Global Warming

Originally Posted by robchester

I have it from an excellent well informed source (one of the top Geologists in the world) that Climate Change has very little to do with what us humans do. Our output is marginal in comparison to what the world itself produces. Climate change is cyclical. The worlds polarity is a large factor in climate change. At the moment our polarity is overdue to switch. I believe it switches every 600000 or so and the last produced an ice age. This is monitored in the sea beds beneath the Atlantic. If i remember rightly, we are about 25000 years overdue.

I havent done geology for a couple of years so im a bit rusty and someone may correct me, but if you ask me, its a smokescreen and propaganda for the government to collect more money to heommorage on Iraq & Afghanistan

Entirely agree

Regardless of what your mate does or doesnt think, its at least possible, some would say probable, that he is wrong.

If he is wrong, and important people pay attention to him, then boy wouldn't we be left with egg on our faces. If he is right we have cleaner air. Not the end of the world.

You have to balance the cost of trying to alleviate risk with the cost of ignoring risk.

The cost of ignoring this risk is pretty huge. And some clever people, who know more about it than most, think its real. Some of these people have no affiliation with governments.

They are scientists. And, from what I have seen, scientists are the most painfully conservative, desperately honest, pedantic people on the planet.

They dont like being wrong. They try very hard to make sure what they say is true before they say it.

Governments would love to ignore this. Ignorance is free. But, then along comes say... Katrina, and kills everyone. And, tons of dead people all over the shop is tricky to explain.

global warming my ****. Anyone any idea how cold it was waiting for the bus this evening? :P

Though I'll talk about global warming in a few weeks time when Im walking to work in -25 degrees. Dont think the Siberians have got the message the worlds warming up or anyone else who are in the path of the Siberian winds in winter :P

I fail to see how your posterior enters into our intellectual ramblings lyn.

A bit of decorum if you don't mind.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Razor

Relax guy, oneday you'll be able to sit on a beach in Scotland with temperature in the upper 30s.

This is true- Scotland has a fair supply of elevated beaches which will remain servicable even with a 3 metre water level rise. Though since the gulfstream would most likely shift due to changes in sea temperature, most of scotland would be colder than before.

It's definately true that natural effects have a greater impact than we do. Doesn't mean ours is irrelevant.

Originally Posted by northwind

It's definately true that natural effects have a greater impact than we do. Doesn't mean ours is irrelevant.

A most sensible comment Northy. The question is to what extent do human actions contribute.

I am not persuaded, not even by Philip's claim that scientists are clever dispassionate people. And Philip, do you have any proof that Katrina or indeed any other hurricane was caused by climate change? You appear to link them.

Little known climate fact:

Australia emits 30 per cent more greenhouse gases per capita than the United States.

Each year Ireland generates 869kg of waste per head, 25 per cent more than Denmark, its nearest EU rival. Britain's figure is 600kg. [The Economist, 2nd September 2006]

Originally Posted by Razor

Little known climate fact:

Australia emits 30 per cent more greenhouse gases per capita than the United States.

Each year Ireland generates 869kg of waste per head, 25 per cent more than Denmark, its nearest EU rival. Britain's figure is 600kg. [The Economist, 2nd September 2006]

See, it's not us, it's everyone else

I spend my spare time writing letters to the local rag about Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council's recycling efforts. It's a joke, we have green waste and cardboard in the summer every other Monday, glass bottles and paper every other Thursday all year round. RThey collect at 7am so if you forget to put it out the night before, tough. You have to take plastic bottles (not the topses, mind - WHY?????) to the recycling facility.

Not surprising that so many people don't bother.

I fail to see how 60 million people in a world of 6.5 billion will make a concerted difference to the Climate Change. 1% of the worlds population and thats only if everyone in Britain took heed and did something about it. Its the Americans who need to do something about it. We are being penalised for our 1600cc engines over here whilst the US run around in their 4litre guzzlers refusing to sign any agreements on the environment.

"New" Labour modelled themselves on centre ground politics. Their fascination with robbing the rich to pay for the poor is typically leftwing. They want us all to travel on public transport and be rationed for food.

It really p*sses me off to work so hard for the money I earn only to see those sit on the other fence to me reap the rewards through benefits, and im not talking about the unemployed with a genuine desire to work.

Originally Posted by Ed

A most sensible comment Northy. The question is to what extent do human actions contribute.

I am not persuaded, not even by Philip's claim that scientists are clever dispassionate people. And Philip, do you have any proof that Katrina or indeed any other hurricane was caused by climate change? You appear to link them.

No. Sorry... I didnt mean to imply that Katrina was linked to human activity. What I was trying to say was (certain) governments feel that it is acceptable to throw the dice when it comes to pre-emptively combating problems that may be coming.

At the time the govt here felt that the risk of ignoring the chance of Katrina was worth the few million they saved.
It turned out to be a bad gamble. (Sadly.)

They are rolling the dice again on this issue.

Scientists are not necessarily dispassionate, they generally seem clever though. They are phenomenally careful about what they say. If you bork badly, it can be the end of things for you.

The media on the other hand is not careful about how they report what they say.
This is a problem.