global warming?

[villainoust]

First post here in god knows how long.
I was just reading this article on cnn.com Climate risk 'worse than thought-click hereFor the sake of discussion I was just curious what people's thoughts were. Granted, I'm sure the human race has had an affect on climate. I mean how could we not? We've torn down forests, polluted the air-water, etc etc

Comments

[vnsplshr]

I'm sure the human race has had an affect on climate. I mean how could we not?

I don't buy this. Global Warming trends started before the industrial revolution, there are more trees in the US than before white settlement, there are more cars, but fewer turn of the century factories, ships and trains belching smoke, plants and rainforests put out a huge amount of greenhouse gas, and so on. By degree, I think we're insignificant.

[kathhazel]

Before the industrial revolution people cut wood for fires, used charcoal for kilns. As long as another tree grew for the one cut down, the balance remains carbon neutral

[instantamish]

I don't believe 'simply stopping' is the answer we're looking for. How would the world look in 20 days after we've simply stopped burning fossil fuels?

Absolute chaos, that's what it'll look like. No cars, no computers - nothing. Stock piles of food requiring refridgeration would go bad and the entire nature of surviving in developed countries would take a drastic change.

Besides that, you'd have wide-spread revolts. Try cutting off someone's power and telling them that they're going to have to just 'tough it through because you're killing the planet.' - it simply won't cut it.

[villainoust]

They didn't say don't use power all together, they just said not fossil fuels. There are plenty of alternative energy sources that we as a society don't invest enough time and money in.

I'm very happy to see that even American's are starting to realize we can't just always drive around hummers and gobble up of fuel. The $3.00 gas set off a few alarms for the average joe causing companies to comply with demands. Gas efficiency and other sources. Hopefully it's coming soon...

[phoenix_saga]

The left profiteers off the global warming effort by people who hold grudges against big buisness/oil companies. They will exploit the situation in order to round up their base and get them mobilized for political gain. (I am not biased, the right practices the same tactics

[kathhazel]

Every 100/150 years our planet goes the a kind of hurricane cycle, in which for 10/15 years the number of hurricanes produced increases significantly. I would guess about 80% of forecasters I have watched and listened to believe that this is the only reason for the increased number of hurricanes over the late 90's and during the present.

In which case we should soon be able to tell if this is part of the normal cycle or whether there is a real change as 2006-1990= 16 years. At what point would you say the cycle is not normal, at 17yrs? 20yrs? 30yrs?

Now let the ice cubes melt and come back to the glass 15 minutes later. Would the water level have increased from your second line? No. The lost mass of solid ice is replaced with more liquid water derived from the melted ice cubes. If the polar ice caps melt, the water level will not increase. If anything it would slightly decrease.a small problem with this one.......the water level only decreases because you have left it to stand for fifteen minutes and the extra water from the melting

[phoenix_saga]

In which case we should soon be able to tell if this is part of the normal cycle or whether there is a real change as 2006-1990= 16 years. At what point would you say the cycle is not normal, at 17yrs? 20yrs? 30yrs?

There is no "normal" set of years for the hurricane cycle to last because hurricane recorded history only dates back maybe 150-200 years max. Just because the hurricane cycle lasted 15 years a century ago, it does not warrant an exact 15 year replica in the present time. However, I suspect we are somewhere around the middle or climax of this century's hurricane cycle. If that climax lasts 5 years... then it lasts 5 years.

the water level only decreases because you have left it to stand for fifteen minutes and the extra water from the melting ice has evaporated! I strongly disagree. Lets assume that the mass of both cubes of ice are equal to 4 square inches of solid ice. Sounds reasonable yes? That would mean that in 15 minutes, give or take, 4 square inches of liquid water would have evaporated... not to mention

[kathhazel]

There is no "normal" set of years for the hurricane cycle to last because hurricane recorded history only dates back maybe 150-200 years max. Just because the hurricane cycle lasted 15 years a century ago, it does not warrant an exact 15 year replica in the present time. However, I suspect we are somewhere around the middle or climax of this century's hurricane cycle. If that climax lasts 5 years... then it lasts 5 years.

I was just wondering where you would personally draw the line before you accepted global warming as more than 'propaganda' and 'scaremongering'?

The ice caps are composed of frozen salt water.I'm sorry but you are misinformed, check out this site for Iceberg formation

[micklawson]

I think we have all forgotten the important point here, "The sky is falling the sky is falling."

We are doing damage to the environment in many ways, I've not heard too many reports of oil drenched sealife coming from way back when, Then again, as our earth does tend to freeze over every now and then, its obvious there needs to be another part of this cycle.

Oh yeah things are going to become uncomfortable for those of you living on low ground, even more so if you are poor, living on benefits, and or cannot swim, no worries, your government would not realy want to kill you off now, would they?

Start waterproofing your house, go buy loads of diving equipment, you will all be safe, no worries.

[orlandobr]

Unfortunately, the debate over the scientific merits of the evidence (in pro or against) of human interference with the natural cycles of our atmosphere has became so politicized that has become impossible to discuss it without turning the whole thing into a shouting match.

Myself, I think that evil aliens are behind global warming.

[sexyvanilla]

My parents are most of the right wing type, and I have taken enough liberal classes that discuss this exact topic- this puts me in the position to feel exactly in the middle

[instantamish]

Fact is we don't really know (and we really can't know) for sure why the Earth is warming up

[sexyvanilla]

"Hell we can barely tell you if it's going to rain tomorrow, how the heck can we tell you that your car is causing Hurricanes?"
I hope you read what I said correctly, otherwise you are sitting there thinking I am dumb.
I dont think that cars cause that much damage :P nothing near that much.

[kathhazel]

Oh no, the dooms day scenario will be not having enough gasoline to put in your car. The entire world will fall into disarray if this happens.

Don't you have feet ;) and before you shout at me yes I do take your point seriously, I just couldn't get the picture out of my head of people not being able to move without their cars :D

One of the easiest ways of saving on energy costs is to buy local produce, this way extra fuel is not burned trundling goods all over the place, supermarkets are somewhat to blame, but so are the consumers for taking the lazy option. If you were already buying local produce society would not fall apart because essentials would still be available. And did you never camp, forage for blackberries or fish as a child? Most people could fend for themselves given the right conditions, which at present do not exist, this is one of the things we need to think about changing