Is it going to be too late by the time significant change is made to stop Global Warming?

Question

I mean, historically this has always been the case, even currently:

Anthrax scare = Mail screening...
9/11 = more homeland security...
Katrina = better response to disaster...
Minnesota Bridge collapse = nation wide bridge inspection...

will it take a disaster for action to be taken?

Global Warming = ?

Answer 1

global warming= Kyoto protocol, carbon trading, etc.

there's a lot of effort going on to deal this global warming, but nothing succeeded (yet).

the global warming is already happening, yes, thats true. but it doesn' mean we are too late to deal with it. we just have to try harder and be more supportive to those environmental action.

like people say: better late then never. so stop questioning or moaning or blaming other people and start to do something real to deal this global warming.

Answer 2

My short answer is yes.

My long answer is that the effects will not be that bad, and will appear very slowly and we will just adapt. All those other things were sudden disasters that unexpectedly happened in one day. Global Warming is expected and in fact already happening. Sea levels will take decades or centuries to rise, rising at maybe an inch every 10 years, and people will gradually abandon low lying coastal land and move to higher ground as yearly floods get worse, eventually permanently turning that land into swamp and then shallow sea.

If rainfall patterns change, farms in formerly wet areas will slowly dry up and fail and new farms will be established in the new wet areas. It will be expensive and inconvenient, but it will happen slowly enough that we can handle it. And handle it FAR more easily that we could handle cutting coal and oil use by 90% in 50 years, which is what some environmentalists say we must do.

Answer 3

All the examples you gave are examples of what it takes for the public to realize the importance.
No one would have realized the need for homeland security had there not been a 9/11.
The state of minnesota knew they had a bridge problem but the individual taxpayer would need to spend 5000 dollars to address the problem. How do you think they would have reacted to that expence before this bridge collapse? They would have decided they needed a new governor. They would be mad at the government for higher taxes.
The only way to get people's attention is through a disaster.

Global warming? I don't buy it. It has yet to be proven to me as something we are causing and something we can change. Sadly there is more attention paid to global warming than the historical examples you mentioned and there is no proof that we are causing global warming.

Answer 4

People were prepared to build shelters and try to survive nuclear war. That would have been a far worse scenario that global warming, but there was no uncertainty. Neither was there any consideration given to people who advocated making no effort because they did not think nuclear war was certain.

If we get to work now we can probably modify our technology and lifestyle enough to preserve some technology and part of the population, say 1-20%. Maybe we can even do better. If we do nothing, we're looking at a return to the stone age, with small pockets of populations surviving under marginal conditions, or complete extinction. Doing nothing, we'll lose control of things fairly early on. The other option is to look at a moon colony of a viable gene pool (at least 1000 people) fully self sustainable.

Answer 5

If you ever dealt with a used car salesman you know about pressure tactics and intimidation. "You will never have a second chance!"

Watch late night infomercials and see all the celebrities backing up some useless product. Then you got validation from a bunch of scientists and MD's. And of course lots of customer endorsements.

Then the fear pitch "This is a one time offer! You will never have a second chance!"

Well, we won't have a second chance to stop global warming if we don't ACT NOW! Hurry up before you get a chance to think!

Don't breath! Just act! The time for thinking is over! Sign your life away NOW before it's too late!!!

Meanwhile, check out what they are trying to get you to do...

http://www.carbontradewatch.org/

...pretty sneaky!






By the way, there is more world wide attention given to Global Warming then there has ever been for all major problems as famine, poverty, Africa, Viet Nam, saving the rain forests, nuclear disaster, disarmament, the threat of communism, Hitler, WW2, racism, sexism, ...

Besides the world wide attention,we are being inundated with GW from all directions. The overall media on this is well beyond normal saturation.

At the same time, things that are ignored are planetary history of the earth, cycles of nature that are greater then the existence of man, the change in the tilt of the earth, the slight shift in the poles, the complete 180 degree shift of the poles, the movement of the equator, El Ninos, jet streams, the change in continents, the submerging of cities and continents in the past, the different climate that existed in the past in different parts of the world, greater ice age sifts in climate all over the world...

I get the sense we are being hoodwinked! What do you think?

Answer 6

I'd like to believe the pundits saying there's this much time left and it's under our control, but it's not true. It's a natural cycle which was accelerated not caused by humans. Therefore, the damage we did to it is done. However, that's no excuse for inaction. Pollution causes so many horrible health problems, we must stop it. The awareness of what pollution does to human and animal health could be the silver lining. But the only thing we can do besides reduce our use of products that pollute (just watch tv ads to see what I mean) is to move inland and uphill because the sea levels are rising and there are climate changes such as storms and stuff already happening.

Answer 7

Anthrax, 9/11, and the Minnesota have nothing to Global warming.

Katrina may be a result of Global warming.

Back in the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's; there was a theory that in fact we were heading into another Ice Age. Many of the scientist of that time were supporting this theory.

As far as Global being a Hoax or not is yet to be seen. Something has caused a worldwide warming trend.

Mankind has historically let things go to the brink of complete disaster before they take appropriate action.

People who believe that Global warming is a complete political hoax often are not researching the evidence (pro and con) unbiased and with an open mind.

Even if Global Warming is a hoax, many of the measures to combat global Warming will greatly benefit everyone and conserve our resources for future use. Most of these measures taken to stop Global Warming also have major health benefits. Anytime polutants are reduced it is a benefit.

Most of the measures do cost money initially, but usually end up paying for themselves many times over.
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An example of cost/benefit (connected to Global Warming):
More energy efficient and cleaner running automobiles:
Canada and the U.S.A passed legistation:
banning the use of lead in gasoline
For emmission controls for the reduction of Carbon monoxide, Nitrous Oxide, etc
The removal of lead from gasoline has reduced the number of lead poisoning related illnesses contracted by people who have to work around gasoline and gasoline engine exhaust.
These measures have greatly improved the air quality of large urban areas.
Workers are able to work longer and healthier - much less sick time/leave.
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The cost/benefit is not always immediately obvious.
An Extreme example of cost/benefit (not connected to Global Warming):
Asbestos mining:
Workers involved in the mining of asbestos mining and their families in third world countries usually do not live past 35 years of age. There are no safety regulations in place to protect the workers and prevent the spread of asbestos dust into the surround area. Most of the homes downwind of the mies are covered in a layer of asbestos dust. This severely affects everyone else who is not a part of the mining process.

Many of the people contract asbestosis.

There is a huge waste and abuse of human life in these areas.

Cleaning up there act would have the following affect and more.

The cost/benefit is the workers would be healthier, work longer, less training expenses (always having to train new employees on mining procedures).

Families and communities near mines would be healthier and more willing to support the mining companies.
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In Canada and the U.S.A., there are strict regulations to control the conditions of the mining operations. Workers are supplied with proper protective equipment.

It still is not perfect; but workers and their families do live to 70+ in many cases and have a less chance of contract asbestosis.

Good Luck

Answer 8

Exactly how are the U.S. and a handful of other countries going to "stop" global warming? By having 20% of the populations using CFL bulbs, driving hybrid cars, and worrying about how to dispose of AA batteries? What about Russia, China, and India? This nothing more than typical liberal baloney, a "cause" to latch onto. This stuff is less than a drop in the bucket as far as "stopping" man-made global warming.....IF it is occurring. But it a good way to further the liberal lifestyle agenda.

Answer 9

historically... global warming has taken place without any input from humanity.

Using words like "historically" is something the "chicken little" crowd should avoid, it might make people think about the past..

And to answer your question.. there is NOTHING we can do to stop global warming, it would require the ability to control the energy output of the sun... and we can't do that.

Answer 10

It's already too late. Algore has been telling us for the last 30 years that we only have 10 years left to deal with global warming before it's too late to do anything to correct it.

WE'RE DOOMED, DOOMED I SAY!!!