't love the idea of this all that much.

The NAS states that it does not know how much of the heat increase is due to human activity. But greenhouse emissions seem to be rising. Yes, there was just a treaty in Japan that was supposed to curb this. That's the important treaty that this President elected not to sign. Certainly, we humans have caused much of this greenhouse problem.

The NAS predicts that the surface temperature will rise between 2.5 and ten degrees in the next hundred years. I guess they can make those kinds of predictions because not many of us will know if the prediction is correct. Even the low side of the prediction, 2 ½ degrees, is a sizable increase. Already, the temperature has gone up one degree. And this is unsettling: the NAS already reports retreating glaciers, thinning artic ice, rising sea levels, some lengthening of growing seasons, and the earlier arrival of migratory birds. That is with a one degree rise!! So, what happens with a 2 ½ degree rise? How about a ten degree increase.

Selfishly, I am almost glad that I won't be around. But my kids will see much of this, and my grandkids will see all of it. Look at what we are doing to our kids. I think this is serious. And I honestly believe that most people do not understand how important an issue this really is. To be sure, scientists do not all agree about the causes of the temperature increases and their significance. Some still question whether a problem exists at all. But it sure appears to be that many scientists believe that something is going on.

What can happen if global warming continues? The NAS has identified the predictions of some scientists who have studied this issue. There may be agricultural differences, water shortages, an increase in certain insects, and possible air quality effects. Again, no one is sure, but at least some of this seems reasonable and plausible to me.

Is the sky falling? No. But, we cannot ignore these warning signals. A fever is a sign of possible illness and our global fever is something that we need to think about. Most people do not think about this issue. So, copy this article and give it to others to read. Readers should also go to the Sierra Club's global warming web site and the EPA's global warming site.

There are various positions and I encourage readers to examine the various positions. You need not become scholars, but I think you and your kids need to talk about this important issue. Teachers: this is a worthy subject that should be studied at various grade levels.

In addition to explaining what is known, both sites also provide readers with information on how they can do their own part to address this issue. While no one person will make a difference, if we all start improving our behavior we can together effect a positive change.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.