Climate Change???

Question

There seems to be so much discussion about "global warming". With all the evidences gathered in the past decade supporting climate change why are so many people still refusing to accept it. I have researched this subject extensivley for the past few years and the consensus in the scientific community world-wide is that this is a real problem. What will it take to change the minds of those who don't want to see what is happening?

Answer 1

Frankly, even if there was 1 in 1000 chance of something catastrophic happening with global warming, that is dangerous enough and should warrant an ALL OUT effort to stop the possibility. There are factors that main stream scientists don't consider when they make those global warming trend charts. For example, in the tundras, there was a scientist that investigated how thawed decomposition in the dirt was releasing tremendous amounts of CO2 that would add to the situation very significantly. No other scientists that I know of have taken that into consideration. There are also CO2 reservoirs in the ocean bottoms that may rise. Do people 100% know the mechanism for the release? There are tons of things we don't know that we don't know. And that's why it is so dangerous and so important to keep the earth the same as much as possible. To make significant change may be impossible, and I am waiting for the light switch effect to happen. That is, the earth may reach a critical point and then all hell breaks loose. I think we have 6 years. After that, we start over. Then we have to fight off the monkeys and apes that try to enslave us.

How are you going to ask the world powers to switch to something a little more expensive for the sake of a "maybe-catastrophe" when they could take advantage of more success in what they think is a very safe environment for the 50 years or as long as they care to live and see.

But seriously, the only significant thing you can do if we still stand a hell of a chance is to invest in companies like this. Check it out. Oil will only get more expensive and alternative energy has to increase in value...unless they invent cold fusion, then you go bust.

http://www.gafunds.com/lp11.asp?homepage

Beats the crap out of telling people to recycle a cup here and there or turn off the lights...

Answer 2

I sympathize with your cause. This is a problem that has been reviewed many times and I have often wondered about this. I think that the only way to make people face the truth is to just keep trying to get the message out there. We must keep drilling it into people's brains while remembering that changes are not going to happen overnight. I have many times thought that people should just ban chemicals and such, but then I realized that this is not going to happen. Joining an environmental society would help, and there are many things to do, such as simply putting up a paper announcing facts about global warming on bulletin boards. I know this may sound stupid, but there aren't but so many ways normal citizens can do things. Just keep getting the message out there, and pray that someday before the earth is flooded people see the light.

Answer 3

This may be a little long winded, but please understand there are few subjects I like researching.

There are factors that lead to global warming such as, sun cycles, ash & aerosols, ocean currents, and the greenhouse effect. These are contributing to our planet's warming.

Folks are offset by simple life of war, politics, violence, greed, and other intriging information that is broadcast on our airwaves. They do not have time for the big picture. There is not a global awareness because of the problems we face in real, simple life, (i.e., someone staving does not have the need to understand how hot it is becoming).

A great way to offset this in your own personal accomplishment is to find a way to use an alternative energy source to get off the grid. You are not producing the little that you do produce into the atmosphere, and are helping with the problem.

Thank you for being concerned.

Answer 4

Information. Understanding.

We need to get people to understanding the nature and extent of the threat with falling into sensationalism. This sensationalism undermines, I think, the credibility of climate change advocacy.

To form a balanced opinion of climate change you need to know, among other things, the science and the extent of the scientific evidence in support of climate change and how to interpret the results of climate models. You also need to understand the many impacts of climate and the factors which make a society or system vulnerable to these impacts. Then you need more information on the possible response options, and the international response to climate change. And all the information you glean needs then to be tempered by understanding that there limits to our knowlege of how the climate systemworks, and that politics play a significant role in decisions that made about climate change response.

But the average person gets their information from popular sources like newspaper and magazine articles, movies, novels. Sensational stories sell, so people are fed a diet of the most extreme and frightening impacts of climate change. On the other end is another agenda, which says that its all nonsense and they use media to push their opinions.

The truth is probably somewhere in between.

There is money in climate change related research, so we see more and more evidence in favour of climate change. The dissenting voice may be lost, which we need to ensure that we maintian a high stand of work in scientific research. Michael Crichton's novel State of Fear is all about this same issue- how the long arm of politics and money influences scientific research to its detriment, not about disproving climate change.

We won't change minds by running around screaming "oh my god we are all going to die!!!!".

We have a better chance at get people on board if we aim to get people to understand climate change and the issues that surround it.

Answer 5

Hmm. The Atlantic's surface temp is less than last year. This summer is no different than most others I've experienced, they all tend to be hot. Quit worrying, or at least stop blaming mankind for it, the sun is the source of all the earths heat.

Answer 6

Earth's climate has been changing for 4 1/2 Billion years...
Warmer, Cooler, Warmer, Cooler, Warmer, Cooler, etc. etc.

Answer 7

We've been cracking down on environmental issues here in the U.K. for quite a few years now.
It would be great if the whole world could do it but money talks.

Answer 8

Read "State of Fear" by Michael Chricton. Although the novel is fiction, the facts in the story are all true. It's not quite as dramatic as it is portrayed in the media.

Answer 9

i think that the minds of people are changing every time there is major flooding or tsunamis. i have always tried to recycle and be aware but i have definitely noticed how florida winters are getting shorter and how we do not have the hottest temperatures lately.

Answer 10

I've been watching all the record breaking hurricanes that were promised this year, but got bored and got on with my life.