Applying rational thought to the world around us.
If we are to think rationally about our behavior regarding the existance of a deity why can't we apply the same thinking to our environment. The hypothesis behind global warming is legitimate. Fortunately the Earth is fine and there's nothing you can do about it.
Let me be clear, this is not to imply that global warming doesn't exist. It also doesn't mean that we should ignore pollution or alternative fuel issues. It's generally accepted Earth has increased in average temperature in the last few hundred years. That alone does not mean that it will lead to the end of civilization in the next several years. The goal here is to combat alarmism over global warming. The alarmist's claim that it's caused by industrial pollution and yuppies driving SUVs is complete non-sense. They say it is our actions alone that caused this increase in the Earth's temperature, that this has never happened before, there is no end in sight, and that it will certainly destroy us. And they want your support and money to fight it.
By no means should we be free to pollute as much as we like, or make as much trash, or use up all the fuel. And by no means is the information here meant to imply that man-made disasters do not occur or that we should not try to prevent them, or that we should not protect our planet. We do not have license to destroy our world. We should be trying to make our environment as clean and enjoyable as possible. But we must realize that mother nature is in control. We need not panic and we certainly should not allow hysteria to drive public policy.
In 1995 the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported that 2700 scientists agree that CO2 emissions caused by the excessive use of fossil fuels causes global warming. Subsequently a petition was signed by over 17,000 scientists questioning that conclusion. Here are some items that should be considered.
Fact: Ice core samples and other geological evidence indicates the average temperature of the Earth has not changed in over 800,000 years.
Fact: Earth's temperature follows cyclical changes of the Sun lasting about 100,000 years.
Fact: Earth spends 90% of its time in an "ice-age."
Fact: Oceans hold 50 times more CO2 than the atmosphere. Much of the scientific community now agrees that it is not an increase in CO2 that causes the Earth to warm but that warming of the Earth causes increases in CO2, or both.
Fact: Earth is in its most stable climatic state ever. Changes in the climate were far more drastic in Earth's first 5 billion years.
Fact: Natural events can affect Earth far more than humans. Tephra particles from Krakatoa's eruption in 1883 spread throughout the stratosphere and lingered for years. An orange color to the sky and halo around the sun were visible. Global temperatures were lowered by 1.2°C. Weather patterns continued to be chaotic for years, and temperatures did not return to normal until 1888.
Fact: Geologic evidence indicates that about 15 million years ago Earth was about 4.7°C warmer than it is today, most certainly not caused by industrial pollution.
Fact: The current interglacial period (the warm time now versus an ice age) is about 11,000 years into its cycle. Current temperatures are virtually identical to the previous period about 100,000 year ago.
Fact: water vapor is a "greenhouse gas". Water accounts for 2% of the atmosphere while CO2 accounts for only .04% and is less reflective than water. As a result water vapor is responsible for around 70% of the atmosphere's greenhouse effect.
Fact: Our sea level is lower today than it was in the 1840s.
Fact: Al Gore and Leo Dicaprio are not scientists.
The Sun and Earth are bigger than all of us. It's improbable that we could do anything to significantly change our climate on a cataclismic scale. Earth has existed for 4.5 billion years. Humans have only been here for about 100,000 years. We might be in trouble, but the Earth is just fine.
So-called "greenhouse gasses" cannot behave like a greenhouse. The claim is CO2 and other gasses trap incoming solar energy and heat the atmosphere. Actual greenhouses do not work that way. Global Climate Change is becoming the more accepted scientific term for what is happening.
The Kyoto Protocol, which went into effect in February 2005 was intended reduce CO2 emissions. Subscribing nations are bound by law to a mandated decrease in CO2 output by 2012 and carrying beyond. So far the Kyoto Protocol has wasted over $260 billion (American) and counting. Most now agree they cannot reach the goals. And the result is CO2 emissions have been reduced so far to only account for a potential .000004°C. That's potential mind you, not even measured, just our best guess. Government plans such as the Kyoto Protocol and anything spouted by Al Gore or Hitlery Clinton amount to nothing more than global socialization of all activities that touch fossil fuels, will waste billions of dollars, and will do virtually nothing to address the issue behind them.
In the last 100 years we've seen an estimated increase of about .5°C and we've had the greatest improvements in the standards of living in the history of mankind. Plus, most of that increase occurred BEFORE 1940, ahead of the bulk of increase in CO2. Earth is in a period of its greatest bio diversity. Were it not for the cycle of these changes we would still be enduring an ice age. Earth has been through 16 ice ages, the idea that the cycle will now be broken due to the actions of humans is completely illogical.
There is negligible scientific evidence to suggest that natural disaters and severe storms are more frequent as a result from global warming. Actually that activity is right on par. NO, hurricane Katrina was not the result of global warming. The severity may be increasing and the research is still coming in on that issue, but again there would be nothing we can do about it. Some point to an increase in the number of lives affected and the monetary damage. It's purely logical that the number of casulties and value of destruction from weather disasters will increase, because our population and cost of living continues to rise.
Most environmental hysteria focuses on anti-corportism and anti-capitalism, and has little to do with actual science. Yet those involved fight science and technology, while using the very products of science, technology, cars, computers, Internet, electricity, and oil.
"Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous it is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis."
- Al Gore in an interview with Al Revere of Grist Magazine
If he can't tell the truth why should we believe him?
Consider this account closed. It's disgraceful this site has no function to delete an account. I cannot be part of an organization that seeks only to replace the religion of the god of the bible with the religion of "poor me" bleeding heart liberalism. Rational my ass! Not believing in a god is one thing. A rational view of the rest of the world is something else, which isn't found here.