(image courtesy of SOHO)
Does anyone think that it’s getting hotter… well, according to the linked blog post (http://capnbob.us/blog/?p=610t ), it probably is. However, it’s not from the reasons you may have been given in the Mass Media.
Approximately 120-190 million years ago during the Mid-Cretaceous period, the earth was significantly hotter than it is now and there were no SUVs or Corporate Jets to be found (source: Indiana University/Purdue Indianapolis) Their findings also go on to show that there are a number of factors that affect climate change such as salinization content in the ocean caused by melting polar ice, increases and decreases in CO2 levels, Ice Ages, Current Changes in the Oceans, etc….
The point is that Green House Gas emmissions may be contributing on some small scale to global warming, but these changes are part of a cycle that repeats itself over and over since this planet was formed over 4.5 BILLION Years ago. We have been studying climage change for about 500 years (out of 4.5 BILLION).
In addition to this, the linked blog post shows a direct correlation between solar activity and the temperatures on earth over the past 500 years or so… http://capnbob.us/blog/?p=610t And, if I remember correctly from my Astronomy Class in college, our very own Sun will eventually exhaust it’s supply of hydrogen to fuse over the next 5.5 billion years and become a “red giant”. At this point it will grow in size to encompass many of the inner planets of our solar system – including Earth. Therefore, we could only assume that it WILL be getting hotter based on a continued increase in solar activity.
My point is that this isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a political issue for some groups to look “good” by “reducing their carbon footprint”. Your footprint is relatively insignificant in the overall scheme of things. The earth has been adapting to changes over the past 4.5 billion years. Some species die off and are replaced by others. We’ve been on the scene for the past 100 thousand yrs or so.. And, we may only be here for another 100 thousand. Quit panicing that we are destroying the planet. We may destroy our personal environments, nuke ourselves back to the middle ages, or be wiped out by some disease or asteroid, but the planet will adapt and evolve just as it always has….Just be relatively responsible, conserve what you can, and quit messing up the place for other people with your trash.
I’m glad to see you’re still here… when I read your last post, I was waiting for news on your new site. I didn’t think you’d post anything more to techbud.
The Discovery Channel had a show on a few weeks ago where they were talking about the lack of sunspots recently. They spoke about the lack of sunspots, the “Little Ice Age”, and talked *around* the subject of global warming and just how much of an effect mankind has on it.
Honestly, I was kinda amused. They went 60 minutes without disagreeing with Al Gore, but not exactly affirming him either. Has Discovery become “Politically Correct” television that neither wants to irritate President Bush or the liberals?
Unfortunately, we lack perspective. Our lives are so short that it’s only in hindsight we can say “well, we were wrong, it really was the sun all along” or “hmmm, maybe we shouldn’t have burnt that much coal and oil.” It’s a little hard to say one way or the other while we’re still in it. It’s sorta like driving without directions… it’s easier with a GPS or a map, both of which provide perspective.
Like you said, it’s better to sweat only what we have control over. If I have a garbage bag full of cans and glass, I might as well recycle it rather than dumpster it. If I something is 2 blocks away, would it hurt me to walk rather than drive?
Good blog… I’m glad to see you’re still here.