The Great Carbon Con
By Eskimo
@Eskimo (2315)
March 25, 2007 1:27pm CST
Carbon Dioxide has been on this earth since just after it came into being (whether by 'Big Bang' or Created) around 4.5 billion years ago. It is a gas and is heavier than air, it also dissolves in water forming a liquid acid - Carbonic Acid which is a fairly weak acid, these days it gets very bad publicity and is blamed as the main cause of Global Warming, and regarded as a GreenHouse Gas
Climate change (including Global Warming & Global Cooling) is affected by changes in the upper atmosphere, Carbon Dioxide absorbs infrared radiation which is a characteristic of all Greenhouse gases.
Water Vapour however is also calssed as a greenhouse gas, and is regarded as causing 36-70% of the Greenhouse Effect. (Carbon Dioxide is regarded as causing between 9% and 26% of the GreenHouse Effect. Water Vapour is removed from the equation as it is regarded as having a natural effect - so at a stroke, the main cause of greenhouse gases is removed.
Carbon Dioxide normally concentrates at the lower atmosphere (because it is heavier than air) and if the concentration increases then plants become more efficient at converting Carbon Dioxide to Oxygen. As it also dissolves in water when it lands on the sea (most of the Planet Earth is water) it helps provide plankton growth which provides food for fish.
The only reason there is so much bad publicity for Carbon Dioxide is that Governments have latched onto this as a way of getting much more tax from people (especially car drivers) in th guise of saving the planet. Yet Cars themselves are becoming much more efficient over the years and will continue to do so. A lot of scientists dispute the findings over global warming but have great difficulty being able to publicise their own data.
Are we all being conned over Carbon Dioxide? you decide, check the evidence and look for the data - its there but will be hard to find.
4 people like this
6 responses
@Zmugzy (773)
•
23 Apr 07
Past research has shown that Earth's climate has varied significantly over time, the causes of which are many and complex. Even over the span of human history, the Earth has undergone significant periods of warming and cooling. Present day global warming however, is not a consequence of natural climate variability or sun spot activity. Most scientists recognize that the present change to a warmer climate is a product of human impact on the Earth system. This can be traced back to the start of the Industrial Revolution in Europe.
Evidence for global warming can be found in every part of the Earth system. Besides well documented changes in air temperature, global warming is heating the world's oceans, reducing sea ice extent, especially in the Arctic, melting glaciers causing sea level to rise, altering habitats and affecting plant and animal distributions.
The problem with human beings is that they have a tendency individually and collectively only to react to negative events when they are directly affected. There is a "it will never happen to me" syndrome". To combat global warming requires a change in human behaviour and technology on a grand scale - So far there has been a lack of international will or sufficient political agreement. The measures that have been taken so far have been very small.
There are many sceptics - many from the 'big business' community - the oil industry for example - who will continue to provide funding for a "disinformation" campaign that threatens to cloud serious scientific debate and stall the economic and political decisions that must be taken. Take the recent farsical channel 4 programme "The Great Climate Change Swindle" - it contained an interview with Paul Reiter who was involved with four separate organisations that receive funding from ExxonMobil.
Human activity is THE contributing factor to present day Global Warming. The effects are already present and they are going to get worse.
2 people like this
@Eskimo (2315)
•
7 May 07
I agree that human activity is causing a lot of problems, however what really worries me is if the wrong cure is used then it could make the problems worse instead of better. No-one really knows what the collective effect of hundreds of thousands (or millions) of wind- generators will have on the environment, or the effect wave and tide generators will have on the ocean currents (which are necessary to keep some countries [ie U.K.] warmer than they would naturally be).
@summergorgeous (674)
• Philippines
30 Apr 07
my thoughts exactly, but i could not have said it any better than you did.
1 person likes this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
25 Mar 07
You know I can't even pretend to have any scientific knowledge and it was difficult for me to read through and try to understand this thread BUT I think we are NOT being given the whole story with the global warming. Serveral years ago I read a novel by Michael Crichton that questioned the whole global warming thing. Now it's true that it was a novel and it was fiction but Crichton is also a doctor and he tends to layer his work with solid science. He was definitely taking an unfashionable stand and questioning the validity of global warming in that book.
I guess you could argue that I'm dim for wondering about global warming based on the statements in a novel but I think Crichton's background in science is a lot more creditable than Al Gore's.
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
25 Mar 07
Wow! My thanks to you (and myLot) for a very interesting and enlightening topic. (+)
2 people like this
@Eskimo (2315)
•
25 Mar 07
Thanks for your reply Heather, I think there is so much out there that is being hidden from us about global warming and the true causes of it, however I still don't think we should be too complacent even if Global Warming is 100% natural, we should still try and cut pollution and congestion.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
30 Apr 07
Whether Global warming is caused by carbon or not, we can not be sure. I am sure that humans are trashing the planet at an alarming rate. We should all do our best to use less, waste less, reuse more and in every way we can cut down on our footprints we leave here.
@FireHorse (293)
• United States
3 May 07
I agree, whether CO2 increases are a natural cycle, man made or a combination of the two (which is most likely) we can still reduce as much as possible as individuals. I also agree with the original point that data is being manipulated on BOTH sides of this issue for economic and political gain. I'm glad to see so many people interested enough to do their home work, it's up to us to sort out the truth because the news media, politicans and corporations can't be relied on. Carbon dioxide is only one pollutant among many in our air and air pollution is only one type among many, what legacy are we really leaving for future generations?
