Thread: Climate Change

There's a good chance that global warming could cause an ice age in the somewhat near future.

Average global temp rises > Ice caps melt > More of surface covered in water > More heat energy reflected back into space > Severe drop in average global temp. > Ice age

I believe that is the premise for the movie The Day After Tomorrow. Except in the movie, the ice age is brought on in a matter of days via gigantic and very cold super-hurricanes.

Im pretty sure we're safe from that, though.

There's no question that climate change is occuring.

The controversy is whether or not humanity's actions are a significant contribution.

Originally posted by bradybaker
cause an ice age in the somewhat near future.

yeah, in a geologic timescale, it's but a day or two away.

I'm not really planning on being around in 10 million years - so I'm not terribly concerned today.

Climate has never been static on our planet. To observe that we're going through a change in climate is the equivalent of observing that we're orbiting a tiny little yellow star in space...

the point of no return for the polar ice-caps has been and gone recently, that doesnt mean that the worlds going end soon.It does mean that they are definetly going to melt and no amount of newfangled hydrogen powered cars and greenpeace operatives can save them now, all we can do is delay it. it wont happen soon but sooner or later scientists say 3 quarters of the earth will eventually be covered by water, but dont let that scare you because 2 thirds of the earth are allready covered in water.
it wont really affect any of us because in our lifetimes the global temp will barely go up.

Originally posted by andorf
the point of no return for the polar ice-caps has been and gone recently...

I'd like to know where you heard that.

Originally posted by bradybaker
There's a good chance that global warming could cause an ice age in the somewhat near future.

Average global temp rises > Ice caps melt > More of surface covered in water > More heat energy reflected back into space > Severe drop in average global temp. > Ice age

I kindof agree except for the ice age i just think everything will be swamps

IF the world floods as such, another ice age is pretty inevitable. It wouldn't be just swamps...it'd be very COLD swamps. With icebergs.

But I think that the average person's view of Global Warming is a bit tainted by paranoia. Yeah, the world's warming up some. But we're not going to die tomorrow...

Movies like The Day After Tomorow don't help that.

Well that changes my perspective a bit.

However Bradybaker I believe that white reflects light, so ice melting means there is *less* reflection, thus further heating and further melting. The problem feeds itself.

I'd like to know where you heard that.[/b]

it was on a comdedy show but it was quite convincing,

anyway enviro-freaks should stop worrying about global warming and worry about problems that are happening now like pingu's getting trapped in oil sliks.

damn tree-huggers need to sort there priorities out

believe that is the premise for the movie The Day After Tomorrow. Except in the movie, the ice age is brought on in a matter of days via gigantic and very cold super-hurricanes. Im pretty sure we're safe from that, though. [/b]

Actually, the reason they made that movie was because of its very real possibility.
But thats not how it freezes over.

There is this natural ocean current that keeps this certain part of the earth warm right. I don't know exackly where look it up. There is a name for this ocean current system I can't think of it right now.

Once the Ice caps melt to a certain point, The cold water will run down and stop this ocean current and its won't be salty enough. Once this accurs, this natural system stops. It's going to freeze the entire area over big time. Cause nothing will be keeping it warm any longer.

The storms in the movie represent again. Climate change. But not from greenhouse gases. Or "global warming" This is different, It's happening in the entire solar system.
If you have been keeping an eye on the suns solar activity. (probally not) You will see that the suns activity is connected with this. And something big is actually happening to the entire solar system, not just earth. Other planets are experiencing effects.

Scientist are not entirely familar with what is happening, Actually they don't have a clue. But they do know its not the explanation givin to you guys. About your petty car fumes or whatever.

and those of you who think. Ah its ok cause nothings going to happen for another 50 years. Man your in for a shock. If you note all the latest natural disasters, you will see a pattern emerging. And it will cresendo fast. Somethings round the corner and your lives are NOT going to be the same. In the next 10 years.

On top of this the economy is extremely fragile. Just about nearing breaking point already, without any disasters. We are all set for destruction.

Originally posted by Nirvana Starseed
On top of this the economy is extremely fragile.

No it isn't. Statements like these make no sense! There are indicators of problems in certain sectors, like a housing bubble in the US fueled by too much investment from Asia and Europe, and the gradual diminishing of the share of global FDI in manufacturing, the sluggish pace of developmental economics regarding the reduction of tariffs, quotas, and subsidies by powerful nations, but nothing anywhere near substantiating that the world economy is fragile, much less to an extreme.

The thing with climate change is that you don't need to be convinced as to whether or not it is happening. It is. Fact. It always has done and it always will so long as the Earth is a planet.

The problem in my opinion (mine only here, dunno about others on the forum ) is that the reason we are worried is that we think we have caused it. The thing is you see that climate change is a natrually occuring even that has happened through all of earths history regardless of what species were there to go along for the ride. We have done nothing to cause a shift in the change in the climate. Think about it, we've had ice ages before, we've had sweltering periods of geological history before too...none when humans were about!

It's the NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) which is part of the bigger scale of things which keeps the UK warm. It has slowed down and this is due to an increase in non saline melt water from the polar ice cap. This is something that can not be stopped other than when the Earth decides to kick itself back into an equilibrium. That's an important word too, it's all to do with the Earth feeling it needs to gain an equilibrium so it does what it can to help itself...clever planet!

At the moment we are in the middle of an interglacial so things are getting warmer. However, glacials and inters are not the end of the story...within these large 'waves' if you will are interposed smaller 'waves' which interrupt now and then to cause a period of quick cooling or warming which seem in contrast to the general scheme of things. Natural again though, which is what is happening here. The only thing that we have done is to possibly accelerate things by the tiniest amount. On a planetary sclae and as far as Earth is concerned, we don't count! The main overriding contributor to the whole system are the Milancovitch cycles which are concerned with the Earths position in space. We seriously can do nothing to help this! I'm afraid that if we're going to live on this planet we have to go along with what it wants us to!