Denying Global Warming

[Avenio]

ohh.....well as you can see abrupt changes happen and the earth has dealt with them before

No doubt. The Earth isn't going anywhere, no matter what we do. The biosphere's well being and, by extent, ours, isn't nearly as certain. And that's the problem. When previous extinction events of this type killed off 90% of all marine life and 70% of all terrestrial life, the odds aren't spectacular.

[Ravenvalles]

I voted no, because the evidence points to humans contributing to global warming, but they are not the only cause.

anything that expels a green house gas is to blame. Humans, animals etc. Again, I am glad you voted no, but there is further evidence to support the fact that this is just a natural fluctuation in temperature

True, but we are producing more green houses due to our technology than we would through natural bodily function alone. We might be damping or accelerating the natural changes. Worldwide, termites have a greater impact on the environment than human bodily functions do, but that does not mean that out technology has no effect.

As our technology improves we can have less impact if we wish. To me, the more important dilemma is weather we have a right to take measures to affect the natural cycles. Living in the Pacific NW of the U.S. La Niña is good, El Niño is bad. If I lived in the SW U.S. I would feel differently. If man is really capable of stopping the next ice age, should we? The people in Ethiopia may want to see the world cool down a bit. Iceland would not.

[Vazdania]

anything that expels a green house gas is to blame. Humans, animals etc. Again, I am glad you voted no, but there is further evidence to support the fact that this is just a natural fluctuation in temperature

True, but we are producing more green houses due to our technology than we would through natural bodily function alone. We might be damping or accelerating the natural changes. Worldwide, termites have a greater impact on the environment than human bodily functions do, but that does not mean that out technology has no effect.

As our technology improves we can have less impact if we wish. To me, the more important dilemma is weather we have a right to take measures to affect the natural cycles. Living in the Pacific NW of the U.S. La Niña is good, El Niño is bad. If I lived in the SW U.S. I would feel differently. If man is really capable of stopping the next ice age, should we? The people in Ethiopia may want to see the world cool down a bit. Iceland would not.

I would like to see fluctuations....without these thier might be bad things going on...plants need to constantly adapt to the changing temperatures which fuels natural selection

[Ravenvalles]

I would like to see fluctuations....without these thier might be bad things going on...plants need to constantly adapt to the changing temperatures which fuels natural selection

I sometime think we are a bit arrogant to believe the way things are at this time, are the way they should be always. Who are we to say?

[Mushet]

It's not even that relevant to me, whether we are causing the planet to get hotter or not that's not the only environmental consequence we are having, smog filled air is bad, polluted waters are bad, mass extinctions are bad, some of these people use the fact that they don't believe man is causing global warming as a justification for superfluous pollution, we gotta really cut back on this shit regardless

[Maineiacs]

People deny it because they refuse to accept any responsibility for their own actions.

This^^^

[Maineiacs]

It's not even that relevant to me, whether we are causing the planet to get hotter or not that's not the only environmental consequence we are having, smog filled air is bad, polluted waters are bad, mass extinctions are bad, some of these people use the fact that they don't believe man is causing global warming as a justification for superfluous pollution, we gotta really cut back on this shit regardless

Also this. ^^^

[West Failure]

The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland emitted an estimated 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each day. Overall however the eruption caused a 2.8 million tonne reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere. It did this simply because the dust it produced reduced human activity in the form of cancelled flights. How can anyone claim humans have no impact on climate change?

[Republic of Aspergia]

It's not even that relevant to me, whether we are causing the planet to get hotter or not that's not the only environmental consequence we are having, smog filled air is bad, polluted waters are bad, mass extinctions are bad, some of these people use the fact that they don't believe man is causing global warming as a justification for superfluous pollution, we gotta really cut back on this shit regardless

Also this. ^^^

Seconded.

[Nyargaluff]

I think human activity isn't helping any, neither the global warming nor our intended survival as a civilization OR a species.

[Crolacia]

I think humans aren't causing global warming,but just contributing to it in a small percentage ( just 4% of all CO2 in the atmosphere is caused by humans). But yes,I agree that we (humans) must live in solidarity with nature without harming it.

[Mike the Progressive]

Yes, climate change is occurring. But it being man made? That's debatable.

[Ramenasia]

I think humans aren't causing global warming,but just contributing to it in a small percentage ( just 4% of all CO2 in the atmosphere is caused by humans). But yes,I agree that we (humans) must live in solidarity with nature without harming it.

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

[Mike the Progressive]

I think humans aren't causing global warming,but just contributing to it in a small percentage ( just 4% of all CO2 in the atmosphere is caused by humans). But yes,I agree that we (humans) must live in solidarity with nature without harming it.

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

A natural process where the planet has heated before? Let's think about this. If the planet is a green house and there is no way to release that heat, regardless of what we do, it's going to warm up.

[Praetonia]

ohh.....well as you can see abrupt changes happen and the earth has dealt with them before

No doubt. The Earth isn't going anywhere, no matter what we do. The biosphere's well being and, by extent, ours, isn't nearly as certain. And that's the problem. When previous extinction events of this type killed off 90% of all marine life and 70% of all terrestrial life, the odds aren't spectacular.

Don't you think humanity is in even the top 30% of species? That's a low standard. I'd say we are the 1%.

[Vilayet]

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

A natural process where the planet has heated before?

So if this is a natural process, I suppose you have evidence showing that this has happened before?

Let's think about this. If the planet is a green house and there is no way to release that heat, regardless of what we do, it's going to warm up.

How is there no way to release the heat? Slow down the rate at which you pump greenhouse gases into the air and the plants will absorb the excess. Then the planet will cool.

[SaintB]

Thus proving that denial is not just a river in Egypt.

All the emails show is that people are people. No data was jiggered, no results were fabricated. We're pouring tons after ton of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It isn't minor. And anyway, what would be the harm if we cleaned up the environment?

Cow farts are just as greenhouse-emitting as cars.. should we plug the cows' behinds?

but seriously, I think it's overblown by politicians using it for their own benefit, like "an inconvenient truth". It's a problem, but not that serious

This winter it has been about 5-7 degrees F warmer than the average, snowfall usually amounts to 20+ inches by now but we've only had ~6; the rest has been rain which has caused a lot of flooding, topsoil erosion is becoming a concern for many local farmers and people have had to rely on bottled water for drinking as private wells become filled with mud from the inclimate weather.

No thats not a big deal at all.

This is just a microcosm of what can happen around the rest of the world; could this be a one off thing, some kind of weird happenstance? Maybe but what if it happens next year, and the year after?

[Saiwania]

I believe climate change is happening, but I'm not convinced that improving the environment should come at the expense of the economy. I will take more technological progress/jobs being created over higher energy costs and prices because of punitive regulations such as cap and trade. Doing so puts western nations at an even further economic disadvantage to developing nations, which refuse to follow such a scheme.

There is still not a single renewable energy source that is as reliable as fossil fuels for personal transport. I believe in the free market's ability to meet the demands of consumers more so, than the government's ability to force everyone into adopting "green" energy.

[Ramenasia]

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

A natural process where the planet has heated before? Let's think about this. If the planet is a green house and there is no way to release that heat, regardless of what we do, it's going to warm up.

It's only a greenhouse when one adds a large quantity of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere.

[Ethel mermania]

I'm denying it because there simply isn't enough proof human have had a major impact. Minor? Debatable. Major? Get real. I've also read the emails of the guys at East Anglia, and it seems they're more interested in proving a political point than gathering evidence.

Thus proving that denial is not just a river in Egypt.

All the emails show is that people are people. No data was jiggered, no results were fabricated. We're pouring tons after ton of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It isn't minor. And anyway, what would be the harm if we cleaned up the environment?

If you said, let's eliminate mercury from the enviorment, mercury is bad stuff, I am with you. Hydrogen sulfides, and nitrates of oxygen, I will stand with you on the picket line. But carbon dioxyide, no. Waste of time waste of money, when there are real enviormental issues out there.

[SaintB]

I believe climate change is happening, but I'm not convinced that improving the environment should come at the expense of the economy. I will take more technological progress/jobs being created over higher energy costs and prices because of punitive regulations such as cap and trade. Doing so puts western nations at an even further economic disadvantage to developing nations, which refuse to follow such a scheme.

There is still not a single renewable energy source that is as reliable as fossil fuels for personal transport. I believe in the free market's ability to meet the demands of consumers more so, than the government's ability to force everyone into adopting "green" energy.

Actually fossil fuels (especially coal) have been proven to provide a net loss to the economy because of the damage it causes environmentally and to people's health. Switching to some of the supposedly less efficient forms of energy generation would have a lesser loss economically and environmentally.

Source

As you can see, the externalities are sufficient to triple the cost of coal power, if they were reflected in its price. If we include the coal externalities, it increases the levalized costs to approximately 28 cents per kWh, which is more than hydroelectric, wind (onshore and offshore), geothermal, biomass, nuclear, natural gas, solar photovoltaic, and on par with solar thermal (whose costs are falling rapidly). Suddenly coal doesn't look like such a good deal

[Saiwania]

Actually fossil fuels (especially coal) have been proven to provide a net loss to the economy because of the damage it causes environmentally and to people's health. Switching to some of the supposedly less efficient forms of energy generation would have a lesser loss economically and environmentally.

Only the externalities of coal aren't reflected in the price- so people will obviously still want to use coal, so long as it is useful to industry and in plentiful supply. As long as there is enough demand for coal, the market deems it to be a superior solution for energy production.

[Hamelburg]

Cow farts are just as greenhouse-emitting as cars.. should we plug the cows' behinds?

but seriously, I think it's overblown by politicians using it for their own benefit, like "an inconvenient truth". It's a problem, but not that serious

This winter it has been about 5-7 degrees F warmer than the average, snowfall usually amounts to 20+ inches by now but we've only had ~6; the rest has been rain which has caused a lot of flooding, topsoil erosion is becoming a concern for many local farmers and people have had to rely on bottled water for drinking as private wells become filled with mud from the inclimate weather.

No thats not a big deal at all.

This is just a microcosm of what can happen around the rest of the world; could this be a one off thing, some kind of weird happenstance? Maybe but what if it happens next year, and the year after?

I didn't say its not a problem, just that it's not the end of the world like others are saying. And also, it's not just humanity causing this, either. It is definitely being manipulated by political figures to their advantage, though.

[Vazdania]

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

A natural process where the planet has heated before? Let's think about this. If the planet is a green house and there is no way to release that heat, regardless of what we do, it's going to warm up.

...clearly you havent seen the chart...its a normal thing...the Earth Heats Up and Cools down in cycles.

[Vazdania]

Where is the other 96% coming from? Cellular respiration? Volcanoes? Aliens?

A natural process where the planet has heated before? Let's think about this. If the planet is a green house and there is no way to release that heat, regardless of what we do, it's going to warm up.

http://www.longrangeweather.com/global_temperatures.htm PLEASE VIEW CHART Its clear that the Earth Cools down and Heats up naturally. Furthermore from 2007 to 2009 we saw a worldwide 0.9 degreee decrease in temperature