How can we be sure that the global warming theory is legit when there have been similar events in the past?

Question

There is evidence of several different periods of global warming or global cooling that occured throughout history. I think the most recent being in the 1970s when an extensive period of global cooling took place. I don't the public changed their habits enough to cause this cycle to reverse.
So how do we know that this current period of global warming is not just another phase that will pass as well?

Answer 1

We can be sure that global warming is legit because we have learned important lessons since the 70s, such as the fact that particulates produced from the burning of coal, for example, reflect the sun's light and offset the effects of global warming from CO2 emissions. There were also weather balloons whose temperature measurements were affected by the sun, understating the amount of warming that was going on. Since the Clean Air Act has been passed, however, the levels of CO2 in the air have continued to rise unabated. We are now seeing unprecedented levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, and unprecedented levels of warming. There is no sign that this trend will reverse itself as long as we are putting millions upon millions tons of CO2 in the air that weren't meant to be there. It's a simple question of looking at the facts, our shrinking ice caps, the signs that are all around us. Every year that we wait to figure out whether the earth will cool down or not, we are releasing more and more CO2 in the air that is the culprit of the current warming trend.

Answer 2

"The viewpoint that we are not accountable for any part of global warming is a strange viewpoint to take. You and sites like junkscience, counter the facts with your own junk science. Here's my question to you, 'What if you are wrong in your model of the Earth?'

Do you understand every nuance of the inbound energy to the Earth? Do you have figures to show the amount of energy radiating back into space over the last million years? Do you know exactly how much carbon dioxide is reabsorbed by the various mechanisms and how much heat is now hitting the surface for a second
time?

No you don't, none of us have the global temerature figures for the last several million years nor do we have an accurate model which includes every aspect of the complex energy and climate systems of our Earth.

That said, can we afford to take the chance with the only atmosphere we have? We, the human race generate millions of tons of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases into our atmosphere. We are systematically removing the rain forests, we pollute the oceans and rivers and show no signs of slowing down.

Meanwhile, waiting in the wings are the carbon gases locked up in the permafrost, the methane locked up in the methane hydrate at the bottoms of oceans and again, in the polar permafrost, and the recent discovery that trees can emit methane when under thermal stress.

You spout facts and figures, using long important sounding words, referencing other doctors and scientists who have their own viewpoints for their own reasons yet the reality is, you don't really know. Neither side really knows for sure but you are taking the side that would have us continue to add to the problems instead of being on the side of caution just in case we are pushing the system out of balance.

I hope you are right, I hope that you never have to say 'oops, guess I was wrong' because that means we are all up the creek without a paddle. You being wrong means that our children are bereft of a future, that millions will be homeless or dying. It means that our Earth has been pushed off it's climactic balance. I really, really hope you are right and that you are a better and cleverer scientist than the many others who are trying to reverse the trend."

-Author unknown

Answer 3

It is just a phase.
Yes the world has gone through phases like this before.
The problem is nature has a way of finding equilibrium by destroying the things that put it off balance....things like us.Every time it has happened before it has been leading up to a global disaster such as a polar shift ( when North pole and South pole roughly swap ends and we get dizzy) which happens around every 12,000 -15,000 years.
We are currently way over due for the next one so personally I think it might be an idea to buy that car with the smaller engine and better fuel economy.

El Nin(i)o is caused by the huge quantities of ice drifting down from the North pole and melting in the Atlantic. The mixture of that much fresh water mixing in with sea water causes the El Nino effect. The Northern ice cap is melting because of the huge hole in the ozone layer.

You can disbelieve the theories if you want but take Dirty Harry's advice first and ask yourself if your feeling lucky first.

Well do ya?

Answer 4

I am not an Al Gore global warming robot and I refuse to politicize the issue. You are correct that many times the planet earth was both colder and warmer than today. "Global"warming is an historical event and will likely occur again. The issue is whether human behavior is a significant causal factor and whether we can prevent it in the future. ALL agree it has been a NATURAL phenomenon. Stopping it or controlling it is like saying we should change the orbit of planet earth to change the weather patterns of earth. It's crazy to think we can alter a global, NATURAL process that we haven't a clue about. One thing we know is that humans have nothing to do with it. And when you figure out how to control nature (i.e. stop earthquakes, volcanoes, tornados, hurricanes, etc) then perhaps you will be qualified to take a look at golbal warming. If you love nature, then accept it for what it is.

Answer 5

How can we be sure?

Do we really NEED to be sure that Global Warming exists to do something that would be better for our environment?

Think about it:
1) Do we have problems with smog, pollution, automobile exhaust, and are experiencing a rise in the number of people with allergies?

2) Do we produce a lot of waste and garbage that will not break down during our lifetime or our children's lifetime?

3) Do we litter and dump chemicals into our rivers, springs, oceans, and other water sources?

4) Do we use numeous chemicals inside and outside our homes that we wouldn't want our children get near?

5) Do we eat more and more foods that have fewer natural whole food ingredients and more chemical preservatives?

Where does all this go?
Back into the environment, one way or another.

Do you think this is good for the environment? Would you want to grow food from such an environment and feed it to your children? Would you want them to play in such an environment? Would you want them to swim in, let alone drink from such water?

People can debate the validity of Global Warming all they want. Claim it's a conspiracy if they want. Let's face the simple basic truth is that the waste products of our society are ending up in our environment and polluting it.

Accept the fact we are the #1 resource hog and waste producer in the world, yet we do not have the largest population or significant reason to justify our consumption.

We can do so much better than this. Stop making excuses for why we shouldn't take action on something that is so obvious.

Wake up. Take the red pill and open your eyes.

Answer 6

fact: you are choosing to only supply "facts" that support your ignorence. You are looking at this issue as if the Earth can not be destroyed. HELLO PEOPLE!!! Look you claim this is occuring naturally. Oh yea?? And forest fires occur naturally but drop a few 100 gallons of gas on the fire and there is no longer anything natural about it. It's not so much the amount of gas we release as it is the combination of gas in the ozone. The ozone is very delicate and requires the combination of certain gases to achieve its function... oh you know keep us all from getting burned to a crisp. Yea cause thats natural?? Well if you are all so content to being subjected to a human bbq roaste then by all means ignore the issue. But before you put anymore uneducated and purely instinctual comments on the WEB... why not take some time to read up on the subject so you can make some logical arguments.

Mars for example once sustained running water and life. To what degree? Well that is disputable but there was once a sustainable ozone there. It may have died out naturally but since when does natural justify ignorence? Look an asteroid hitting the planet and destroyin life would be natural... but would u not blow it up if you had the chance and save us? A hurricane is natural but do you stand outside for it to blow you away? Sickness is natural but do you not seek medical treatment? The earth will not necissarily cool itself then warm itself. It is merely reacting and does not have a mind of its own. Yes, there have been other periods of heating and cooling on earth... but there is nothing to say that it is a normal cycle. Also, the planet hasn't seen such temperatures since mankind has existed.

FACT: ur an idiot... and yes I just used a fallacie... but you truly are. Mankind evolved by manipulating his environment to suit him. We change things, adapt, and are totaly dynamic. There is NOTHING natural about our way of life. So to once again step in where nature presents an obstacle... overcoming it is simply the beauty of being a human being.

OK WHAT THE HELL?? look there is NO DOUBT THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS REAL... .what oil company do u work for??? let me guess u work for Exon... look the only ppl that deny global warming are:

1: in denial
2: uneducated
3: or shady ppl with an interest in continuing the gas/oil corporate giants.... they motivate all the anti-global warming talk and try to loby against measures to save the planet. These ppl don't care about anyone else... that's why the ceo of exon just retived with a multi-million dollar parachute as a gift... while gas prices are at all time highs ... they are the same kind of ppl who try to sell cigarettes to minors to get them hooked for life... restablish the product life cycle in a new generation of ppl... without such practices these companies would already be out of business.... hence the meaning "conflict of interest"

Answer 7

It's no secret that the Earth is getting hot. A recent National Academy of Sciences study finds that the warming of the northern hemisphere in the last decades of the 20th century was unprecedented in the past thousand years.

Most experts studying the recent climate history agree that human activities -- mainly the release of heat-trapping gases from smokestacks, tailpipes and burning forests -- are probably to blame.

Without big curbs in greenhouse-gas emissions, climate change could lead to continued temperature increases, dramatic shifts in weather patterns, shrinking ice sheets and rising seas. These changes could spell catastrophe for most of the world's glaciers and threaten supplies of fresh water in the most populous regions on Earth

Melting ice could raise levels up to 20 feet by 2100
This is the main story of today's San Francisco Chronicle–front page, above the fold. One item is untrue. This is not the first time a 20-feet this century warning has been issued. I issued it eight years ago in the Earth Island Journal, and have done so in person since 1995.

Answer 8

It is part of the Earth's natural warming cooling cycle. Most politicians want us to believe that it is a man made phenomenon so they can tax us to the hilt on fuel. Global warming may be happening. We may suffer dramatic climate change, but the only thing that's certain is that if it's going to happen, there's nothing we can do about it.

FACT: Car users produce less than 2% of man made greenhouse gasses. The bulk comes from industry, mainly in "developing" countries (what happened to 3rd world?)

FACT: A cow emits more greenhouse gases per day than an average family car

FACT: A single volcanic eruption can spew more pollution into the air than mankind produces over 5 years

* FACT: A single environmentalist/politician spouts more hot air than than all the world's volcanos , and more bullsh*t than the the world's bovine population!

* = I made up the last bit, but it wouldn't suprise me to learn that it's true.

EDIT: You can always tell when a liberal's (eg: emtyen69) argument is flawed - they simply resort to personal insults against anyone who disagrees with them - in real life, you also see their lips move!

Answer 9

The problem is we have very little exact data to measure since Meteorology is a new science with in the last one hundred and fifty years.

We know form core samples of old trees and Ice that there have been several warming and cooling periods.

If you look at old pictures of cities when coal was being used there was a lot of carbon and soot in the air. This could cause warming , for example snow melts quicker if it is dirty because the heat is retained and not reflected. And that is jut one of many reasons we could be getting warmer.

Answer 10

This question is beside the point. Even if air pollution is not a primary cause of global warming, it harms our health and the planet in many other ways. Maybe some of you live in small towns and haven't experienced it first-hand, but here in the Phoenix area we live under a brown cloud of smog and get frequent high-pollution advisories warning people to stay inside as much as possible. How can you say that's not harmful?