For those who don't believe in global warming, what is the real reason? Are you an ostrich?

Question

People, who don't believe in global warming, are just ignoring the fact that ice is melting all around the world. It really doesn't matter why it is happening, it just is, we really need to admit that and find the remedy. We need to stop burying our heads in the sand, and stop saying it isn’t real.

Answer 1

I've got something for you to think about. Most of that carbon that was stored for millions of years is being released over the United States, especially over the east coast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJpj8UUMT...

On any given day, the CO2 concentrations over the east coast of the United states are up to and sometimes greater than 4 times the global average of 385ppm. Satellites pass over that area that measure the temperature in the atmosphere. In the daytime when the sun passes over, it heats the ground and the ground emits infrared radiation at the speed of light, up toward space. The CO2 as well as  water vapor and other molecules with three or more atoms in the atmosphere absorb about half of that radiation and then immediately re-radiate it in all directions. The problem with the CO2 climate driver theory is that CO2 is such a small percentage of the atmosphere that it is nearly insignificant compared to the other greenhouse gases. Most of the temperature increase from greenhouse gases happens in the lower troposphere, which is the part of the atmosphere that is closest to the ground. Since the east coast of the United States has the highest CO2 concentrations, up to 1500ppm, we should see more warming of the lower troposphere in that area, if CO2 has such a profound effect. Here is a graphic of the globe that shows warming trends for the past 30 years, as measured by some of the most accurate satellites in the world and compared to weather balloon measurements for accuracy. Look at figure 3.

http://www.remss.com/msu/msu_data_descri...

Do you see any more warming over the east coast of the US than any other area of the globe?

Answer 2

"It really doesn't matter why it is happening, it just is, we really need to admit that and find the remedy."

This seems like an odd statement--if we do not know why it is happening, then how do we find the remedy?

Like JoelKatz mentions, it is not that much of anyone argues with the idea that the Earth has warmed, but how much human activities have to do with the warming.

I agree that we should be looking at remediation efforts (including, but not limited to: alternative energy sources, reduced energy consumption, more sustainable living in general, and carbon capture technologies), though not because I am totally convinced that CO2 is the main driver of the recent warming, but because such efforts are good for the environment (which is good for us!), and because I accept the possibility that I could be wrong--that CO2 could be the main driver.

How does that sound?

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Edit:

"Since we are talking about a situation where the Earth once had a lot of stored carbon and now that stored carbon is disappearing at a tremendous rate (and will continue into the future) We can be truthful in saying that there is a definite trend, and relationship in the increase of greenhouse gasses."

You say this as if it really means anything--any evidence that the increased CO2 has caused any warming? I know it should, but has it? And any evidence that the CO2 has caused *most* of the recent warming?

I think we can agree that CO2 has likely played a non-negligible role in this warming, but to what extent it has and  how much more warming it will cause has not been shown even close to conclusively.

Answer 3

The ice used to extend all the way to the NY/PA border.

No, I'm not an ostrich.

I ate ostrich on Saturday though.     One 4 oz burger has 28 grams of protein and very little fat.

Answer 4

GW is a myth. We as human beings have only been measuring weather and temp for about a hundred years (minuscule time in earths historical standards). Our tech is still of the mark most of the time. Does anyone think we really have an accurate measure of what is really going on? And don't get me started about how higher temps actually lead to ice ages. Sheesh!

Answer 5

Ice is melting all around the world.   Really??

No, I don't think so.

Answer 6

Who is the Ostrich?  Sure, Scientists will go along with this B.S. because if they spill the beans, their funding would be cut.

Answer 7

I really think that the key to not believing in the AGW scam is how well you understood what you were taught about history, geography and geology in high school. Those who got better than a “C” and remember what they learned do not believe in AGW, those who either got a lower grade or forgot what they learned believe in it. The understanding of the social effects of temperature variation on societies was a major part of my high school history class.

We learned how populations grew and prospered during warm periods like the Roman warm period and the medieval optimum. We also learned how the barbarian invasions of the 4th through 8th centuries that destroyed Rome and the other Mediterranean civilizations was caused by a little ice age that devastated the northern climates with shorter growing seasons that kept them from growing certain crops. This led to malnutrition and a migration to warmer climates where they could find food to feed themselves and their children.

The same happened in the 15th through 19th centuries when crops failed in the north bringing on wars and plagues as millions died and more millions migrated looking for food and warmth. So the lesson I learned from my history classes in high school is warm is good, longer growing seasons, crops grow farther north and people have better and happier lives even if a little crowded because of natural population growth from a greater food supply. Cold is bad because people die of starvation and sickness caused by failed crops and lack of food.

Answer 8

Actually, ice is not melting all around the world, in a single year the Arctic regained it's former ice levels and other than the Larsen ice shelf, the Antarctic is cooler and is gaining ice, not losing it. The world went thru a colder than usual winter over the last year, record-setting in many cases (i.e. snow for the first time in Baghdad's recorded history).

That doesn't mean it will stay cooler than 'normal' any more than warmer, it depends on what you consider to be normal temp. The IPCC selected a time period beginning right at the end of the Little Ice Age when global temps were cooler than they'd been for centuries and decided that was the optimal temp that we've warmed from. But the IPCC also publishes charts showing that in the recent past CO2 levels were below the suffocation point for plants, which is unlikely or we wouldn't be having a conversation today, our ancestors would have perished along with the plants.

The only problem I have with global warming alarmism is the alarmism. I don't disagree that we need to move from fossil fuels to renewables but it isn't a dire situation. The world has survived CO2 levels 20 times higher than the present level and temp was a measly 7C warmer than now. The Earth did not explode, catch on fire or extinguish all life. The fact that AGW alarmists resort to this kind of fear-mongering is sad.

It's odd that CO2 levels rise, on average, 800 years after temp rises. It's also funny that the warmest time of the Medieval Warm Period managed to be just 800 years before the start of the rise in CO2. Which does cause warming, but only to a minor extent compared to other greenhouse gases. Warming which peaked in 1998 and in a single year we gave back all of the temp increases it took a century to achieve.

If you are worried about CO2 caused global warming, go plant some trees to absorb it. Raise money and do it on a large basis, then harvest the trees and use them for something which doesn't release that CO2, such as building materials and plant new trees. Mature trees release as much CO2 as they absorb. Do that and don't try to force us all to stop using carbon-based fuels to make yourself feel superior and more evolved and to make the criminally incompetent UN our masters. The technology to replace those fuels is now feasible, profitable and will soon be widely available all thanks to oil speculators and OPEC, not due to Green actions.

Answer 9

I don't believe in Global Warming as many see it.  Yes the earth's overall temp. is increasing but I believe that this is a cycle that would happen naturally but humans may have speed it up.  I don't see anyway of stopping it.  If you look up the lifespan a carbon in the upper atmosphere it will take over 100 years to get the earth's carbon at an equilibrium.  And carbon isn't the worst of the green house gases.  Water Vapor is!  And we can't get rid of water! We need it! So try and stop it all you want but I don't think you will find a very good solution.

Answer 10

Lets acept it, ignorance is bliss. this category is almost worse than the how do you loose weight without putting in any effort whatsoever category.

Answer 11

And where do YOU get your facts? From the arctic itself? You listen to scientists claiming Global Warming is a danger as they collect gov't research checks and scare us into Al Gore's investments...Carbon Credits. Then...there are the skeptical scientists who don't believe in global warming and have the entire scientific community and gov't go against them. As a liberal. are you distrustful of the gov't? Why would they bury evidence against global warming? Maybe the left wing has an agenda to "overcome" corporate america?

Answer 12

I think a more accurate term is "climate change", but yeah go on.

Answer 13

Did you know ostriches stick their heads in the sand looking for buried sources of water, not to hide?  

Its summer time again and people will have all the evidence they need that the ice is melting because of that.   People who don't want to believe facts never will.   I work on ships and can't wait till I get to take the northwest passage from Asia to Europe.

Answer 14

Yes the ice is melting, and it always has.  It will come back, and melt again.  There is no remedy because there is no problem.  Global warming is a non-issue.  The real problems are water and air pollution and litter all over the place.  Buying a light bulb with a toxic metal in it is not going to cool off the planet.  Neither does my running an air conditioner at home add to it.

Answer 15

The issue is not whether or not the Earth is warming, the issue is whether and to what extent humans are affecting and can affect global climate change. In other words, you are asking why people haven't done something they have in fact already done.

As to your additional details, you are right. I don't think very many people would disagree with you. The question is, how much of an effect have these increased greenhouse gasses had compared to, say, the effects of changes in the amount of solar radiation received?

Answer 16

I think it is you who needs to learn more about the planet you live on. The truth is this is a natural trend for our planet. And to believe peopl who have only been measuring the average global temperature for maybe 150 years is insane. Since one they're weren't temperature monitoring stations all over the world like there is now.

Oh you believe they can accurately know the temperature of a region by looking at tree rings. Well I know a good psychic for you.

Study Glaciation and inter-glacial periods (That's what we are enjoying now). You also need to get a grip on the fact we aren't living in a static environment and realize that it's constantly changing..

Answer 17

So you are suggesting that glaciers only melt because of AGW, not natural warming? Really a silly theory. You may need to show some scientific evidence to back up your assertion that glaciers only melt due to human warming, and the sun has no input.

Answer 18

If you carefully select some data, you can build a case for global warming by show that ice is melting in some places.  You can ignore the places where ice mass is increasing because that doesn't support your ideas.  

That is not science - that is politics.