Global Warming?

Question

Not saying that I disagree with the concept of global warming but: If the Earth, this force that we have been living on has been around for millions and millions of years, is it logical to believe that we can destroy it in just about 200 years? Just wondering. I know I'm going to get stupid responses but just a few intelligent ones too please.

Answer 1

I think it's POSSIBLE. Likely? Maybe not. But it COULD happen.

My opinion on global warming? The earth goes through cycles. It gets hot for a while, then we have an ice age, then hot again, etc, over millions and millions of years. Right now, I think it's just getting hotter.

That doesn't mean that I don't give a crap about emissions and the ozone layer and burning fossil fuels and stuff. I'm all for buying a hybrid vehicle and getting solar panels on my roof. But I'm not sure if what we're doing is the ONLY cause for the rise in temperature lately.

Answer 2

Even in the very worst case scenario we won't destroy the Earth. Temperatures could rise very significantly with immediate effect and most people would survive. There would be massive disruption, half the world's population would have to migrate, vast areas would become desert, other previously infertile land would become fertile; every one of us would be significantly affected but human's are intelligent and adaptable and most of us would survive.

Because of the way the atmosphere works, and in particular with reference to the dynamics of the greenhouse effect, we are able to bring about a climatic change in as little as 200 years. Technically it would be possible to create an even bigger change in a much smaller time span if we set about releasing large quantities of some of the most potent greenhouse gases (there are some which are more than 30,000 times as effective at contributing to global warming than carbon dioxide is). It's feasible that we could build factories to produce millions of tons of these gases and dramatically change the climate within a matter of a few years, maybe even months. We could also introduce gases into the atmosphere that would cool the planet in a similalry short period of time (two such schemes are being considered as ways of mitigating the effects of global warming).

Answer 3

We are certainly changing the Earth, but we are certainly not destroying it. The Earth has undergone far more drastic change than that which humanity is causing, and it has been far more damaging to Earthly life, and the Earth has always recovered. At one point the entire planet was frozen over. Bacteria survived in pockets beneath the ice.

As a result of anthropogenic changes to the Earth's climate, drastic changes very well may occur. For example, there is a "conveyor belt" of ocean currents that brings warm water up to Western Europe and keeps that continent's climate temperate. A slight rise in the Earth's temperature may cause a chain reaction that stops that conveyor belt, bringing a minor ice age to Europe.

Many more species than those humans have already driven to extinction are likely to die off due to global climate change. You probably know about melting glaciers, possibly losing Greenland, etc. Rainforests are dwindling, deserts are spreading.

Back to your question, which is a good one. I don't think humans are capable of ruining the Earth as a life-bearing planet--not unintentionally, at least. It's planet Earth AS WE KNOW IT that is in jeopardy--that is, all the beautiful biodiversity that we are used to seeing.

Also, our way of life as a civilization is threatened by climate change. Scientists warn that global systems of agriculture and food distribution could be seriously damaged, and people could go hungry. In this regard, third world countries, who contribute the least to atmospheric carbon, would be hurt the worst. There are all sorts of chain reactions, which I'm not really educated about, that lead to doom scenarios like disease, hunger, natural disasters, etc.

And these can be caused by even a relatively small increase in temperature. Remember that the global average temperature change of one or two degrees accounts for larger temperature increases at the poles, where ice is melting and causing positive feedback--that is, accelerating global warming.

Then there is the obvious issue of how so much of the American infrastructure--shipping, etc.--requires energy for transportation, and we seriously need to reform the way we acquire that energy and how much we use.

So basically, yes we can drastically alter the Earth, no we can't destroy it. If we really tried to, we could probably detonate all sorts of nuclear weapons, but then that would probably just spawn a race of cockroach people who would evolve over the next billion years.

Answer 4

if you look at the past 200 year period you use, you'll realize that the amchines that burn the fuels that contribute to the warming that creates global climate change have been around about that long.

it was about 200 years ago that Watt invented a devise that burned wood and later coal to boil water to produce steam to run pumps to pump the water out of the coal mines in england to get the fuel to run the weaving machines to produce cloth for clothing, and so on and so on...

100 years ago there were steam locomotives and cars were yet to roll off of Ford's assembly lines. there were steamships but no commercial or military aircraft.

60 years ago there was radio but no television.

20 years ago microwaves were new.

in the last 10 years we've gone through how many game console versions, entertainment media (video, dvd, etc) and other electrical gadgets?

the point is that our impact on the earth in the past 200 years has been much more profound than that of any species in the history of the planet.

while the earth may not be able to be destroyed by humna activity in the next 200 years our impact will certainly force a change and if the degredation to the biosphere of our recent past is any indication of what to expect in the future, it may not be nearly as pretty and comfortable as we are experiencing today.

try to learn a little more about climate change than just global warming which is only a part of the big picture.

Answer 5

You do realize global warming has and is being caused by humans. If you put the entire history of Earth into an hour, humans would appear in the last few seconds I believe. And during that time, we've been growing in industry, manufacturing billions of cars, building tons of factories, and burning up lots of fossil fuels. All these factors create pollution, and wouldn't it have a big impact on the atmosphere, all that industry? Nature has taken ahold of things before us, and the earth went about as it should, acting like a giant machine and taking care of itself. Then we came around and contributed tons of carbon and other particles into the air causing the greenhouse effect. Yes, with this force the environment would change drastically from how it is now.

Answer 6

Global warming is a part of long natural trends over thousands of years - there is also global cooling, resulting in ice ages, and those ice ages disappeared with past global warming. I guarantee you there were no cities or SUV's around to end the last ice age.

Answer 7

The earth naturally warms and cool itself. If it didn't, why would there have been an ice age 10,000 years ago? And right now, the earth is in a warming trend. However,that doesn't mean we can't protect our natural resources. God made humans to be stewards of the earth and have dominion over plants and animals.

Answer 8

If you want to acquire furnish cash for local weather study, do you believe that you can get a cheque in case you say," I want the furnish, as I believe that I can turn out that the figures that the present paradigm is headquartered upon are flawed" ? The quality environmentalist, David Bellamy, has been silenced, and refused airtime. There remains to be no tested causative hyperlink among the quantity of Co2 within the surroundings, and an broaden in worldwide temperatures. The WWWF graphics of the polar bears swimming had been taken within the Arctic summer season; while the ice cap in part melts, as they could not stand up to image within the iciness. The ice was once too thick! The East-Anglian uni study figures. "Oh! The figures do not fit our expectancies. Oh good. Keep quiet. Because we all know that we're correct." When the notion, and the religion is extra primary than squarely dealing with the official doubts of plenty of non furnish-supported scientists, technology has been superceded by way of devout zealots. As Oliver Cromwell colourfully stated." I pray thee, within the bowels of Christ, recall that thou mayest be flawed."

Answer 9

That's the argument of "the earth is too big for little humanity to change."

Look, you have a brain. Don't use it to rationalize and justify. Use it to OBSERVE firsthand what is actually so, without relying on politicized sources, and view everything with a skeptical eye. Be an honest researcher.

You will be able to see for YOURSELF what is actually occurring in the world, and then come back and tell us about it.

Answer 10

First of all, the Bible reveals that the earth is only around 10,000 years old. God told us that He would keep the earth in good shape structurally until He came back for His millennial reign. However, it sounds like you believe in evolution, so whether or not you believe this or not depends on you.