Global warming?

Question

This has me confused. Some people believe that what we are experiencing is the natural course of things. After all, Greenland must have been green at one time, and had this happened 100 years ago, might have been acceptable. But, considering all the polution, rocket fuel, jet fuel etc. isn't it possible that we are causing this weird weather?

Answer 1

There is no doubt that we are contributing to the problem.

Anyway, the whole debate is sort of moot when you consider that we have to wean ourselves off of fossil fuels anyway.

First of all, fossil fuels will eventually run out. Secondly, we are held hostage strategically by middle eastern nations who have the oil.

So even putting the environmental argument aside, we need to have a Manhattan Project on alternative energy and fossil fuel efficiency. All of this debate is pointless, action is needed now.

Answer 2

I agree with Garret. We need to keep an open mind and study / discuss only the facts more. It is an important question and deserves more than just political hype.

From what I have read, I believe the globe is warming and has been for hundreds of years. I also believe it has warmed and cooled many times through history. How high will it go? Does man made pollution have a major impact? Are we at the beginning of a heat cycle, or the end? I do know this - more hot air from politicians will not answer anything.

Answer 3

I can understand why you are confused, but it will help if you learn what the lies and logical fallacies are. Then you'll be in a better position to sort it out.

1. A volcano produces more greenhouse gasses than human activity. This is simply a lie. There are other greenhouse gasses besides, CO2, but if you just consider CO2, man produces about 150 times more than all the world's active volcanos.

2. Scientists were predicting the next ice age 20 (30) years ago. First of all, there was no global scientific consensus that were were entering a new ice age 20 years ago. Second, one could use this sort of logical fallacy to suggest that there is no point in listening to scientists at all since "they were wrong before".

3. The earth's climate has always fluctuated. This piece of rhetoric is the most common fallacy spewed by the ignorant. It is complete moronic arrogance to suggest that the global scientific community isn't aware of this fact. The truth is that in SPITE of this fact, they have come to the conclusion that humans are contributing to global climate change.

4. Liberals just want to scare you so they can tax you more. Wow! What a whopper! As if the ter'rist bogeyman and Iraqi mushrooom clouds and the "Mexican invasion" weren't attempts to play on irrational human fears to gain power. But, a worldwide consensus on the part of deliberate, educated, concerned scientists is a conspiracy to rob you of your hard earned tax dollars.

Answer 4

I have to tell you it is getting ridiculous. Yesterday I heard on my radio station that people want us to change to Green Sex. (Green Sex? you ask.) Yep. Something about underwear made from hemp and sheets made from hemp (Or some such material. {What's so wrong with cotton or wool? Aren't those fibers natural?} and last but not least to use a soy based lubricant.

Oh I almost forgot. You have to have the lights off and use a bamboo whip.

So are people that are opponents of this silliness going to keep telling me that Global Warming is caused completely by man? I really think they are starting to go overboard.

I'm not making any of this up. Just log onto KQ92 on your computer and listen to either yesterday mornings morning show or Tuesday mornings morning show.

I feel we need to stop our polutting ways. Not because of Global Warming (which is a natural thing) but just because it's the right thing to do.

Answer 5

Anything is possible. Scientists are sampling ice to establish what gases were in the atmosphere when the ice was created. Scientists are sampling water in the oceans to determine the same. Tritium is used as a time tag for the water.
Greenland was green.
Let's make believe for a moment that the earth's core reacts to solar and cosmic radiation. The greenhouse affect, would then be cooling off the planet. So it is possible to have mechanisms which are yet not understood.
You're not alone, many different camps are using the confusion to leverage their goals off of.

Answer 6

Humans can not control the weather. It's horribly egotistical to believe so.

The Earth goes through phases, and there's strong evidence to show that our current warming phase is being caused by the sun.

Global warming is just another theory proposed by the liberal left in order to control politics and economics. If they were really concerned about pollution and in fear that the Earth would be destroyed, why does the Kyoto Protocol exclude the biggest polluters - China, India, etc.?

Doesn't everyone remember back in the 1970's when the scientific community was warning us of a new ice age?

.

Answer 7

You are confused because the entire scientific community is confused.
We probably ARE contributing on some level to climate change.
Yes, most of it IS the natural course of things.
Yes, there are probably actions that would lessen the effect we have.
The problem as I see it, is this knee-jerk reaction by the Gore believers to shut down any kind of debate on this issue...it's like a prizefighter declaring himself the winner of a championship fight halfway through the fourth round ...this issue needs to be debated, discussed and resolved - and banning opinions contrary to your own seems very counterproductive if you TRULY want to solve the problem.

Answer 8

Look at natural causes to the greenhouse effect one volcano puts off more co-2 gas than every car in the USA. How are you going to reverse that?? Look at how many trees you would have to plant to help the environment. Its nuts impossible to do. The environment just is!!!! Show me some hard scientific data that it even exists then I will change my toon. A 6th of a degree change in over 40 years sorry not going to get my shorts in a bunch over that.
However, if you want to give Gore another award go right ahead.

Answer 9

Considering that the earths climate is not static and stable, and never has been, I'd say no. YOu are assuming that the weather has never been "weird" before. You have fallen hook line and sinker into the trap of the alarmist who thirty years ago were warning that these same gasses were going to cause the next ice age, the rivers were going to be boiling, etc...

Same old Sh!t, different day.

Answer 10

All you have to do is note that the temp is increasing...

on Mars...

...at the same rate as it is on Earth. Gee, ya think the Sun might be just a teeny bit responsible?