Phil Hands for October 11, 2017

That weather is climate again after years of weather is not climate.

Coal is dead.

I guess some of the elite, in their ivory towers, did not notice that natural gas was the cause of coal’s displacement as cheapest energy source. Even renewables -- on a declining cost curve -- have, or will soon be cheaper than coal. Remember, the phrase, “It’s the economy stupid” , or does that not apply to energy?

Everyday Republicans prove themselves to be insane idiots.

@JohnSullivan1: Just because you believe it doesn’t make it true.

The reason we know there IS human-caused global warming is because Earth’s temperatures are NOT in line with normal cycles. We are in a solar cooling cycle, for example. Suggesting (as you implicitly do) that scientists have somehow ignored normal cycles and the SUN is simply at odds with the facts.

To see human impact, google “Asian Brown Cloud.” Check images. This is a massive cloud of pollution hanging over China and India, 100% human caused. It causes measurable differences in local weather and local microclimates. Now multiply by centuries of fossil fuel use, deforestation, etc.

Here’s another picture to examine: Changes in global forest cover. You might have to scroll down a bit. WE did that. Reduction in forests means reduced absorption of CO2. http://idaholyoaks3.blogspot.com/2012/11/understanding-climate-change-part-6.html

We know how much CO2 HUMANS pump into the atmosphere per year: just over 10 peta-grams, or 10 gigatons of carbon per year. That is a substantial number!

The famous “hockey-stick” measure of CO2 in the atmosphere has been ***THOROUGHLY*** validated by scores of scientists and studies, including some done by skeptics who have since accepted the data, e.g., Richard Muller, who was one of the few legitimate and respected climate scientists who was a skeptic UNTIL HE LOOKED AT THE DATA to his own satisfaction. He says quite explicitly that he was wrong, based on data – a true scientist! https://climatecrocks.com/2015/01/09/richard-muller-i-was-wrong-on-global-warming/

And just to be clear: the relationship between CO2 and atmospheric warmth isn’t new. Svante Arrhenius made an estimate back in 1896 (yes, EIGHTEEN ninety-six), long before we even had decent atomic physics, let alone today’s many observational tools and advanced research methods and an additional century and a quarter of data — and his estimate was pretty good. It isn’t even hard.

Just for JS1. A cartoon, even he might understand (with explanations)!

1732: Earth Temperature Timeline

http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1732

Heat waves, hurricanes and wildfires, all brought to you by the regulation slashing regressive GOP.

Santa Rosa hadn’t burned like that in over a hundred years.

Man made global warming is a contributing factor.

Even science-deniers should see that cutting back on carbon emissions is a ‘bottom-line plus’ for jobs in America. The only downside is that it reduces the cash flowing into the pockets of the 1% – and notice the use of the word “reduces”, not “stops”. And, no, I’m not going to produce “proof” for those of you that think I’m full of it – the “proof” has been staring everyone in the face for YEARS – stop visually checking your rectum for polyps and ‘google’ some science for a change!

Also Green Jobs do to. Jobs.