hurricanechaser

I'm sitting in my house about to get my day started, and as soon as the Sun cracks the horizon the wind gusts from five miles to at least 30 miles per an hour the second the sky turns from black to dark blue. This only reinforces the idea that the Sun is a huge player when it comes to Global warming. I mean I don't think my neighbors starting their cars up in their drive ways cause that huge gust of wind to blow this morning.

As far as Global warming is concerned, I think it is arrogant of us to think that humans, can affect the weather and change the climate. I mean come on, I understand we are capable of a lot of things but global warming is not one.

I'm still waiting for that huge 500 foot Tsunami wave to hit New York City............. Mr. Al Gore

and God forbid a polar bear gets stranded on a chunk of ice that melted away during the spring.

and one more thing, why doesn't anybody gripe about Global Warming during the winter when I'm shoveling snow in 13 degree temperatures!!!

AKASHA

We already know the planet is warming again. It warms and it cools and it warms and it cools. We know that too. The question today is "Are humans influencing the current warming trend?"

You say its arrogant to think we can change the planet... maybe... but probably more arrogant to think we don't. Earth is not fragile.. I don't believe that. I don't know. Its hard to know the truth because everyone has an agenda. But to think that all the oil burning that's happening in the world today has no effect on the atmosphere... none of us are really that stupid... are we?

Cars are extremely inefficient. And starting your car in the morning doesn't make the wind blow. We know that already. But cars produce heat... a lot of heat and there's a lot of cars. And airplanes. And trains... and just a whole lot of coal and oil going up in flames... totally unprecedented in Earth's history.

I don't know, like I said. And I get tired too of all the "man is killing earth" theories. But at the same time, I can't deny some of their points. Its definitely an appropriate discussion. Now if everyone would stop politicizng maybe we can have a real discussion. I don't think its a yes/no issue. There's not enough people in the middle on this one... too many extremes.

rickair7777

You are correct. There's a lot we don't know, and it's hard to say for certain either way with the data we have. And everybody has an agenda which makes it even harder. You expect big business to spin things, it's too bad the science community had to go down that road too. If they had stayed on the high ground, they would be a lot more credible when/if they get some solid data. As things stand, they seem more interested in grant money, career opportunities, and leveraging political power than anything else.

Cubdriver

That's my take on it too. It is a hard subject to sort out and the climate data gets sketchier and less accurate the farther back you go in environmental history. It turns into a political match and a waste of time at that point. I am all for trying to find anthropogenic connections to global temperature cycles, if there are any. But driving public policy with it is premature at best. In the meantime, I feel that humanity can gradually make improvements in carbon use and energy sourcing as long as those energy alternatives are justified in more ways than a connection to global warming.

AKASHA

Yea, you guys both said it better than me. Where's the true science? And we will get better at energy efficiency.... obviously. But I do think its a necessary conversation. Look at all the oil we've burned since discovering it. I mean... 100 years is nothing in terms of planet age. So we do have to ask about the possible consequences. Its not an unreasonable question. I think the people who totally disregard man's contribution to global warming are equally fanatic as those who blame man to no end.

Grumble

I think whats arrogant is to think that in the last 100-150 years, man kind has become so smart that we know and have an answer for everything, and have any clue on how the world/enviroment really operate.

Living cleaner, sure I'm on board, but not at the cost of jobs, money, peoples well fare. The "Green Movement" is nothing more than an economic power play. Don't be a sheep. If the Earth is warming, and the oceans are rising, why did Al Gore just buy a $7 Million dollar house on the beach in CA? It's all about money and control.

Busboy

Yah!!! I mean, think how long it took us to figure out that the Sun doesn't revolve around us. And, it took even longer to prove that the Earth isn't flat, after all. These things take time.

First of all, it's not on the beach. Second, I think it's Tipper's now. Maybe he's hoping sea level will rise 300ft, while she's sleeping.

AKASHA

And we can clearly see how political this whole discussion is.

AKASHA

Exactly the point I was trying to make. You just did it in much simpler terms.

flywithjohn

We have global warming and cooling every year. Only they call it Fall and Spring....