Environmentally Green Issues - Conspiracy Theory?

Question

Have we ever actually seen proof that cars, planes, factorys etc. have or are damaging the environment? There was a documentary on TV recently that showed someone reporting from the North Pole. They were drilling through the ice & said that this was the 7th "thaw" since time began & that throughout the last few centuries there had been major increases & decreases in carbon monoxide levels etc. What caused it all those years ago? Also when they say that this is the warmest February/March since 1921, what caused it to be so unbearably hot back then? They also said that the hole in the ozone was repairing itself. Does anyone else think that this could be just natural progression of the earth that happens every so many years & that the Government could be using it as an excuse to tax things like plane flights, larger cars etc? just to get more money in! Dont get me wrong im on the fence about this, but I have to see both sides so please dont slag me down I would just like opinions!

Answer 1

Good for you that you are thinking for yourself and questioning the hype.
According to the latest research, Global Warming/Climate Change is not as big a problem as some would have you to believe. A recent article in the New York Times has even asked Al Gore to stop all the hype:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/13/science/13gore.html?_r=1&oref=slogin That same article talks about Al Gore's claim that the oceans could rise 20 feet is exaggerated by 18.08 FEET! The latest UN study on the subject says the seas could rise a MAXIMUM of 23 inches. Al was only 18.08 FEET off. That, my freind IS hype...

If you look up any global temperature chart on the net, you'll find the earth's temperature has only increased by about 6/10 of one degree (C) - that's 1.1 degree (F), in the last 125 years. So yes, the globe is warming up, but it's not overheating like some would have you to believe. http://data.giss.nasa.gov:80/gistemp/2005/2005cal_fig1.gif

The latest research shows that the methane from cows and pigs is a major factor in the increase of "heat trapping gas". It's actually 23 times more potent as a heat trapping gas than is carbon dioxide. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/climate-change/science/other_gases According to the newest UN report on Global Warming, "Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together." http://news.independent.co.uk:80/environment/article2062484.ece

So if Al Gore and all the alarmists really want to do something about climate change, they MUST become vegetarians and shut down cow and pig farms. I mean seriously, if they truly believe that global warming is as disastrous as they are preaching then they need to stop eating meat, period! I doubt that will happen. If not, then they are the hypocrites that some of us already suspect they are.

Also Al Gore preaches to you to conserve, but he does not practice it himself. He uses 20 times more energy in his Nashville mansion than the national average. http://www.tennesseepolicy.org/main/article.php?article_id=367
One thing he has not learned is that you MUST practice what you preach... at some point you will get caught as he has.

Answer 2

The hole in the ozone is healing itself because the use of CFC's has decreased dramatically.

Carbon Dioxide is the big polluter now.

But, I understand where you come from. Something else to think about is that there has been no 'major' volcanic eruptions for a long time.

The last was mount st' Helens in the 80's. The 80's was a time when we saw a lot of snow (in UK).

the ash from the volcano's reflects the sunlight (and ultimately heat) back to space and so the Earth cools slightly.

Think of sunspot maximum too. That brings warmer conditions and we are at or close to sun spot maximum now.

However, I still think that humans do have a large part to play in the warming of the Earth, even if only a small degree.

Answer 3

As said before the hole in the Ozone layer is recovering because we have stopped releasing the pollutants that caused it in the first place. If anything this contradicts your argument.

The documentary you refer to has many problems. They doctored a graph, used out of date information and interviews and one of the scientists interviewed is considering legal action for being mis-represented.

I've never understood how saying that a rise in temperature causes a rise in C02 emmisions disproves the theory of global warming. Someone in this documentary just told people it does and they believe it.

It worries me how easily people are influenced by bad science when they are told what they want to hear (that we don't cause global warming). I wish more were like you and tried to seek a balenced argument.

Just remember that the scientific community is so bigit can't really be bribed. If someone tries to preach a load of rubbish they will probably lose their job. Its usually pretty safe to trust what that majority are saying, which is that global warming is happening and we're causing it.

The government does not need an excuse to tax things, it needs to spend money on public services is a good enough excuse. Infact these taxes are less popular than most because it allows the rich to do what they like and limits the poor, it is a regressive tax but perhaps the only way.

Answer 4

Beginning of time? Need proof that fossil fuels pollute? Are you for real? What is that? You must be 9 or something? First off, you need to get a grip about how old the earth really is, not 10,000 years old but over 5 billion. With that said the planet has been in a cooling stage for the last 15 million years, humans evolved or appeared only about 2 million years ago on a oxygen rich low carbon dioxide cool planet. What we are doing is releasing stored carbon from 50 to 400 million years ago when the planet was warm, lush, oxygen poor and carbon dioxide rich.
Does this help you fence sitters?

Answer 5

Anyone that has ever been behind a bus can see it's pretty obvious cars and plans spewing exhaust in the air isn't good for you or the planet, however I also think there is a lot of people that would like to put more of a financial burden on the masses only to line their own pockets. If they could come up with a viable solution before throwing money in their direction would be one thing, but they want to take your money to fund the research to which there is no end.After the Y2K debacle I'm really suspect to any of the hooey the so called experts come out with.

Answer 6

Any statement that has the word "conspiracy" in it is automatically suspect. After reading your whole question, my fears were confirmed.

Yes, the poles have melted before. No, global warming is not going to be as bad as some people on this board say. Yes it will happen. Yes, human activity is at least a contributing factor. Yes, different political groups are promoting their views and playing fast and loose with the facts to do so. And no, we do not REALLY know what is going to happen in the next 100 years.

Answer 7

it's true, the world has been through previous "global warmings" however, the current one we are entering into is early by a few hundered/thousand years. eventually we would still have gone through an ice age, but because of cars and what not we are causing that ice age to progress more quickly. and 1921 was so warm because that was a peak in industrialism around the world, and a peak in pollutions being put into the atmosphere. hope you find the info you need.

Answer 8

There's a lot of data that says this isn't a natural change. For one thing it's way too fast. The data is why the vast majority of the scientific community thinks global warming is real, not because they worked it out by logic. The idea they are engaged in a vast conspiracy with government seems silly to me.

Here's the best summary of the data:

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

Here are two good sites, from serious people:

http://www.pewclimate.org/

http://www.realclimate.org/

Here's data concerning the extent of the scientific consensus:

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

Answer 9

Global warming is real and throughout history has effected the planet, but it has always healed itself. Now the problem is that it is reaching dangerous highs and doesn't seem to be equalizing out. Regardless if we think that we are the cause of it or nor, if we can do something to preserve our planet we should because this is our only home.

Answer 10

You're right to a degree. The earth has warmed before and cooled before without our help. Anyone who makes a claim about that absolutely planetary warming is all our fault or none at all is probably wrong. It's a matter of degree and I don't believe anyone can say what that is with any certainty.