How big of an issue is Global Warming?

Question

Who is mostly responsible for this and what will be some of the concequences the earth will face if this issue isn't dealt with?
Also, what are some things an everyday person can do to help prevent some of these consequeces?

Answer 1

Big. And we're mostly responsible.



Some gases ("greenhouse gases") let sunlight in, which warms the Earth, and then block that heat from leaving. That's the "greenhouse effect", and it's a natural thing, mostly caused by water vapor.



Man is making excessive amounts of greenhouse gases, mostly by burning fossil fuels. That causes the delicate natural balance to go out of whack and the Earth warms. That's global warming.



It won't be a Hollywood style disaster. Gradually coastal areas will flood and agriculture will be damaged. But it will be very bad. Rich countries will cope, but it will take huge amounts of money. In poor countries many people will die of starvation, but not all of them.



Most scientists say, in 20-50 years. But we need to start right now to fix it, fixing it will take even longer than that.



More information here:



http://profend.com/global-warming/



Lots of numerical scientific data proving it real here:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

Answer 2

Yo ____namelessBlank

This is an issue that is big enough to be of real concern to all of those people who care anything at all about leaving a planet that is anything toward better off than it is now to their children and the generations to come !!

We, the people, are mostly responsible -- for we have had it in our power for generations to see that our governments and businesses act responsibly in the conduct of their affairs -- and the scientific community has been telling us for years of the changes that are happening and what some of the causes and effects are !! We have simply chosen to go on about our daily lives and -- more or less -- let the problems go --- thinking that in some way -- they were just going to "go away" ------- I mean, hell, there are still an awful lot of people and officials that are in denial about it all !!!

As far as the Personal Touch in helping with this situation --- each of us should be working personally on trying to live a somewhat "greener" existence --- And, through the little things --- like -- not wasting gas --- and being more conservative about the way we use ALL energy sources --- BUT, the biggest single thing we, as individuals can do --- is see to it that government KNOWS where we stand on this issue --- and being sure that we vote a true conscience on this in the polls --- and FORCE, if necessary, our "leaders" to take positive actions against corporate interests that breed business habits contributing to this looming future nightmare !!!

Answer 3

Rising sea levels have already forced people in India, Bangadesh, and some Pacific islands to relocate. The U.S. southwest has been in drought for most of the last decade. Weather patterns have changed, putting ski areas in New England out of business because of lack of snow. And scientists tell us this is only the beginning.



I recently did a full calculation of our household emissions, and found that they were 2.5 times the amount allowed by the Kyoto protocol allowance of 11,000 pounds per person per year (no wonder our government didn't sign it!)-- and found ways to reduce our CO2 emissions to within the Kyoto limits. I also committed to planting enough trees to absorb the emissions we do create.



I'd encourage everyone to do the same: in order to know whether we're doing enough, we have to know where we stand on terms of personal responsibility. Knowledge is the first step, then action.

Answer 4

Global Warming has occurred over the past 120 years, and has been especially rapid in the last 20 years. We know this from surface temperature observations.



- Carbon Dioxide as well as other greenhouse gases cause a warming in the atmosphere.



- Carbon Dioxide has increased dramatically in the last 120 years, and is at its highest level taking into consideration ice core samples, which include a 400,000 year period.



- Humans are overwhelmingly responsible for the dramatic increase in Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases. They’re emitted from our consumption of common fuel sources for energy, like fossil fuels.



Ok, it seems pretty simple…humans put stuff in the air that warms the air, and voila! Global warming! Nothing is that simple, especially when it concerns such complex systems as the Earth and its atmosphere.



So the reason why it seems nothing is being done about global warming is because we are still trying to answer some vital questions. And this is the big reason why it seems there is nothing being done about the issue, because there is a lot we still don't understand.



There are two main questions that must be conclusively answered before we can even truly understand how to approach the global warming issue. So let's talk about those two questions...







1) What portion of global warming can be attributed to increased greenhouse gases due to human activities?



It’s uncertain. Greenhouse gases have dramatically increased in the past 120 years, and most definitely due to human activities. But how this impacts a climate system we know so little about is uncertain. For example, couldn’t this warming be natural? Global temperatures are thought to have differed over ice ages by as much as 18 degrees F, so 1.5 degrees F could very well be mostly a natural process. Because of the natural variability in our climate system and our inability to piece together a "climate timeline"over centuries with no weather records, we can't make a quantitative assertion as to the portion of global warming attributed to anthropogenic contributions or to the natural variability of Earth's climate.



This is a key question to answer, because it might mean that humans are the main cause. Although it is uncertain at the moment, many scientists hypothesize that humans ARE the main cause. If this is the case, then I'd like to think that with science and research, we can find a way to mitigate or all together end the portion of global warming from human activities. If the answers is that humans have very little impact on global warming, well then there might not be a lot for us to do except let the natural evolution of the Earth take place and try to adapt.



Bottom line: Too uncertain to give you anything better than an educates guess. I'll take an educated guess on a $1.00 bet if it will rain tomorrow, but I don't think an educated guess is good enough when the consequences impact a global market like natural gas extraction and fossil fuel plants. Just remember that a changeover to an alternative fuel source will not be as easy as switching from VHS to DVD.



Another question....



2) If computer models predicting the impact of accelerated global warming indicates a future of intense storms, drought in some areas, melting ice caps, rising sea level etc…shouldn’t we do something?



Yes we should do something, first of all we should calm down. I have seen many misleading documentaries and news reports that warn the end of the world due to global warming and then, inconclusively, link global warming to human activity.



Let’s look at the source of the predications. Computer models. Let’s take out the word computer, because it makes me think that no person is involved. So we are down to models. Models are equations created by humans that try to simulate our climate. If we can’t simulate our daily weather accurately past say three days, how can we accurately predict global temperatures in 100, 1000, 10,000 years? Once again, we come up with uncertainties.



A major contributing factor (about 60%) to the predictions is something called "feedback". Feedback, in our case, is basically how other variables change as the concentration of greenhouse gases change. If you warm the air, you increase evaporation. Thus, you change relative humidity and you change type and amount of cloud cover. How will this change affect the warming? Will the cloud cover block out more solar radiation thus cooling earth? Our understanding of the climate system is not advanced enough to know all of the feedback possibilities.



What does this leave us with? Uncertainty in the model predications. One other significant uncertainty is how will greenhouse gas concentrations change in the future? Changes due both from natural processes and by possible human reduction in emissions? Uncertain, but a big player in the model predictions.



In my opinion, the only thing that is certain, is uncertainty itself, at least when it comes to model predictions. In fact, if you could sum up THE issue in the science concerning global warming in one word it would be: uncertainty.

Answer 5

Hi, it's always a great idea to preserve things as much as possible, including the earth. It wouldn't harm us to try to reduce our pollution etc. world-wide, and we're doing that right now. Kudo's to everyone for trying!



But....'global warming' is another issue. It is baseless in fact, and you'd be doing yourself a great service by not being suckered into believing in it. There is an extremist leftist element at work here...political, scientific, whatever...whose intent is to persuade you that global warming is a man made thing. They want you to believe that without major changes to your lifestyle (immediately) there is no hope for the future. Before you subscribe to their ideas, maybe stop for a moment and consider a few things.



The majority of 'scientists' reporting on this are not really scientists. Or at least they are not climatologists. They might be biologists or chemists or maybe just good ol' lobbyists or sneaky politicians who have no clue what they are dealing with.



There have been meetings and films and talks of all kinds about global warming, tv shows and doomsaying and all the rest. The media has given these guys tons of coverage. They've had symposiums and lectures and gatherings and have cried a ton of tears.



But, if YOU were a lobbyist or scientist who did NOT believe in global warming, you wouldn't be allowed to attend any of these meetings. The press wouldn't interview you because you would not be there. So, all the news you see and hear is from believers only. The symposium in Paris was attended by about 1,000 'scientists', politicians and lefty lobbyists, but since it was by invitation only (and you had to be a believer to get an invitation) it was a scam. Maybe one of the worst scams in scientific history Every effort was made to keep non-believers as far away as possible.



Was it Al Gore's movie that convinced you that polar bears are becoming extinct? Didn't his flic show a dwindling bear population? In fact, yes. But....he lied, mislead you. The bear population he used in located along the western side of Hudson's Bay, and the bears are having problems there but for reasons other than global warming. I'm in Canada and know for a fact that basically the polar bears are thriving. The population is growing, not decreasing. They are healthy, well fed and for the most part doing very nicely.



The earths temperature has risen one-tenth of one degree over the past one hundred years. Global warming alarmists and their uninformed followers will tell you it's much more than this, but it is not. One-tenth of one degree is all. Now, talk to any solar physicist who knows his stuff, and he'll tell you that cyclic solar activity is the cause. It's happened this way for a long, long time, and it will continue to do the same. In about 20 years it will begin to cool off slightly again. A small and predictable change in solar activity will take place, as it has for eons. Twenty years? Just about enough time for us to change our lives and give the "scientists" credit. Credit for doing nothing really, because it's a totally natural occurence. Real scientists know this already.



An item out of Europe last week broke the news (yawn) that the North West Passage in northern Canada is now fully open and navigable! Ho hum. Recent..alarming and big news? Nope, not at all. People have been sailing and motoring through there since before your great grandma was born. Some years it is open a bit, some years it's fully open and other years it's too full of ice to get through at all. Global warming? Not at all. Just good old nature doing her thing!



About the oceans rising...wow, what a bunch of crap! Talk about junk science (a valid term..look it up)...who thought up this one? If the arctic ice cap did melt totally, and it won't, since it is already on water for the most part the seas would't..couldn't possibly rise noticeably. When ice turns to water it loses 7/8 of it's mass. Maybe your toes would get wet 1/16 of an inch sooner at the beach.



Again, it's a great idea to work towards a cleaner, healthier planet. Nobody would disagree with this, but don't do it because some lefty lying scientist or politician or lobbyist tells you to. The theory of man-made global warming is full of holes, laughably so. Do lots of thinking before you start to believe in it.

Answer 6

Not that big of a deal. Natural phemnama is resposiable the Earth is always flucuating temperature and we are just on an upward trend. there are no concequnces becasue in time it the temperature will go back down. So you really do not need to do anything about global warming.

Answer 7

I wouldn't lose sleep over it. We do not have the power to control the climate. We are at the mercy of the earth and mother nature. If anything happens, you'll just have to adapt and to deal with it.

Answer 8

It is not an issue and shoudln't be. Global warming is a natural cycle that the earth has gone through for millions of years.

Answer 9

global warming for me is a big deal.....global warming effect our everyday life....so we must help to less this issue......

Answer 10

Massively huge and bareling out of control.



to help out, reduce your carbon footprint, and read these other ansewers. I can't think of anything they left out that would help.

Answer 11

Watch the Inconvenient Truth and find out.....

Answer 12

Scientists just reported last week that Arctic ice was at its lowest level in recorded history. If we need any more proof of global warming, just stay tuned to the news - more evidence presents itself every week.



There is a direct correlation between greenhouse gasses (mostly carbon dioxide) and the average temperatures on Earth. Currently greenhouse gasses are at their highest level ever (based on ice samples taken in Antarctica). It's no wonder that the average temperature of the Earth is also at its highest level - and getting higher each year.



There's no doubt that man is responsible. The biggest surge came during and after the industrial revolution, but the growth of automobiles and the population using them has pushed things to ridiculous levels.



The consequences of a warmer planet are rising sea levels, erratic weather patterns, and changing climates that disrupt the balance of the plant and animal life that evolved to fit the cooler climate.



While some areas will see more rain, and some will see less, many will see their annual rain come in fewer, larger storms. Instead of receiving a few inches a month, they may go several months with below average rainfall, then experience a flooding storm. Stories like Katrina and the floods in the midwest this summer will become commonplace.



A huge majority of the world's population lives within miles of the oceans. As ocean levels rise, these areas will be flooded and their peoples displaced. Hurricanes and other storms will be more severe and destructive because of the added heat and higher sea levels.



Higher elevations and lattitudes will see plant and animal life that is foreign to them because the warmer temperatures will make this possible. Meanwhile, warm areas will become too hot to sustain the life that's lived there for thousands of years.



In short, global warming will disrupt nearly every aspect of our lives. We are the cause, and we can be the solution. But we have to act, and we have to act now.



You can help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn reduces global warming, by using energy more wisely. Here are 10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming.



1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. If there isn’t a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

2. Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning

Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.

Turn down the heat while you’re sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.



3. Change a Light Bulb

Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.

If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.



4. Drive Less and Drive Smart

Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community’s mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school.

When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.



5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products

When it’s time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs.

Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can't be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.



6. Use Less Hot Water

Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry.

7. Use the "Off" Switch

Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you're not using them.

It’s also a good idea to turn off the water when you’re not using it. While brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog or washing your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You’ll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital resource.



8. Plant a Tree

If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.

9. Get a Report Card from Your Utility Company

Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.

10. Encourage Others to Conserve

Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment.

These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming.