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Global Warmming (open invetaition to all students and teachers)

I would like to start this discussion about global warmming...
If you have anything you would like to share please do...
Thank you
(It's an open invetaition to all students and teachers)

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Salim_Al-Busaidi on October 26, 2008 at 7:11pm: Hi James,

I really enjoyed reading your post about that interesting book. It has made me read more about this issue.
Have you put in mind the changes we are having: cars, industry, pollution, etc. Can we compare what we have to the past ages? I mean can we apply any theories to different ages without considering the changes?

Thanks

Salim; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by James Horton on October 27, 2008 at 9:45pm: Dear Salim,

Excellent question. From studying the past's physical evidence, we know that this 1500-year warming cooling cycle has been occurring for tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of years. Also from the physical record, we know that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere follow that warming and cooling, rather than leading it. What we don't have in the past's physical record is man contributing carbon dioxide in any great quantity until about the 1940's. This is a new subject to consider.

There are theories about what will happen when Man adds additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is possible that this extra carbon dioxide might make a very small difference. It is important to remember that carbon dioxide is a small fraction of the greenhouse gasses. Here's a link to research this:

http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html

In essence, Man contributes 3.225% of the total of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is about 3.168% of the total greenhouse gases (water vapor is the largest, at 95% of the total). So man's total contribution to greenhouse gases is .28% (this includes carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as well). I don't know what you think, but I find it hard to put a lot of stock in any theory that says that, by Man adding a third of a percent of additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, a big difference will be the result. Perhaps the world will get a tiny fraction warmer than it would already have during this current warming cycle and perhaps not. it's an unproven theory.

Further, far from being a pollutant, carbon dioxide acts as a fertilizer for plants, encouraging their health and growth. There are plenty of pollutants that should be controlled; carbon dioxide is surely not one of them.

If the physical evidence of the past is an indicator of things to come, we have been in a warming cycle that started about 160 years ago which is likely to last a few hundred more years. And based on how these previous warm periods affected Man, the current warming will give us excellent chances for better weather, better crop yields and overall prosperity.

Best,
James; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Salim_Al-Busaidi on October 27, 2008 at 10:07pm: Excellent explanation James.
Thanks for the link. I had a look at the provided teables.
Let`s hope that Man`s contribution will make a small difference.

Salim; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pedro M. on October 27, 2008 at 5:50pm: Thank you for further proving my point James the book does sound fascinating by the way.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Anne Mirtschin on October 28, 2008 at 12:44pm: Hello Yaqsan, It is wonderful that you are concerned enough about global warming to start up a discussion on it. I teach at a school in Australia, but I also live on a farm. Usually, the area where I live has good rainfalls and we are able to fatten lambs and cattle for the prime markets. However, last year, for the first time in 'white man' history, our area was declared a drought area. Usually in Sept through to November we have good rain falls but not over the last few years. This year has again been dry so I am sure that global warming is affecting us here in the south of Australia.
One of the landcare groups has given out digital cameras to interested parties and we are to take photos of effects or possible impacts of global warming in our area. They will then develop the film and have a photographic exhibition tour around our area. It will be interesting to see other people's concerns.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Yaqsan AL waily on October 31, 2008 at 5:59pm: Hi Anne
I dedicated my life to save the planet from anything that can harm eg. global warming
I heard that Australia is one of the most effected places on Earth
And i hope the lambs are doing well.
Thank you; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ahmed-Al-Hashmi on October 30, 2008 at 4:32am: hi Yaqsan,
I think global warmming is start to hurt the earth So, we should do something about that.; ▶ Reply to This