Global Warming - fact or fiction?

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 34 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #64 in Duels, #19,783 overall

Global Warming

If you've seen Al Gore's documentary you're probably left in no doubt that Global Warming is real. Every day there's a new news article proclaiming proof of the inevitable demise of the World as we know it, with flooding, hurricanes to name but a few of the consequences of Human's misuse of nature.

However, take a scan on the internet, or listen to the occasional show on satellite radio and you'll realize that it's not quite as clear cut as they tell us - there are doubters, and according to these scientists the real story is totally different and simply relates to a cycle that occurs of millions of years.

So which is true?

There are many who still do not believe that global warming is a problem at all. And it's no wonder: because they are the targets of a massive and well-organized campaign of disinformation lavishly funded by polluters who are determined to prevent any action to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming out of a fear that their profits might be affected if they had to stop dumping so much pollution into the atmosphere. - Al Gore

"You remember the ice age? It's been warming ever since, and there ain't nothing we can do to stop it." - Senator Burns

Join the debate on my duel further down the lens, or click here to go there directly: State your opinion

There are many great websites out there, but the widipedia is a good starting point for research:

Research before you buy Green 

Energy efficient Lightbulbs

It's a great thing to buy green and save the Earth, but before you do, you should always research the product you buy.

Take the energy efficient light bulb - it's great, saves a lot of energy and reduces your carbon footprint. All true - but did you read the box - this light bulb contains mercury and cannot be disposed in normal garbage.

Without reading this, you could be doing just as much harm to the environment!

So research before you buy!

Disinformation: the power of the internet. 

Global Warming linked to Swine Flu?

One of the biggest problems I see with the Global Warming issue is the power of the internet to spread disinformation. Millions of 'experts' can spread their views by twitter, blogs etc, without doing any valid research. Unfortunately, as it's on the internet, many assume that it is fact.

A great example of this is the rumors that are going around now that Global Warming is causing Swine Flu. In the comments of the NY Times article listed below, there is at least one referance to a 'longer flu season'.

Just do a search on Yahoo and you'll find dozens of similar comments - as the fear rises, these articles will increase and eventually will be picked up by some politician.

Swine flu - cause for panic?
A NY blog discussing the Swine Flu - look for comments relating to 'Global Warming' and see how people can 'twist' facts on the internet.

News this MOnth. 

The collapse of a major polar ice sheet will not raise global sea levels as much as previous projections suggest, a team of scientists has calculated.



The power of the internet: the same story about drought in Somalia appears on two websites (out of dozens). On BBC it is simply a story about Somalia and doesn't mention Global warming. On Climateark it is listed with the heading 'Climate Change and Global Warming Portal' although no mention of Global Warming appears in the article.

It just goes to show how 'suggestion' will influence people - the fact that the title says 'Climate Change' will make many assume the drought is due to Global Warming'.

Climateark article

BBC Article



There are new studies out suggesting that depsite the efforts of man, we're not likely to stop Global Warming.



One thing I believe is that despite the worst mankind can do, the Earth has natural cycles and these will eventually erase any damage mankind can do. With the likelihood of an ice age within the next 80,000 years, the whole Global Warming issue becomes irrelevant - the question really should be "Can man survive until the next Ice Age and beyond?"



Despite the fact that 30 years ago. many governments stated that we only had a 50 year supply of coal, as technology advances we keep discovering new seems of coal. It's been a staple fuel for well over a century and a fuel that won't go away soon.

One of the problems with burning coal is the high emissions of CO2 and other noxious fumes so it is good to see governments taking the lead in ensuring new coal power plants are going to be held to much higher standards, thus reducing their significant carbon footprint.



Scientists say to keep the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C over the next 50 years requires new cleaner power plants, or a major reduction in the use of fossil fuel reserves



See the relevant articlew below:
'Clean' coal plants given the go-ahead in the UK
The government has given the go-ahead for a new generation of coal-fired power plants - but only if they can prove they can reduce their emissions.
When is the next ice age.
This articles discusses the chances of another ice age within the next 80,000 years.
'Safe' climate means 'no to coal'
About three-quarters of the world's fossil fuel reserves must be left unused if society is to avoid dangerous climate change, scientists warn.
World 'unlikely to stop global warming reaching critical levels'
Two studies on climate change have concluded that rises in global temperatures are unlikely to remain below a critical threshold deemed by the world's governments to be safe.
Ice sheet melt threat reassessed
The collapse of a major polar ice sheet will not raise global sea levels as much as previous projections suggest, a team of scientists has calculated.

 

The global warming controversy is a dispute regarding the nature, causes, and consequences of global warming. The disputed issues include the causes of increased global average air temperature, especially since the mid-20th century, whether this warming trend is unprecedented or within normal climatic variations, whether humankind has contributed significantly to it, and whether the increase is wholly or partially an artifact of poor measurements. Additional disputes concern estimates of climate sensitivity, predictions of additional warming, and what the consequences of global warming will be. The controversy is significantly more pronounced in the popular media than in the scientific literature.

Carbon Footprint of Global Warming Debate. 

I'm only going to calculate the Carbon Footprint for the electric used to create a Global Warming web site. The assumptions I make are not based on fact (aside from where I note).

A search of Google for 'Global Warming' brings up 33,000,000 web sites.
Assume that the total time to design the site, plus the time people take reading the sites is on average 1 hour per website.
Assume that the average computer uses 50w of electricity in one hour.

Total kwh used: 33,000,000 x 50 /1000 = 1,650,000
Total lbs of CO2 per kwh = 0.524lbs (Source: pge assumptions)

Total lbs of CO2 due to design of and reading of Global Warming websites: 864,600lbs.

Add to this the TV coverage, the travel to GW conferences etc and it soon adds up.

So just by not discussing Global warming we'd reduce the carbon footprint by millions of pounds of carbon!!!

Does this planet make me look fat? 

Eating too much causes Global Warming.

Search the web and you'll find many articles stating that 'overeating' is leading to increased CO2 emissions by humans - I don't think I need to explain how do I? Although, I always thought that was a methane emission!

Read more here

My Quest to reduce my own CO2 emissions! 

Global Warming Timeline 

Food for Thought 

Cari_Kay makes a very interesting point in the comments below. Mother Nature is a very powerful beast - in five minutes she could do more damage to the environment than man has done in 140 years. Perhaps Global warming has nothing to do with us, but is simply mother-nature flexing her muscles.

If we had a Super Volcano Eruption (See Super Volcano) the environment would be changed overnight - the damage that we are doing pales into comparion.

Jay Leno says: 

"According to a new U.N. report, the global warming outlook is much worse than originally predicted. Which is pretty bad when they originally predicted it would destroy the planet."

Fact of the week. 

"According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the Arctic ice cap is thinner than ever.

On the other side of the world, an ice bridge linking a shelf of ice the size of Jamaica to two islands in Antarctica has snapped. Scientists say the collapse could mean the Wilkins Ice Shelf is on the brink of breaking away, and provides further evidence of rapid change in the region."

Strange Site of the week! 

"Revelation 16:8-9
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
"


Apparently Global Warming has nothing to do with man, but has been foretold in the scriptures. Now I am not anti-religion, but sometimes I feel that all parties concerned use Global Warming to promote their own agenda - this site is a good example of that happening for me!

Citizens against the Global Warming Hoax

Site of the week 

Global Warming Petition Project

An interesting site claiming to have 31,000 scientists who have signed a petition statig that Global Warming has no substantial scientific foundation.

Global Warming Petition Project Site

Did you ever think..... 

Let's all buy Electric cars.

The big thing at the moment is the promotion of all-electric cars. Every major car company is doing it. Sounds good eh?

So instead of burning nasty 'gas' to move your car, you simply plug it in and use electric. Cool or wot. Wait a minute - how is that electric produced? Most electric is produced by burning coal isn't it? are those coal electric plants 100% clean? I don't know - I am sure you don't know? So isn't it just moving the problem around and not really making a difference?

ThrivingMom argues "I disagree with your point on the electric car. The main reason they are needed isn't to have "clean" energy powered cars. It's to get us to the point where we no longer need foreign oil. We're so dependent on foreign oil that it has launched a war and forces us to do business with some very dangerous people."

SimeyCook says "You may be right on that - but - and it's a big but - the car makers are selling it as a green car - also USA isn't the only country buying them - other countries who are not reliant on foreign oil are also creating and investing in electric cars."

Which Headline is right? 

"Greenland ice sheets melting: Global warming advances faster than anticipated"

"Global Cooling: Alaskan Glaciers Grow For First Time In 250 Years"


Both are 'accurate' according to various websites and experts around the web. Just type in both headlines above into Google and you'll see an abundance of websites dedicated to both sides of this argument.

Fact or Fiction? 

In 1988 James Hansen, a climatologist announced that world temperature would rise by .35 degrees over the next ten years. The actual increase is actually .11 degrees.

 

FACT and FICTION - the problem with this quote is that it takes what it wants from the original report, and leaves out the methods used for this calculation, and the other methods that also were used to created different predictions.

Fact or Fiction? 

The belief that Mt. Kilimanjaro is melting because of global warming is false. It has been melting since the 1800s, before "global warming."

 

FACT and FICTION - Douglas R. Hardy, a climatologist at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, who monitored Kilimanjaro's glaciers from mountaintop weather stations since 2000. "The real explanations are much more complex. Global warming plays a part, but a variety of factors are really involved."

Fact or Fiction? 

Researchers say average temperatures are close to a million-year high

 

The question really comes down to data - is 140 years of data really enough to know the truth. Beyond this we are relying on models and accuracy of things like carbon dating etc to really 'predict' the past. The graphs below demonstrate the fact that statistics also can be manipulated - look at the last 140 years and you'll agree that the temperature is certainly rising - look at the last couple of billion years and the temperature has gone down!

I note that I am trying to illustrate that it's possible, using statistics to prove almost anything - both graphs are valid and based on valid data, but both are used to force through a point.

Last 140 years 

Last Couple of Billion Years 

So what do you think? 

A couple of things to ponder before you answer:

Statistics can be manipulated easily - did you know that half the train stations in Scotland would be shut down if they were Nuclear Power stations?

A lot of companies are making a lot of money by promoting green issues - are corporate CEOs manipulating the media to be able to sell more 'green' product?

We probably won't know the true answer until it's too late!

On a personal note, I do not kow what to believe. Both sides of the argument have valid reasoning - however, both sides are also following their own agenda - it's so difficult to find true facts and figures - there's always one faction or another behind the latest statistics....who do I listen to? Al Gore? BP? The Government? Green Peace?

Is Global Warming Real, or a major manipulation by the media and green corporations?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Global Warming is Real.

jeff says:

global warming is real in my oppinion weather it is man made or not however needs to be studied furter to find a common and reliable idea. if you dont beleive me look at the facts and look at venus. the only reason it is above temperature is because the ammound of carbon monoxide in the atmosfere. just warming the planet a little bit would melt the ice sheets releasing a huge amount of carbon, warming the planet more. that is why it is usally warmer after the clouds clear than when the clouds are above, because the heat is trapped

paperfacets says:

Yes, it was warmer during the dinosaurs because there were thousands of giant mammals, breathing, decaying and pooping large amounts of CO2.
They died and the world cooled. As a whole, not individuals, humans make up a large unit, impacting the very balance that allowed them to become such a large entity. After Al Gore's campaign that is all we hear about, and that is because there is truth to it.

FlorenceArt says:

I think Global Warming is real, but how much we can influence it, no-one really knows. An additional problem is that we also don't know, or don't want to know, about the side effects of many actions that are taken to reduce it. Many things that are considered "green", such as recycling, should be considered critically before we all start promoting them. Recycling sounds a lot like an excuse for us to avoid changing our way of life; it's a bit like going to a fast food restaurant and ordering a burger with a diet soda. Better to eat healthy food and learn to live without drinking huge quantities of sweet beverages, whether they are made with sugar or some potentially dangerous substitute.

There are many things we don't know about global warming and humanity's impact on its own environment, but the solution is certainly not to just forget about it and keep on living as we have been doing. We need to keep asking those questions, and try as best as we can to preserve the environment that we and our children need to keep living on Earth.

Mr-Bones says:

The issue of global warming is a double edged sword. The planet warms and cools on a cyclical basis. But to believe that the actions of the newest species on the planet, namely the sentient mammal, seems absurd.

calicoskies says:

I think global warming is real. I do think global warming can be exagerated - at the end of the day, global warming is real.

It's the biggest hoax ever!

mysticmama says:

I think it's a big scam, created by politicians, big business & the media to keep us distracted from the real issues & to keep us fighting amongst ourselves while they polute our planet

soopi49 says:

Global warming as a result of human intervention is a myth. it is the normal cyle of the earth in relation to the sun and solar activity.
Even the Greenpeace director said it was a myth.
Just another way to keep us under control... global warming, vaccines, gun control, health care stuff up, lying president etc etc

Good post Sim.

BarbRad says:

Whether it's real or not, I think the hoax part is that man has the power to change it by making everyone's lives more miserable.

blue22d says:

I do not believe it is real. I believe the results have been made to look believable for media and other groups. However, that does not mean we should not try to do things to protect are environment. But for now, it is a hoax.

Debbie says:

Look how fast corporate American jumped on the band wagon to make a buck. Are we being manipulated by the media? You betcha. But, when haven't we? Also, look at the ridiculous claims now about methane from animal gases and sheep belching. How can any of that be taken seriously? And BTW, Peta, if everyone became a vegetarian, what becomes of the sheep, cows, pigs and chickens? You can't slaughter them, you can't let them run wild and farmers sure aren't going to feed them for free.

 
view all 22 comments

What do you think? 

Is Global Warming Real? Got your own Lens?

submit

Love This Lens? 

If you would like to rate this lens, then you can do so here (Squidoo members only)

Add this to your lens »

Recent News Articles 

Links to 'Global Warming' Stories

Various sites on both sides of the argument.....
Climate change regs
EPA takes first step toward climate change regs (comcast.net)
Melting Arctic
Melting Arctic may be poisoning its people
CO2
Obama to regulate 'pollutant' CO2
Spam causes Global Warming
Spam 'produces 17m tons of CO2'
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh talks about the Global Warming Hoax.
Climate Debate Daily
A very useful resource full of essays on both sides of the argument.
Daily Global Warming News
A detailed site with news stories relating to Global Warming - updated daily.

Some interesting books and the 'famous' Al Gore documentary 

Global Warming For Dummies

Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 02/09/2010)Buy Now

While this book is on the side of the 'believers' it is well written and has plenty of tips on how we all can do something for the environment. Being part of the 'dummies' series, this book is very clear and concise. It's a great start if you really want to know more about the subject without having to do too much research. I read it a while ago, and it actually helped me question a lot of things and start doing my own research.

 

An Inconvenient Truth

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 02/09/2010)Buy Now

This award winning documentary sparked a fury of debates around the world. The documentary is well made and provides a lot of information into the subject. Many argue that it only covers one side of the argument, but I feel it is worth watching if only to aid in research. Al Gore basis his documentary on a lot of statistics and research.....

Do your own research and see if you agree with Al Gore...

 

Red Hot Lies: How Global Warming Alarmists Use Threats, Fraud, and Deception to Keep You Misinformed

Amazon Price: $18.45 (as of 02/09/2010)Buy Now

This is a very interesting book. It's on the side of the 'doubters' and tries to expose the lies of the alarmists and their reasons for lying. It's the second 'Global Warming' book I read and probably the last. I enjoyed the read - it made me think about the media coverage and helped me start researching for myself.

by SimeyC

I'm an aspiring writer who has been writing on the web for a while. Initially on Epinions.com (as quitesimply) I've branched out with my own blog that... (more)

Explore related pages