Climate change is simple: We do something or we’re screwed
http://skepticalscience.com/dave-roberts-ted-talk.html



Global Warming & Climate Change Myths
http://skepticalscience.com/argument.php



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2012 04:22PM by saviorself.

Beliefs, religious or otherwise, are arrived at by a long history Of immersion in a particular culture. Many believe whatever they believe because they believe - no major thoughtful reflection or impartial gathering of evidence is needed or wanted.

When conservative commentators like George Will say, as he did last week, "it's just hot weather, get over it!" then you know that it's not about evidence but ideology. They will deny global warming and the genetic basis of homosexuality, but think Bigfoot is one cool Dude!

The mindset that denies global warming is real is the same mindset that denies the Mormon church is a cult - evidence to the contrary be damned!

There are two issues:

1. Is there global warming?
2. If so, is it caused mostly by human activity?

There seems to be plenty of evidence that the answer to 1 is YES.

There seems to be considerable valid skepticism about an affirmative answer to 2.

"The Great Global Warming Swindle" present evidence that human-produced CO2 is of miniscule importance as a cause, that the principle cause is cycles in sunspots (over which we have no control):

http://youtu.be/0MEwN2V_ax4

In other words, just like God's wrath.

I've been grappling with this issue for years. I can't get over the feeling that it's a conclusion-then-justification thing with some people. They believe it, then look for signs that it's true, just like happens with religion.

There is a warming trend.. it has happened over decades, but not steadily, and not in synchronism with the small rise in CO2 that can be attributed to fossil fuel use. We had a cooling trend during the 70's. I was there, and the news was full of ice-age-is-coming hysteria.

CO2 is a weak greenhouse gas. If the man-made increase is doing anything, there has to be some sort of amplification factor that no one seems to know about, they just keep bringing it up like some sort of fuzzy speculation.

They have ways of knowing the temperature trends over eons back in time. It's been hotter AND colder many times for decades, and it didn't lead to catastrophe.

A big problem is that I can't find solid empirical research that leads to proving CO2 is causing warming. All the "science" I find is computer simulations, which I do not trust. They're too subjective and inaccurate.

The media keeps spouting assorted stories of various types, and each one has some sort of claim that is designed like propaganda, not science. A distressing claim is made, no real logic for it given, and a list of scary possibilities are then listed. That's not science, it's sensationalism.

Even though the Earth is warming, we should remember that so is Mars.

I am confident that the Martian climate change was not caused by humans.

Does that make it look like Climate Change is a scientific hoax? Sure, to all the rubes who only know what the newspapers are willing to publish.

But if the reporter can only read at a sixth-grade level and is writing for a third-grade level audience, just how much REAL SCIENCE do you think you're going to read in the newspapers, or see on CNN, ABC, or Fox News? Damned little.

Facts: climate change has been gradually accelerating starting from almost 100 years ago. The rate has been so swift in comparison to other examples in the earth's past history that there are few likely causes. From ALL DATA GATHERED in every theatre of research that is in any way related to earth sciences, humans are MORE THAN LIKELY to blame for what is happening.

That does not mean humans are solely to blame, and there may be other factors involved. But so far, the deniers fail (like Mormon Apologists fail) to produce rational explanations for why all these earth science dynamics are moving in the same direction at the same time, with increading speed.

As I said in my other comments: to disbelieve a belief is one thing. To disbelieve a fact is quite another.

Gee, I just thought of something ...maybe this is all a Christian Jesus plot to discredit scientists! OMG! That must be it!!!

::rolls eyes::

One could argue that the TRILLION dollar cap and trade industry might have something to do with the problem and the address of it.

I would add that I personally think we are going through a serious climate change. I think it has the potential of substantially changing human existance.

However, once again since perception is considered reality, effective countermeasures or even accurate information is really hard to come by. Everyone is trying to make a buck off this thing no matter what their beliefs.

It is too bad, because if this problem were properly addressed with the welfare of the human race prioritized above profits a better outcome could be had.

Being skeptical and withholding judgement is not denial. It's the way we need to be so that we won't be fooled by the foolers, who are legion.

The earth's climate changes. That is a fact that is easily observed by scientific data. That we American's cause it by driving SUV's is a ploy to get us to pay a guilt tax. Mt St Helens spewed more c02 than millions of SUV's could in a decade.