46 replies to this topic

[Hipshot]

I'm still convinced that major climate change is going to happen regardless of what we try to do to stop it.  And that, although the animal and vegetable kingdom will recover in time, as has undoubtedly happened in the past, individual species may not survive the process.  I don't have any great confidence that human civilisation will survive, even though humanity as a race may well do.  Mind you, I'm not talking about next year or even next century.  Not sure how long it'll take, but eventually.....

There are a couple of other factors, too. As the earth's temperature rises, increased melting from the polar ice caps deflects warm-water gyral currents, causing temperature reductions. This appears to have occurred in the northeastern part of the US, with the Gulf Stream, as we've had a couple of relatively cool, snowy winters. (Either that, or with the Red Sox beating the Yankees in the playoffs, Hell must've frozen over. :dltears:) Also, the increased evaporation from the warmer weather will create more of a cloud cover, shielding the earth's surface from the sun's rays, also causing cooling. This might be at least part of the explanation as to why our temperatures oscillate from season to season.

Rick


Less crazy after all these years

[Tolly]

To be honest (as George carlin put it), one day ol' mother earth is going to shake us off like a bad case of fleas, turn off the lights(ice age) for a few millenia and simply start over.....

This will most like not occur for several thousand years yet so there is no point to us worrying about global warming.....

Kyoto was bad for us but worse for the rest of the world. I fail to understand how India and China could be classified as "developing" and exempted from the treaty when they both stock nuclear arms. Seems to me if you know how to build nukes and are stupid enough to actually build and stockpile them, then you have "developed" quite enough. Even if the US population was to reduce it emissions by 75%, exactly how much of a change will that effect on the world, when we represent about 3% of the global population?

Personally, I agree with the idea to reduce our usage of fossil fuels. The increased likelihood of asthma and allergies in our children is reason enough.

We must take steps to increase the use of renewable energy sources. Steps that make this energy source economical and relatively pain free o use.