Global warming

[Randi]

There are undoubtedly scientists who don’t agree about global warming, and while some would call global warming a theory, others would call it a proven set of facts. Opinions differ vehemently.

It’s true that the earth is cooling down if we count millions of years, but I do believe people who say that at the moment we are in a warming period! Whether it’s entirely human activity that are causing it, I’m not sure. The environment of the world as we know it is slowly, but very surely increasing in overall air and water temperature, and a promise that if whatever is causing this is not interrupted or challenged, life on earth will dynamically be affected.

The prevailing counter opinion is that all that is presently perceived to be global warming is simply the result of a normal climactic swing in the direction of increased temperature. Most proponents of this global warming ideology have definitive social and financial interests in these claims!

I assume that the conflicting facts between scientists has to do with how they define the period they refer to.

On the web there are countless articles about global warming, but it’s just too time consuming to keep up with who says what. I’ve seen some programmes about global warming on National Geographic, and I believe they are trustworthy.


The U.S. Global Change Research Program says:

Observations show that warming of the climate is unequivocal. The global warming observed over the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases. These emissions come mainly from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), with important contributions from the clearing of forests, agricultural practices, and other activities.

The report, which is about the effects that climate change is having in the United States, also says:

Climate-related changes have already been observed globally and in the United States. These include increases in air and water temperatures, reduced frost days, increased frequency and intensity of heavy downpours, a rise in sea level, and reduced snow cover, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. A longer ice-free period on lakes and rivers, lengthening of the growing season, and increased water vapor in the atmosphere have also been observed. Over the past 30 years, temperatures have risen faster in winter than in any other season, with average winter temperatures in the Midwest and northern Great Plains increasing more than 7°F. Some of the changes have been faster than previous assessments had suggested.

[smokey the elder]

The real question about climate change is: is it anthropogenic? We know, for example, of a cause-and-effect relationship between CFCs and the ozone hole: when CFC emissions dropped, the ozone hole got smaller. The whole CO2 debate is a lot tougher; in my opinion it's a good idea to reduce pollution of all types just to make life easier for all who live on Earth.

There is some evidence of rapid (decades-scale) climate change in the past. Some suspects have been: solar cycles (the Sun is a variable star); volcanic activity (the Year without a Summer in the early 1800s); and even asteroid impacts!

Both sides of the debate have an axe to grind. The oil companies want to continue to explore for, drill for and sell oil. The solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen, etc. sides want funding (Federal or otherwise) to fund their research.

People want to improve their standard of living; this is natural. Heinlein said it best: There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. This TANSTAAFL principle must be kept in mind; everything we do takes resources, energy and has an impact on the planet.

[Willow Oak]

There are undoubtedly scientists who don’t agree about global warming, and while some would call global warming a theory, others would call it a proven set of facts. Opinions differ vehemently.

It’s true that the earth is cooling down if we count millions of years, but I do believe people who say that at the moment we are in a warming period!

Well, how would you go about discounting "millions (billions, actually) or years?"

I agree and believe that we are in a warming period. It is probably, equally true that this warming period is being adversely affected by mankind; however, no amount of heeding of the facts will change the immutable fact that the earth will eventually lose all of its heat, its molten inner core will eventually cool down, and sometime in the far distant future will become a solid, frozen rock, totally devoid of life.

__________________

[kokopup]

By Willow oak
Well, how would you go about discounting "millions (billions, actually) or years?"

I agree and believe that we are in a warming period. It is probably, equally true that this warming period is being adversely affected by mankind; however, no amount of heeding of the facts will change the immutable fact that the earth will eventually lose all of its heat, its molten inner core will eventually cool down, and sometime in the far distant future will become a solid, frozen rock, totally devoid of life.

There is no doubt the earths core is cooling and in a million or so years will be a solid frozen chunk. I'm not really going to worry about this event. i am concerned about the warming that is happening right now that is thawing mountain tops, melting Glaciers, and changing ocean currents. This will bring about an early end to life as we know it. Until we change how we treat our environment this trend will continue to accelerate. I have seen major changes in my lifetime, I am 69 years old not .69 million years old. We can try to justify what is happening with a lot of technobabble, the fact remains the problem is here now and it is real.

[smokey the elder]

I think it will take a lot longer than a million years for the Earth's core to freeze. There's a pretty big insulating layer around it!

[kokopup]

Smokey the elder
I think it will take a lot longer than a million years for the Earth's core to freeze. There's a pretty big insulating layer around it!

Whether it is a million, 10 million , or 100 million will not matter because man
would have been gone for a while before this happens. Our decades are numbered.

[Cinder & Smoke]

There is no doubt the earths core is cooling and in a million or so years
will be a solid frozen chunk. I'm not really going to worry about this event.

I am concerned about the warming that is happening right now
that is thawing mountain tops, melting Glaciers, and changing ocean currents.

This [near-term warming] will bring about an early end to life as we know it.

Until we change how we treat our environment this trend will continue to accelerate.

I have seen major changes in my lifetime, ...

We can try to justify what is happening with a lot of technobabble,
the fact remains the problem is here now and it is real.

Well said!!

Now, WHY is that so hard for so many to understand?

[blue]

Does post #39 give me license to use The Onion as a "news" source?