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written by unclesammy , November 19, 2008 (08:32:03 AM)

I remember just two years ago almost everyone denying climate change even occuring, human caused or not.

Is the only cause of climate change human emmitions? No. Do humans contribute? Undoubtably. I've never heard, from any reliable source, that humans are the only cause of climate control.

It's funny (barely) that people really think we do not affect our environment. There are examples of our effect on nature all over the world, from clear cutting, to a floating island of plastic in the Atlantic. Do those contribute to "global warming?" No, but it would be ignorant to think that thousands of tons of CO2 being emmitted into the atmosphere everyday doens't contribute to greenhouse gases.

Now, global warming is enivitable, as Larry has pointed out. Whether we contribute to it or not, it will happen as it is a natural cycle of the Earth, just as the Earth will experience global cooling as well (but probably not for hundreds of thousands of years). The question is, how extreme and how fast it will happen? That is why we need to consider reducing our emmissions. If our climate changes to quickly and/or extremely, it will be hard for a lot of people to adapt, and that is where the concern lies.

It is hard for us sitting in ice-cold mountain-high Prince George to really get concerned about climate change, because it probably won't affect us that much. But there are a lot of people around the globe who are, and should be, worried.

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written by lamby , November 19, 2008 (10:32:35 AM)

Sure climate change is normal. The problem is how fast it is happening and who is causing it. There is little scientific doubt that our actions are making the problem worse and speeding it up. Normal temperature rises that used to occur over many years are now happening in only a few. Is it going to affect us? It already is and it WILL get worse. There is speculation that certain places will get a lot wetter, and PG may be one of them. Regardless, anyone who travels will see a big change. We should all be concerned and trying to slow the acceleration of this problem.

lamby
written by unclesammy , November 19, 2008 (10:50:07 AM)

Yeup, just ask any of the Aussies if it's way too hot over there. Draught was among their major issues last winter (their winter) - might still be I'm not sure. It's only going to get worse, and could possibly become un-inhabitable.

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written by LadyHeather , November 19, 2008 (11:06:11 AM)

I don't really care how natural it might be, it's still a concern. Are you telling me you wouldn't be worried if we suddenly found ourselves in a new Ice Age? Humans can adapt to change, but they sure don't like to. I'm not going to pretend like I'm happy that our entire local economy is going to have to change. We'll survive, but it ain't going to be pretty.

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written by TenBelowZero , November 19, 2008 (04:30:12 PM)

Does anyone remember when climate chage used to be called weather? Its funny how someone can change the language to put a spin on something. This whole issue doesnt even register on the geological time scale. If you look far back enough in written history in the northern interior the same weather patterns we have today have all happend before even the pine beetle epidemic. The sky inst falling folks.

Global Warming is now 'Climate Change'
written by JET , November 19, 2008 (09:11:24 PM)

I've noticed how the alarmists (Suzuki, et al) have adopted a neat little linguistic change. It used to be always called 'Global Warming'. Now it's 'Climate Change'. Why? Because reputable scientists agree that the temperature increase is so miniscule as to be unimportant. So they are blaming earthquakes, hurricanes, and even snow storms on mankind.

By the way, when I went to school back a few years ago, our textbooks were all calling for another Ice Age ... and the reason? You guessed it. Man's activities.

Reputable science has shown that our climate is more affected by the activity of the sun, than anthing else. Many 'big-name' scientists who study such solar activity are saying we are once again heading into a global cooling period.

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written by unclesammy , November 20, 2008 (08:19:55 AM)

Jet,

I've never heard of earthquakes being blamed on climate change. If you understand the mechanics of how hurricanes operate, than it does make sense that global warming would contribute to more intense and longer endured hurricanes.

What textbooks where you reading a few years ago? Never once when I was in school did I read anything about another glooming ice age.

Yes, obviously our weather is going to be much more affected by the Sun. The sun is what powers our solar system. Our planet is relentlessly baking in the radiation (in many forms) that the Sun jets our way. The question now, is how our emmissions are contributing to our planets temperature, known as the "greenhouse" effect.

Scientists, including some from NASA have even considered the viability of using the greehouse effect to terraform other planets, although I'm sure that's decades, or even centuries, away from reality. So denying that humans cannot alter our climate, atmosphere, or environment is just simply incorrect.

Another thing that scientists have discovered is the "global dimming" effect, something you might be interested in looking into as well. The fine particulate, on a global level, that is released from emmissions such as coal burning, wood burning, jet streams, and so forth, have contributed to a sort of sun-shield, blocking out some heat radiation from our sun. Some scientists hypothesize that reducing this fine particulate can further contribute to the accelleration of global warming, although most would agree we cannot continue to pollute in this sector due to health concerns.

I'd really like to know what references you have for these 'big-name' scientists.

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written by grassick , November 20, 2008 (10:08:34 AM)

Well, first off, those 'Best Place on Earth" ads are tax funded commercials that are simply Gordo's propaganda and are designed in making BC people make the change to consumptions of various sorts so his pig friends can keep eating out their golden troughs.
Then come election time Gordo can self praise his accomplishments that your tax money made you change your habits while maintaining that BC under Gordo is 'The Best Place on Earth.'
Now to the environment. The last 100-200 years human activity and discovery and technology has grown infinitely. No one would argue against that so why do they keep arguing against possible environmental effects these actions have had.
The polar caps have been receding for many thousands of years but I often scratch my head at how some people can be so clueless as to dismiss global warming or climate change altogether or whatever you or they want to call it. There is so much human activity in removing various chemicals from deep beneath the earth's surface that it is bound to have serious effects on the environment.
Back to polar caps, melting much faster than they did naturally for thousands upon thousands of years. Don't twist the facts Larry from PG. Or Larry from Spectra?
Suppose the oil spills have a NATURAL effect on nature and all the fish and birds are NATURALLY wiped off the face of this earth. Thumbs down to you LARRY and HOLLY from Prince George, an unofficial member of the Liberal propaganda machine.