[Cspace]

Do you think it's happening? If it's a problem, what can we do about it? Is it worth it?

Discuss

[Nuu™™]

Of course it is happening, the scientific community have been sure about it for years, and have known about it since the 1980s. It has been said that last year was the year when Global Warming got into mainstream politics. Howard is planning to start investing in nuclear energy as a result, even though solar would be a wise move.

As for what we can do about it, investing more money into energy production research would help.

[Atilla]

We can push hard for Gore to run for president again.

Has anyone else seen An Inconvenient Truth?

[Red Sentinel]

Solar panels can only take up 15% of energy, the ones that we can buy.

We can produce some that can take up to 45%.

Think if we had some that could take up 90-100%.

[Aaron]

I think it's a natural trend that is being helped along by humans. There's really not a whole lot that we can do about it. The periodic heating and cooling of the earth is normal.

[Neraphym]

While periodic heating a cooling are normal, they are related to fluxuations in carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere. Whenever CO2 goes down, we have an ice age, whenever it goes up, we have a warm period. Right now, the CO2 levels are like 3 times higher than they have ever been in recent ages, and that is a direct result of mankind. Personally, I think they overexaggerate the effects this will have, and these effects don't bother me where I live, but I still think something should be done about it.

The solutions are simple, but not as cheap as ignoring the problem. It's a good thing America isn't run by huge corporations that pay congressmen to get elected... oh wait. Earth is screwed.

[Dragonman]

It's always easy to ignore it now, but later.. who knows. We need to take responsibility instead of taking a risk.

[Cspace]

It's true that fluctuations exist, and we've had ice ages and warm periods in the past... Warm to the point where we had no ice at the poles. This has been linked to greenhouse gases, the Earth's precession, and solar cycles. According to patterns seen in our geologic history, however, there is no evidence that we should be entering such a period now.

CO2 does cause global warming (whether natural or not). It's a definite greenhouse gas, and something we're pumping into the atmosphere all the time. The levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have been increasing steadily in the atmosphere at levels believed to be exponential. There is no doubt that we're contributing a lot to that... All the junk being pumped out of cars, factories, and for other uses all has to go somewhere.

So while it's true that natural processes may be involved, there is no evidence that I know of for them to actually be doing this now. Something has to be causing it. Whether or not we are entirely at fault, we are pumping junk into the atmosphere that is almost positively making things worse... With the levels we're dealing with, potentially much worse.


It will cost money to do something about it, but it will cost a lot more when things get out of control.


********************************************

Could global warming be turned back? Even if there's more to it than us, indeed I think it can. I won't go on about reducing our CO2 output as I'm sure we're tired of hearing, but what if we could suck the CO2 out of the atmosphere and turn it into something useful?

[Jake]

I have a tree that does a wonderful job at that.

[Neraphym]

Trees are great, plant some more!

[Aaron]

Yes, plant trees! There really aren't enough around anymore .

[x..]

Solar panels can only take up 15% of energy, the ones that we can buy.

We can produce some that can take up to 45%.

Think if we had some that could take up 90-100%.

and btw,

Trees are great, plant some more!

[Legend2194]

The problem is, instead of planting trees, people chop them. Deforestation is related to global warming and there aren't many things people can do about others chopping trees down. i think they should plant a two trees everytime they cut one down. i don't think thats happening though too bad

[Nuu™™]

We can push hard for Gore to run for president again.

Has anyone else seen An Inconvenient Truth?

You know Al Gore's 'estate' as I believe it is called emits twenty times more carbon dioxide than the average American household, which would have to be a hell of a lot.

I still think there is too much hype about it nowadays, people are focusing on carbon dioxide and less on various other environmental disasters, namely nitrous oxides.

Could global warming be turned back? Even if there's more to it than us, indeed I think it can. I won't go on about reducing our CO2 output as I'm sure we're tired of hearing, but what if we could suck the CO2 out of the atmosphere and turn it into something useful?

I saw a programme on SBS a few days ago listing five ways to do just that. I seem to remember they were:

• Sending up a huge amount of mirrors into the upper atmosphere to reflect the Sun's rays
• Creating huge towers or something to emit water vapour, thus creating more clouds.
• Sending up thousands of rockets to emit sulphurous gases into the sky, thus creating a barrier for rays also.
• Creating huge pipes to pump plankton into the 'deserts' of the ocean so that they could absorb carbon dioxide.
• Building thousands of artifical trees to capture carbon dioxide from the air and then stuffing it underground.

Now, not only could each and every one of these solutions create more problems than they solve, they also cost vastly more than simply removing the carbon dioxide output. The reason John Howard's not moving in an environmental direction is because he fears that he may be jeopardising the economy. Therefore solving the problem rather than preventing it is really, really silly.

[Rohtaren]

30 years ago, scientists thought we were entering an ice age... they were clearly wrong, so why should we have what i like to call a "fire age"


besides, China, in the near future (as in iwthin a few decades) will be producing more pollution than the US. while they are beginning to place pollution control in the old smokestacks, its not enough, plus their cars are also a large producer of the pollution.

one thing humans could do is perhaps fertilizing, irigating, and planting in some of those great wastelands we have.
-stop using, or significantly lower the usage of coal and other fossil fuels, i mean, give mother nature some more time to make those fuels.
-we could start building "wind & solar farms" which would have the windmills, and solar panels all over the ground.

meh, quick ideas.