This article was surprising because I find it odd that anyone would try to justify how global warming could be a good thing in any way. If China actually looks at the melting glaciers and open water ways as a bright side to global warming, they are clearly not looking out for the other few billion people they need to share the earth with. Too bad these waterways will be useless if no one overseas can buy their products because they are too busy spending all their money in medical bills to cure cataracts and cancer, or to relocate their homes on the coast that will be unlivable due to rising sea levels. You're right China, thanks global warming!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A Good Side to Global Warming?
Recently there has been more talk about the melting Arctic ice caps due to global warming. It turns out that multiple countries have claims on pieces of this land, or ice caps, that is melting away as we speak (or should i say blog). Well I stumbled upon this article that I found really kind of surprising and interesting, the link is in the title. I have never really heard of positive consequences of global warming and melting ice caps, but this article talks about how it would be beneficial for China's economy. The article says that the more open water ways would make it easier, and cheaper, for China to ship all the products it exports.
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7 comments:
This is an interesting article. Never had I thought that some country would try to justify global warning as a beneficial thing. I think the consequences of ice caps melting is huge! Thousands of animals would die, like the polar bears, who are already close to extinction. In addition, the ocean level would rise and affect cities and towns that are really close to sea level. I agree that there would be a lot of flooding and this is definitely not a benefit. I guess they are just trying to take the positives out of a bad situation?..
I think the article is intresting but the idea the global warmning will help China's economy sounds foolish. Our entire world will be shaken up if global warming continues, and the world economy certainly wont be stable. Hopefully the article doesn't lead people to believe that global warming isnt a issue...because it is!!
Whoah. This is very interesting. In APES last year, I remember learning about how one of China's major transportation methods is through water. Aren't they building a huge dam? I forgot what it's called though.
I agree with Talia and Georgia. Even though there are claims that China would benefit from global warming, there are WAYYYYYY too many consequences! Furthermore, I do not think there is a "good side to global warming." There are wayyyyy too many bad sides to global warming.
-Joshua Lu
I think that this is a sign that a lot of people have given up the fight against global warming and climate change. I do, however, disagree with you Josh. There are some benefits to global warming- not all effects of global warming are malicious. For starters, global warming can be a good source of thermal energy that can be harvested from the sun. Crops that require a constant hot temperature to cultivate will grow faster and produce more with a higher average temperature.
Don't get me wrong though- global warming should definitely be stopped or at least slowed with the best of our efforts, but saying that there are no positive consequences in my opinion is wrong.
In response to Lizzy's comment about the article, I think that China does somewhat need more land, and using the Arctic as extra land maybe isn't such a bad idea. I've been to some Chinese cities, and it is packed beyond belief because of China's huge population. Although this may be a temporary solution to a bigger problem of population control, I think that if anything, China needs to get its act together and strive to be greener, while encouraging other countries to do the same.
I agree with the points that all of you have made. Preston, although I agree that technically there aren't only bad consequences of global warming, I think it is more important that the issue be slowed down as much as possible before it becomes irreversible. And I totally don't doubt that China needs more land but maybe that should be looked at as a greater issue that they should solve without the "help" of global warming.
And yes Talia I agree, hopefully all the innocent dying animals will be a wake up call to everyone to jump on the whole "go green" train before it's too late.
I've said this before and I'll say it again.
There's a good comparison between a deck of cards being shuffled around and global warming. Some places would benefit from this change; others will indeed languish. But is our world so perfect in a climate sense to begin with? Even before this current climate change, *coughdeathvalleycough* places with undesirable and dangerous climate conditions have existed.
As for the animals, polar bears would have to start growing fins to survive; if not, then what evolutionists call natural selection would have to do its grim work. Only difference is that it's sped up natural selection; this usually (not always) happens over millenias (according to scientists). Let me kindly remind you that living creatures have survived sudden and devastating climate changes from the aftermaths of cataclysmic asteroid impacts (Not once but twice!).
I guess we think too much like land animals; just because water levels will increase does not mean everyone will suffer. If fish and aquatic animals could talk, they would beg to differ.
Preston, China's population is overly concentrated in parts of eastern China. They have large swathes of land in the west that's relatively empty; it's just too underdeveloped right now.
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