Does it even matter if man-made global warming is real or not? With China expected to surpass U.S. emissions in 2009, how is anyone in America, on the individual level to do anything about global warming if it really is caused by humans? Ive decided it doesnt matter what you believe. If its happening, there is nothing we(in america) can do about it now. If it isnt happening, then everything will be back to normal when another global coldspell starts, and the propaganda will stop. It just seems like everyone wants to be right. But we forget to realize there isnt a thing any one of us individuals can do to %26quot;Save the planet%26quot;.

Second, there are too many possible scenario%26#039;s that will ruin the quality of life in america anyways, has anyone else realized we have been living during a period with optimal conditions? So many people take for granted, the things we have these days. Its drastically different from the things we had 100 years ago. Who says we will be able to continue like this?

Additional Details

7 months ago

Just as an example. In 1815, Mt. Tambora in Indonesia erupted, and it was the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history, recorded as in there is written history. In 1816, the weather patterns in America were erratic. There was a killing frost in every month, even in the summer. It snowed in june/july in some parts of the midwest, and east coast. Can anyone imagine this happening today? Our food source would be devastated, as farming would be very unproductive for that time.

I also think people forget to realize that the biggest problem for the earth is our population. This population increase happened before we were born, why is it our fault? In my honest opinion, the world would be better off with under 2 billion people. So why should any of us care about this problem now if there is nothing we can do?

7 months ago

I dont think China is capable of cutting emissions by 20%. They plan to open a new coal power plant every week for the next 5 or 6 years. I also dont think we are capable of cutting emissions unless we use nuclear power. But all of the environmentalists claim that is too dangerous. The truth is if we tried to produce as much energy as we do with coal but with solar panels, we would need to use ALL of our farm land for solar arrays, or cut down all of the forest in america to set up solar arrays. People dont realize how easy coal is to use, and how productive it is in comparison to solar or wind. Nuclear is the only other option in my opinion.

7 months ago

What makes you think china will change if we do? They have more than double the people, and they will be producing more pollution than the U.S. next year if they arent already.

It has become clear no one is reading past the headline question... this was a waste of time.

7 months ago

linylons I think you are missing the point. First of all, you cant predict the future, so you cant say whether it will be warmer or colder in the future no matter what the %26quot;nobel prize%26quot; says. Its not my research, its the research of reputable scientists that dont believe in AGW. Second, you didnt read the rest of my post because you didnt mention it at all. And solar arrays in arid regions would need more maintainance due to dust.

And I dont think you realize the implications of Chinas development. If they do surpass us, then we could have zero emissions here and it wouldnt make a difference. Zero emissions isnt even possible, so once again, to emphasize on my original question, does it even matter if its real or not? If it is, WE CANT STOP IT, unless you are suggesting we kill everyone off.

7 months ago

Help them not build 300 coal plants? We cant even help ourselves off of coal, we cant afford to help them.

And apparantly china isnt addressing a population problem. Their population will continue to increase for many decades to come. I just dont understand what it is people like you (linylons) want? Other than to be right. what do you want?
you%26#039;ll note, if you care to, that there are a billion more people today than in 1992. i%26#039;d presume that is not before your time.
there are 2 billion more than in 1980. is that before your time?
there has been more than a 50% increase since 1975. is that before your time.
- clearly it%26#039;s not %26quot;your fault%26quot;. nor mine, or anyone else%26#039;s alive today. however, that does not mean that it%26#039;s not our problem.

Sure it matters if it is man-made. It even matters if it isn%26#039;t man-made, but in that case there is probably nothing we could do about it.

Humans have to fix what we did. No matter if you did it or not. It has to be fixed. Population-look at how many people were killed in 1816, 17 and 18. If we do not fix our problem, earth will. Just look at the bulge coming up under Yellowstone, she is going to pop her top again. Do we have food stored for 3 years of famine? The USA did! Today here is what we know: many of mankind’s advancements cause earth surface to warm, destroy the ozone layer, kill off endanger species, heat cities, and in some way cause more destruction. Blacktop (roads and parking lots), buildings, air pollution (causes lung and other diseases), deforestation, duststorms (which increase hurricanes and cyclones and cause lung diseases), fires (cause pollution, mud slides, and deforestation), refrigerants (like CFC%26#039;s), solvents (including benzene destroy the ozone layer raising skin cancer rates) and plastics; cars, airplanes, ships and most electricity production (causes pollution including raised CO2 levels) are human problems we need to fix to keep life on earth sustainable! The federal government needs to adopt a pollution surcharge to balance the field and advance new technologies. We must pay the real price of oil (petrochemicals) including global warming, cleanup and for health effects. But with that we must understand we have never seen what is now happening before. CO2 has never lead to temperature change, but temperature change has led to increases in CO2. The models have to be made as we go along with little evidence! The result is: change is on the way, we just do not know what changes. But again adding a small amount of CO2 to the atmosphere enlarges the earths sun collection causing warming; increase water in the atmosphere and they form clouds cooling earth but causing flooding. Even natural events are warming earth and causing destruction. The sun has an increased magnetic field causing increases in earthquakes (more destruction), volcanoes (wow, great destruction), and sun spots. Lighting produces ozone near the surface (raising air pollution levels). But humans have destroyed half of the wetlands, cut down nearly half of the rain forest, and advance on the earths grasslands while advancing desertification which increases duststorms. The USA Mayor%26#039;s have taken a stand and I believe are on the right track, we can have control and can have economic growth. With the peak of oil in the 1970’s, the peak of ocean fishing in the 1980’s, humans must stop procrastinating and make real changes to keep earth sustainable including in the energy debate, finance and regulation. The sun is available to produce energy, bring light to buildings and makes most of human’s fresh water. Composting is the answer to desertification. New dams are the answer to fresh water storage, energy and cooling earth by evaporation, we need many small ones all over (California needs 100 by 2012 and has not even started).
President Bush has made a choice of energy (ethanol) over food and feeding the starving people around the world; this is a choice China has rejected.
That is why I founded CoolingEarth.org, a geoengineering web sight where you can learn more about earth, the atmosphere, and how to sustain life on earth’s surface.