With Baseball games snowed-out across the country in mid-April, does anyone still believe in Global Warming?

Question

* It snowed in south Louisiana less than a week ago.

* The entire United States has seen unusually low tempuratures throughout this extrordinarily long winter.

That said, does anyone still believe in "Global Warming"; and if so, do you think it is having a positive or negative overall effect on the earth?

Answer 1

isnt it sad that this serious crisis doesnt even make the news. but some idiot named don imus does. the world is messed up...its not like we get a second chance

Answer 2

First I looked up what temperatures have been doing recently.  They're going up:

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Ima...

Short term weather in one area says absolutely nothing about global warming.  You need to look at the long term global trend, which is pictured above.

But, for what it's worth, the 2007 winter was unusually warm most places in the world.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...

Answer 3

Yes - the vast majority of americans believe in global warming, and understand that a trend isn't refuted simply because of one data point.

And now, my stock Global Warming answer:

First, I suggest you read this article:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/fu...

Anyway, on to specific points:

1. Oceans are heating up. Yes, it does take lots of energy to heat the oceans. If they are heating, think about how much energy we've already poured into the global environment. Also, only a few degrees temperature change can make a HUGE difference. The oceans in the arctic are maybe three degrees warmer than they were this point last century, but the arctic ice cap is melting in ways never seen before. For example, there never used to be open water in the canadian archipelego, even in the summer - now, there are miles and miles of open sea.

On the canadian archipelago: http://newark.cms.udel.edu/~cats/healy_2...

On sea ice generally:

http://news.independent.co.uk/environmen...

2. Some people will say that solar activity is increasing as part of an 11-year cycle. Yes, solar activity is increasing, but most scientists believe that the effect on the earth's climate has been negligible.

From a NASA press release: "...the solar increases do not have the ability to cause large global temperature increases...greenhouse gases are indeed playing the dominant role..."

Source: http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/news/1...

3. Another frequent response from skeptics is "global cooling," a weather phenomenon that was loudly touted in the 1970s by some scientists.  It's true that some climatologists (though not all) believed that we might be in a period of global cooling, it should also be noted that we knew a lot less about weather patterns then than we do now.  Scientists also used to believe that the earth was flat, and that the body's health was regulated by the four humours.  Now some people claim that the earth is round and that diseases are caused by genes and microbes.  According to global warming skeptics who latch onto "global cooling" statements from 30 yeras ago, we should forget everything doctors and geographers say because they said something different once, too.  That's not how science works - we learn, we study, we refine, we learn more, we study more...we don't just tell people to shut up because their predecessors were wrong before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cool...

4. Many skeptics will say that what humans put out in terms of CO2 is far less than volcanoes, fires, or other animals. As for volcanoes, fires, and animals - those have always been there. They should not have any net effect on the planet's climate. The only changing factor among those and humans is humans and our increased activity.

5. If global temperatures increase, then the temperature difference between temperature zones will remain the same. So there will always be extreme weather events like heavy snowfall in Central Park in April.  But you can't look at one data point and use it to make a trend - otherwise, you could say that all white people have red hair, because you just saw a white person with red hair.  You'd have to ignore all of the evidence to the contrary.

6. One frequent question skeptics ask is "how did the last ice age end?"  Well, that's hard to say.  Ice ages have been on cycles for hundreds of millions of years, it's true, but the problem is that the last one ended right about the same time that people discovered farming.  That might be a coincidence, but it might not - the question then becomes, "Did mankind's increased use of agriculture alter the CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and warm up the earth enough to end the last ice age, or did the end of the last ice age contribute to farming?"  It's a tough question, but you should read about the Early Anthropocene Hypothesis:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_anthr...

7. Finally, and I think this is the most persuasive argument ofr why we should change our behavior as a society: Both sides in the global warming debate have something to gain and something to lose. However, the anti-global warming side has much to gain by continuing to fight change - they have a direct expense that they can expect by having to change the way they do things, and by having to find ways to clean up their acts. Keep in mind that some of the most vocal critics of global warming theory are those who are either industry insiders themselves or who are funded by industry. On the flip side, those who are trying to convice the world of the reality of Global Warming have no direct benefit that they will gain - most do not own, say, environmental cleanup businesses. Their benefit is based entirely off of a belief in doing the right thing.

Answer 4

It has not been called global warming since 1998.  Since 1998 temperatures have fallen.  (Those who do not believe me look it up).  You can not call it global warming, with temperatures falling.  That is why they are calling in now climate change. When the evidence does not fit the hypothesis, they change the hypothesis.  But yet people still believe them.

I have read many skeptics, and what many say is, read the other side and come up with your own conclusions.  What do they alarmist say,  All of the expert believe it (not true) you should too.

By the way how many times have you heard them say that there is no opposition in the scientific world only in the popular press.  That is also a lie.  Check out this link:

http://www.friendsofscience.org/document...

http://www.staff.livjm.ac.uk/spsbpeis/Sc...

Yes I now there are a lot of pro global warming articles.  That is not my point.  My point is why some claiming there is no opposition in scientific journals?  If they are lying about this what else are they lying about?

Answer 5

Yes I do believe in Global Warming. Global Warming is near. Scientists believe many countries near coasts will sink. I could tell you how it happens if you want.