Sept 28 entrance slip: climate worrior

I am completely for fighting against climate crisis. However, there is a point I must point out from this article that I don't like. The first part of the article states that mathematics education gives a mathematical modeling for the students to understand the cause of climate changes. The article also pointed out that the climate is such a complex system that we cannot be sure. In my opinion, this is a bit confusing and intimidating even for teachers. As a physicist myself, I think we should start with a simple model and then let the student explore more difficult models. (Like perturbation theory in which we transform a complex problem into an infinite series of simpler problems.) For instance, we can just build a basic climate model focused solely on sunlight reaching the Earth. This involves a straightforward blackbody radiation calculation, and simple algebra will yield an average Earth temperature of about -17 degrees Celsius. When we introduce greenhouse gases into the equation, we transition to a two-layered model of the same blackbody problem. This adjustment results in an average temperature of approximately 12 degrees Celsius. Clearly, greenhouse gases play a crucial role in determining Earth's temperature. What I want to emphasize is that we cannot simply present a complicated problem and say, "It's complex, but just accept it." There are ways to simplify and glean a qualitative description from straightforward calculations. Next, I genuinely appreciated the section on authenticity. This teaching approach serves a dual purpose. On one hand, we often think that subjects like mathematics and physics are abstract concepts that don't intersect with our daily lives. By giving students tangible figures to compute, such as the Earth's average temperature, we lend more relevance and context to their learning of math and physics. Conversely, offering students a manageable calculation helps bridge the gap between them and the climate crisis. Through real data computation, they can readily discern the significance of human activities. This stands in contrast to traditional teaching methods, where concepts are often abstracted and seem distant. Personally, I believe the climate crisis is one of the top two issues we must address immediately (the other being the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party). We find ourselves at a critical juncture where even slight missteps can have cascading effects. However, the future appears less bleak than it did a few years ago. Many nations are now acting in unison. There's an increased investment in clean energy, and efforts are underway to reduce our carbon footprint. The general public is well-informed about the issue, with many taking proactive steps. We must remain steadfast, and I'm confident we'll find a solution.