Do you as an individual believe that global warming is the ulimate threat to the declining number of wildlife?

Question

Please answer by the following:

-Yes

- No

- Undecided

You may also comment on your answer.

Answer 1

No, paleoclimate history indicates that a warm world results in more life.

Answer 2

no,  I also agree with the previous posters, as human advancement and dominance of the land is the ultimate threat to wildlife.

Answer 3

No.  Life thrives durring warm periods.

Look how many new species that we've discovered in the last 10 years.

Answer 4

No.  I agree with the previous poster that Man is encroaching on wildlife habitat.

Answer 5

We have the technology to move past the carbon debate. We do not have time to go through the government red tape. With oil on the decline, we have to make massive changes, swiftly. But we have to take the time to get it right. We can not do this twice, or three times - like in the past; we have to put our money in the best return on investments and where we get multiple benefits. We have had most of this technology for 20 years but have not implemented it. We know what is cost effective; we know where we need better technology. Without governments mandating renewable resources that do not harm the environment, we are doomed. The fossil fuel depression with global warming will be the worst economic downturn in world history. But this is not doom and gloom; we have the ability to fix our mess and enough time. Solar Concentrating Electric Power Plants, wind, wave, small hydro-electric, geothermal, and nuclear energy are what we need. We must have a pollution surcharge where we pay the real price (health effects, global warming and cleanup) for oil, natural gas, coal, cigarettes, cooling towers, cars, trains and airplanes. Raising the price of fossil fuel today gives us more time to solve these problems and helps pay for the 20 Trillion Dollars worth of renewable energy over the next 10 years. Remember knowledge is power and this information is very powerful. Humans have 50 trillion dollars worth of stuff that runs on cheep oil, natural gas, or coal.

I attended the Focus the Nation at Sierra College on 1-31-08. The event was the 2% Solution, a 2% reduction over 40 years to solve global warming. Oil is a nonrenewable resource and we are running out-but not soon – anyone now want to pay $30 per gallon for gas. The problem is the oil will be gone in less than 30 years at present rates of consumption without projected increases and shortages (gone at least to run cars, heat homes, power electric plants or air travel). The 2% Solution is ok for the USA for a 10 year plan to cut 20%, but I would prefer a 5% Solution over the next 10 years for a 50% reduction. At the same time, we have to be building renewable energy so at the end of 10 years we can cut an additional 20%. With the peak of oil in the 1970’s, peak NG in the 1990’s, having mined cheep coal, the peak of ocean fishing in the 1980’s, and the peak of uranium in the 1990’s, humans must stop procrastinating and make real changes to keep earth sustainable including in the energy debate, finance and regulation. Over the next 90 years carbon dioxide is projected to skyrocket as human’s burn more fossil fuels, but we have to come up with what will take its place and cleanup our mess. One of the big problems we have is at some time Yellowstone will blow its top again, as the magma move closer to the surface, creating a nuk winter. After that we will not have to worry about the destruction of the ozone layer, global warming or pollution.

Many of mankind’s advancements cause earth surface to warm, destroy the ozone layer, kill off endanger species, heat cities, and in some way cause more dramatic destruction.  Blacktop and buildings (roads, roofs and parking lots-heat cities), deforestation (air pollution, soil erosion), duststorms (increase hurricanes and cyclones, cause lung diseases), fires (cause pollution, mud slides, and deforestation), refrigerants (like CFC's) and solvents (including benzene destroy the ozone layer raising skin cancer rates) and plastics; cars, airplanes, ships and most electricity production (causes pollution including raised CO2 levels and increased lung and other diseases); these human problems we must fix to keep life on earth sustainable! Humans have destroyed half of the wetlands, cut down nearly half of the rain forest, and advance on the earths grasslands while advancing desertification which increases duststorms.

The result is:  change is on the way, we just do not know what changes (where and when). Look beyond the hype, beyond the weather, beyond a quarterly report and beyond today. President Bush has made a choice of energy (ethanol) over food and feeding the starving people around the world; this is a choice China has rejected. The fact is Bush wants to buy food from out side the USA to send to starving people since our grain is not available. Now what USA Presidential candidate is giving you the facts so you can make an educated decision of which one to vote for?

But with that we must understand we have never seen what is now happening before. CO2 has never lead to temperature change, but temperature change has led to increases in CO2. The models have to be made as we go along with current evidence! But again adding a small amount of CO2 to the atmosphere enlarges the earths sun collection causing warming; increase water in the atmosphere and it forms clouds cooling earth but sometimes causing flooding. Even natural events are warming earth and causing destruction. The sun has an increased magnetic field causing increases in earthquakes (more destruction), volcanoes (wow, great destruction), and sun spots. Lighting produces ozone near the surface (raising air pollution levels). The USA Mayor's have taken a stand and I believe are on the right track, we can have control and can have economic growth. The sun is available to produce energy, bring light to buildings and makes most of human’s fresh water. Composting is the answer to desertification. New dams are the answer to fresh water storage, energy and cooling earth by evaporation, we need many small ones all over (California needs 100 by 2012 and we are far behind).

That is why I founded CoolingEarth.org, a geoengineering web sight where you can learn more about earth, the atmosphere, and how to sustain life on earth’s surface. Watch for changes in the sight coming soon.

Answer 6

A VERY BIG NO

And a summarized comment on my answer.

(and read the link ,it covers a great amount of declining wild life)

Powerful forces are in motion that consume Nature.such as the move towards ethanol production,and exploding populations ,their hunger and need for space.

The biggest affects of Global Warming are on Microscopic levels,

Whole species of microbes are going extinct ,whilst others are becoming invasive.

This affects the insect populations that follow, and everything else that follows that in the many food chains .

Flora that is interdependent,is also affected and causes many changes .

  An increase in parasites is killing bees,which we need to pollinate our crops ,so directly affecting us

Large animals that eat smaller ones ,who eat insects that feed on microbes which are dying out ,also disappear.

But this is academic compared to MAN`S destruction of Animal habitats

WHAT SPECIES ARE IN DANGER??

all of them because all of the forests are in danger

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Of the earth's estimated 10 million species, 300,000 have vanished in the past 50 years. each years, 3,000 to 30,000 species become extinct.

Human activity is speeding that up since we tend to overpower all the other species in one way or another.

Some reasons why animals are being wiped out ,in the forests are:

The hunting of exotic species for pets or body parts for medicines.

Only about 10% of the animals caught survive

the hunting of animals for food by settlers of expanding populations

Forest fires ,that have started because of slash and burning of forest ,to clear the land for farming, had gotten out of control

The loss of Habitat because the conditions have changed ,e.g less humidity because of deforestation ,Forests being replaced with much dryer farmlands ,or concrete and tar to accommodate expanding humanity.

Or the over pumping of rivers for human use(farming and utility)and carbon Aquifers

Because of contamination of the waters ,

Expanding populations and expanding farming ,(that has to keep pace with the expanding populations) are very strong forces that cannot be slowed down,

clearing the rainforest's for farming and settlement areas .

Rainforest's/forests always are in third world countries and always in third world countries corruption and the need for money s highest.

The jungles gets smaller by the day

more and more farmers move in .and burn the trees

it is an impossible situation

as long as there is poverty in these regions the destruction will continue

CAN WE SAVE WILDLIFE

to preserve Nature ,one has to be there to do that ,if we left it alone ,others would destroy it in no time .

And to be there and to pay for the fencing ,cost money.

To fence people out and also to fence animals in ,for there own protection ,because if they wandered in to places where there are people ,they will be killed in no time .

In Chiapas is a jungle called Lacandona ,full of exotic animals and plants ,Lemurs ,crocodiles,all kinds of monkeys,parrots ,toucans,anacondas .you name it .

It is Government protected ,there are right now and last year as well campaigns on the TV,radio news papers ,to help and save the jungle ,

There are police and soldiers patrolling the perimeters,there are Environmentalist working all over the place ,

And all of this has not made the slightest difference ,the jungle loses thousands of hectares each year ,to slash and burn farmers ,trophy and exotic pets hunters ,and logging companies .

ECO TOURISM

Eco tourism with public presence ,who incidentally only move around in boats or on controlled guided walks ,brings in the money to pay for the protection and could generate enough political pressure to combat the invasion.

We must solve the local peoples economic situations to stop them from harming the jungle

To make them see it as an asset instead ,to further their own financial situation,if it remains intact.

So more involvement is needed from the local people to work with in the conservation concept ,and this is Eco tourism ,to be guides ,part of a service ,work in the hotels or restaurants etc instead of being destructive farmers or hunters fighting for survival.

This has also become the policy in Africa ,One cannot make a game reserve

police the people who live near it stop them from doing what they have always done ,

One must come up with attractive alternatives which will make the people want Nature intact because it will supplement their income more.

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a jungle ,a forest ,animals are like supermarkets with out walls ,poor and rich alike and civilization in it natural expanding mode ,will move in to take it .if it is not heavily protected ,both morally,financially ,physically and politically.

The only Places in Africa today that have animals are the Nature reserves both private and National.

And the tourists pay for the up keep ,which means fencing, helping animals in trouble ,for example a pride of albino lions was born alone they would have been killed quickly ,so they were kept aside and are still alive now ,many animals are saved ,and the scientific field has a window into nature as well as the tourists ,

To just close Nature from interference has proved to be impossible ,one cannot fence and guard everything,although Nature is not always defenseless to unarmed intruders ,on the border of Kruger Park,many migrants are eaten by lions as they try to cross into South Africa.

But some intruders come heavily armed with sophisticated modern weapons,They in turn are hunted by soldiers Paid by Eco tourism.

Eco tourism is one of the few concepts that can help Nature

Bring people close to nature to ooh and ahh at and they will leave their money behind to further its existence.

You have to understand that in these places the visitors have very limited access to the reserve,The tourists stay mostly in the lodges drinking cocktails and watching the elephants walk by from a safe distance,since the lodges are build in strategic places such as near watering holes,or they go on safari rides ,a fraction of the parks is actually breeched.Such as Serengetti,Kruger,Wankie game reserve and many others.

And yes there will always exist situations of bad management and/or abuse ,this applies to all situations in our civilized societies as well

And in some places people are allowed to get away with abusing the place by littering ,but that has to be under the managements control.

The places i know come down extremely heavy on offenders ,The people who go on hikes in my friends places in South Africa carry their trash out with them ,and if they don`t they can be send back to get it .

This is avoided by not allowing people to go of alone and at all times must be accompanied by guides and they must pay for them.

There are unscrupulous reserve owners who let

rich stupid pseudo hunters kill drugged lions for incredible fees and call it trophy hunting .

But these are hated by every one else and there are not many of them.

Most professional hunters have changed their guns for cameras and are now working on behalf of the Animals they used to hunt .

The world today is a different world ,than 50 years ago

Having said all that there exist situations where nature is protected with out tourism if owned by the government , the very rich ,or a group of people who have clubbed together,where there is no tourism,but that does not mean that people do not go there .

science has access,an undoubtedly so do the rich and maybe poachers.

the Dutch Queen has large swamp areas that are nature reserves and they are out of bounds until the royal duck hunt of course.Many similar situations exist.

A cousin in Florida with about 10 other residents watch over 560 hectares of mangrove swamp,(they do not allow tourists), owned by the county,but their environmental protection permit expires in 2008 so for how long is this place safe???

Human progress is a very strong invasive force

The Animals will continue to be trapped ,as long as people keep buying the exotic animals

and deforestation will continue as long as populations keep increasing,and the demand for fuel has now been added to this.

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We can try to appeal to peoples sense of self preservation ,but the connections between the rest of nature and us is too far removed or academic for too many.

WHY SAVING WILD LIFE IS IMPORTANT

we humans are part of the worlds eco systems and depend on them for our survival

just because you cannot see the connection or the importance does not make it any less

some people say they don`t like mosquito`s .lets kill them all

Well they tried that on the banks of the Danube and all of the life in the wood disappeared,the mosquito's being near the bottom of the food chains of many animals

just think what all eats mosquito's and their larvae

birds ,toads ,frogs ,lizards ,fish ,other insects like dragon flies,then think what all eats those things ,foxes,other birds,weasels,snakes,etc.

and then what eats all who eats them .

Now with the bees disappearing in many places there are huge problems with crops not being pollinated .

Endangered species also play their parts ,in eco systems that have been fine tuned for millions of years .

the more species become endangered ,the more endangered we will become our selves .Because we are on the top .

we can appeal to peoples Moral feelings by saying---what kind of world do you want the children to inherit???.

But too many do not care about that ,living for today ,NOT the future.

Our generation and the ones before us have managed to destroy more in a hundred years that all of Humanity in the history of the planet

Answer 7

No. The biggest threat is human encroachment on their shrinking habitats.