Hot air rises. Therefore, if global warming is simply hot air it should rise ... to the top ... of ... public discussion. Which is good. Except the words "hot air" connote something untrue, which means we shouldn't have to discuss it at all. Especially publicly. Except that I'm trying to decide whether or not it's true. And I have now confused myself. You know what would be even more confusing? Adding art. Does art affect global warming? Is Tacoma's Frost Park Chalk Challenge affecting local weather patterns? It's possible I'm full of hot air. I need to head to the next Art+Sci Salon. The collaboration between the University of Puget Sound and the Tacoma Art Museum will focus on the intersections between the arts, ecology, and community - through a panel consisting of Amy McBride, Tacoma art administrator; Elizabeth Conner, artist and adjunct instructor at University of Washington Tacoma; Vaughn Bell, also an artist and adjunct instructor at University of Washington Tacoma; Peter Hodum, biologist and assistant professor at University of Puget Sound. Come to think of it, the prospect of more balmy weather all year long encouraging more yarn art on chain link fences sounds pretty good to me.

ART+SCI SALON, 6-8 p.m., Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, free admission, 253.272.4258