global warming and abrupt climatic change...

[SCO]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

It is unfortunate that this of all issues is politicized because people come down on conservative vs liberal sides typically. What's the truth. I believe in science and scientists and they are not basing their opinions on ideology, the spin happens further down the chain. If CFC's are migrating to the poles and catalyzing the breakdown of O3, then lets deal with the problem. If the ozone hole has always been there then no problem. I don't have enough info to know the truth, but think we need to listen carefully to those that do...not people like Gore, BStreisand, Rush etc.. And I like listening to Rush and am also conservative. I do know that humanity affects habitat, game and fish populations because I have seen it change in my lifetime. I hate seeing the wildest places being encroached upon, and yearn to find wilderness as it once was. That is getting harder to do because every local yocal wants a new shopping center or housing addition or dream house on a hilltop. THere have to be limits, and without them we trade quality of life in the longrun. Alaska was once considered an icebox. Now, because the cold prevented full exploitation, it is our best example of the way things used to be.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Since when did mankind not belong to nature?<br /><br />If men are part of mother nature, and burn fossil fuels that cause global warming, how is that "unnatural"?<br /><br />Same thing happens when an animal becomes extint. Man is part of nature, man kills all animals to extinction, thefore, it is a natural process.<br /><br /><br />In regards to what is causing global warming, it is arrogant for humans to consider themselves powerful enought that we could influence the climate.<br /><br />Some people forget there is an easy way to take care of CO2... PLANT A TREE!

 

[SCO]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

I think were part of nature too, but for a million plus years the winning trait was exploitation. We can now do that with unprecedented efficiency. Has to give you pause. We've come a long way technologically speaking since the stone age. Should the worlds population double? It has since I've been here I think. How much more can it stand?

 

[blacktie]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

it can stand all that we can give it and more. this will sound like american indian philosophy...but....the earth does not belong to us, we belong to it...we cannot control the earth, it controls us (and shake us off like the fleas off of the back of a dog if she wishes.)<br /><br />Like any other population of a species, if we exhaust the earth of resources we need, it is we who will be extinct...but the earth will still be here, and continue to go on.

 

[SCO]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Agreed blacktie. The Roach will survive. Let me edit : How much more can it stand before she shakes us off like the fleas off of the back of a dog .

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

George Carlin once said "Heck with saving the Earth, Save the people! The Earth will still be here after everyone is gone" (at least something to that effect). Even a stoney had that figured out years ago!

 

[SCO]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Had she not shookoff the dinos, we wouldn't be chatting about it. Heck, we ought to be worried about comets and asteroids.

 

[GradyBob]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Hi Guys:<br /><br />Global warming - I read an article in the August issue of Smithsonian where a tiny island nation of Tuvalu is slowly being washed away supposedly due to sea level rise as a result of global warming. The government there is suing the US and Australia because we create more CO2 from our lifestyles than any other country and ergo, it is our fault that they are loosing land to the sea.<br /><br />The author of the article blamed SUV drivers and everyone else but her own actions for the state of planet. <br /><br />I am pasting my letter to the editor of Smithsonian in response to the article. FWIW - my background is in biology and environmental planning and resource management.<br /><br />Good Morning:<br />I just finished reading this article by Ms. Allen and it is well written and thought out. However, I take issue with the world blaming America for its problems. I drive 2 SUVs, A Toyota Sequoia and Highlander. The Sequoia is rated by the EPA as a low emissions vehicle and the Highlander is an ultra-low emissions vehicle. I recently repowered my boat with a Yamaha 4 stroke outboard that meets EPA emissions for 2008. My vehicles and boat produce far less emissions than vehicles did ten years ago. I am tired of the media demonizing the SUV.<br /><br />While Americans are driving more miles every year, we are also developing technologies to reduce emissions annually. If global warming is occurring as some scientist speculate by increasing amounts of CO2, then why aren’t the UN and all the countries that are blaming the US for emissions looking at their own forest and land management practices. The world’s biggest sinks for carbon are the tropical forests and phytoplankton in the oceans. Why doesn’t the government of Tuvalu sue Brazil and other tropical countries for cutting huge tracts of rain forest and thus contributing to global warming. While we may produce some of the CO2, the rest of the world is destroying the forests which consumes it. Many of the countries still practice slash and burn which in turns releases the trapped CO2 of the plants wood fibers back into the atmosphere. The environmental left in this country tends to leave this part of the problem out of the equation so they can blame America. At some point in the future America will have a hydrogen based economy and the world will then blame us for producing too much water and contributing to sea level rise. We are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.

 

[TELMANMN]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Lock yourself in a garage with your vehichles and lets see what happens?<br /> The U.S. is still a big part of the problem but China, India and the developing world will soon overwhelm this poor Earth. How many things do you see made in the USA? With the outsourcing of jobs and the poor wages of the rest of the world with no regard to the environment we are in a world of hurt.<br /> Do they care if water is polluted, the air is foul and people die. Not likely. They want the good life as we have had. <br /> I say if nothing is done we are going the way of the dinosaur's.<br /> By the way, make sure you vote for Kerry as the way the new electonic voting machines are set up it is the only way to know that it was rigged. Check on the internet any listing of electronic voting. <br /> Make sure on your last gasp you remember you were told so!

 

[crab bait]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

were all about done.. <br /><br />mankind was put on earth the invent ,produce, an perfect plastic.. <br /><br />since we accomplished that.. our time on earth is soon over..

 

[PW2]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

I liked your letter, Grady Bob, up till the point where you started suggesting blaming everyone except us for this problem.<br /><br />You are correct in one sense, that the depletion of the tropical rainforests is certainly not helping the problem.<br /><br />We are way beyond who to blame regarding this situation. If it ever was a useful enterprise, it no longer is. What we need is a global solution--which includes trying to reduce greenhouse gasses at their source, and improving the planets ability to handle them--ie managing and restoring the rainforests, etc.<br /><br />Which is of course why we needed Kyoto, or something similar. No country can affect a solution alone, we need to work together.<br /><br />Was Kyoto perfect? I am not an expert on it, but I suspect it wasn't. Will this be easy? Of course not. But it sure would be better to have a dialogue on it than to just destroy it.<br /><br />And you folks that think that humans by their actions do not affect the environment simply have not been paying attention--and we can help undo some of the damage--as we have done time and time again.<br /><br />It is worth the effort.

 

[GradyBob]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

Telmann -<br />People in Florida were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning due to running gas generators in their garage during and after Hurricane Charley. The people were in their homes when they succombed to the fumes while the generator ran in the garage. I am no idiot about the lethal emission from my cars or boat for that matter- even if they are low EV. I never said zero emissions. <br /><br />You are dead right about 3rd world developing countries and their environmental policies. I am not blind to the pollution our nation emmits either. However, we do have some of the most stringent air pollution laws in the world. We are doing stuff to reduce emissions and change things. For instance, in Florida, Florida Power and Light is repowering many of its oil fired plants with cleaner and more efficient NG power plants. We are leading the world in finding solutions to greenhouse gasses and the way we refine our fuels. <br /><br />Why do you think Yamaha, Mercury and others are producing cleaner burning outboard motors? It is not because of the EU or China or any other country is demanding them. It is because the EPA and CARB are demanding it and the American consumer is demanding it.<br /><br /> I am not one to blame America for all the world's problems. I do what I can as a consumer to buy low emission products. My Johnson was a polluter and I switched to a more fuel efficient and cleaner burning outboard motor. If I could pull my boat with a Honda Civic, I would do it, but I can't. <br /><br />I can't change what China does or does not do in terms the environment, I can change how I use resources, the types of vehicles I buy and what not. Granted my SUV does consumer more fuel than a Civic, but it is still years ahead of a SUV my dad had in the early 80s in terms of emissions and fuel economy. <br /><br />John Kerry owns a SUV or two, well maybe he doesn't, but his family does. I bet Thersa owns a yacth and airplane to boot and big energy waisting mansions. Wow, they pollute a lot.<br /><br />Dinosaurs were wiped out by global cooling, not global warming-lol.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

I have a question for you Plywoody. Does the trees that grow today have bigger growth rings than trees 100 years ago?<br /><br />Reason I ask is I have seen old growth trees that have thin growth rings in its early years. Then the growth rings for the last 30 to 40 years tend to get thicker. Could this be a result of CO2?<br /><br />If this is true, that tells me that maybe the excess CO2 is actually good for growing more trees and crops? Is this why crop yields are higher now than they were 25 years ago?<br /><br />Just curious on your point of view. Thanks..

 

[crab bait]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

rainforest shmenforest .. just like those big smelly whales..<br /><br />who needs em..<br /><br />if'n i want to see a whale or a rainforest for that matter ,, i got a tv, vcr, an dvd..<br /><br />i'll rent a rainforest tape..

 

[blacktie]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

LOL...a "rainforest tape"...<br /><br />"John Kerry owns a SUV or two, well maybe he doesn't, but his family does. I bet Thersa owns a yacth and airplane to boot and big energy waisting mansions. Wow, they pollute a lot."<br /><br />I don't know about his cars, but his yacht get 0.68 miles per gallon. (true)

 

[Rudderman]

Re: global warming and abrupt climatic change...

After watching the news on tv about flash floods in some parts of the UK and Ireland over the past year or two, its pretty clear to me that over here our weather is getting wetter but warmer all year round (specially in the winter)<br />I really think that it should be taken more seriously, not for our sakes, but for the people who live in affected countries who can't afford to defend themselves against rising waters and freak weather events.<br />Funnily enough, Ireland has just got a slap on the wrists from the EU because our emissions of methane are too high due to all the agriculture.