Climate Change Discussion.

[ecopetition]

Hi everyone. Before you cross of this thread, perhaps take a read of this following arcticle. It may be long and boring, but it's happening now. Climate change.

 

 

 

Introduction

 

 

 

Climate change is caused by a build up of greenhouse gases occurring in the atmosphere. These gases are created when fossil fuels are burned. A fossil fuel covers any material created naturally by Earth over millions of years, like oil in our cars or gas for heating. The most abundant gas produced is carbon dioxide. Other gases include water, in the form of steam, as well as sulphur dioxide, the main cause of acid rain, and carbon monoxide, a deadly, pungent gas. Other greenhouse gases include methane, created by waste breakdown in landfill sites. Water in the atmosphere is a natural insulator. If there was no water, the average temperature on Earth would be some 30 degrees Celsius less.

 

 

 

These greenhouse gases form a barrier around the atmosphere, which acts as a shield for heat from the sun. If heat cannot escape, it builds up. A few degrees of extra heat (around 2 to 5ÃÆââ¬Å¡ÃâðC), would destroy a crucial balance of temperature, melting the polar ice caps, and causing a lack of water in hot areas, bringing unsuccessful crop growth, estimated to cause 400 million people starve to death worldwide. In temperate climates (areas with varying temperatures all year round), much wetter weather, less snow and more flash flooding would be the reality. These are the main worries about climate change.

 

 

 

Evidence

 

 

 

There is plenty of evidence that suggests our climate is changing, most of which lies in the ice caps, which are shrinking at rapid rates. Every year, millions of litres of water are being dumped in the ocean due to shrinking ice shelves. The sea has risen by about half a foot in the last fifty years. More recent proof is the fact that the 1990s was the hottest decade on record, and 2003 saw the hottest summer in thirty years. In 2005, the powerful hurricane Katrina destroyed part of New Orleans in the USA. Furthermore, millions of Ethiopians are facing famine.

 

 

 

Transport

 

 

 

Transport is the second largest contributor to climate change. Cars, trains, aviation and the rest all are frying the planet. Some cars omit upwards of 300 grams per kilometre, the average makes around 160 grams of the gas, and the lowest petrol run cars emit no more than 50g/km. In recent years, the aviation business has boomed, with short haul flights attracting passengers with the low costs, only ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâã5/$9. A Boeing 747 flying from London to New York emits [figure]. Trains emit less carbon dioxide than cars.

 

 

 

Electricity

 

 

 

Electricity is the largest single cause of climate change. From the flick of a light switch to making a cup of tea, everyday of our lives uses electricity. Many of us do not know where our electricity comes from however, as it has no visible waste in our homes, as wood and coal does. The production is the negative part. Fossil fuels are used once again in some production techniques, with them being the vast majority. As coal, oil or gas emit carbon dioxide, the more we rely on these stations for electricity, the more carbon dioxide is emitted.

 

 

More about fossil fuels

 

 

 

Fossil fuels were formed over millions of years in the Earth. They originally were living plants and animals, which died and were covered with sediment (soil). In the case of oil, it was covered with soil and water. The immense pressure caused the physical properties of the dead organisms to change, thus create coal and oil, full of energy stored over thousands of years. As we burn this fuel, we release the energy stored over millions of years, in a matter of centuries. One day fossil fuels will run out, which is another reason for new research.

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this arcticle, taken from http://www.ecopetition.org.

[Loge_05]

Change the misleading topic title and if you would like to advertise your site then there is a topic for doing so.

[ecopetition]

Consider it done ;)

[KCHughes]

You are very wrong. The single largest (and in my opinion, only) cause for climate change is Milankovitch cycles.

[Phil]

You are very wrong. The single largest (and in my opinion, only) cause for climate change is Milankovitch cycles.

 

While the Milankovitch cycles aren't a cause of climate change in itself, you are right in pointing it out.

 

 

 

There's no doubt that climate change is happening but I don't believe that greenhouse gases are the single cause of climate change like ecopetition is trying to make out.

[Scruffy5389]

Funny timing... I just finished reading a book by Michael Crichton called State of Fear. It was a fiction thriller, but it had a lot of real science in it about global warming. His main idea was that the threat of global warming is overstated and not really a problem. I disagreed with him on his final conclusion, but it's pretty obvious that the threat can be overstated. Example...

 

2003 saw the hottest summer in thirty years. In 2005, the powerful hurricane Katrina destroyed part of New Orleans in the USA. Furthermore, millions of Ethiopians are facing famine.

 

 

 

Famine and hurricanes always happen. Those examples are just sensationalism. As for 2003 having the hottest summer in thirty years, that means that it was hotter thirty years ago :wink:

 

 

 

However, I do believe that the temperature of the Earth is rising, and that there could be some connection to greenhouse gases. For this reason, I support most environmental causes. That's why it's frustrating that there is so much misinformation out there. The industry on one side presents us misinformation that there is no crisis, and in response the environmentalists distort the facts almost as much to prove that there is. There is a crisis, but it's hard to gain support when everyone is spouting bull about it.

 

 

 

Anyway, the way I see it, the real reason to listen to the conservationists is not global warming. The bigger problem is the simple fact that our energy needs are skyrocketing and the oil is not unlimited. People say there are alternative energy sources, but the reality is that none of them (or even all of them together) are practical if we want to keep consuming at the level that we do.

 

 

 

So, go ahead and be worried about global warming. Be worried about species extinction, land destruction, etc. But the real danger comes when the middle east begins to run dry and Americans still want to have half-hour hot water showers day and night plus a half-hour commute in an SUV.

[caligula101]

[chants] Nuclear, Nuclear, Nuclear[/chants]

 

 

 

You know it's true.

[indy500fan]

 

 

 

the global warming is coming right for us! everyone panic!

 

 

 

 

 

 

bring it on!

[assassin_696]

I've forgotten the exact figures but i've read that humans have maybe increased the rate of the earth heating up by 0.05% a year. Yes, we're having an effect, but it's by no means the sole cause, and is in fact less of an effect.

[pati]

ok this is something i heard from some friend i know:

 

(it's may sound weerd but he knows a lot about paranormal science)

 

 

 

if you would have a time line of 1 million years the average temperature goes up and down. 1 million years has about 5 ups and 5 downs (don't remember the exact number) a down is an ice age and un up is an age where it's very hot, we are now in an age where it's getting hotter and hotter

 

i made a quik drawing with paint so you understand it:

 

 

 

[Scruffy5389]

The simple truth is that no one really knows conclusively whether or not humans are heating up the planet. We're pretty sure it's getting warmer, but no one knows why.

 

 

 

The last two posts are definitely legitimate theories, but climate is such a complicated subject that we can't really know for sure.

[harryp0tt3rules]

The show about this on the discovery channel was very well written........watch that.....should be on again soon :)

[Faux]

http://url247.imageshack.us/url247/1638/southparkdadspressimagevl2.jpg

 

 

 

 

Haha, I loved that episode. Especially the part where Cartman asks Kyle for his 'jew gold'

 

 

 

The show about this on the discovery channel was very well written........watch that.....should be on again soon :)

 

 

 

Do you remember the title?

[runesmithie]

ok this is something i heard from some friend i know:

 

(it's may sound weerd but he knows a lot about paranormal science)

 

 

 

if you would have a time line of 1 million years the average temperature goes up and down. 1 million years has about 5 ups and 5 downs (don't remember the exact number) a down is an ice age and un up is an age where it's very hot, we are now in an age where it's getting hotter and hotter

 

i made a quik drawing with paint so you understand it:

 

 

 

http://url244.imageshack.us/url244/2508 ... inggu5.png]

 

 

 

But it's getting hotter faster than evidence shows from the part where we'd be after the last ice age.

[Besty]

Pati, I think this diagram will help you with yours.

 

 

 

 

What this picture is is the information gathered at the Vostoc Research area in Antarctica, and it shows a lot of information that coincide with each other. I believe they got the information from the core samples of ice in the Antarctic.

 

 

 

I have a whole case study I had to write last year in Geography disproving that Fossil Fuels are the reason for Climate change ect. I highly doubt any of you would be interested in reading it, but If I get the time I may post bits and peices.

[Viktorkrum77]

Harmful gases being released into the atmosphere cause holes in the Ozone layer, expecially a big one over Antartica, which is melting the polar ice caps, flooding the ocean with fresh water, causing the water to rise, and causing weather anomolies.

 

 

 

That's the cause of Global Warming. And the increase in natural disasters, like hurricanes, is a by-product of Global Warming.

[runesmithie]

Harmful gases being released into the atmosphere cause holes in the Ozone layer, expecially a big one over Antartica, which is melting the polar ice caps, flooding the ocean with fresh water, causing the water to rise, and causing weather anomolies.

 

 

 

That's the cause of Global Warming. And the increase in natural disasters, like hurricanes, is a by-product of Global Warming.

 

 

 

Please... it's Climate Change, not Global Warming :)

[RebelAssassin]

i did see on BBC news today that the ozone hole is apparently healing

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5276994.stm

[eyehawk78]

i did see on BBC news today that the ozone hole is apparently healing

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5276994.stm

 

 

 

And who is responsible for the hole in the ozone layer? We humans :wall:

[KCHughes]

Pati, I think this diagram will help you with yours.

 

http://url.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Best171/800px-Vostok_420ky_4curves_insolati.jpg

 

 

 

What this picture is is the information gathered at the Vostoc Research area in Antarctica, and it shows a lot of information that coincide with each other. I believe they got the information from the core samples of ice in the Antarctic.

 

 

 

I have a whole case study I had to write last year in Geography disproving that Fossil Fuels are the reason for Climate change ect. I highly doubt any of you would be interested in reading it, but If I get the time I may post bits and peices.

 

 

 

That's what Milankovitch cycles are. The earth's orbit goes through cycles every 10,000 years or so, when it either gets more circular or more eliptical. A circular orbit makes earth's average temperature increase, and an elliptical orbit makes it decrease. We're currently nearing the end of an elliptical cycle, so the orbit is more circular now than it was almost 10,000 years ago. There's nothing humans can do about climate change. It happens. Deal with it.

[malo2]

the change of climate is only about 4 F over the nex century, and were very close to solar powered transport, so Im not vorrying that much yet.

[Death_By_Pod]

the change of climate is only about 4 F over the nex century, and were very close to solar powered transport, so Im not vorrying that much yet.

 

 

 

The sun produces about 100-500 watts of energy per square meter. LetÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s pretend that solar panels can convert that at 100% (they are closer to 7%) and that we are in a very sunny part of the world, so we get 500 watts of power per square meter of panel.

 

 

 

A Volkswagen New Beetle (a compact car) has a max power of 85000 Watts (85 kW), so for it to run at its best it requires 170 square meters of 100% efficient panels in some of the brightest parts of the world. Solar powered transport is never going to happen because the sun doesn't supply us enough energy to run things like cars, buses and trains.

[Besty]

Pati, I think this diagram will help you with yours.

 

http://url.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Best171/800px-Vostok_420ky_4curves_insolati.jpg

 

 

 

What this picture is is the information gathered at the Vostoc Research area in Antarctica, and it shows a lot of information that coincide with each other. I believe they got the information from the core samples of ice in the Antarctic.

 

 

 

I have a whole case study I had to write last year in Geography disproving that Fossil Fuels are the reason for Climate change ect. I highly doubt any of you would be interested in reading it, but If I get the time I may post bits and peices.

 

 

 

That's what Milankovitch cycles are. The earth's orbit goes through cycles every 10,000 years or so, when it either gets more circular or more eliptical. A circular orbit makes earth's average temperature increase, and an elliptical orbit makes it decrease. We're currently nearing the end of an elliptical cycle, so the orbit is more circular now than it was almost 10,000 years ago. There's nothing humans can do about climate change. It happens. Deal with it.

 

 

 

I know :P

[pati]

Pati, I think this diagram will help you with yours.

 

http://url.photobucket.com/albums/v179/Best171/800px-Vostok_420ky_4curves_insolati.jpg

 

 

 

What this picture is is the information gathered at the Vostoc Research area in Antarctica, and it shows a lot of information that coincide with each other. I believe they got the information from the core samples of ice in the Antarctic.

 

 

 

I have a whole case study I had to write last year in Geography disproving that Fossil Fuels are the reason for Climate change ect. I highly doubt any of you would be interested in reading it, but If I get the time I may post bits and peices.

 

 

 

thanks for the better pick(it looks more scientific than mine :D )

 

also i would like to read your case study

[ecopetition]

You guys really need to revise your facts...