guys, how much do you REALLY know about global warming and how to stop it?

Question

People, most people know the basic "Day after tomorrow facts" but to people know how to stop it, prevent it, what it's caused by, and do you know that it is 100% at the fault of humans? I'm not a Science Dork trying to make " a difference" I'm just a kid that's shocked to know that even some of my teachers don't know what's goig on outside of the box. Please think about it, cuz when the time comes I hope that you all are on top of things. I know it's cheesy, but Climatecrisis.org, (the site for An Inconvenient Truth) is a great site to visit if you want easy to comprehend info. thanks for reading this long detail paragraph but this really is important.

Answer 1

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

Answer 2

How much do I know - hopefully quite a bit, climatology is something I've studied, qualified in and have 23 years experience of.

I'll go through your points...

It's worrying when people get their facts from 'The Day After Tomorrow' or similar movies, real climate changs is much more mundane than this - but that's Hollywood and the media for you.

We think we know how to stop it. Several schemes are under consideration, there's no reason they shouldn't work but until implemented on a large scale we can't say for certain. Even if one fails there's many others. In the meantime, the very least people can do is to reduce energy consumption, recycle where possible and think about the products and services they are buying.

We know what it's caused by, this has been known for a long time. There's several factors involved, they've been identified and closely studied. A lot of the current warming is the result of human activities but it's not just mankind that's to blame - natural cycles and other natural forces have a role to play as well.

There are a lot of people who don't know what's going on 'outside the box'. More worrying are the people who think they know what's going on but don't - they're just a source of misinformation which often causes confusion and can detract from the reality of the situation.

I beleive that in time we will get on top of things, the worry is that we might not have enough time to act so it's important to make progress as quickly as possible. In some respects this involves a concerted effort from the governments and citizens of the world and it's not always forthcoming.

Let people know the facts but don't distort them and respect that others may have differing opinions to yours.

Answer 3

I take the side of nature ,and talk a lot about mans destructive effects ,I talk about polution,deforestation,talk to farmers about soil management,sustainable farming,talk to kids about reforesting and planting trees ,and keeping the neighbout hood clean.

And i point out how much of the climate people have changed over the years.We as a specie have been, still are ,and are going to be much worse ,in our treatment of Mother Nature.

And I keep saying that our youth is the best hope we got to make noticeble changes.

But having said all that I must agree with Bruce 100 %
everything he said is dead on.

I also grew up beeing bamboozled bythe vibes around me saying that humanity was destroying the world .so why bother having kids .why bother about the future ,And now I am 60+ and still waiting for the end of the world .

So my advice is ,work for your future,live your life to the full,on the way be respectfull to our Natural resources ,be kind to animals .they are gonna have a very rough time ,and when you can be positive if you can do something about the Forests ,because everything we got comes from there ,Air ,Water to drink and to irigate the plants and even the soil ,

But dont make it your obsesion or let it divert you from fullfilling your possibilities .Dont worry about ends of the world, if and when it comes we will all have a giant party .And we will all be in the same boat .and we wont be able to do anything about it .

And it may not even be in your life time

Worry about the beginning of your life,and make the most of it and enjoy it .we cant go arround be scared all the time .

cheers bruce

and here are some of my answers if you want some bad news info anyway

Answer 4

I know quite a bit about global warming. It's not 100% caused by humans, but we are almost certainly the primary cause. We also have to reduce our emissions significantly starting within the next decade or we're running significant risk of facing catastrophic climate change.

Personally I'm doing what I can - biking to work, driving a hybrid, using energy as efficiently as possible, and trying to spread information on this site. Also supporting politicians who intend to take action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, like John Edwards.

Answer 5

Social Way helps reducing Global Warming by sharing your things.

www.socialway.com is a great website.
It's motto is: Share and save, the Eco-friendly way.

You can share your old textbooks, lend your tools, or anything you have to reduce carbon footprint in the world. So far, the Social Way, has reduced. 6,362 lb CO2 and you can continue the movement! Here's how.

Every transaction that you do on SocialWay saves carbon dioxide emissions - whether you lend or borrow, giveaway or receive an item. You can save more emissions by becoming an active member of SocialWay and by spreading the word. Post more of your stuff; invite more friends, neighbors, colleagues to use your stuff; find more people to post their stuff so that you can borrow rather than buy. It is amazing how much your SocialWay tree can grow through these actions. Borrowing or lending just one book can grow your acorn to a 2-year old tree.

Answer 6

To me the big dabte about global warming is almost silly.

Most of the things that are believed to contribute to global warming make common and economic sense to remedy whether man-made global warming is real or just theory.

For example, reducing gasolione and fossil fuel comsumption will reduce CO2. But that can simply come from getting better fuel economy because CO2 emissions are in direct relation to gasoline consumption -- cut consumption 25% and you reduce CO2 emitted by 25% (assuming the same mileage driven). Plus you save 25% on your fuel bill.

Use CFL bulbs and you will save more than the cost of the bulb several times over plus you reduce CO2 emissions.

Get an air conditioner wtih a higher SEER rating, and you can cut your colin gbill by 40%, again saving money and cutting CO2 emissions.

Finding a way to cut dependence on decadent regimes that control oil resources is not just sensible in global warming terms, but critical in terrms of national security. Terrorists would have a lot less money to spend on their activities is the oil barons didn't have so much cash to pass around.

To me this is rather like the philosopher-mathematician Pascal's view about whether or not there is a God. He thought believing in God and being wrong (no life after death) had less downside than not believing in God and being wrong (damnation).

Actually, believing in global warming and being wrong has an upside. Acting as though global warming is real, we can get cleaner air, reduce our extravagent waste of natural resources and save money. Even if we are wrong, we still win.

So I don't ultimately care who is right or wrong. I am encouraged by the fact that we are starting to move away from some of our more frivoulous behavior to fix a perceived problem. And not only is there no downside to taking the action, but lots of upside.

So, even if global warming theory is lot of hot air, I think it is good to act as if it is real.

Answer 7

Lots. Just read these:

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

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM6avr07.pdf

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM040507.pdf

Because:

"The drafting of reports by the world’s pre-eminent group of climate scientists is an odd process. For many months scientists contributing to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tussle over the evidence. Nothing gets published unless it achieves consensus. This means that the panel’s reports are extremely conservative – even timid. It also means that they are as trustworthy as a scientific document can be."

George Monbiot

Or, if you prefer to look at websites:

http://profend.com/global-warming/

http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/

http://www.realclimate.org

"climate science from climate scientists"

Answer 8

It has happend so many time in earths life span and will happen again

before the automobile and the industrial revolution in fact back in the days when we lived in caves wearing animal skins and killing one and other with sharp pointed sicks and stones ? in them days mother nature her self caused global warming just like she does today, only not as much.
volcanic eruptions were the biggest cause's back then with there being so many and huge the dust and gasses blown in to the atmosphere created a greenhouse affect
just like to day with the automobile.

Answer 9

I don't believe you can stop global warming because as I understand it there is no argument that global warming and cooling cycles are natural. Maybe we can reduce the rate of change, or the peak it gets to this time, if it is like many believe and is going at a greater rate of change due to mans emissions.

I'm not convinced that anyone knows for sure if we can stop it. We should reduce burning of fossil fuels anyway so we do not depend on foreign oil, so lets get on with it. It Will also help with air pollution in our cities which can't be good.

Answer 10

My answer is that no one is on top of the situation. Our experience and view toward tomorrow is so short in the scheme of Geologic Time, that they jump to conclusions. Think about Christopher Columbus vs. the Flat Earth crowd.
Who was on top of that one? Who had to go prove he was right? And remember the Grand Canyon wouldn't have ever been created if all the erosion crowd from today had been there "when they could have made a difference."

Answer 11

Climate.org is an agenda driven site by some climatologists.