Global Warming

[Sandy]

This is going to be very controversial and I'm not trying to start arguments, but what are your views on whats (supposedly) going to destroy our planet.


Personally, I think its all very over hyped. I mean, sure I believe in it, but i think people are taking things too far. I think many companies are using it as an excuse to make money off of us. Also they had that concert on Saturday about global warming, but what the heck is a concert going to do. If its doing anything, its making the situation worse, as all those lights and sound systems must be using a heck of a lot of energy. Its also like when the government tell you too turn that little red standby light off, which is stupid when you go to places like Tokyo or Las Vegas and they have massive neon lights on all day and night.

Also its called Global Warming, which is stupid because scientists say the planet is now cooling down?!
Anyway, I could rant on all day about this, but what are you're views on the matter?

 

[Mic_128]

Climate change is what's going on, not "Global Warming"

 

[Tipo mastr]

Ya and there's nothing we can do about it...climates have changed way before humans were around. There's a lot of variables, like the heat coming from the earth, the amount of light coming from the sun, etc.

 

[Eternal phoenix Fire]

Well,like everything,this may simply be one of those things for financial reasons that really don't yield any noticable positive effects.The theory of global warming really never was well established rather than the dangers of the "Greenhouse Effect".

But conspiracy wise,I can see it.

Less energy=Less potential money loss>More Government spending.

As Mic said,it's only a Climate change.You can't expect the temperature levels to remain the same because we live in a better civilization,one that makes people think that it is void of change..

I guess it's up to Al Gore and Jack Thompson to save us from the Gaming maniac ManBearPig that's causing global warming. =/

 

[Sporkman]

As Mic said,it's only a Climate change.You can't expect the temperature levels to remain the same because we live in a better civilization,one that makes people think that it is void of change..

Only a climate change? You appear to grossly underestimate the potential impacts of climate change.

 

[Mic_128]

I agree. Notice a sudden ammount of floods, droughts, earthquakes, ect the last few years?

Btw, nice recolouring of Bowser there, Spork.

 

[GoldShadow]

Global warming is real. Anyone who says it's just "climate change" is, on some level, ignorant of the facts. The majority of environmental scientists agree.
I don't feel like getting into a debate about this partly because I no longer enjoy debating much on the internet and partly because this is SWF, where nobody ever changes their mind and my efforts would be wasted.

edit: Also a lot of SWF members (a lot of the important ones anyway) are humanities and arts people, and while said people are cool, they are most definitely NOT science people. I think that should be noted especially in this thread.

 

[Eternal phoenix Fire]

Only a climate change? You appear to grossly underestimate the potential impacts of climate change.

I didn't say only as an underestimation just to let you know.

Hey GoldShadow,can you give us a brief enlightenment on how Global Warming works or can effect us?Sorry,i'm mentally retarted.

 

[Sporkman]

Thanking you Mic, indeed I stole the idea of colouring Bowser from Gimpyfish's sig but didn't gloss mine up.

If I recall correctly (did geography A-Level 'last' year) things look quite bad for Oz. El Nino weather events seem to be increasing with temperature increases. Which brings severe droughts and an increase in forest fires down under? correct me I'm wrong. Plus severe flooding and some other stuff in Peru and Eucador, that area. I didn't look too much at that part.

Plus a whole load of other stuff. Destruction of small island states (e.g. Maldives/Tuvalu), Coral reefs will also take a pasting due to rising sea level. Holland is in an especially bad position for sea level rise. Disease-ridden (Malaria) Mosquitos will be able to move into Europe given increased temperatures. There is a bunch of other stuff I can't remember. I hated geography you see. Possible screwing up of the global thermohaline circulation, which is supposed to be very bad for the United Kingdom. Can't really think of any for the U.S.A except for a decrease in the amount of hurricanes as an El Nino event prevents them from forming, although I'm not sure what happens during a La Nina event. Anyone care to help me out?

 

[Virgilijus]

You would have to be ignorant to say that our emissions, on some level, are contributing to the greenhouse gases that are creating an increase in the average temperature over the world.

However, our world has dealt with enormous changes in climate both above and below what we would call average now. That being said, I would not believe some one who states we are in imminent danger and that we will all be under water in 20 years; most of the people that truly support the cause don't have the knowledge to say so and the ones that do are paid off a lot of the times.

 

[Sporkman]

Some emissions actually result in Global Dimming, but that isn't much better.

Gotta say I agree with Virgilijus in relation to those outspoken about the imminent danger. Personally I think I'll be long gone before a serious problem arises, if ever, from climate change.
Remember though that is really just one part in trying to create a sustainable future for the planet.

Also they had that concert on Saturday about global warming, but what the heck is a concert going to do. If its doing anything, its making the situation worse, as all those lights and sound systems must be using a heck of a lot of energy. Its also like when the government tell you too turn that little red standby light off, which is stupid when you go to places like Tokyo or Las Vegas and they have massive neon lights on all day and night.

Essentially that is more about community involvment, making everybody aware and the such. Seen as an important part of creating a sustainable future. Can't say it does a very good job though. Also I suppose the net effect of EVERYONE doing it is rather high, but that's never really gonna happen.

 

[Mic_128]

If I recall correctly (did geography A-Level 'last' year) things look quite bad for Oz. El Nino weather events seem to be increasing with temperature increases. Which brings severe droughts and an increase in forest fires down under? correct me I'm wrong.

Oh I wish I could. We've been in droughts since before I was born. Things are looking really grim. The government is giving what farmers that are still there funding and so forth, but funding isn't going to make it rain anytime soon.

 

[Azua]

There is already a topic on this in the Debate Hall.

 

[pikachun00b7]

OMFG! I heard temperatures will rise 1 degree Celsius in the next century! Holy crap!
In the past the climate of earth has been oscillating heavily.
Do you want facts?
Looky here:
Past 10K years:

Past 800K years:

We are BELOW average temperatures!

Next graph: (a bit too large for an image, it will make the post ugly.)

http://www.scotese.com/images/globaltemp.jpg

1 deg. C/100 Y is STEADY.

 

[Chaotic Yoshi]

Ok sure... climate change has been happening since the beginning of the planet.

But the RATE of speed at which the climate is changing is FAR higher than the past, the time to adapt to the speed isn't sufficient.

Besides, if the climate doesn't kill us, our plummeting resources will.

 

[Sporkman]

The resources thing is debatable. Yes we currently exceed the threshold that our planet can sustain, but that isn't clear indication. There are two different camps in this section as far as I'm aware, the doomsayers who believe we are consuming too much too quickly. The other are supporters of Malthus I think. Don't quote me on that it may be the other way around. If it isn't clear from my other posts my memory is rather hazy. Anyway, these people believe that while this is the case (can't argue with the facts), believing that it is the 'end of the world' is to completely disregard technology. Technology advances have repeatedly helped this area before though I can't give you a specific example. One guy from this viewpoint bet another (from the other) that the cost of some resource would decrease rather increase over a time period as opposed to increase from exploitation exhaustion, hefty sum of money it was too I think, anyway, the cost of the resource did decrease (or stay the same) and the Malthus guy won the bet.

Edit: Here's some lovely models courtesy of my (now old) college, haven't deleted my account yet it would appear.

Thats basically showing how we are exceeding the earth's carrying capacity.

I also tried searching the Malthus thing but couldn't be bothered rumaging through all the fluff but I believe I may have gotten it the wrong way round. apoligies.


... You can just smell the success on my exam papers

 

[Virgilijus]

Besides, if the climate doesn't kill us, our plummeting resources will.

Sometimes I don't think people understand how big the earth is; the earth is enormous. Now I don't know if you can really wrap your head around how big it is, but the amount of resources it has is, for all intents and purposes, more than we could ever use. The earth has more trees than we can count, and more trees than we could ever cut down. It has enough air (not forgetting in is continually being renewed) that we don't need to worry. It has enough radioactive isotopes to power us for millions upon millions of years. It has even survived a meteorite that destroyed most of the life on it's surface yet remained essentially unchanged.

If we tried to completely destroy the surface of the earth and make it completely inhospitable, it would take us thousands and thousands of years, and that's even if we could do it.

 

[Chaotic Yoshi]

I have a fair understanding of the size of the earth, but your right it could sustain it for thousands of years to come. That is if our population remained static, we're not quite growing exponentially, but it's a significant increase, not to mention that life expectancy is much higher. More people, more forest's taken down for more housing, less trees means less oxygen conversion. More energy consumption, more pollution (depending on type of energy source). More food demand, less farmers, less aquatic life. Not all of the earth's water is consumable, only certain portions.

 

[teeman92]

my 9th grade scince teacher said the temp will go up 1 degree a year why you guys so worried about this? what im worried about is black holes and metorites

 

[Rici]

Why the hell are you worried about black holes and meteorites?

 

[typh]

my 9th grade scince teacher said the temp will go up 1 degree a year why you guys so worried about this? what im worried about is black holes and metorites

Oh shucks. This is the funniest thing I've read all day.

 

[Crimson King]

Take it to the Debate Hall.