If CO2 is the cause of Global Warming why don't we as humans just stop breathing?

Question

Since we exhale CO2 every time we breathe, wouldn't that help to reduce the effects of Global Warming?

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

Answer 2

The CO2 we exhale is "new" CO2 from the current closed CO2 cycle which is recycled from newly grown food products which we eat. The CO2 from oil, coal and gas has been sequestered in the ground for millions of years and adds to the net CO2 in the atmosphere.

That does not prove that it causes significant global warming compared to other natural causes such as the variation in solar activity. See http://www.spacecenter.dk/ for the linkage between solar activity, cosmic rays and climate change.

Answer 3

There's a difference between natural sources of carbon dioxide and what we create by burning fossil fuels.

There are a great many natural sources and sinks for carbon dioxide. But the present global warming is (mostly) the result of man made CO2 from burning fossil fuels.

There is a natural "carbon cycle" that recycles CO2. But it's a delicate balance and we're messing it up.

Look at this graph.

http://scrippsco2.ucsd.edu/graphics_gallery/mauna_loa_record/mlo_record.html

The little squiggles are nature doing its' thing. CO2 falls a bit during summer when plants are active, and rises during the winter. The huge increase is us, burning fossil fuels (in addition to the shape of the graph, the increase numerically matches the increase in fossil fuel use). The scientists can actually show that the increased CO2 in the air comes from burning fossil fuels by using "isotopic ratios" to identify that CO2. The natural carbon cycle buried carbon in fossil fuels over a very long time, little bit by little bit. We dig them up and burn them, real fast. That's a problem.

Man is upsetting the balance of nature. We need to fix that.

Answer 4

There are natural circuit breakers or "negative feedbacks" that are built in to recycle the CO2 that humans breath. These include the tropical rain forest, the ocean, plankton, bogs, and the permafrost. Unfortunately many current trends are turning these negative feedbacks into positive cycles where they accelerate warming. Plankton die-offs, tropical deforestation and desertification, permafrost thaw, and glacier melting and ocean warming all indicate the equilibrium is swung too far in favor of warming. You are more than welcome to stop breathing but it will do little good with respect to much more significant indicators of world climate.

Answer 5

A very good point. If CO2 causes global warming, and plants use CO2 to live, what happens to the plants if CO2 is drastically reduced?

I say plant more trees, preserve the forests (especially rainforests) that we already have, and they'll take care of excess CO2.

Answer 6

a nice opinion indeed!!! (i starred your question)

first of all, we dont make CO2 in our bodies, we just exhale it, we take in Oxygen and CO2, and take out the CO2, so it wouldnt help anything

second of all, plants need CO2 to survive, the whole ecosystem of people cooperating with plants is very fragile. first we take the oxygen from the air, then they take the CO2 from the air, in is a 24/7 cycle,

I call it the 'respiration cycle'

Answer 7

its not because of breathing,we do breathe out co2, but it has barely any effect,its the cars,buildings,and allthose other things.think about it.a human cant possibly pollute as much as a building

Answer 8

because cattle burp more methane gas than all of the co2 produced by humans breathing.
No environmental groups seem to be addressing this issue. Even conservationists don't want to talk about it. I guess they all want to do conservation at work but not change their habits enough at home to make a difference. The raising of cattle causes more global warming than all of the car emmissions on the planet.
Over 80% of the dry tropical forests from northern Costa Rica to Mexico have been cut down. Areas of this size and larger have been cut down throughout the world including the Amazon, Indonesia, the Congo and other rain forests. The temperature after removing the rain forest has risen dramatically in these large tracts of land. The weather pattern also changes from this deforestation in each locality and they become drier. When these huge areas have their trees removed, erosion dumps millions of tons of sediment into the rivers that flow into the oceans. This sediment slowly suffocates the polyps of the precious coral reefs in the tropics.
What is the main reason for cutting these rain forests down? The main reason is to make room to raise cattle, not logging as many people think. With logging they generally cut down large hardwoods. To raise cow meat they cut down everything. In Central America much of the beef is exported to the United States. What can the average person do? eat soy, legumes and nuts as a protein source. This is a better way to practice sustainability. If the beef is grown in the United States sorry that isn't sustainable either. A person who eats cow meat (beef) as their main protein source requires about 20 acres of land each year and over 2000 gallons of precious water to raise that steer for protein. That is not sustainability. A person eating soy for their main source of protein only requires one acre of land and about 40 gallons of water each year to grow it. Also, soy doesn't add millions of tons of methane gas each year to our atmosphere. it actually absorbs co2. cows do produce over 100 million tons of global warming methane gas in the U.S. alone. Cattle excrement also is adding to major pollution problems in our water systems today. Stop eating beef! Or if you absolutely can't stop eating beef, cut back to once a week or once a month. if you must eat a meat chicken is much less destructive to the environment than beef, here in the tropics. Besides, refraining from eating beef is healthier in the long run.
If you want to take responsibility in helping save our planet from global warming, deforestation of the rain forests, dying coral reefs there are many other eating alternatives. please, eat to live, don't live to eat.
For our children's sake and the sake of the rain forests, coral reefs and the entire planet we need to step up and do something other than practice over indulgence. Cavemen had to hunt to get their protein and that was ok. Then we started raising animals to get our protein and that was needed. Now we know how to get all of the protein we need from plants. So it is time to evolve another step and stop the senseless cruelty to raising animals for food and also help control global warming and its effects at the same time.
henry
rainforest guide in costa rica, co-founder of the birding club of costa rica and past curator of zoo ave, largest breeding and release center of endangered birds and animals in central and south america

Answer 9

good idea!!!

~Holding my breath for 30 seconds~...there, i did my part!

if everyone would just hold their breath, 30 seconds a day, we can bring down the 2037 temperature by over 14 Deg. F., lower sea levels by 3.6 feet. DO your part!!!

Answer 10

Works for me. You go first.