What is the Best Way to help Convince Friends of Global Warming's Existence and Human Impact?

Question

It is completely frustrating, I go to a catholic and completly conservitive school, enough said there...

Thanks, I will try to do that, I know how frustrating it can be, but I will keep trying. It also helps that I don't sound too condecending when I am younger than everyone I try to tell. It is really frustrating that when I am only 14, if someone is older than me that they will treat my response like I am insane.

To be honest, if you can't stay on topic and be positive about this, then leave this question. If you don't believe in Global Warming, then that is just fine, but I am honestly trying to get some good advice about helping our earth by getting the word out.

Answer 1

Don't try to convince your friends. Instead, try to learn more about the earth's climate throughout history, and how it is in a constant state of change.

See the attached link for a study that reconstructs temperatures from antarctica and greenland over the last 10,000 years or so, using ice core data. If you look at the antarctica data, you can see that the temperature has constantly swung from about 2.5*C above to 2.5*C below present temperatures over the last 10,000 years. It also shows faster warming rates that present in that period.

If you look at the greenland data, you'll see that the greenland temperature was warmer than present for MOST of the last 10,000 years. Over the last one billion years, the earth has had glaciation for only one third of that period. The current warming of the earth is a natural process trying to return to its natural state.

Answer 2

Here is what i think and you can use this as an example when
you are trying to discuss this with other people and so on.
A young teen boy or girl starts at an early age to smoke,drink,
use drugs and they keep this up for years . Lets say now that
this teen boy or girl are in their late 30's or early 40's.They are
still doing the same things that they did when they were young
teens.But now they have multiple health issues.Lung and
kidney and liver disease because of smoking and drinking.
That is only the beginning. There is also hepatitis from abusing drugs.These days there are more types of this
disease.Now wouldn't you think that the same would apply
to our earth?Global warming is more than the climate
changes all over the would. Every time they clear a small
wooded area to but up a shopping mall or some business
causes more damage to our earth.Trees help cool things
down ,keep the air clean. If you think about it these issues are
not isolated issues they are on a world wide scale.They are
happening everywhere. Not just the U.S.!!! Doesn't it make
some scence?

Answer 3

Bottom line is Global Warming exists. It is happening period! The the underlying situation is, no matter what we (humans) have done, are doing or will do is going to change that much if at all. Have you ever heard that this planet is alive? Well to a certain extent it is. I am not an expert on this but my limited research has told me that this planet like any living thing is constantly changing. This is not the first time that Earth has warmed. Look into the Medieval Warming Period. That lasted from about 1000 a.d. to about 1400 a.d. when there were long periods of warm weather all over the globe, drought etc.. It was followed by the Little Ice Age, when the opposite occured. We are most likey one that same road. Look, are we accelerating it, maybe/probably, but to what extent? WE WILL NEVER KNOW! This planet is unique in a way where it has certain defense systems and occassionally, "re-news" itself. It will warm up to kill off certain problems and then cool down to kill off others and the addaptable will survive. If you know anything about this planet's history I do not need to cite sources. Ice ages, alledged massive flood's etc.... We se minor re-newing every year. Part of the reason this planet has seasons is to do just that renew itself. So all we can realistically do is look at what we know we are doing that is and/or could be adding to the acceleration and work to stop doing it. The major problems, environmentally that I see is Industrial Pollution, (factories, waste dumping/disposal, and clear cutting and/or land OVERdevelopement). In the mean time it would be a great idea to also rid ourself of oil based energy dependancy and come up with economically, (for the consumer) feasible solutions for heating and automobile propulsion.

Off the soap box.

Answer 4

There is not enough quality science to be truly conclusive on this. There are also scientists out there who do not agree with the warming scientists. Remember that true science must included observing a phenomenon, measuring its affects, and then developing a test to recreate the phenomenon in an observable environment. The warming scientists have two of the three. There have also been other periods where climate change has occured and the human race was not responsible nor is it now. While Al Gore has made his case in a clear manner, it has not been countered by a cogent argument that has not been suppressed. Do you really think that the senate hearings were anything other than an Al Gore fan club meeting, and he did not even show up until after those who question the validity of his position were done talking. Where is the intellectual honesty in that. You are worried over something that has been overblown and misrepresented.

Answer 5

Hmm...
you can't make anyone believe anything, as a Christian, you should know this all too well.


I remember when I was a kid, when gas cost $0.60 a gallon, and we had to wait 4 hours for a gas line, so my dad could drive to work, that there was supposed to be a new ice age coming. I remember we were supposed to stock up on food, and keep 30 days of food on hand, in case of nuclear attack too, because the Commies would kick us when we were down. There are still Air Raid sirens not far from my house. The earth's magnetic poles were showing signs of reversal too, which would be the end of the world, of course.

That was only 30 something years ago.

Do you remember the government getting nervous about "The Day After Tomorrow" movie?
You should, it is about what happens when the climate tries to stabilize itself, because of global warming.

If and when the climate changes to a point where it becomes unstable, it will violently change, decimating the population, and destroying the things that caused it...us.

We could theoretically stop global warming with a large enough nuclear blast at the south pole, inducing nuclear winter, which could drop the average earth temperature to -50 degrees by day to -130 degrees at night.

Now THAT is an inconvenient truth.

Answer 6

That's a tough one there.

But, consider the people who you are talking to. What do they value? What do they want out of their lives? Do they want children?

A crucial idea to get across is this question: how can we continue to do what we do (consume, dispose of, and consume some more) and not have an impact on the planet?

The planet is finite in the amount of people it can sustain, heat, clothe, and feed. There is only so much oil, aluminum, and from those, only so much gasoline and Coke cans that can be produced until something, somewhere doesn't work as easily as it once did.

Picture two mice (male and female) in a bell jar. Put some plants in there for food and some water. The bell jar can sustain these two critters with food and water only if the ecosystem works (the plants keep growing, the air is recycles, and water continually puritifed and then made availalbe for the mice). But, what if the mice start to reproduce? The soil in which the plants are growing is made into homes (analogy for the trees being cut down), the swamps are drained for condos and suburban expansion (swamps and bogs filter more [while using way less energy] impurities out of water than manmade facilities). Pretty soon the mice will not have a whole lot to breath, drink, or eat. That is what we are doing to our planet (the only one we have). Sure, the planet is a big place and there are a whole lot of natural systems to take into account...but eventually our pollutants will catch up to us.

Read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

Answer 7

Many people you will talk to know that what you are hearing in the popular press as well as Gore's movie is not the whole truth and thus resist going along with the current hysteria. There is some strong evidence that what we are really seeing is the end of a 900,000 ice age in which the polar caps will melt and we will see over a very long period of time some of the changes you are hearing about. This has happened several times in the long long history of this planet.
That said there is not a thing wrong in doing what we can to clean up our environment and thus do whatever we are able to do consciously without a sense of fear and panic what we can to slow what is probably a natural phenomenon that the press and politicians are having their brand of fun with. When you have been around a bit longer you will begin to recognize their ulterior motives of the media and many politicians. SO..... Do what you can, encourage who you can.... but don't get caught up in the mass hysteria. One thing that is never mentioned in the speculation of how bad things will be by the end of the Century is the incredible and accelerating change of technology and computer power that we are now experiencing. The world will be almost unrecognizable in 20-30 years. We will have completely new technologies to deal with the energy,polution,transportation and health care problems of today. For more in-depth information on what the world will look like in the future as well as his views on global warming look up Ray Kurzweil....one of the most brilliant scientist of our time. It may even change the direction of your education and career goals!
Thank you for your heartfelt question.

Answer 8

Our generation is not the only one charged with this. Billy Joel said it best in 1987: we didn't start the fire. It was always burning. If we are really serious about making any kind of dent in this issue, we should have started ages ago. The expanse of time in nature is measured in enormous amounts. Earth is about 8 billion years old. To say a lot can happen in that time is an understatement. The ozone hole, is closing. Remember the hole in the south pole? Well that is a natural re-ocurring phenomenon: it opens and closes. Yet there is no refutable proof that humans are the direct cause of this hole. Many who claim to be for this 'save the planet' mentality only have a monetary interest since it seems to have caught the ire of many (global warming). Did you know every star in the galaxy has a twin? Stars rotate around each other over huge distances. The sun's twin is designated as 'Nemesis' and it will inevitably, come close to Earth again. When should I start packing for that event that may not happen for another 20-30 billion years or so? The last time it came so close that it may have triggered the last ice age on Earth. Beware those who claim to be for global warming with open pockets.

Answer 9

Global Warming absolutely exist I'm sure. The earth has gone through warming and ice ages and many other natural occurrences. The thing is we are not causing it. If we are then how do we account for the ice ages and warming before we populated the earth? There weren't cars and large industry until the last century. This is just another way for Government to try to control us. Now don't get upset with me I think we should be responsible and not pollute our great land. I just believe that it is arrogant to think we can stop nature by turning our cars off at red lights. This issue has been politicized to get votes through fear. One of the main proponents of this is Al Gore who flies around the country in a private jet which puts of much more so called pollutants in one trip than our cars will in a years time. So do some "real " research and make an opinion of your own.

Answer 10

Global Warming is not real only a snake oil sales man like Al Gore would try to sell it. He must be in a position to make a lot money on so called carbon credits. The stock exchange is already setting up a way to trade them. The only thing carbon trade will do is tax the USA and sent the money to a third world non democratic country so the ruler can line his pockets. It does not change any thing on carbon emissions. Oh yes the 30 to 35 volcanoes that spew co2 into the air each year puts out more than all of man kind total history. also, since co2 is normally in the air it is not a pollutant. We have not even reached the middle ages temperature and they only drove low horse power wagons. But horses do pass a lot of gas may we should do away with all animals that eat grass.

Answer 11

It seems to me that you are just too passionate about what you believe in. Is the climate changing? Yes, always has been and always will. Well at least until we're all fossil fuel ourselves and probably beyond.

Perhaps you need to listen more. There is another side. Al Gore and his ilk are politicians. They are not scientists and they are certainly no heroes.

Like I said, the climate is always changing, but not as much as you think. Thirty some odd years ago, the same media would have you believe we were slipping into another ice age. Do not dismiss in hand that things are different now.

All I am saying is be skeptical...about what anyone tells you as "truth". Skepticism is the first step towards the truth.

One last thought, and I have found this to be true without exception. If you have a hard time trying to figure out the reason for something, then the reason is very obvious. Its about the money! Remember there are two sides at work on this issue both going after the same thing.