Climate Change Discussion..A Warming World
This graph from the Greenland Ice Core has my mind in a tail spin. The debate and conversation around Global Warming and Climate Change has become so political, so agenda driven, so money-corrupted...I just do not know what to believe anymore. It seems every scientist comes from an organization who has hired them to find a particular outcome. Or that scientist has a belief which they set out to prove.
I think both sides provide very convincing arguments and data to support their point of view. It is a fascinating topic...and an evolving science which needs debate and discussion to be open...not sequestered.
I am very much torn on how much our small amount of Carbon Dioxide is driving the current warming...or if this warming is anything out of the ordinary at all. Politicians/Scientists speak of needing to act now or we may reach a point of no return. Will curbing our carbon footprint have any impact on global temperature? The science is settled after all. Carbon Dioxide is a pollutant and energy needs to be regulated. Ca-ching! I wonder if all the billions of dollars raised will help cool the globe?
When you look at this graphic...it sure puts things in perspective doesn't it? Sure, 2010 was the warmest year in recorded history for Boston..and many other cities. Our records go back to 1872 in Boston. A blip in time in the billion year history of climate and weather on Earth. It does not mean much in the grand scale of time. But it IS something in our little time here on Earth!
It is obvious we have been warming since the Little Ice Age 1500's-1800's and since we moved into the Industrial age. That is about all Al Gore, The EPA, and NASA's James Hansen want you to know. This shows the greatest spike in temperature....if you just look at that. But It is like pulling teeth to have global warming proponents talk about the Medieval Warm Period. ..before there were cars! Forget about what came before that!
This chart above just makes a lot of sense to me. You know why? 18,000 years ago New England was under a glacier hundreds of feet deep of ice It had to take A LOT of warmth to melt all of that ice. Our climate has been steadily warming since our last age....all without the help of planes, cars and factories. We are currently at the peak of an interglacial warm phase. So out of 15,000 years of broad scale warming...the last 100 years have spiked and the climate is spinning out of control because of us? Really?
In this kind of optimal climate...life can prosper, food can grow, and people can adapt. I do not think those things are as easily done in an ice age. In fact it would be much harder to live.
It takes incredible hubris to think we can control the thermostat of the earth. What is the perfect temperature for the Earth anyway? Can we make it cool? I have a feeling a Cold pacific and a quiet Sun have a better chance to cool us then driving a Prius and changing our light bulbs.
What do you think of this graphic and the overall Climate change discussion? I certainly believe in Climate Change and Global Warming. I resent when people say I do not believe in Climate change. It is one of the few things in this life I do believe in!!! But I do question how much we as humans are a driver of global temperature. I want to stress I remain open to both sides of the discussion...I wish everyone would be as well.
I feel there is too much reliance on Computer model forecasts and not enough discussion or knowledge of the physical processes and cycles of the ocean and Sun and their over effects on the climate system. The debate is not over! Despite what Al Gore and Ed Markey may say. Where are these guys by the way? Paging Al....
