I mean, I am very energy conscieous, so I never turn on the A/C in my home unless the temp goes above 92 degrees. But most people just leave it on set at 70 degrees. The result is that the hotter it gets, the MORE the A/C comes on. In a cooled down house, the Water heater will come on more often, and you would use more hot water than you would if the house was hot as hell. All this energy comes from COAL burning at the local electric power plant. Add that CO2 to the additional CO2 produced when you drive around with your windows up and the A/C on full blast and I woud say that you have to agree that Global Warming is definitely CAUSING increased production of man-made CO2. So couldn't the data just APPEAR as though man-made CO2 is causing global warming when in reality its the other way around?
2007-08-07 13:54:24 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment ➔ Global Warming
CO2 lags temps by 800 years. Warming causes increase in co2, not the other way around. The ice core samples show this is the case.
Temps peak and start to cool down when co2 levels increase.
2007-08-07 14:01:57 · answer #1 · answered by Dr Jello 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It's actually both. The whole thing is exponential. We started it, and now, with the already high global temperature, it's only getting worse.
Think of it like compounded interest. We started off with a certain amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, which was regulated by the Earth itself. Then, the industrial Revolution began, and we started pouring in even more. There is, of course, a delayed reaction, so only NOW are we seeing the effects. The problem is that we haven't done anything to curb our emissions except in the last few decades; but any efforts are completely irrelevant at this point, because the aftereffects have barely begun to catch up with us. And yes, the fact that the world has already started to warm only accelerates the process.
To be honest, even though I understand and support the "fight" against global warming (I put it in quotes because how can you really FIGHT something inanimate on a global scale?), the whole thing really gives me a headache.
2007-08-07 14:03:04 · answer #2 · answered by Riven Liether 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Technically, you are correct. You can also add increased CO2 release from the oceans and from an increase in respiration resulting from increased biomass as well as increased metabolism. Increased decomposition.
But I like your idea. In addition, wealth and technological trickle-down has led to more people owning cars and having air-conditioning, whereas before they had none. Fifty years ago, only the richest people in the US had airconditioning, the disparity was even greater globally. Today, you have to be pretty impoverished not to have these. So, naturally, even the slightest temperature increase or decrease is going to result in greater CO2 production than 50 years ago.
2007-08-07 20:29:08 · answer #3 · answered by 3DM 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Nope. Over 20% of the USA's greenhouse gas emissions are from cars. 15% are from residential homes, and only a fraction of that is from powering the A/C. Besides which, less than a 1 degree Centigrade increase in the average global temperature isn't going to cause people to turn their A/C up much higher.
2007-08-07 14:15:56 · answer #4 · answered by Dana1981 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes,someday.
2007-08-09 03:43:38 · answer #5 · answered by margaret moon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a vicious cycle. Due to warmer temperatures, we need to use more things, which in turn, emits more CO2...
2007-08-07 13:58:04 · answer #6 · answered by Tue T 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋