How long to fix it?

Question

I have become very interested in global warming lately, however, it looks like some pretty serious damage has been done to the earth. The present suggestions are to cut back on driving or use cleaner fuels. Just for a point of reference, how long would it take for the Earth to repair itself if everyone quit using cars, basically if there were no people on the planet? I know this sounds extreme, but if we quit using cars or cut down how long would it be before we could counter the problem we are currently suffering from?

Answer 1

Let's assume a stable system has 1000 units of carbon and other emissions in it due soley to natural sources.  Human activity adds another 500 right now.  Take that out and we are back to 1000 or slightly less.  The effects should be mitigated over time until we reach the stable equalibrium again.  I think it's fair to say that noone knows exactly.  Certainly more than 10 years and probably less than 10,000.  I imagine there will be a lot of estimates all over this range based on different assumptions.

Answer 2

We're not going to be able to counteract the problem, unless some sort of technology is developed to remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.  We will be able to stabilize global temperatures eventually.  If we reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by a significant amount (50-90% by the year 2050 are the standard projections), the average global temperature will stabilize at about 2°C hotter than it is right now.

Answer 3

Forever.  Cars are only a part of the problem.  Electric power plants, homes, and factories all use comparable amounts of power.

Answer 4

No one has this answer.

if we stop all industry all factories, all automobiles today, the changes will be good or bad for us are debatable.

We just don't know.

Answer 5

I think it'd be just a few years... but ... those things are not options.  Humans aren't going to just vanish.

You're right, there's very little Americans can do about the problem, at least in the short term.  

Americans CAN'T change their land use patterns without destroying the life savings of tens of millions of suburban homeowners; that would be politically unacceptable.  Transit can't decently serve suburban sprawl, so Americans are stuck with private automobiles.  

And there are no truly green automobiles, yet, unless you use your own skill to convert a gas car into one.  

What's more, Americans are culturally unwilling to conserve.  We are willing to use technology to make better things, and that is our only hope.

Then there's China and India, 8 times our population, and starting to be able to afford an American lifestyle. China is building 2 coal power plants a week!  They want progress and they'll have it.  China has said flat-out, "Why should we conserve if America is not?"

And Africa wants progress but cannot afford it, so they are violently opposed to the notion that they should have to pay extra for green.

These other countries are not willing to remain poor just because we were first to industrialize and "use up all the carbon".  They want theirs too, and they'll kill the planet to do it, or rather, they will not conserve unless we do first.

Answer 6

If I had to quit driving a car I couldn't get to work and would lose my job. There are not a lot of jobs within walking distance of my house. If you are willing to pay my salary, I will gladly walk to and from the grocery store. How about it? We could consider that to be me selling carbon credits to you.