Global Warming...?

Question

Is global warming as bad as some scientists say it is, or is it just being blown out of proportion for a political role?

Now, I know pollution produced by cars, factories, and oil is bad, that's a given. But, what if this supposed global warming is just a natural cycle? Something like the Ice Age maybe?

Also, some of the methods designed to deal with global warming seem far fetched. I understand things like reducing fuel emissions, but stuff like reducing animal respiration, stop eating exotic food like bananas and pineapples, and now divorce?

Yes, it has been suggested to stop eating exotic foods such as bananas, since it takes oil to run the ships to bring them to other countries.

I just wanted some info. Thanks.

Answer 1

Exactly!!! WE are coming out of an ice age.
A little research into modern-day temperature trends bears this out. For example, in 1936 the Midwest of the United States experienced 49 consecutive days of temperatures over 90 degrees. There were another 49 consecutive days in 1955. But in 1992 there was only one day over 90 degrees and in 1997 only 5 days. (from the source listed) The temperature is supposed to be rising

Answer 2

Here is truth about global warming:

Global warming is one-half of the climatic cycle of warming and cooling.
The earth's mean temperature cycles around the freezing point of water.
This is a completely natural phenomenon which has been going on since there has been water on this planet. It is driven by the sun.
Our planet is currently emerging from a 'mini ice age', so is
becoming warmer and may return to the point at which Greenland is again usable as farmland (as it has been in recorded history).
As the polar ice caps decrease, the amount of fresh water mixing with oceanic water will slow and perhaps stop the thermohaline cycle (the oceanic heat 'conveyor' which, among other things, keeps the U.S. east coast warm).
When this cycle slows/stops, the planet will cool again and begin to enter another ice age.

It's been happening for millions of years.

The worrisome and brutal predictions of drastic climate effects are based on computer models, NOT CLIMATE HISTORY.
As you probably know, computer models are not the most reliable of sources, especially when used to 'predict' chaotic systems such as weather.

Global warming/cooling, AKA 'climate change':
Humans did not cause it.
Humans cannot stop it.

Answer 3

The topic of global warming is defiantly well debated, and people will bring in "professionals" on both sides of the field to explain the facts and fictions to tell us what we should and shouldn't do.

The main question is; Is Earth experiencing global warming, the simply answer to this is yes.

The next question is; is it caused by humans? This is the real debate. Sure, humans have helped to increase the rate at which the planet is warming, but by the amount that we have increased it seems to be the numbers thrown around. Through my own research, I do not believe humans are contributing a large amount to global warming, in the large scheme of things.

The last question; Is it bad for us? This I say no. A lot of people think that change is a bad thing and that how everything is now, is how it should be, but we live in an ever changing ever adapting system and thus with or without the help of humans earth will continue to change. It always had, and it always will.

The earth environment is adaptive and life will continue to survive on this planet one way or another. I am not in control of this, and neither is anyone else. I think this is more a political hot button than it is a real scientific threat.

I won't throw any statistics at you, for someone else can just throw some other statistics that say the opposite, than there would be the argument of who is right and who is wrong, but again, neither of this matters to me, since I don't think I really need to worry about it.

Edit: Ah for the hell of it, since people are throwing around websites and data heres one of my own.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17568

Answer 4

Global warming is a serious issue, but you really can't do much about it.
National Governments are much too involved with looking out for their own interests. That no matter how much the public & the scientists "rock-the-boat".

Don't worry - be happy. Its only Nature's way of rebalancing the accounts.
A lot of the biblical clalamities will come true because we've neglected our responsibilities to take care of the planet.

The facts are in the news.
The planet isn't really dying, although there are species that are going extinct everyday. There are more droughts threatening more nations as well as crops failing all over the world.
If you want to blame someone, blame our parents and our grandparents for living their carefree lifestyles that created so much waste and pollution in the world today.

The planets ecosystem is already over taxed, the planet is already over populated.
When the sea levels rise, so will the tidal forces. None of the world powers have the assets to defend themselves against the forces of nature.
There will be great calamities, tremendous loss of life and industry.
Well think about it, Commerce is what supports all the worlds ecconomies, right? But the ports that support commerce can not be moved. When the polar ice caps melt (and they are melting as we debate this issue), the sea levels will rise.
ALL the seaports for all the great world powers will be severely affected.

The irony is there is nothing anyone can do to prevent it from happening.

I suspect that judgement day has already past. We can only live with the consequences.

cheers babe!!!

Answer 5

I just want to point this out "Global warming is a serious issue, but you really can't do much about it."
As I have my a copy of An Inconvenient Truth with me. There is one of the thing that Al Gore pointed out as a misconception by many people. We can reduce our carbon emission in many different ways. Change the old incandescent light bulbs to the more energy efficient fluorescent lights bulbs. Here is a fact from the book. If everyone in the U.S. substitute one conventional light bulbs with one fluorescent light bulbs, it is equivalent to removing a million cars off the road. So there is definitely something we can do.
Global warming is definitely a natural cycle but human activities definitely worsen it natural cycle many times.
And think about it, what is the political purpose of blowing global warming out of proportion.
Global Warming/Climate change does exist and human is one of the most major reason why it is happening. If you want some info, read An Inconvenience Truth.

Answer 6

Scientists are saying that we need to do more than politicians are currently willing to do.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgS2qOApqjAAlFJiUIa8Hyfty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071205150514AACzA8B

If it were being blown out of proportion for political reasons, then scientists would be telling us that it's not as bad as the politicians are making it. Since scientists are saying that politicians aren't doing nearly enough, clearly the dangers from global warming are even greater than most people think.

The current warming is not due to a natural cycle. Scientists know all about the Earth's natural cycles, and ruled that possibility out a long time ago.

The suggestion was not to reduce animal respiration, it was to reduce the amount of methane produced by ruminant animals like cows.

The other examples are just common sense. The further your food travels, the more greenhouse gas emissions are associated with it. When people get divorced, they move into seperate homes and thus consume more energy and resources. Nobody is saying we should outlaw divorce, they're just pointing out that more divorce equals more greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer 7

Global warming is worse than is understood. You ave questions about natural cycles because the science has been missing.

Go to this link to see a letter just sent to the Western Governors and Western Provinces that they are missing critical data, we couldn't see it. Go to http://www.thermoguy.com/pdfs/Western_Climate_Initiative_Partners_2007.pdf and follow the links.

Answer 8

You're right. It's a hoax that's grown into a beast with many arms. It became political when it was figured out that if people believe they are causing climate problems they will agree to pay higher taxes as a guilt offering.

It's no longer working though since it just takes a high school science class to understand that junk like Gore's movie is completely full of misinformation and lies as well as gross exaggerations.

We can lower pollution levels and we have been since the 80's, but to feel guilty about something that's out of our control is tantamount to insanity.

Answer 9

Look at the data from the US (still part of the globe as December 2007)

http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs/Fig.D.txt

Plot these numbers in an Excel spreadsheet and ask yourself if it is warming, if it's been warmer before, and if the rate of warming is worse now than in past times.

Then ask yourself what the 'I' is for in IPCC, why is the UN pushing global warming, what gvmt programs are started to fight global warming, the tax dollars they cost, the people that benefit.

You will see the real reason global warming is so important.

Answer 10

It's bad. It might be worse than the IPCC says.

It's not a natural cycle. You need to get into the science and the data to see that.

Two summaries of the data, short and very long.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png
http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html
summarized at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

A second alternative is to listen to the qualified people who have done that.

"I wasn’t convinced by a person or any interest group—it was the data that got me. I was utterly convinced of this connection between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change. And I was convinced that if we didn’t do something about this, we would be in deep trouble.”

Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN (Ret.)
Former NASA Administrator, Shuttle Astronaut

A third is the ever popular one here of deciding based on politics rather than scientific fact.

The crazy ideas for fixing it come mostly from global warming deniers trying to make a very serious thing look ridiculous. This is the actual plan developed by hundreds of scientists and economists, working together. It's sensible and practical:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,481085,00.html
http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM040507.pdf

Really good website (with a lot of data):

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