Thoughts on Global Warming
There is a lot of talk about global warming in the news these days. It is an interesting topic, and one that has been pushed in to the forefront of many people’s minds. Global warming, although not exactly proven to the highest level of provability, is dangerous and may lead to leaving earth in ruins in the future. I just wanted to pass along my thoughts on this highly volatile issue.
Global warming, otherwise known as a temperature increase in the troposphere, is one of many causes of the various climate changes that the Earth has been undergoing throughout the years. This particular issue is rather large these days, especially because of the vast amount of exposure that ex-Vice President Al Gore has shed on global warming. The dilemma that the world is faced with is attempting to narrow down on a particular culprit, which the world can aim to reconcile in an attempt to thwart the ill effects of global warming.
Since, you know, I am nowhere near what a layperson would describe as a scientist, I thought it would be interesting to explore what I believe are a few key effects of a climate change due to an increase in the base temperature of the earth.
It is quite possible that a rise in the earth’s temperature may create a situation in which the polar ice caps, and other large bodies of ice, start melting. Not on the grand scale that was seen in the movie The Day After Tomorrow, but nonetheless in a manner that may be detrimental to the inhabitants of our precious planet.
If such an event were to occur, more land surface ends up exposed to the sun, which in turn results in warmer temperatures. Once the base temperature of the planet starts to rise, the warmer temperatures make the ice melt at a greater rate, creating an evil cycle that may rapidly deplete the polar ice caps. It is like an evil cycle that is quite difficult to stop, assuming that enough momentum was gained.
Again, not exactly on the grand dramatic scale seen in the aforementioned movie, depletion of the polar ice caps due to warmer temperatures on earth may lead to a major shift in global weather. The likes of what may happen are unknown, although scientists do have their theories. Al Gore clearly depicts such in his documentary on global warming, Inconvenient Truth.
There are a number of other effects that may be seen as well. A decrease in the population is highly plausible, onset because of a possible increase in deaths attributed to the higher temperatures. Higher temperatures also tend to disrupt the precious food supplies that we rely upon for nourishment. Death and famine, while spectacular sounding, is a distinct possibility.
Along the same lines, an increase in droughts may be seen, as the warmer temperatures affect the cycle of rain that the agriculture industry relies upon in order to feed humans. Crops may end up yielding less food because of the harsher temperatures, leading the agriculture industry to charge more for their valuable products. The added pressure on the ecosystem, no thanks to warmer temperatures, affects more than meets the eye.
Whether you believe in the global warming phenomenon that is sweeping the world over or not, you have got to admit that many of the ideas proposed to stop global warming are just common sense measures for life. Regardless of the intent, it just makes sense to take care of the world today, so that there is a world out there tomorrow.
Well-articulated!
The polar bears are in danger, right now, due to the melting glaciers, and according to scientists who have visited the sites, affected, the bears are in great danger.
An enormous chunk of glacier (the size of 11,000 football fields), separated, recently, creating its own island, apart from the glacier it broke off from. Photos of it were shown numerous times on the news. And, I think I sent you a link, if I remember correctly.
Yes, we must take care of our precious planet, not only for existing inhabitants, human, and otherwise, but also for future generations.
I agree with your final paragraph. Common sense tells us to keep things as natural as possible. We have seen throughout history where our “great ideas” have often backfired in one or more ways, even if proving beneficial in others. I think many of the world’s cancers and other health issues could be close to eliminated if we were more careful about pesticides and even the more overlooked things like sunscreen. This is hard to do in our pharmaceutical world, though.
However, I really can’t buy into the global warming thing as being a problem due to man’s poor environmental awareness, so much as it being a naturally-occurring phenomenon. Historically, our planet has gone through heating up and cooling down innumerable times. The great floods of today are not all that different from those of yesterday. The hurricanes are not new, and they probably are not greater in number (despite what the media says), considering statements about such things are based on highly new data.
To me, people who are most concerned about global warming are those who are afraid of their own mortality. The reality is this (to me). Perhaps the earth is heating up, and will heat up to the point of our extinction, but if you believe in a god or higher power, you should not fear this; if you are believe in none of that, it should not matter: death is death. The Ice Age, the Little Ice Age, and the heat of the earth during prehistoric times tells us this may not be something too different. Our world is very, very cyclical. And then there’s the fact that scientists think our planet will get 1F warmer in the next century. Personally, I was a little cold anyway. Bring on that 1F, I say!
The question few seem to be asking outside of “are we doing this to the earth” is “the earth adapting/evolving with us?” There are any number of possibilities, and at the end of the day, good and bad will come from the changes. There is not black and white to it, and I don’t think much we do will change it. Again, we should be more cautious about things, but, as you say, that’s common sense, no matter your stance on global warming itself.
Maybe it’s the cynical side of me, but there’s always some issue that people are afraid of, and so I can rarely find myself truly passionate about a situation. Be it the earth and its climate patterns (or lack thereof), disease, hunger, overpopulation or underpopulation…the list goes on. Horrible, life-altering possibilities…but, for better or worse, history tells us they will always exist. I believe we will continue to make them better, if we really work toward it, but I don’t believe we will ever eliminate problems on the little scales of our neighborhoods or the big scale of our earth. I know some people hate me for feeling that way, but well, that’s all right. I do my part, where and when I can; I’m just not so idealistic, I suppose. Hopeful and optimistic, yes, but realistic.
I sort of feel like George Carlin when it comes to global warming (if you haven’t heard his take on it, I highly recommend it–it’s hilarious).
Not very many people know this, but there was a period of global warming during the dark ages (no cars etc, why then if it wasn’t caused by humans, my god we might not have as much control as we think?) Not to mention this warming period was not destructive but infact one of the most prosperous times in european history since the fall of the roman empire, as crops grew larger and better. Whats more I point to this image to prove correlations don’t always correlate. http://www.venganza.org/piratesarecool4.jpg Well thats about it for now, but heres my thoughts on Al Gore… http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/187845/