OT: I know how to solve global warming

[narf poit chez BOOM]

What's needed is scientific studies. Right now we have speculation.

[Phoenix-D]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
What's needed is scientific studies. Right now we have speculation.

We've got studies. People just like to ignore them, or in the case of the Bush administration, censor them.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Which sides' studies?

[Phoenix-D]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
Which sides' studies?

If you're doing science properly there's no such thing.

Sadly that almost never happens. In this case the "global warming exists, here's the proof" studies.

[AMF]

Exactly!

[AMF]

Often, I am literally physically sickened when I see people making important decisions based on their self-interest, ideologies, or dogma, rather than facts and scientific methods. In my line of work, I see it a lot, and it puts people's lives at risk. I can't help but get angry when people make important decisions based not on facts but on what they WANT to believe.

You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts.

The fact of the matter is: there is NO debate on global warming. The only debate that exists is in the eyes of politicians, economists, and political pundits - all of whom have a vested or personal interest in stating that global warming is a hoax, or not a big deal.

The VAST majority of scientists who have studied the various facets of this issue have all come to the same conclusion: the globe is warming, and humans are largely responsible, in one fashion or another. Exactly HOW human activity causes global warming is a legitimate topic for debate, but WHETHER OR NOT humans greatly contribute to global warming is NOT. Sorry if this is inconvienent for some people to hear, but frankly, that's life. Being able to change one's opinion in the face of evidence is a sign of maturity.

But if you're not willing to honestly listen to the experts, then I'll tell you what: go and spend years to get a PhD in atmospheric sciences, physics, chemistry, biology, or some other related field, and THEN spend a decade studying global warming. THEN, and ONLY THEN do you have the right to spout off on this issue. Until then, shut the heck up. You're just making yourself look foolish and helping to doom the planet with shortsighted biases.

If you want to take the time to actually have an informed opinion (and not just an opinion that reinforces what you WANT to believe), then here are some places to start:

http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/
A bunch of wiki pages such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scienti...climate_change
Or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy

You want to talk about the temperature record? Go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempera...ast_1000_years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satelli...erature_record
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histori...erature_record

Are the EXACT links between human activity and global warming known? Not per se - the causal link between human activity and global warming is clear, but exactly how human activity transmits to higher temperatures is a very complex matter. But reality is complex, and there is no more complex a system then the planet's climate. And, you will almost never find, in any scientific field, a direct link between cause and effect. It's just the way science works (look up Karl Popper, Imre Lakatos, Carl Hempel etc...if you want to know more)

But just because it is a complex issue doesn't mean global warming doesn't exist, no matter how much people whinge and cry. Sorry.

But, hey, don't really worry about it. It's not like we're talking about the future of the entire planet or anything. I mean, I can understand why people don't want to pay a bit more in taxes to save the planet. Makes sense to me. Probably too late anyways, so why even worry about it. After all, probably some conspiracy by those pesky scientists. Not like they're interested in the truth. I'd much rather rely on the opinions of the extremely well informed voting public or the news-radio hosts - they're ALWAYS more objective.

AMF

[Raapys]

It could be argued that even such things as warming up our homes, heat from factories, cars, etc., is all contributing to the world's temperature rise( obviously the heat doesn't just disappear). We're converting more and more of the world's resources into energy/warmth, much helped by our technology advances that let's us exploit nuclear power, for instance.

If the world's temperature is rising, that must mean wind activity is as well?

[Atrocities]

People don't think it will affect them. They don't stop, or worse, don't care to think that their legacy of greed and self importance will leave their childrens holding the bag. And I don't know if any of you have noticed this, but the children of today are not as able or capable as the children of yestarday. (being polite) - they are one step away from grade a morons. Most just don't care, would rather lay around watching spung bob, eating chips and drinking pop. Most think that McDonalds is the dinner room, and that all they need do to get whatever they want is throw a temper tantrum. Gone are the days where parents actually had skill and could and would use disipline, replaced by partents that don't have a clue, are drug addicts, or worse, brain dead retards who just happened to breed by accident and the State is so over whelmed by the influx of BDR babies that they cannot help everyone.

My cusins kids, two girls, are on drugs for depression, hypertension, mood swings, uppers, downers, and god only knows what else and they are only 12 and 10. WTF! They have no respect for their mother, who I might add is a BDR herself. (We are talking white trash, Jerry Springer time here) Yet my cusin loves them, despite wanting nothing to do with them, he does the right thing and tries to take care of them but is forbidden by the state to use any form of disipline other than time outs, talking to them, and professional theropy... one of whom recommened using a belt.

They try their games with me and I won't put up with them. They mind me and when they stay at my mothers, they mind her as well. She is a no hold bard old school women.

There seem to be fewer smart, caring, and well balanced kids than there were in my generation, and I am not that old at 37, than there are today. Of course that could simply be because I only see the punk, smart ***, drug selling, using, trailer white trash, looser lower income, or yuppie 'I get whatever I want' rich punk 'I don't care, I do what I want' teenagers living around this area. (And beyond.)

While there are some great kids to be found, most are like their parents now, "its not my problem, lets do what we want, let someone else deal with it," kind of people.

And knowing that those kind of people seem to be in the majority scares the hell out of me. The last eight or so generations made the problem, and it will be up to the next eight or so generations to live or die by it.

God help them, because we sure as hell won't be.

[Renegade 13]

I'd say you're looking at the past like most do, with nostaligia. I highly doubt today's generation is a whole lot worse than the previous generation. After all, I'm somewhat familiar with today's generation of young people (being one of them), and I'd say that it's pretty much the same as my parent's generation. Then again, I don't really know, since I wasn't around 30 or 40 years ago.

Alarikf, there is doubt about the cause of global warming. Though human-activity is the popular belief at the moment, it is also postulated that it is part of a natural cycle that has been accelerated somewhat by mankind's activities. The problem with measuring climate changes is the fact that there are no detailed and accurate ways of measuring temperatures beyond a couple hundred years ago. As you no doubt know, a couple hundred years is merely a blink in geological timescales. Note that I'm not denying that global warming exists, nor am I stating absolutely that it isn't caused by mankind. I'm merely saying that it isn't the only theory out there with scientific support.

Things that should be done to help halt global warming should be done even if global warming was non-existant. Think of the health aspects of burning coal to create electricity. That alone should encourage coal burning to be phased out. The incidence of asthma among younger people has absolutely skyrocketed, most likely due to poorer air quality. Whether or not global warming exists, the steps that would be required to reverse global warming should be done anyways, simply from a health aspect.

[ToddT]

Renegade, read an acticle recently. had to with providing a sun screen. But un like your idea this is far practical.
First it has to do with, the fact theres to components to the global warming story. One is the obvious increased CO2, but a large part of the source of CO2 also emits large quatites of parcticlate matter. (which affects ice and water drop formation in the atmosphere)The CO2 increases the amount of heat trapped, but the parciclates reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the surface. the US and Europe have made some good progress on partciacale ruduction, but china and india have currenlty offset it. the later 2 countries now starting to take steps to clean up in that area too.
This is where the Sun screen comes in as the parcticle pollution is cleaned up more solar engery ill reach the surface and the CO2 issue will reaaly make itself felt. So the This guy propose making around 10 million (can't remeber exact size but not huge) refecltor satlites place in the Earth Sun lagrange point. using nothing more than high quaalty glass (are something simialr that want darken to quickly) to block about 2 to 3% of the light reaching earth, the idea being to buy time to fix the co2 problem.
he refered the the Co2 nad particulate issue as a Faustian deal.