Ifind most of Todd Whitcombe's editorials interesting and often I agree with him. Temperatures in recent years indicate that the Earth is warming but I do not agree that greenhouse gases make much of a difference. A quick Prince George observation on a clear - 25 C day should cause an average person to question the Arrhenius theory.
It is the ill-conceived pursuit of CO2 as a GHG that is diverting from the real issue of dark matter, including soot and sewer - known as particulate, converting solar energy to heat. The unintended consequences to the pursuit of CO2 is that the earth keeps getting warmer. I have spent two years trying to find a reasonable explanation for how CO2 is responsible for global warming and the more I research, the less I believe.
Here is why I don't believe CO2 is an affective GHG.
The heat absorption frequencies of CO2 is approx. 25 per cent that of moisture.
CO2 concentrations compared with moisture is negligible. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are in the range of 400 ppm. Moisture concentrations range from approx. 100ppm at -40C up to 40,000ppm at +40C.
CO2 exists only as a solid at -78C (dry ice) and when warmed goes directly to gas. Moisture exists as gas, liquid and solid. Liquid water retains heat.
Dark matter (particulate) converts sunlight to heat. When combined with moisture (water or gas) heat is retained and the earth and its atmosphere warms. A simple observation so why do scientists not acknowledge it?
What you see in the Beijing air is not CO2. It is smog, a combination of particulate and moisture and it does hold heat and it is a GHG. By reducing particulate pollution in air and water, we can do much to reduce global warming.
Effective fixes for global warming include:
1. World governments should require the ocean shipping industry to employ better scrubbing systems to clean the particulate from the dirty bunker C fuel or switch fuel to natural gas. The ocean shipping industry creates twice as much GHG as all of Canada and produces enormous amounts of soot. Donald Trump by reducing trade/shipping with China will do more to reduce global warming than all the group huggers who attended the Paris Conference. World governments simply need to demand the change.
2. Clean the sewage that is drained into the ocean. Sewage is a dark matter and when drained into the ocean, it attracts sunlight that might otherwise be reflected. That sunlight is converted to heat. That heat is then absorbed by the oceans, warms the proximate moisture in the air, and in turn warms the planet. Notice how the moisture from the Pacific warms Prince George when it is cloudy and snowing. Simple observation, but why is the fact avoided by scientists and governments? Victoria has decided to come on board to clean its sewer, but what about the hundreds of other oceanside cities of the world?
3. Clean up the garbage in the oceans. The amount of garbage in the oceans is well documented. Like sewer, it attracts sunlight and converts it to heat.
4. Surcharge airline flights to reflect the amount of particulate spewed into the air. (Yes, I fly and I would have to pay!). Assess global warming taxes to where appropriate.
CO2 concentrations do have some affect by relationship to particulate production and ocean acidification so scientists are not wrong, simply misdirected in approaching CO2 (as a GHG). Arrhenius theory is only a theory and is still disputed. Arrhenius was not 100 years ahead - some of today's scientists are clinging to ancient fables. Time to get out of the laboratory, away from the calculator and observe the environment.
There are a number of demonstrations to prove CO2 as a GHG. Unfortunately, they all have flaws - the most common flaw is the demonstration will involved CO2 at 100 per cent concentrations - no way relevant to the present 400 ppm. The public deserves to have a website that provides a clear, unflawed explanation of GHGs and its relationship to global warming. Ask your MLA, premier, MP or prime minister to explain the GHG global warming effect.
The unintended consequences of the CO2 pursuit is that the earth keeps warming. Let's clean up the air and the water - reduce global warming and improve our health at the same time.
Gerry Lundquist, Prince George
