[BennyV04988]

this isn't an ice age though, we're talking about destabilizing the weather patterns, which would cause massive problems and disasters.

[Wildside]

the O-Zone layer was 1/3 less then last year, but not permanent, according to dailytech.

[Apokalipse]

I think it's laughable when people claim that there will be huge disasters, just because the Earth might rise a few degrees.

"If we don't do something extremely drastic RIGHT NOW The Ocean's will rise 60 feet by next Tuesday"

The fact is, the Earth has experienced warming and cooling periods much much bigger than we have recorded in the past century.
The Earth will be fine.

The problem is not that the Earth will change. It's whether or not people will adapt to the changes that were already going to happen.

People seem to get the idea that we need to change the environment to suit us

But reality is different. It always has been the life on this planet, that's adapted th the changes.

Reminds me of a quote I once heard:
"Humans are the puddle in the pothole, marvelling at how perfectly the pothole conforms to their shape."

[peterhuang913]

Originally Posted by Apokalipse

I think it's laughable when people claim that there will be huge disasters, just because the Earth might rise a few degrees.

"If we don't do something extremely drastic RIGHT NOW The Ocean's will rise 60 feet by next Tuesday"

The fact is, the Earth has experienced warming and cooling periods much much bigger than we have recorded in the past century.
The Earth will be fine.

The problem is not that the Earth will change. It's whether or not people will adapt to the changes that were already going to happen.

People seem to get the idea that we need to change the environment to suit us

But reality is different. It always has been the life on this planet, that's adapted th the changes.

Reminds me of a quote I once heard:
"Humans are the puddle in the pothole, marvelling at how perfectly the pothole conforms to their shape."

Funny part is, is that I live up at 400.

[BennyV04988]

Originally Posted by Apokalipse

I think it's laughable when people claim that there will be huge disasters, just because the Earth might rise a few degrees.

"If we don't do something extremely drastic RIGHT NOW The Ocean's will rise 60 feet by next Tuesday"

The fact is, the Earth has experienced warming and cooling periods much much bigger than we have recorded in the past century.
The Earth will be fine.

The problem is not that the Earth will change. It's whether or not people will adapt to the changes that were already going to happen.

People seem to get the idea that we need to change the environment to suit us

But reality is different. It always has been the life on this planet, that's adapted th the changes.

Reminds me of a quote I once heard:
"Humans are the puddle in the pothole, marvelling at how perfectly the pothole conforms to their shape."

Apok - You talk as if it takes massive changes to create problems. Even then, your idea of a problem is naively and grossly exagerated.

It only TAKES a few degrees to change the path of ocean heat engines, which control the earths weather patterns, which can cause droughts, floods, hurricanes, etc. This can lead to displacement, famine, disease, economic crash, war, etc.

who the **** said the seas would rise by 60ft? It's never been about the sea rising. It's the fact that we depend on certain heat engines and weather patterns. If enough fresh, cold, dense water gets in their path, they get destroyed.

"A few degrees" can reshape the world weather patterns, and natural or not, it's something to be reckoned with.


And yes we do need adapt, that's my point. Whether or not we are causing it, the threat is large, and the tipping point is easier to cross than we thought.

[BennyV04988]

The urgency comes from the history that big changes take time, and unless people see and feel the threat, nothing will change. We are not in immediate threat, but if we don't act now, then these tipping points will eventually be crossed and we will have a total change in the weather systems. We will have spent the last 10 years bickering about who was wrong or right, when the whole point was that... it was happening regardless, and what the heck did we do to try to stop it?

[Ethereal_Dragon]

Originally Posted by BennyV04988

who the **** said the seas would rise by 60ft? It's never been about the sea rising. It's the fact that we depend on certain heat engines and weather patterns. If enough fresh, cold, dense water gets in their path, they get destroyed.

I am under the impression that he wasn't being literal with that....

and Apok... I Love the puddle in the pothole quote.... so true.

[BennyV04988]

Originally Posted by Ethereal_Dragon

I am under the impression that he wasn't being literal with that....

and Apok... I Love the puddle in the pothole quote.... so true.

I know he wasn't being literal, but my point was that its not about sea level rising, its about the affect that the ice caps have on our heat reflection, the affect they'd have on the ocean currents if they melt, etc etc.

The puddle thing is nice though.

[peterhuang913]

Originally Posted by BennyV04988

I know he wasn't being literal, but my point was that its not about sea level rising, its about the affect that the ice caps have on our heat reflection, the affect they'd have on the ocean currents if they melt, etc etc.

The puddle thing is nice though.

Ice caps melt>Underwater current system stops>sea level rises.

[BennyV04988]

Originally Posted by peterhuang913

Ice caps melt>Underwater current system stops>sea level rises.

The thing is, the caps are melting waaay faster than they had predicted, and now the surrounding fresh waters are taking in the sunlight, instead of snow reflecting it. This means that they melt even faster, almost at an exponential rate. This can affect ocean currents, sea level, etc, but will take a long time. The problem is that no one knows where exactly the tipping point is, and how big of an effort it even takes to prevent it.

Basically, the whole world is in denial that there is a problem, because if you accept that this is a threat and will happen if we can't stop it, then the future suddenly doesn't seem so bright... no matter what we do.