Global Warming Questions?

Question

The fact that global warming is happening is making me sick to my stomach. Im almost 16, so is it going to kill me? Will the world end in my age generation? If so, is there anything I can do to save myself from it? Is there anything we can do to 'rewind' global warming, even though its a natural process? Im sorry for bothering you all with these questions but im SCARED.

Answer 1

Well, lots of interesting answers here.

First and foremost, you do realize that we are in an ice age, yes? Oh, sure, it's an interglacial warming, but it's still an ice age. What happens at the end of an ice age? It gets warmer. We don't know why this cycle happens, but it does.

Human kind has survived the ice age. I'm sure we'll survive the tropical era that follows. I'd be more worried if it was getting colder.

You know the alternative to it warming up after the interglacial? The interglacial ends and we're thrown back into a full ice age. I'd rather it get warmer personally.

Just an opinion...

Answer 2

Well, first, don't be too scared. The world isn't going to end (at least not from GW) any time soon. There are going to be lots of changes, some likely rather unpleasant, but at this point, it's hard to predict just how bad they're going to get in your lifetime. You'll manage, like we've always managed; The probable effects of global warming are likely to be hideously expensive and catastrophic to some parts of the world over some relatively long-term period of time (several generations or so), but to you where you live, probably not dramatically worse than usual. You may look back in 20 years and think about how things were different when you were a kid, but we've been doing that since humans first appeared, I suspect. Whether human forcing of global warming could conceivably create some sort of "Venus effect" seems awfully unlikely to me, and barring that, it seems to me that life (including humans) will continue here. Maybe without some of the things you know now, but people seem very able to think only in the present, and forgetting the past allows you to adjust to awful things pretty easily. Think of it as a survival trait. I think you'll be fine!

Answer 3

First of all science is still shaky on the global warming thing. If you look at the data the people who say global warming is happening are the same people who would benefit financially from anti warming programs so they have some credibility issues. With that said even if global warming occurs it will take about 200- 250 years for the complete destruction of the weather system. You say your 16 that would mean that when you reach 216 you would need to start worrying. Since your going to be dead long before then enjoy your life. Go catch a movie. Try happy feet it was actually pretty funny

Answer 4

Global warming has been going on for quite sometime now and we are just coming to grips with it. Sadly, many politicians are still saying it isn't happening. If we have a cooler than normal day here in FL I still hear "oh yeah, and global warming is real??". And then out of nowhere Al Gore steps up and makes this movie and speaks out on the subject. Oh my gosh! Hollywood is on the bandwagon and now I have heard some major power companies are promising to implement wind energy, etc. in the near future. YOU GO AL! I have never understood why we would continue to buy oil from terrorists when we can use a little technology and find free and renewable sources. My advice to you as a 16 year old is to use your vote when you are old enough to let Washington know you will not support a candidate that bows to the oil gods.

Answer 5

Since you live in a wealthy country, it won't kill you. But it does threaten to make your life hard, because the wealthy country will undergo a large economic loss. They will have to relocate people and infrastructure from low lying coastal areas. They will have to move crops around and build new irrigation systems to deal with changing weather patterns. All this will cost many billions of dollars.

Poor countries will not be able to cope. There people will die of starvation. Not all, but many.

Not the end of the world, just the biggest disaster in human history.

What can be done? A lot. Energy conservation, energy sources (nuclear, solar, wind, biofuels) other than fossil fuels. Technology to capture CO2. We can do it, but it will be hard.

Your biggest problem is the global warming deniers, such as the ones you can read here. They could scare politicians into ducking needed actions. Your best defense is to become educated and convincingly spread the word. Here are a few tools, you can do some research and get more.

Here's the truth:

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686

http://www.realclimate.org/

And here's some facts about global warming "skeptics" and the fallacies of their arguments:

http://info-pollution.com/warming.htm#WEB

Finally, some authoritative figures to cite who are not liberals or environmentalists.

"The science of global warming is clear. We know enough to act now. We must act now."

James Rogers, CEO of Charlotte-based Duke Energy.

"The overwhelming majority of atmospheric scientists around the world and our own National Academy of Sciences are in essential agreement on the facts of global warming and the significant contribution of human activity to that trend."

Russell E. Train, Republican, former environmental official under Presidents Nixon and Ford

"We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late. The science is clear. The global warming debate is over."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican, Governor, California

"Our nation has both an obligation and self-interest in facing head-on the serious environmental, economic and national security threat posed by global warming."

John McCain, Republican, Senator, Arizona

"These technologies will help us become better stewards of the environment - and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change."

President George Bush

Answer 6

Stand by! Don't go wobbly now! The phony scientists are running for the tall grass. Global Warming is being debunked even as you read this. The serious climatologists are exposing the junk science and now the others are changing their tune.
Go forth and enjoy your youth my dear 16 year old.
You are witnessing a serious crack in the wall of lies that you have been seeing from the liberal, agenda driven, government subsidized researchers. Rejoyce! The global warming boogey-man has been slain!

Answer 7

One thing the "global warming" so called "experts" don't tell you is that the earth has been getting warmer for the past 10,000 years which is when the last ice age ended. The earth has been going through warming and cooling cycles for millions of years.

Scared is what these extremists want. They are using fear tactics for thier own financial gain. Not all that much unlike politicians.

It would be better for you to to be more focused on your grades, next date and what to wear this weekend :)

Fear of global warming won't do you any good and is irrationsl.

Answer 8

No. You can't go "back to the past". First if you don't want global warming to happen, you have to act now. Start driving hyribs or carpool or walk. Don't do stuff that poluote the air. Don't worry. It will won't happen at ur age generation. One person can make a huge difference.

Answer 9

it is happening, but it will be a few years for anything drastic to happen. global warming has been going on for thousands of years, it has been amplified by burning fossil fuels and depleting the ozone layer. the end will not happen in your life time, but there are ways to slow it down. there are many alternative energy sources out there, and once we get an oilman out of the presidency, things will progress. you cant depend on what you hear as far as how bad things are. the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate, and that will be a major factor. at your age, you need to worry about your kids future.

Answer 10

certain, it exists. the large question appears no matter if human pastime (fairly the production of greenhouse gases alongside with carbon dioxide) is arising the priority, accelerating a organic cycle, or if the replace in international climate is fullyyt organic. To me, this sounds like arguing about no matter if the hearth at your residence become deliberately set or an coincidence quite than easily coping with the hearth. organic or guy-made, we will be merely as lifeless. i'm questioning this is properly previous time we began easily planning for what we will do even as glaciers and ice caps melt, elevating ocean ranges and inundating the quite populous coastal cities we've lengthy gone and outfitted all around the map. We also would opt for to ascertain out what consequences it would have on crop production, fishery stocks and different climate depending approaches that we use to feed ourselves. What precisely can we do if droughts and heat climate reason international failures of rice and wheat flora 3 years in a row? affliction proliferation is yet another significant problem. Malaria become once hardship-loose each and each of ways up the Ohio river valley and up into Canada. It gained't take a lot to allow it to spread north back, only a 2 day extension of the shape season which will enable the Plasmodium parasite to triumph over North united statesa. back. different ailments would also really spread with hotter climates. certain, that is a fantastic theory to reduce down on our greenhouse gas emissions. i do not imagine all of us rational can probable argue that their easily doing all of us or something any solid. although, i imagine this is extra major that we commence planning on what we are gonna do if issues extremely commence to warmth up.