Global Warming -- do you believe?

[Bluerocket]

Global Warming -- do you believe its real? or a hoax?

If you believe --- what are you personally doing about it?

Are you worried about it and how it will affect where you (or someone you know) live?

Just curious -- please, in addition to responding to the post - post comments. I am interested in what you have to say about this topic.

For me -- I believe its true -- and I am worried about my friends who live along coast lines -- like New York City, Florida, California - all along the coasts -- especially places like New Orleans. I personally live in the center of the country (North Central KY) and don't think rising water will affect me physically here -- but droughts will certainly affect us -- and the stronger tornados, hurricanes etc..

I worry about the polar bears and the people in the polar areas of our planet who are used to the Artic lifestyle -- and how this will affect them and their "lands" and the ecology there. I am worried about the levels of the ocean rising - and the stronger weather -- Do you think this is what happened to Atlantis?? maybe at the time of the "great flood"??

:

My husband and I are in our 50's - it may affect us some - but not like it possibly can the generations behinds us -- like people in their 40's, 30's 20's etc.. and all the people who come after us.

What are we doing - well we are just starting to do SOMETHING -- not much yet, but seeing what else we can personally do -- things like lowering our thermostat in the winter (did 60 - 65 this year will keep it at 80 in the summer or try to do with windows open if possible) -- and trying to turn off extraneous lights -- and unplug chargers etc.. We are starting to replace our normal light bulbs with the florescent ones (boy are they expensive) -- which they have not figured out how to recycle or dispose of properly (have MERCURY in them ) We use our microwave not the stove (where-ever possible) and try to do cold water washing for most clothes/laundry -- and now it is getting to be spring, will try to use a clothesline for the first time in my life --

I am currently investigating with our local power coop, how we can pay for the "green" energy they are starting to produce here -- it costs more and you have to specify that option on your bill -- We can't afford much more - but we can pay $5 or more a month extra.

Both my husband and I commute to work - and work different shifts -- our drives are over 20 miles away for me and 15 for him -- he will ride his motorcycle in good weather -- I drive our car which has better fuel economy. But we still have the truck(s) for the farm work and the tractor. I try to go ONE TIME to town on the weekend for all errands - rather than multiple trips.

I feel we can do more -- but at this time, we can't do SOLAR power or WIND power or anything major. Would LOVE to use HORSE Power to get to work - but would just arrive in time to go back home

: so that is really a silly idea for me (20+ miles each way)

Sooo -- what are you doing?? or not?

Just curious

JJay

 

[nootka]

A hoax?

Scientific proof is not a hoax, IMO.

I don't know what purpose one would be trying to serve by creating such a hoax.

It's a given fact that our activities on this planet have had much impact, and often for the negative.

Where this will take us is not 100% certain, and again, some of these things have happened before we were doing our "dirty work" on the planet, BUT, to think that our behavior, or polluting and consumption of resources is not having an effect is ignorant, IMHO.

We do need to look at the writing on the wall, and do our best to control our behavior that contributes.

We cannot control everything that happens with our planet, and our environment, but we can have an impact by modifying our habits to help ease the negative impact, and allow it to heal where possible.

I personally think it's sad that our technology has far outrun our common sense...we have generations of poisoned water, soil, air, and the animals (including us) have traces of all of this in our bodies. We had no idea what we were doing.

Science provides us with a lot less of an excuse to hide our heads in the sand and look the other way "Not me" attitude.

My Dad has worked with many of the ideas and scientists involved in researching these concepts in his pursuit of his Master's Degree. He is taking a Hydro-Geology class right now, and it's somewhat depressing to think of our situation with clean, drinkable water as a resource being depleted, let alone the things he's learned in his climatology classes as well as astronomy relating to the Earth's atmosphere. People just don't care or they don't care enough.

not saying I'm not part of the problem, just wishing more of us would jump on and do even a few things...

Liz M. (who believes in things that can be proven with scientific fact, but tries to avoid hysterical knee-jerk responses)

 

[Pepipony]

I believe it is real. I also believe that while we are creating a lot of the problems, I also think the Earth itself goes through these climate changes. We are just hastening this one along. It amuses me when I hear people state that we couldnt effect the Earth, cant make a statement beyond' it amuses me' as it would just be too rude.

: I live just north of a coal burning power plant and we can literally watch an approaching storm either veer around it or split apart. Old timers say we now live in its dry shadow, instead of rain shadow as this little spit of acreage doesnt see half the rain that a few miles away, either side, dows.

As for not knowing what to do about it. Start small.

Dont run to town every day, plan things out. I live rurally so this is easy for me.

Dont run the water needlessly. If you have to wait for hot water to run through, put a container under it to catch the cold, use it to water the plants, or pets.

Change out your incandescent bulbs for the new halogen ones. << Each replaced bulb can save 700 lbs of coal.

Weatherstrip your house.

Put new solar screens on<< I did last year and truly was amazed at the difference in my west facing windows.

Turn your heat down a couple degrees.

Turn your air up a couple and use ceiling fans.

Clean your water heater out every year or 2.

Make sure your vehicles air filters are clean and tire pressures up.

Dont leave lights on when not in the room, or if you need to have them on, use a dimmer ( cant use the halogen bulbs for dimmers though)

Dont run the dryer longer than needed.

there are many more ways. Just do what you can. Every little bit helps.

 

[CharmedMinis]

Goodness yes I believe it!!!

My Father was a meteorologist so he constantly researches and watched things.

Have you seen the movie, "Day After Tomorrow"??? He says someday those circumstances happening are a very real possibility, though it would probably happen slower than in the movie.

I believe the Earth eventually rights itself, it fixes itself and reverts back to how it's supposed to be. Like someone already mentioned maybe this is what happened to Atlantis, or to the dinosaurs, and who knows what else.

I always worry about the weather, weird things are already happening as we all know. I live in a "safe" area, New Mexico, but even so, we've had a record breaking hail storm that wasn't supposed to happen. And last year we had over 9 inches of rain, when about 3 inches is what's normal.

:

We do lots to try and help..........

We use only halogen light bulbs. We keep our heat at 62 degrees. In the summer we only have a small window air conditioner in one room. The rest of the house is cooled by keeping windows open and using ceiling fans. We buy 75% organic foods, more expensive but it's better for us and for the environment. We only use cold water to wash clothes and most of them are hung up to air dry. There are lots of other little things that we do.

 

[CyndiM]

I do not believe it is a hoax, but I do believe a lot of hoopla is being made out of something that is a natural occurrence of nature.

It is true we humans have abused this earth with pollution and excessive uses of our natural resourses. Consumtion of oil, water, coal, etc is going to continue to go up mainly because the population of the world keeps going up and the demand is greater now, and will be in the future, than it ever has been in the history of the world. Due to population and the modernization of third world countries.

But this is NOT the first time in the history of the earth things have changed. After all several million years ago Iowa and several other northern states were a TROPICAL paradise. There weren't enough humans around then to have caused this. So what did? My opinion is it was a natural occurrence of nature.

I am not going out of my way to DO things but I AM trying to conserve energy. And we recycle almost everything we can.

 

[Shari]

China needs to cool their Jets...but they are not going too. They are going to surpass us in polltion very quickly and make the problem worse.

And yes.. I very much believe it. Humans are part of the planet...but we can harm it with excess...and it is sadly happening. The Earth is more fragile than people want to believe.

 

[Farmhand]

I guess it depends on which "experts" you beleive. Some of you might remember back in the 70's the "Scientest" were saying we will be having another "ice age" now it globel warming? Russia and China are the biggest polluters but the U.S.A. gets the blame.

:

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?page...rticle_ID=14329

 

[Miniv]

No, it's not a hoax. However, scientists don't agree on what is causing it. Is it the normal cycle of the earth? Or is it being created by us humans? There are arguments for both camps.

Personally, I think it is BOTH. Yes, it's proven that our Mother Planet goes through cycles of warming and cooling........thus causing tropical forests to turn into deserts and visa-versa, etc..... and we are seemingly heading into a warming trend. However, I also believe that we humans are creating an atmospheric change with the carbon bonoxide that is speeding along the natural process.

Can we do anything about it? Overall, no. But we could slow it down a bit if EVERY COUNTRY participated in controling their release of carbons........but it would only delay the inevitable.

Just my opinion,

MA

 

[sharon]

I just saw something last night on the late news. A town way up in Alaska that is along the coast.

I am pretty sure it was something like 400 feet of the land there has been lost over the past 20 years.

The water would be frozen for most of the months and now it just keeps getting to be a shorter amount of time that the water is frozen. The water has been encroaching on the land. It looked like a few houses were in danger of falling into the water.

I believe!!!

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

I believe in it- But I don't believe we caused all of it.

The Earth has gone through climate changes like this, and I think we just sped up the process..

I think it is already too late to fix what we have already done, but we could certainly help in slowing the process..

 

[Warpony]

First, I have a bunch of friends who get so annoyed when it is called "global warming" because even though the over all effect is that the average temperature of the whole planet goes up this doesn;t mean that everywhere on the planet gets warmer, some places will actually get colder. many scientists are pushing to have it called "Global climate change" because that is a more accurate descriptor of what is happening. (Personally I don;t care what they call it, but I thought that was worth mentioning).

My opinion: The earth goes through these changes... It always has and it always will. It's been hotter then it is now, and it has been colder. It changed before we existed and it will change long after we are gone. That is just the nature of planet earth. The climate didn't change because the dinosaurs were farting too much or driving their hummer 2's to starbucks, it changed because that is what the earth naturally DOES.

HOWEVER, I do not for a moment doubt that our pollution is speeding the changes. These things would happen in time anyway, but not as fast as they are. The earth and the things that live on it would have more time to adjust. The earth will survive, and even thrive, no matter what we do to it. Given time the earth can heal itself from all kinds of horrible man made disasters, the question is are we going to make it impossible for us to survive here? If something doesn't change eventually we may just consume ourselves out of being able to survive.

Personally, we have gone to more fuel efficient vehicles, we turn our furnace down to 66 during the day and 64 at night (our family thinks we are nuts but we have had fewer colds and respiratory infections since we turned the furnace down in the winter and we saved a lot of money on propane), we recycle what we can, and we buy naturally/organically grown foods that are produced and processed locally. This serves several purposes. first if means our meat and veggies were not hauled half way across the planet in a gas guzzling truck and second it means when I bite into a thick juicy steak or burger I know how it was raised, how it lived, how it died and how it was processes. I support my neighbors by buying their products and it is good for the environment. It's not much but if everyone did a little the difference would be huge.

 

[Miniv]

Excellent Post, Warpony!

 

[minimule]

I voted no. The climates are changing, it is a natural occurance. Some folks (AG) would have us believe that it is all our fault, not theirs. Of course this particular person owns 4 mansions, flies all over the world in his Leer Jet but feels he rectifies himself by donating large amounts of money to GreenPeace

:

: .

I've heard it called Enironmental Socialism. The earth does have a mind of it's own and will do what it is going to do with us or without us.

We do do what we can though. We only buy home grown beef (or meat of whatever kind). Usually we go hunting and harvest an elk or two for the freezer and won't buy meat at the store. I only drive when I absolutely have to. I don't like going to town anyway. We have mostly flourescent bulbs, keep the thermostat low in the winter, down to 60 at night and only up to 68 during the day. We recycle most of the stuff we can.

 

[Farmhand]

I voted no. The climates are changing, it is a natural occurance. Some folks (AG) would have us believe that it is all our fault, not theirs. Of course this particular person owns 4 mansions, flies all over the world in his Leer Jet but feels he rectifies himself by donating large amounts of money to GreenPeace

:

: .
I've heard it called Enironmental Socialism. The earth does have a mind of it's own and will do what it is going to do with us or without us.

:aktion033: :aktion033:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Yes the Earth goes through changes naturally.

What it does not do is go through the changes naturally as fast as has happened in my lifetime!!!

But what will be done??

NOTHING.

Whilst the countries that are causing the most problems have the most wealth, nothing at all will be done.

Apparently we cannot tell people they can no longer go on holiday to Ibiza- we have to actually make it easier for them to go by making flights cheaper and by building extra runways so, after reaching the age I have I am afraid I am no longer worrying about it, it is not my problem.

I have no children or grandchildren to worry about- so if I am wrong no-one is going to worry and if you are wrong and, as I believe, society as we know it grinds to a halt I shall not be here to worry about it.

It is (or will be) your grandchildren's funeral- over to them!!