What are your views on global warming and its affects on us and the planet?

I personally feel that global warming is a joke. I think its all just phases of the earth. The planet has for millions of years gone from ice age to tropical temperatures.

i think it is mostly just Earth's natural cycles but perhaps we are exacerbating what normally happens.

i think it is mostly just Earth's natural cycles but perhaps we are exacerbating what normally happens.

:agree

Things we are doing, can't be helping the situation, and we need to learn how to cope... but it really is just a natural cycle... the sea levels have risen before just look at old maps... some land areas are hardly recognizable/did not exist.

Yes earth has had these "cycles", but NEVER on such a rapid scale - always over millions of years, never over hundreds. We're killing the planet, and we justify it by saying it's all just natural.

My arse.

IMO global warming isn't a joke, it's a fact. Take a look at the polar ice cap right now. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIVE years ago. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIFTY years ago. Then 200. It is rapidly melting. This causes changes in oceanic temps, which effects everything from marine mammals to worldwide climate. All you have to do is a little bit of research and you can find the facts, they will stare at you dead in the face. But it really is easier sometimes just to sit back with our big factories and our gas guzzling SUV's and just pretend it's a bunch of hype.

This planet we live on is not disposable. But our society lives a disposable lifestyle, and those of us that DON'T live that disposable lifestyle, and do try to take care of the planet, get called looney ole' tree huggers and the like. Well, I tote my green bag to the grocery store...I recycle my plastic bags (and my other recyclables), and I'll be hugging my dang trees until I die. I love trees! The sad thing is, one day I'm going to wake up wondering why more people didn't do more to avoid the catastrophic repercussions of ignoring the facts and living as if the planet would just regenerate itself and its beauty.

DH and I were talking the other day - I told him "It's just not fair honey...you're so easy to shop for for Christmas. You want a couple of CD's, the new Guitar Hero 3...me...hell the only thing I want is a hybrid car."

I guess I just don't think God gave us this planet so we could selfishly destroy it - and that's exactly what we're doing.

Ok. :onsoapbox

Sorry :oops

Yes earth has had these "cycles", but NEVER on such a rapid scale - always over millions of years, never over hundreds. We're killing the planet, and we justify it by saying it's all just natural.

My arse.

IMO global warming isn't a joke, it's a fact. Take a look at the polar ice cap right now. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIVE years ago. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIFTY years ago. Then 200. It is rapidly melting. This causes changes in oceanic temps, which effects everything from marine mammals to worldwide climate. All you have to do is a little bit of research and you can find the facts, they will stare at you dead in the face. But it really is easier sometimes just to sit back with our big factories and our gas guzzling SUV's and just pretend it's a bunch of hype.

This planet we live on is not disposable. But our society lives a disposable lifestyle, and those of us that DON'T live that disposable lifestyle, and do try to take care of the planet, get called looney ole' tree huggers and the like. Well, I tote my green bag to the grocery store...I recycle my plastic bags (and my other recyclables), and I'll be hugging my dang trees until I die. I love trees! The sad thing is, one day I'm going to wake up wondering why more people didn't do more to avoid the catastrophic repercussions of ignoring the facts and living as if the planet would just regenerate itself and its beauty.

DH and I were talking the other day - I told him "It's just not fair honey...you're so easy to shop for for Christmas. You want a couple of CD's, the new Guitar Hero 3...me...hell the only thing I want is a hybrid car."

I guess I just don't think God gave us this planet so we could selfishly destroy it - and that's exactly what we're doing.

Ok. :onsoapbox

Sorry :oops


Becca...you hit it right on the head. We all need to wake the hell up.

Yes earth has had these "cycles", but NEVER on such a rapid scale - always over millions of years, never over hundreds. We're killing the planet, and we justify it by saying it's all just natural.

My arse.

IMO global warming isn't a joke, it's a fact. Take a look at the polar ice cap right now. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIVE years ago. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIFTY years ago. Then 200. It is rapidly melting. This causes changes in oceanic temps, which effects everything from marine mammals to worldwide climate. All you have to do is a little bit of research and you can find the facts, they will stare at you dead in the face. But it really is easier sometimes just to sit back with our big factories and our gas guzzling SUV's and just pretend it's a bunch of hype.

This planet we live on is not disposable. But our society lives a disposable lifestyle, and those of us that DON'T live that disposable lifestyle, and do try to take care of the planet, get called looney ole' tree huggers and the like. Well, I tote my green bag to the grocery store...I recycle my plastic bags (and my other recyclables), and I'll be hugging my dang trees until I die. I love trees! The sad thing is, one day I'm going to wake up wondering why more people didn't do more to avoid the catastrophic repercussions of ignoring the facts and living as if the planet would just regenerate itself and its beauty.

DH and I were talking the other day - I told him "It's just not fair honey...you're so easy to shop for for Christmas. You want a couple of CD's, the new Guitar Hero 3...me...hell the only thing I want is a hybrid car."

I guess I just don't think God gave us this planet so we could selfishly destroy it - and that's exactly what we're doing.

Ok. :onsoapbox

Sorry :oops

ITA, couldn't have said it better myself.

The question is funny. The question isn't "Is Global Warming really "real?" it's "what causes global warming, the progression of the sun's phases, or humans fucking up the planet?" :lol I don't think it matters either way, because eventually we'll be fried crispy no matter who's to blame.

to me its all hype. Back in the 70's every scientist would have sworn on their childrens lives that in 30 years we were gonna be in another ice age, but looky there, 30 years later we not in an ice age? ya know what I mean. im sure we arnt helping the fact in any way, but I deffinetly dont think we are the pure cause and I deffinetly find it hard to believe these "scientists and politician" when they were all saying the opposite such a short time ago.

to me its all hype. Back in the 70's every scientist would have sworn on their childrens lives that in 30 years we were gonna be in another ice age, but looky there, 30 years later we not in an ice age? ya know what I mean. im sure we arnt helping the fact in any way, but I deffinetly dont think we are the pure cause and I deffinetly find it hard to believe these "scientists and politician" when they were all saying the opposite such a short time ago.

I wasn't aware that we were ever supposed to be in an ice age by the turn of the century...so I guess no, I don't know what you mean.

How can you say you don't think we're the pure cause of something, if you just said in the breath before it that you think it's all hype. You don't think we're the pure cause of hype? Or you think that maybe it's not hype after all but you don't think that the human race should take the blame (or any of the accountablity)?

i think it is mostly just Earth's natural cycles but perhaps we are exacerbating what normally happens.

:tu

i think it is mostly just Earth's natural cycles but perhaps we are exacerbating what normally happens.


This is probably where I mostly sit with my uneducated opinion on the subject. I really don't know what to think since I have heard so much about it on either side. I haven't done any thorough research to really have a solid opinion yet.

I don't think we are the only reason for global warming, but I think we are playing a huge part in it.

And, I agree with what Becca has been saying. :tu

I believe it is happening, but that is also part of a cycle. I take things like Gore's documentary with a grain of salt, because what that piece is is not accurate. Like anything else, I do my research. Besides, what does it cost me to throw my recycled stuff into a seperate bin?

This link will explain better than I can WHY the greenhouse effect and global warming have been enhanced by humans. It kinda disproves your theory that global warming is not real. Regular global warming is a true natural process, but in the past 200 years we have created Enhanced global warming that is essentially speeding up the process and IMPO destroying our Earth.

Facts of the greenhouse effect (http://www.environment.gov.au/education/publications/greenhouse.html)

Global Warming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming)

The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus[10] identifies elevated levels of greenhouse gases due to human activity as the main influence

I don't think we are the only reason for global warming, but I think we are playing a huge part in it.

And, I agree with what Becca has been saying. :tu

:yes

Yes earth has had these "cycles", but NEVER on such a rapid scale - always over millions of years, never over hundreds. We're killing the planet, and we justify it by saying it's all just natural.

My arse.

IMO global warming isn't a joke, it's a fact. Take a look at the polar ice cap right now. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIVE years ago. Then take a look at the polar ice cap FIFTY years ago. Then 200. It is rapidly melting. This causes changes in oceanic temps, which effects everything from marine mammals to worldwide climate. All you have to do is a little bit of research and you can find the facts, they will stare at you dead in the face. But it really is easier sometimes just to sit back with our big factories and our gas guzzling SUV's and just pretend it's a bunch of hype.

This planet we live on is not disposable. But our society lives a disposable lifestyle, and those of us that DON'T live that disposable lifestyle, and do try to take care of the planet, get called looney ole' tree huggers and the like. Well, I tote my green bag to the grocery store...I recycle my plastic bags (and my other recyclables), and I'll be hugging my dang trees until I die. I love trees! The sad thing is, one day I'm going to wake up wondering why more people didn't do more to avoid the catastrophic repercussions of ignoring the facts and living as if the planet would just regenerate itself and its beauty.

DH and I were talking the other day - I told him "It's just not fair honey...you're so easy to shop for for Christmas. You want a couple of CD's, the new Guitar Hero 3...me...hell the only thing I want is a hybrid car."

I guess I just don't think God gave us this planet so we could selfishly destroy it - and that's exactly what we're doing.

Ok. :onsoapbox

Sorry :oops

I totally agree with you Becca, and I have to say, you are one of the only religious people I have seen personally that is as passionate about this as you are. I have always asked myself how it is that the "religious right" political machine in this country was SO QUICK to deny global warming and then downplay it when they couldn't deny it anymore. Isn't one of the first things that people are asked to do in the bible to take care of the earth that God created for them? I always thought that the environment would be such a powerful religious issues because religion believes that the earth is a wonderful gift that God gave us, that should be treasured and respected and taken care of. So, I am so happy to see that is exactly how you feel. :tu

I don't think we are the only reason for global warming, but I think we are playing a huge part in it.

I totally agree with you too Kristen. I think that it is naive to believe that with as powerful as nature is that we can single handedly change the landscape of the environment, but it is even more naive to think that we have no effect at all. We are a factor, a big factor. And we need to be responsible about it if we expect to keep this planet hospitable for life as long as we can.

For all you people saying you think it's a natural cycle.. could you please answer me this.

Why is there 20,000 yro ice melting in the ice caps?

They know the age because they tell by the temperature.

So ice, that has been on earth for 20- 50,000 years is now starting to melt. And it's not a slow thing either. Everyday major cliffs of ice fall into the ocean and melt.

And the ice builds up. Only a few years ago- this 20,000 year old ice wayy down. Now it's surfaced because all what was on top- has melted already.

There is ice that is so cold- it's been there for millions of years. I want to know HOW this is normal. And how it's only a cycle if the ice is still there to prove it ISN'T.

Earlier this year I read a Michael Crichton book called State of Fear. It was a very good book and well researched. Even though it is fiction. He did a great job of showing both sidesof global warming.

I believe the Earth is partly in it's own cycle and partly being destroyed by us. I also believe that a lot of the things that we do to "protect" the earth might be causing more harm than help.

An example would be how early tribes of people would burn some forests that were over growing for various reasons. This helped because there are some seeds in trees that can only germinate after being opened by the fire. With out those fires those trees will become extinct. And in fact many have already.

I highly reccomend this book to everyone. Like I said it was well researched and all the research is notated in the book with real graphs and such. :thumbsup

Earlier this year I read a Michael Crichton book called State of Fear. It was a very good book and well researched. Even though it is fiction. He did a great job of showing both sidesof global warming.

I believe the Earth is partly in it's own cycle and partly being destroyed by us. I also believe that a lot of the things that we do to "protect" the earth might be causing more harm than help.

An example would be how early tribes of people would burn some forests that were over growing for various reasons. This helped because there are some seeds in trees that can only germinate after being opened by the fire. With out those fires those trees will become extinct. And in fact many have already.

I highly reccomend this book to everyone. Like I said it was well researched and all the research is notated in the book with real graphs and such. :thumbsup

I saw a show on National Geographic about Yellowstone. And how they only control some fires- because alot of them actually help the park.. because of the same reason with the seeds. :yes

So that is definately a good thing. Have to agree there.

Earlier this year I read a Michael Crichton book called State of Fear. It was a very good book and well researched. Even though it is fiction. He did a great job of showing both sidesof global warming.

I believe the Earth is partly in it's own cycle and partly being destroyed by us. I also believe that a lot of the things that we do to "protect" the earth might be causing more harm than help.

An example would be how early tribes of people would burn some forests that were over growing for various reasons. This helped because there are some seeds in trees that can only germinate after being opened by the fire. With out those fires those trees will become extinct. And in fact many have already.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. Like I said it was well researched and all the research is notated in the book with real graphs and such. :thumbsup

I heart that book totally and completely. He even went into the fact that we (scientist's/government) have machines/equipment that can cause weather/natural event manipulation on the global size of tsunami's and Hurricane's, also cloud seeding. (in fact I saw a national geographic special on how they are using said equipment to turn storms, they also talked about making rain via cloud seeding it was very eye opening) He had a crap ton of statistics and charts in there as well and also credited his sources.

I recycle and I try to have my family leave as small a global foot print as we can, just because I believe we should be kind to our environment and keep it nice. I however believe we are headed for an ice age. As do many scientists, that is the dissent the scientist are split down the middle on what is happening and data can be hashed to read in the angle each side wants. Makes it pretty hard for the layman to understand SO I do my part to keep the earth green. :) Just in case can't hurt anything either way.

I think global warming is a real issue. I don't however think that we can save this planet by just making small changes (on an individual and completely VOLUNTARY basis). I honestly feel that by the time it's discovered to be a real true fact, it will be far too late.

It's going to take far more effort NOW and at the high governmental level. Like I said I just don't see this problem ever being reversed by a few individuals who are VOLUNTARILY trying to "do the right thing".

I can not for the life of me figure out how anyone can believe we can put all this crap into the air with no consequence.

I say, we only have one Earth, isn't it better to be safe than sorry? We can't get another one.

As for the forest fires, etc., I can see that in times the earth was underpopulated, but now it is over populated, so I guess it would need to be weighed. We are under treed right now.