Personally i think there's a problem, not that i'm a tree hugger or anything... but I hear people all of the time saying that it's all bulls**t . Especially during winter... where I live, last winter we had about two weeks of actual winter, (snow on the ground) the rest was slush season, but these people are cold so they think there is no problem.. even though it's only -15 celcius, 40 years ago it was -28 celcius (on coldest of days) in my area.
OR...
is it just a phase, part of a cycle that the earth goes through every century or so...
what triggered this question, is that i was talking to a customer at my business the other day, and he said that although we put so uch **** in the air, mankind only contributes to 5% of the carbon dioxide in the air... I don't know if this is true... but the guy seemed fairly educated, which makes it sound like part of a cycle...
Just interested in others' ideas, or if anyone gives a crap...
2007-08-18 06:48:54 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment ➔ Global Warming
It's actually more like 3%
There's no doubt in any informed person's mind that global warming is real and that it's happening.
The only thing in question whether or not the contribution that humans are making is significant.
We might be speeding it up a teeny bit sure, but even if we all stopped producing greenhouse gasses and we passed all sorts of laws that ruin buiseness slow the progress of technology, and strip us of money and comforts, it certainly wouldnt prevent global warming.
The earth has a shifting climate, it always has... the cycle thing you heard is 100% true.
And most of the people advocating "live green" and ish like that are politicians, because it sounds nice to say you care about the environment and people like to hear that your doing something to help the world. It's 90% politics, 10% truth
2007-08-18 07:28:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Global warming is a fact of life for the near future. What is the near future,, no one really knows..Scientists are making a lot of guesstimates. Several things will work against it. The abundance of carbon dioxide and warmer temperatures will stimulate the growth of plant life which lowers temperatures, and which thrives on warmth and carbon dioxide, and converts it back to plant food and oxygen. Also there once was an astronomical theory that the earth's axis engages in percession. This looks like a top when it slows down and gravity is about to make it stop. The theory said that one cycle of precession takes about 20,000 years. I have not heard of this theory lately. Is anyone familiar with it?
The problem for mankind is, can he adapt to the change which is mostly uncontrolable?
2007-08-18 09:57:58 · answer #2 · answered by Bibs 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes and No. I do believe that we as humans produce an effect on the temperature rise and fall, however the basis that scientists have drawn their conclusions is far too unstable to draw an accurate assessment on what is really happening. They pose the threat of a "new ice age" or a "Global meltdown." the plain and simple fact of the matter is that there was an ORIGINAL Ice Age, and according to scientists and overall general concensus, that wasn't caused by humans. And unless Wooly Mammoths and Saber toothed Tigers drove around hummers too there was a rational outside explanation that has less to do with "skyrocketed" CO2 levels and hydrocarbons in the air.
Look into Antarctic boring samples to show heating and cooling trends and i think you'll be interested in what you find.
I don't think you need to stop driving your car but honestly you don't need the hummer, unless you need to get laid... which means you have issues that need to be adressed in your personal life, you need to stop worrying about the word and take care of yourself first.
2007-08-18 11:27:19 · answer #3 · answered by cnalv83 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a small percentage put out by humans. The problem is that there is a natural balance. The CO2 that we release has taken millions of years to build up as fossil fuels. Since preindustrial years the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by 37%. Think of it as an equlibrium. Once we change the components a new equlibrium has to be found. There are also contributing factor. As the temperature rises and ice melts the amount of solar radiation that is reflected back in to space is reduced, and the amount that is absorbed increases. There are many contributing factors. When they take over the development we've reached what is known as a tipping point.
Volcano comparison:
"Comparison of CO2 emissions from volcanoes vs. human activities.
Scientists have calculated that volcanoes emit between about 130-230 million tonnes (145-255 million tons) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (Gerlach, 1999, 1991). This estimate includes both subaerial and submarine volcanoes, about in equal amounts. Emissions of CO2 by human activities, including fossil fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring, amount to about 27 billion tonnes per year (30 billion tons) [ ( Marland, et al., 2006) - The reference gives the amount of released carbon (C), rather than CO2, through 2003.]. Human activities release more than 130 times the amount of CO2 emitted by volcanoes--the equivalent of more than 8,000 additional volcanoes like Kilauea."
2007-08-18 08:23:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anders 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Last year I attended Capital University and I had this class where we talked about global warming, actually there were 2 classes. lol... anywho, we talked about how global warming was a problem now and then... Back then you can look for yourself, we are experiencing things that happened years ago... History repeats itself...
Although I believe that we could help to slow down the process by doing this differently, I also believe that we can not stop what is happening today... As I said earlier I believe that history repeats itself... Look at the war... although we are not in war with the exact same countries there are some similarities between this war and past wars...
2007-08-18 07:20:50 · answer #5 · answered by always wonderin 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Global warming is real, not nearly as disputed as people think. I know an atmospheric physicist who has taken time off from work to write a book with his wife because there's not a whole lot for him to do in research--most of the results are already in an undisputed by the general scientific community. There are just some people who'd rather not believe.
2007-08-18 08:07:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
don't confuse global warming with the futile efforts of man to try and change it. It has always warmed and cooled. The pride we are trying to muster that says we can change these events is what you can set aside for the "educated" ones to do. Just ask them to try and stay out of your way while you do something productive, like run your business.
2007-08-18 07:40:57 · answer #7 · answered by John M 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sure, It happens all the time. Long before mankind walked this earth...
http://www.stuffintheair.com/global-warming-carbon-dioxide.html
...and long afterwards too.
2007-08-21 04:02:43 · answer #8 · answered by Radiosonde 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We, as humans, certainly contribute more CO2 than we need to, but, yeah, not as much as a volcano.
Overall, it just makes sense to live conservatively. There are not enough resources for everyone to live "the american dream."
When we have unenlightened leadership we will be led to an unenlightened place. And we'll certainly feel stoopid when we ruin the only place we have to live.
2007-08-18 07:01:10 · answer #9 · answered by Luxifer 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I believe in a God, and have no use for the religion of Global Warming.
2007-08-18 13:04:17 · answer #10 · answered by crknapp79 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋