What the deniers of Rapid Global Climate Change (mostly the ultra conservatives on this site) do not seem to realize is that it is not just the actual increase in greenhouse gasses that is causing these rapid changes, but the rate at which those changes are occurring. Indeed these types of changes have occurred naturally in the past. And when compared to geologic times of millions of years these natural changes have occurred relatively rapidly.
The difference now is that changes that have occurred naturally over thousands of years in the past in geologic time have now occurred over only the last 150 years or so. Further, these changes have now occurred just since the start of mankind’s industrial age. To the vast majority of reasonable thinking people as well as climatologists and other scientists this is not just a coincidence, but an actual cause and affect situation, with humanity being at least a reasonable part of that cause.
Besides which Rapid Global Climate Change is only the tip of the iceberg of the problems with the continued burning of hydrocarbon fuels for energy and transportation. One of the things that may be surprising to some posters here is that those of us that believe this is a problem are well aware (and may even be more aware) that coal and oil are very precious commodities that are used extensively for our very civilization. Some 20% of all oil is now used in the petro chemical industry for such important items as plastics. Oil is (of course) also used for lubrication, and as cooling materials for machining. Oil is also used in fertilizers and even medicines. And oil is NOT an unlimited commodity. What about future generations?
So, burning up this precious commodity into the atmosphere for just the generation of electricity, or for transportation, is one of the worst possible uses for this limited and precious commodity. And this is even besides the point that burning this commodity up in general is polluting the very fragile and even more precious atmosphere of the Earth that makes ALL life (not just we humans) possible on this planet. So, go ahead and deny there is a real problem with this burning and resulting pollution, and condemn our future generations to a terrible and painful death. Why not, at least it will keep things easier and cheaper for our own generation. What a short term and ignorant attitude some people have!!!
What the deniers of Rapid Global Climate Change (mostly the ultra conservatives on this site) do not seem to realize is that it is not just the actual increase in greenhouse gasses that is causing these rapid changes, but the rate at which those changes are occurring. Indeed these types of changes have occurred naturally in the past. And when compared to geologic times of millions of years these natural changes have occurred relatively rapidly.
The difference now is that changes that have occurred naturally over thousands of years in the past in geologic time have now occurred over only the last 150 years or so. Further, these changes have now occurred just since the start of mankind’s industrial age. To the vast majority of reasonable thinking people as well as climatologists and other scientists this is not just a coincidence, but an actual cause and affect situation, with humanity being at least a reasonable part of that cause.
Besides which Rapid Global Climate Change is only the tip of the iceberg of the problems with the continued burning of hydrocarbon fuels for energy and transportation. One of the things that may be surprising to some posters here is that those of us that believe this is a problem are well aware (and may even be more aware) that coal and oil are very precious commodities that are used extensively for our very civilization. Some 20% of all oil is now used in the petro chemical industry for such important items as plastics. Oil is (of course) also used for lubrication, and as cooling materials for machining. Oil is also used in fertilizers and even medicines. And oil is NOT an unlimited commodity. What about future generations?
So, burning up this precious commodity into the atmosphere for just the generation of electricity, or for transportation, is one of the worst possible uses for this limited and precious commodity. And this is even besides the point that burning this commodity up in general is polluting the very fragile and even more precious atmosphere of the Earth that makes ALL life (not just we humans) possible on this planet. So, go ahead and deny there is a real problem with this burning and resulting pollution, and condemn our future generations to a terrible and painful death. Why not, at least it will keep things easier and cheaper for our own generation. What a short term and ignorant attitude some people have!!!