If it was proven to you conclusively that global warming is man made, what would you suggest we do?

Question

I understand that some people dont believe there is global warming, and I understand that some people believe climate change is happening but man has nothing to do with that. I respect your opinions. So please respect my question. My question is to learn about how your mind thinks in this area. My question is ...(pay attention please)...assuming you were convinced that in fact global warming exists, and is caused by man....(notice I said assuming you were convinced), if you were convinced, then as a responsible earthling, what would you recommend we do as a country if you were in a position of political leadership.

The purpose here is to hopefully stimulate good ideas and good discussion.

Answer 1

I would drive my Hummer off an 8,000 foot cliff and show my complete pentance and then i would get in my pickup and drive it , oh wait i would not be able to............

Answer 2

I would first have to point out that it is not man made, it's not like the planet sat unchanged for 4.3 billion years before our ancestors showed up. The planet always goes through heating and cooling phases, right now we are in a warming phase. Now, that is not to say we have not done our part to increase this rate of heating but we are not the cause. I would suggest trying to find a way to clone phytoplankton and clean up the oceans. In that step we would do a lot to help the planet clean itself, we could also set pollution credits for each notion. This would limit the amount of CO2 and CFC's that could be released and impose heavy fines for violating those rules.
Please though, remove the man made part because all you do is leave an opening for people to dismiss global warming altogether. People on the right will simply say that it's not man made and for most Americans that will end the debate... because obviously it has to be caused or not caused by us. If it's just something we influence it doesn't exist.

Answer 3

There's no question that switching to a hydrogen economy is critical. Much of the CO2 emitted is due to cars. If we can get new cars to switch to fuel cells economically, and convert all the current gas stations to carry hydrogen (or natural gas to convert to hydrogen), we'll significantly reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.

Not to mention, a hydrogen economy would reduce our need for crude oil from the Middle East. There wouldn't be as much of a need to be there politically. It's a win-win.

Renewable energy sources are critical to produce electricity: such as solar, nuclear, and wind. We need to really move toward these technologies. A cap-and-trade program would create an economic motivation to push toward these technologies, as well

The last 20 years, a newer technology has been developed, called the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) process. It's a novel process to gasify coal to generate electricity. IGCC plants significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and are being installed across the country.

Answer 4

Depends what you mean by responsible? Responsible in the long-term saving the planet sense, or responsible in the saving jobs and livelihoods in the short term. If the former then immediately shut down all factories cars etc that emit greenhouse gasses - and that includes power stations.

Of course that would mean we would be thrown back into the dark ages and hundreds of millions of people would lose their jobs. If I were to try to reach a compramise then it would be to say any car that does less than a certain amount of MPG must be scrapped immediately and all petrol cars must be scrapped within 5 years. All coal power stations must be immediately put out of use (where at all practical) and gas ones within 5 years. Air travel will receive a thousand percent tax increase - and so on and so forth. Even then it would probably not be enough to save the planet and would certainly be enough to cause havoc around the world.

I think essentially there is no way we're going to win this one. Either millions of people lose their livelihood or millions of people lose their lives.

Answer 5

Concentrate on ( in order of urgency) :

1..........Lowering our energy consumption

2.........Ask China to stop opening 2 new coal fired power stations a week (100 a year) and go back to a part agricultural economy until we sort the problem out.Give them massive subsidies from the west to pay for this.Explain to our people that we in the west need to accept a dramatic drop in living standards to pay China and other countries for this gesture.

3......Same plan to India and the rest of the world.

4.... Make dramatic long term population reductions, perhaps from the present 6.7 billion to about 2 billion

Answer 6

If it were caused by man then why are the other planets warming? If it was caused by man we should get a great big cork and shove it in Algores mouth to stem the flow of all the hot air.

Answer 7

By starting this question with the word "if", you are admitting that it cannot be proved that global warming is man made, so this is purely hypothetical and not based in reality, so I'll give you a purely fictional answer.
I would make everyone around me stop breathing because breathing makes CO2. Then it would all be better...

Answer 8

Assuming I was convinced and I am not.
You would have to convince countries like China to stop developing their industrial economies. You would have to convince places like Africa to stop dreaming of having an industrial society. You would have to convince Americans and the rest of the developed world to go back to the way we lived 150 years ago. Drive hybrid cars and recycling plastic bottles is not going to cut it.

Having said that I think the whole global warming hysteria is a big scam.

Answer 9

If it were to be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt then everyone should strive to live like Bush does at his ranch in Crawford. We should begin to seriously recycle and clean up our act's. We would also have to insist that corporations do the same as well as other countries. Limit celebrity travel...that would be a great way to start!

Answer 10

Most of the support structure is in place, I would simply tell people to start using it. Recycle, use solar when possible, downsize the SUV, use gray water, turn off the A/c and open the doors.........I could go on and on, but I have to find the first guys Hummer and roll it off a cliff!!!

Answer 11

In my book, the most logical first step would be to make it a felony to fly in private jets. Then tax the living hell out of any vehicle that gets less than 20 MPG, the use that tax revenue to develop a scientific solution.

That's all going with your initial assumption.