Endangered polar bears and Americans.

[pete66]

I've just been watching "Fox & Friends" and it seems blatant to me that the newsreaders are f**king brainwashed morons. They say things that newsreaders anywhere else would laugh at.

Seeing as I think about half the people at unicyclist.com are American, I'm gonna put this poll out and see what happens.

[kington99]

Unfortunately you were too brainwashed to put the poll on, where is it?

[pete66]

Originally Posted by kington99

Unfortunately you were too brainwashed to put the poll on, where is it?

It took a bit of editing to get the poll options to under 100 characters... its there now though.

[Zzagg]

though I chose the fourth option, your pole seems to miss at least two choices:
"I'm (or not) an american and I think burning fossile fuel doesn't dammage polar caps in any way"

[pete66]

Originally Posted by Zzagg

though I chose the fourth option, your pole seems to miss at least two choices:
"I'm (or not) an american and I think burning fossile fuel doesn't dammage polar caps in any way"

Yeah, you're right. I guess all the hardcore skeptics will have to make do with the "arguably might" option.

[Gilby]

I'm not completely convinced, but I am reasonably convinced enough to know that we need to take action.

[TheObieOne3226]

I think the Earth is going through a warm phase, as it has done hundreds of times in the past.

[headstone]

This isn't something you can just form an opinion on by watching the news.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by TheObieOne3226

I think the Earth is going through a warm phase, as it has done hundreds of times in the past.

Obie wins. Thread over. This poll is horrible.

[TheObieOne3226]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

Obie wins. Thread over. This poll is horrible.

I don't know if I agree with that... I just wish there were more options. The warm phase may be caused by humans burning fossil fuels, but I think that a lot of people think it is a bigger problem than it is as of yet. There is sort of a knee-jerk reaction to the words "global warming," fueled largely by doomsday scenarios circulated by the mostly uninformed media, who know they will get more interest with worst case scenarios than simply telling the facts.

Humans haven't really been around long enough to see different "climate phases." We know 2 things:

1) There are more greenhouse gases.
2) The Earth is getting warmer.

They are related, but to what degree we are not really sure. We also know that in the years leading up to Ice Ages (which occur frequently in relation to the Earth's age) there is a marked increase in temperatures.

I'm not saying it isn't going to be a problem. We just don't know yet. I do think we should start making efforts to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and start planting trees. But thats as much to prevent us from running out of either as it is to prevent global warming.

[john_childs]

I'll jump on the bandwagon if it means we'll get some cool electric plug-in hybrid cars. Bonus points if SUV drivers and full size pickup drivers get shamed so much that those vehicles are no longer fashionable.

[Zzagg]

Originally Posted by john_childs

Bonus points if SUV drivers and full size pickup drivers get shamed so much that those vehicles are no longer fashionable.

JC, you're my hero!

[Naomi]

Originally Posted by john_childs

I'll jump on the bandwagon if it means we'll get some cool electric plug-in hybrid cars. Bonus points if SUV drivers and full size pickup drivers get shamed so much that those vehicles are no longer fashionable.

Nice idea...except that someone did the research on the whole life carbon footprint for these hybrid cars. Manufacturing costs, fuel, batteries etc. included. Total carbon cost of the hybrid cars from their creation to their scrapping was greater than for equivalent sized petrol only cars. Understandable, because they are of course much more complex, and therefore expensive to make, to maintain ( and to buy!)

So anyone who thinks hybrid cars is the answer is going to be disappointed.

Until someone, some brave enough politician with clout, gets the idea into his thick skull, that maybe we should be doing something to dramatically control population growth, global warming will continue to get worse. Of course many of us suspect we are already past the break point. Others of us, call us merchants of doom if you will, predict that no matter what we do, nature and massive resource shortage is going to cut in and very effectively reduce our numbers. If Hollywood wants a script for a REALLY scary film, they are welcome to come see me.

Yes we have had ice ages, and warm spells in the past: they tend to last quite a time. Global cooling is not something we will be able to generate as easily as we are generating global warming, and as such, once properly warmed up, we will have no means to artificially cool things back down.

Anyone prepared to give their estimate of how much time we have left?
I am guessing a population crash will happen during my lifetime.



Nao

[Spudman]

Originally Posted by TheObieOne3226

We know 2 things:

1) There are more greenhouse gases.
2) The Earth is getting warmer.

They are related, but to what degree we are not really sure.

Yup. Also I believe that a lot of the research being done seems to indicate that humans are somewhat responsable for this increase in greenhouse gasses (although, again, we don't know to what degree).

All I know for sure is that the super conservatives that say we aren't responible for anything are wrong, and the ultra-liberals that say we are completely responsible for all of this crap are wrong too. (It seems like any other political dispute, doesn't it?)

Originally Posted by Naomi

I am guessing a population crash will happen during my lifetime.

My house too?

[TheObieOne3226]

Originally Posted by Naomi

I am guessing a population crash will happen during my lifetime.

Just how long do you plan to live?

I don't want to pick a number, but I am optimistic. What do you think will be the cause of this "crash?" Famine? Family planning? War for resources? Nuclear winter?