Global Cooling

[Aliantha]

You know, if global warming is caused by man, then we have to try and repair the damage. I'm sure no one disagrees with that, but what about if it's not caused by man? Should we just go ahead and let it happen or just accept that it's not our fault and ignore it. If so, why don't we just ignore it anyway?

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

You know, if global warming is caused by man, then we have to try and repair the damage. I'm sure no one disagrees with that, but what about if it's not caused by man? Should we just go ahead and let it happen or just accept that it's not our fault and ignore it. If so, why don't we just ignore it anyway?

You know, regardless of whether or not human beings are playing a part in global warming (which I believe we definitely are), there are other reasons to try to curtail our output of co2, like health reasons. My god, it used to sicken me driving on the freeway in LA. The smell of all that burning gasoline made me literally ill. And I can smell it here in Savannah too. So it isn't just big cities where there is this impact.

In addition, what about that huge spill at the coal plant last month? Or the oil spills in the oceans? Or the strip mining, which releases all kinds of heavy metals into the environment?

The truth is, as a species, we are not very efficient at getting our needs met in a way that isn't harmful. Don't you all want clean air to breathe? And fresh water to drink, and nutritious food to eat? We NEED to reduce our impact on the environment.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by sugarpop

You know, regardless of whether or not human beings are playing a part in global warming (which I believe we definitely are), there are other reasons to try to curtail our output of co2, like health reasons. My god, it used to sicken me driving on the freeway in LA. The smell of all that burning gasoline made me literally ill. And I can smell it here in Savannah too. So it isn't just big cities where there is this impact.

In addition, what about that huge spill at the coal plant last month? Or the oil spills in the oceans? Or the strip mining, which releases all kinds of heavy metals into the environment?

The truth is, as a species, we are not very efficient at getting our needs met in a way that isn't harmful. Don't you all want clean air to breathe? And fresh water to drink, and nutritious food to eat? We NEED to reduce our impact on the environment.

Oh for sure. Human beings should definitely clean up their act. I was really playing devils advocate anyway, although I'm really not so convinced now that human beings are responsible for global warming in any case.

We have issues with air pollution here in Oz, but nowhere near that in the US and some other countries.

[piercehawkeye45]

We adapt. The reasons why we can't just ignore global warming is because it effects every aspect of our life. If the climate changes, most farmers will need to start planting new crops, ecosystems will change and maybe fail, weather patterns will change, etc.

[Aliantha]

So even if it's just a natural course of events we should try to stop it?

[classicman]

Yes Ali, we should try to change the natural course of the planet.

[piercehawkeye45]

We can't stop it. I am saying that climate change is unpreferable so we should try to limit what we are doing. If we do have an impact on the environment, we should try to limit it but that is all we can do. Climate change is happening and we need to adapt. It is starting to happen and I do know people in that business, they will have great job security soon.

[Aliantha]

Climate change is always happening...and human beings survived it before without all the technology we have now.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Climate change is always happening...and human beings survived it before without all the technology we have now.

Yes, but our global economy wasn't as dependent on the climate as it is now. One major drought can effect billions.

[dar512]

Bolding mine.

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Climate change is always happening...and human beings survived it before without all the technology we have now.

Doesn't mean it was pleasant. Also doesn't mean we can survive the next one. We know more, but we also put a lot more stress on the planet these days.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by dar512

Bolding mine.

Doesn't mean it was pleasant. Also doesn't mean we can survive the next one. We know more, but we also put a lot more stress on the planet these days.

Life is not very pleasant for billions of people now.

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Life is not very pleasant for billions of people now.

Is it any wonder? There are too damn many of us.

You know, before we learned how to exploit old dinosaurs and plankton for energy, there were manageable numbers of people on the planet. Once we started using coal and oil, we began overpopulating like crazy. Between about 1800 and 1930 the population doubled from around 1 billion to 2 billion people. About 40 years later it doubled again. About 25 years later it doubled again. (do you see a trend here?) http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/hist...ion-growth.htm

From 10,000 years ago to 1750 CE, population world-wide increased on average by about 67,000 people a year. By the 1990s, that many new babies were crowding onto the planet every seven hours. http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu.../keytheme1.htm

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by sugarpop

Is it any wonder? There are too damn many of us.

You know, before we learned how to exploit old dinosaurs and plankton for energy, there were manageable numbers of people on the planet. Once we started using coal and oil, we began overpopulating like crazy. Between about 1800 and 1930 the population doubled from around 1 billion to 2 billion people. About 40 years later it doubled again. About 25 years later it doubled again. (do you see a trend here?) http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/hist...ion-growth.htm

From 10,000 years ago to 1750 CE, population world-wide increased on average by about 67,000 people a year. By the 1990s, that many new babies were crowding onto the planet every seven hours. http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu.../keytheme1.htm

Yeah...it's those bloody catholics!

[TheMercenary]

I am building an underground bunker, anyone want to join me?

[Aliantha]

Will there be sugary stuff in it? lol