[snickothemule]

Seems to be one of the hot topics of this century is global warming or climate change and for many it has resulted in the debate that we are the cause of this global heat up thanks to greenhouse gases, pollution and many other factors that we as humans are subjecting the globe thanks to the revolution in mass production courtesy of the 20th century.

But are we the ones to blame? Surely there are many other factors to consider, such as the sun, the giver of life and light for our planet often creates solar winds and fluctuates in heat, and some scientists have been able to predict weather phenomena by studying the suns activity and have come up with solid models for predicting weather patterns and for the most part they are correct in their assumptions. These scientists also believe that the suns effect on the oceans are a major contributor to the climate change.

A few interesting reads below:

Sun Blamed for Warming of Earth and Other Worlds | LiveScience
Recent Ocean Heat and MLO CO2 Trends « Watts Up With That?

I personally fall into the category that the sun is a major contributor to global warmth, and that we as humans are not the sole reason for climate change.

So what do you all think about our place in the world in causing global warming. Are we to blame? Or are there other factors as well?

 

[Gossamer]

Carbon Dioxide increases and adds to the many other greenhouse-gases that keep the sun's heat and radiation inside the Earth's atmosphere longer leading to higher temperatures.

No matter what the cause; it's normally this reason.
If an elephant in Africa farts; it gets .00000000001 degree hotter.

The same goes for driving and burning gas, breathing, smoking, refining oil as well as a few other problems.

QUIT BREATHING; IT'S CARBON DIOXIDE, WE'LL ALL BURN!

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

Its a natural cycle that occurs as the temperature increases the ice at the polar caps melt and release gasses which help bring the temperature back down, thus refreezing and resetting the entire process.

Sucks to be a beach front owner though.

 

[Hatorijr]

finally someone who is not an idiot to the problem. as was just stated, its a natural process for the planet, this has been going on long before now and it will go on long after, there is not much of anything that will prevent it contrary to what others may say.

AND from what i just read recently, the stats related to the polar ice caps melting more than they had in the past so many years is actually wrong and they stated it has actually been expanding instead of melting.

people need to just shut up about it already cause its actually just annoying if you ask me. some of those scientists are just making a big deal out of it because if they do not, than they will just be out of a job and god forbid that, they have to scare the life out of people just to make a quick buck, can anyone else see the problem with that picture?

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

It also doesn't mean the Coral reef's will be dead permanently. since as its happened before, and the reefs still here....

Stopping the slaughter of whales is more important then global warming imo, since removing them will **** up a good portion of the food chain.

 

[Hatorijr]

yea you have a good point there. but trying to stop that from happening wont be so easy, you might be able to stop some killing of the whales but i doubt it could ever completely be stopped, but i guess people can try. better to try stopping whales from being killed than to chase some fantasy about global warming.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

I'm sure they'd stop if we threatened to nuke their asses again.

It wouldn't be an idle threat either.

 

[Hatorijr]

you might just have something going there, but than again, they may not care :heh:

 

[D.D.]

I'm no actually sure I have a stance on this debate as I certainly don't have enough information to form a good opinion on the matter.

That said, I do believe its good for the human race to aim for decreasing our undesirable impact on the environment, such as the abuse of natural resources and the production of excess waste.

In some ways, I tend to lean towards the principle of the ends justifying the means. I feel that if the fear mongering driven by people pushing the idea of 'global warming', etc. leads to people finally taking a note of the idea of a more sustainable future, then I believe that is an 'evil' that I personally don't find hard to justify.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

when it increases prices on service such as water, electricity, gas.. etc to cover the cost of these changes then its not worth it.


.....Fusion power k thnx.......

 

[aerith099]

Anyone notice how a bag of corn chips costs $4 these days, compared to $2.50 a couple years ago? I wonder if federal subsidies to corn farmers for ethanol production has anything to do with that... (Aerith whispers "yes...").

In a beautiful example of how the federal government can't tell its ass from a hole in the ground, let alone formulate a good policy for spending billions of taxpayer dollars, ethanol turned out to be MORE environmentally harmful to produce than gasoline. More 'spensive too (although your cheap ethanol fuel is being subsidized by regular gas consumers like me... you hip urban wankers).

 

[snickothemule]

I saw an interesting report last night, that Antarctica is shrinking on one side a small bit, but is growing exponentially on the opposing side. Something to do with the ozone layer effecting the freezing nature of the continent.

Here we go:

Increasing Antarctic sea ice extent linked to the ozone hole - Digital Journal: Your News Network

 

[cottonvibes]

our Earth is recovering from one of it's Ice Ages.
there have been several other Ice ages earth has been through.

massive changes in the earth really seem to be a cycle, and not something humans cause. (maybe they can influence it though)

 

[Ahielia]

massive changes in the earth really seem to be a cycle, and not something humans cause. (maybe they can influence it though)

This.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

our Earth is recovering from one of it's Ice Ages.
there have been several other Ice ages earth has been through.

massive changes in the earth really seem to be a cycle, and not something humans cause. (maybe they can influence it though)

Its normal for there to be some ice on the polar caps though, the melting should in theory.... restore the reflecting layers in the ozone....

 

[Demi Fiend]

There's one thing that bothers me in all this.

This time the planet is overcrowded by human buildings etc, etc. Imagine the lot of human garbage that will be produced in case of a major natural catastrophe, like a huge flood, for example.

Where all the garbage will go to ?? The planet will become an open sewer, that's for sure.

 

[Squall-Leonhart]

well, its impossible for water to just appear from nowhere and flood the world. that goes for rain. it can only rain as much as there is water currently in the world.

 

[spotanjo3]

Come on! We are to blame, yes!

Guess what ? People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide that the climate would go back to normal in 100 years or 200 years?? No!!!! From what I read.. It's essentially an irreversible change that will last for more than a thousand years.

Are you ready for long droughts and rising seas? Maybe.. Maybe not. While some environmentalists are worried about the extinction of polar bears and emperor penguins, or the dying oceans, I'm thinking about human extinction. As usual, the poor will be hit the hardest.

Poor Al Gore keeps trying to wake us up... Al Gore, don't waste your time! Some people will not wake up... Not at all!

 

[Demi Fiend]

well, its impossible for water to just appear from nowhere and flood the world. that goes for rain. it can only rain as much as there is water currently in the world.

The ocean could do that with a few tsunamis

 

[Xblade]

Assuming the water stays suspended in some separate dimension hovering around the land.

Not very probable.....0_0