Global Warming......

[KnottyKnanna]

I have heard quite a bit of controversy lately about global warming. I find it both fascinating and disheartening....my question....

Did anybody see the debate this morning on Fox News? Because I hadn't had any coffee, I can't remember names, but the debate had to do with studies having "very strong evidence" that actually, sulfuric emissions from our chemical plants actually "protect" the o-zone and prevent warming. (an inside biased study conducted by Exxon?)

And every 1500 years there is a cyclic event causing temporary warming, and even to the point of the polar caps melting. And we are in the midst of this "cyclic" global warming now, "and it will only get worse before better and not to worry".....

Please somebody shed some light here....the person's opinion on the emissions has just written a book, stated that 500 "environmental specialists" were conducted in independent studies...I would love to read that book.

Any thoughts??

[Ron Fulcher]

I am not sure if the discussion is still here but, I know we crossed this path a while ago here. I too read that notice on that and found it very interesting.

NOVA did a great special as well about the Earth's magnetic field and ended by stating the same that it would only get worse. The reduction of this field is evident to us in our smaller observations just by the shifting declination on our compasses. They further state that strength has dropped 10% letting in a greater amount of solar radiation.

There in is my largest problem with Gore and those who seek to blame only man. If indeed there research mentioned the actual solar input increase then I would feel more willing to accept some of their theories on cause and effect. BUT if they refuse to note the source of our heat from the sun and these changing conditions that I can readily observe myself the seed of disbelief is sowed.

Now here is kicker for you. We do a great job here and in most of the modern industrialized nations of controlling pollution while at the end of the ninteeenth century and into the sixties we were horrid with it. Just look at the old photos and read the stories. What if this earlier uncontrolled pollution had or was responsible for suppressing our temperature and only now are we, with a much better job of cleaning up after ourselves, experiencing the natural climate for our planet considering its own unique conditions?

Theories are wonderful things in the scientific community and that is exactly what we are dealing with now but, lots of propponents would have us all believe it is natural law.

Oh one final silly point I bet if we look at this thing over 4 billion years until now we have really cooled off! Statistics are neat and we can generate the result we are looking for by either limiting or expanding the sample data pool.

Ron Fulcher

[hewhocaves]

I believe the phenomenon you're talking about is called "global dimming".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_dimming

as for sulfur emissions being *helpful*.. im not sure i'm familiar with that defiition of helpful - as sulfur dioxide is the source of a lot of pollution (acid rain, et al...) which is costing us hundreds of millions if not billions to remediate.

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

[Evan G]

acid rain - cavers bestfriend

[Teresa]

I think someone got something mixed up in the Fox News thing. Back in the 70s--first big acid rain flap-- the point was made that acid rain had increased because the particulate matter (fly ash, etc.) actually did buffer some of the acidic portion of the emissions. Once the ash and visible stuff was filtered out, the sulfur dioxide was free to combine with the water and oxygen to from sulfuric acid.

A cloud layer (natural or man made) will tend to insulate the earth and keep heat from escaping. (Compare a cloudy winter night with one which is clear as bell and cold as....)-- also the wide temperature variation in generally cloudless deserts. Hence one explanation for the elevated temperatures on Venus, far above what one would expect based on incoming solar radiation.

Don't mistake Planet Al Gore or most journalists for scientists. The gist of most geologists I've spoken to and professional papers on the subject I've read is not that humans are responsible for the warming process itself , but for the accelerating rate of the warming process, which does seem to correlate well with the rate of fossil fuel consumption and population growth (more people burning more fuel for more things.)

Life can accomodate to change if the change is gradual. Sudden change without accomodation brings extinction. That's the real worry.

[JoeyS]

I personally look forward to the longer grow season. Fresh tomatoes in December; what could be finer?

[KnottyKnanna]

Pollution Could Fight Global Warming
FOX News



Click on the URL below for the rest of this story:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,230 ... ralscience


This touches on the subject of interest. I have still not found the book I was referencing too.........or the author...


Save Earth from warming by using pollution? A Nobel Prize winner's idea of cooling the planet by firing pollution into the atmosphere is getting new attention at U.N. climate talks in Kenya. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15752178/from/ET/

[Teresa]

Why don't we just invoke nuclear winter and be done with it? Oh, heck, just nuke an active volcano...

Suggest the proponents of the 'just add sulfur' plan do a bit of research on the explosion of Mt. Tambora in 1815:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tambora

Nasa High Atmosphere aerosol study:
http://oea.larc.nasa.gov/PAIS/Aerosols.html

Why wait for balloons?
http://www.coastalpost.com/97/4/3.htm

Or in the words of Robert Frost:
"Some say the world will end in fire,
Others say in ice..."

Once again, a scientist says something as a last case scenario, and the popular media jumps all on it.

[KnottyKnanna]

Or in the words of Robert Frost:
"Some say the world will end in fire,
Others say in ice..."

Once again, a scientist says something as a last case scenario, and the popular media jumps all on it.

Ahhh........gourmet food for thought....

Thanks!

[fuzzy-hair-man]

Pollution Could Fight Global Warming
FOX News........
Save Earth from warming by using pollution? A Nobel Prize winner's idea of cooling the planet by firing pollution into the atmosphere is getting new attention at U.N. climate talks in Kenya.

Didn't thier mother tell them two wrongs don't make a right.

Even mentioning that thier may be a way to cool the earth down says to governments "Great we can do this, and it's no longer our problem it's a problem for future governments and future generations to deal with we'll just keep pumping this garbage out as we have always done because the solution is too hard" haven't we done this enough already?

[Ron Fulcher]

We are but a flea on the back of this old dog and once we iritate it enough its gonna scratch and bite until we aint a nusiance anymore. Oh and then take a peaceful nap in the sunshine........

[bigalpha]

We are but a flea on the back of this old dog and once we iritate it enough its gonna scratch and bite until we aint a nusiance anymore. Oh and then take a peaceful nap in the sunshine........

+1 FTW

[erebus]

Please somebody shed some light here

OK - Taking Fox News seriously is like reading the supermarket tabloids and believing that Bat Boy exists. It's entertainment, folks. Fox News has zero interest in whether an item is true. If you want facts, you have to look elsewhere.

You're welcome.

[batrotter]

OK - Taking Fox News seriously is like reading the supermarket tabloids and believing that Bat Boy exists. It's entertainment, folks. Fox News has zero interest in whether an item is true. If you want facts, you have to look elsewhere.

Where would that be?

[JoeyS]

OK - Taking Fox News seriously is like reading the supermarket tabloids and believing that Bat Boy exists. It's entertainment, folks. Fox News has zero interest in whether an item is true. If you want facts, you have to look elsewhere.

Where would that be?

Here:
http://www.theonion.com/content/