Global warming might be the last thing on your mind, but I'm going to bring it up again. Ever since Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and the movie "The Day After Tomorrow" shocked us with both the current state of global warming and what could one day happen, many of us have claimed to be against global warming. However, while many of us have vowed to take action, we continue to drive our gas guzzling, carbon dumping SUV's and trucks.
However, there are people who are willing to take action. Today, Saturday October 24, activists around the world staged simultaneous demonstrations demanding that the rest of the world do something about the issue of global warming. They advocated that 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere was the maximum limit to protect us from further global warming. Currently we sit at 390 parts per million. Check out the link in the title for more details.
~Victor Hung
Thursday Morning Open Thread: To Boldly Go…
2 hours ago
15 comments:
Global Warming should be a great concern right now since data has shown that there are more and more natural disasters occurring one year after another. Cutting down carbon dioxide emissions will help a lot, but I'm skeptical if globally we are able to cut down the carbon dioxide emissions..
America is one of the most industrialized countries and we have the ability to influence other countries to take action against issues like global warming. But we haven't set the best example in our history. There might be a few people taking action and driving hybrid cars, but as a nation, America has some pretty bad environmental habits. To name one specifically, America never became ratified the Kyoto Protocol (to reduce GHG emissions). Most people may be touched and even frightened at documentaries like "An Inconvenient Truth", but when it comes down to it, are they willing to give up the convenience of a car for a bus?
On the other hand, America did do some things to help the world: ratifying the Montreal Protocol, Cash for Clunkers (was this really helpful?), some American efforts to carpool, etc.
It will be exciting to see what comes out of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. The U.S. is expected to participate in international climate legislation, unlike how we opted out of the Kyoto Protocol. I have high hopes for the conference.
I hope that people do take this more into concideration! if we do now we will be happpy that we used these certain actions, but alot of people dont think like that. I believe more should be done and that people should help, and I would love to help in doing so. i honestley can not wait to see how our global economy will be a few years from now.
Well, so far it has been a kind of stand off. I don't really know how to describe it. Basically as China has been contributing more and more to the carbon emissions, we have been trying to get them to stop. However, they just claim that we output the most. And it's just a back and forth of who should stop first. Our leaders have been talking about reducing our carbon footprints, but as neither have really taken much action, they just use the other country to justify it.
A lot of people claim to want to stop global warming and many have actually taken action, but a lot just think that if someone else is taking action, it is okay to just sit back and wait.
Sorry, that was kind of a rant...
~Victor Hung
It's okay Victor. I agree with you. It seems that global warming has become a big issue in society today. Almost everyday, someone mentions it at least once. However, people are lazy when it comes to taking action for these causes. True, one or two individuals may be doing something to prevent global warming, but it takes a whole lot more to make it actually work. It is not really about what one or two individuals do, it takes a pack to work together to put an end to this.
I agree with Sabrina. I mean, sure every little bit counts, but how much does that little bit count? To drastically reduce global warming, it will take much, much more than a couple individuals here and there. Just as Britney said, will people "give up the convenience of a car for a bus?" I don't think so. At least I doubt that I would. Ultimately, I don't expect any major reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases and CFC's in the near future.
-Joshua Lu
Why is there so much concern about global warming when the climate changes on its own anyways?
Continents shift, animals go extinct, and climates change - these things happen on their own.
Atheists, especially the evolutionists, should not be as concerned about global warming because they believe that the earth has been naturally changing over the course of thousands and millions of years, in terms of the climate, geography, and ecosytems.
But then again, I'm posting in a grumpy mood right now. It's 2:08 in the morning and I'm stuck on a calculus problem.
Kevin, you're right that the climate does change on its own, but what we're seeing today is change so great that it cannot be explained by natural carbon cycles. Increases in atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases are undoubtedly caused by human activities, and extensive research by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has proven this. Emissions of CO2 from fossil fuel consumption are responsible for more than 75% of the increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration since pre-industrial times. The remainder of the increase comes from land use changes, predominantly deforestation.
Also, I know many atheists and evolutionary scientists who are firm believers in climate change. That statement is just not accurate.
Another intresting environmental documentary is called "No Impact Man". I actually met the guy (Michael Beven is his name if i remember correctly) who made the documentary last year, and I think he was apart of the 350 demonstrations you mentioned---anyways when "No Impact Man" is available to the public everyone should go see it!!!
You guys simply have to relax. There are two instances where a true enviromental catastrophe took place. One of those mass extinctions happened before the dinosaurs and the other one killed the dinosaurs as well as over 90% of all life on earth - attributed to a meteor. I'm not sure about the first disaster, but the mass extinction that took out the dinosaurs definately changed the climate in a few years - probably faster than our global warming right now. Despite the cataclysmic devastation of both mass extinctions, earth managed to balance itself out and repopulate.
"Also, I know many atheists and evolutionary scientists who are firm believers in climate change."
That's what I was saying. They know that change in the enviroment happens.
Creationists don't believe that the earth has changed from beginning to the industrial age. They see ALL change as man-made, whereas atheists see change as due to nature as well.
I feel like in the recent years people around the world have made global warming a major issue and have taken initiatives to reduce the effects. I hope that more people will not just rely on those who have been doing most of the work and take account themselves. I guess what really bothers me is the fact that when gas prices go dramatically up more people carpool and drive less. But as soon as it goes down, people are back to their normal routines. I don't know, but a tax increase on gas looks pretty good to me.
Well, Kevin, I doubt pollution is a great help towards evolution, although I guess you can argue that it has the ability to alter DNA and cause more mutations and thus spawn out more species (granted it doesn't wipe out the existing species first). By the way, Go AP Bio! Anyway, again, this is the debate of what's more important? The environment or our human thirst for innovation and growth. I guess, people concerned with the environment can hope that "innovationalists" (not a word, I know), can realize that innovating a inhabitable world it quite difficult.
-Henry Zhang
Wait... you mean the "day after tomorrow" could really happen??? That's really scary stuff right there =/.
Well I agree with many of you. Whether global warming is that big of an issue or not, i think the world, especially teh US, should take more drastic steps for change.
AMerica has a huge influence over the world, however, it is also one of the biggest pollutors. I bet if the US became more environmentally freindly, many other polluting nations will follow.
But change is hard. As josh said, many people will not give up cars. This is why people should focus more effort into finidng ways that everyone will agree on.
This article gives me hope that in the future something can be done about global warming. In this day and age when as people we are so dependent on vehicles for transportation and shopping for products that were created using fossil fuels, it's hard to find glimpses of hope which show that global warming could be potentially be ended.
-molly cheng
Post a Comment