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[Frumple]

We produce carbon dioxide, sure, but how does it compare to the output from volcanos and other nonhuman organisms?

Well, if you'd actually check, you'd know the yearly CO2 output of humanity just for vehicles has been matching the total output of volcanism over the last few centuries millennium, for a while now. Each year, if that wasn't clear enough.

Sadly, there's no statistic out there that can be twisted hard enough to make a molehill out of humanity's greenhouse gas mountain.

Here's the last time I recall that volcano bullshit popping up last, actually. That was a fun afternoon.

[Dutchling]

I feel like this is going to be a productive discussion.

Now where did I put the popcorn...

[sjm9876]

Whilst I don't have the numbers to hand, I've seen them enough times to be confident that volcano greenhouse gasses are much less than those of humans. As for non-human organisms, we can see through ice cores and the like that pre-industrial revolution CO2 levels have remained pretty much constant, whilst they are now rising.

Of course, none of this is to say humanity is completely at fault, or that climate change is entirely unnatural - but humanity definitely does contribute partially. And let's face it, any move away from a lifestyle that involves slowly eating away at the planet (cause even if global warming is out of our hands, things like deforestation certainly aren't) is pretty much a healthy move anyway.

(Ninja'd)

[TD1]

Thanks for the sincere replies.

I haven't seen any real figures pertaining to global warming, but I will take care to look into it when I have an opportunity.

What about the cycle theory? That's one I see a lot.

[Loud Whispers]

Global warming is a myth created by Obama to justify American middle east policy; cars don't release CO2, they release monocarbon dioxide - and that is released by plants. Trees cannot contribute to global warming, because trees are natural.

[sjm9876]

IIRC, CO2 levels lag behind the natural warming cycle (at least on the sub-million year scales) - so they increase after the warming. Whereas the current situation is CO2 increasing, appearing to cause the temperature raise.

I can find a couple of sources for this via casual googling - though none I'd quote for anything academic mind.

[Arx]

Did you read over those links I posted earlier? They looked to me to give a fairly comprehensive covering of what we're screwing up, where it shows, and how we can tell those aren't natural.

[WealthyRadish]

One thing to consider is that for all we know, we're still in the later stages of an ice age, possibly still in an interglacial period that'll precede a new glacial period sometime in the future. A combination of the Malkovich Milankovitch cycles and changes in the circulation of heat in the oceans (something that changes most significantly as the continents move around) is more or less what determines these glacial and interglacial periods and ice ages in general.

If there are natural forces at work, those are the likely causes, not biological or due to volcanoes or something. What we do know with essentially absolute certainty is that humans are accelerating the warming process immensely through our industrial activities, as well as our destruction of forests and breeding of livestock. It would be ridiculous to claim that this natural shift's sudden acceleration followed the industrial revolution by coincidence when you consider the staggering vastness of geologic time in comparison with the last 200 years of human activity.

Climate change would happen regardless of us, but it would happen at a rate at which the world's ecosystems could adapt along with it, whereas what we're going to see in the near future (if nothing is done) are waves of mass extinctions from the bottom up, particularly in the oceans. A lot is said about rising tides, and while the damage that'll do to coastal cities in the developing world is very serious, that would be relatively benign compared to ocean and atmospheric acidification and a global collapse of irreplaceable ecosystems. We're finding more and more from our existing experience with ecological destruction and extinction that the Earth's systems are more connected than is immediately obvious, and the upshot is that a global catastrophe like what we're heading towards wouldn't just be a conservation tragedy, but something that could make human life increasingly difficult to support.

Anyway, to end this ramble, that's why people are generally pretty miffed about global warming skeptics.

Warning - while you were typing 13 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

nawp, I'm out

[Bohandas]

Meh. Climate change isn't exactly certain, and besides, so believing is hardly an ethical issue such as racism. Doesn't make them a bad spoopy doopy party that incites hatred such as everyone is trying to say... with absolutely no base at all.

It is hilarious the amount of effort people have gone to in order to turn public opinion away from them. Such as Left Foot Forward and co.

No weather prediction is totally certain but when the forecaster calls for a 95% chance of rain it's prudent to bring an umbrella and assholish to lash out at people or suggesting you do.

[Rolan7]

Oh, thanks. Someone here isn't a sarcastic git.

[Citation Needed]

I get that climate change is an important issue, and it's frustrating that people deny it, but I hate when people gang up unnecessarily on dissenting opinions.  Particularly when I agree with the majority opinion.  Of course, on any other forum this would have actually exploded 

[Orange Wizard]

Reddit's CEO is cutting salaries for gender equality.

Because that makes sense or something.

[Tawa]

This is almost as confusing as the source material.

[TD1]

I have spent a life time of my father espousing a doubt concerning global warming. I don't take what he says as law (nice guy, but very set in his his ways even when disproved.)

So yes, I'm testing the waters so to speak. No Arx, I didn't see your links. My phone makes such things rather difficult.

I'll look later, thanks.

[sjm9876]

This is almost as confusing as the source material.

I feel like this is designed to be played in hyperspace.

[penguinofhonor]

.