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Global Warming
I've read that global warming has ocurred periodically as long as history records the weather. Extenctions have been associated with it in the past as they will be this time. I read a report about ice cores that makes a strong case for the effects that this global warming event are much more threatening because of our use of fossil fuels and the CO2 emissions associated with that use. Scientists can track history from ice cores drilled at the poles. They can obtain air samples from whatever the historical period they choose as dated from the ice cores. They then compair the concentrations in the air bubbles to air concentrations currently. According to the information I obtained the amounts of greenhouse gases, methane, CO2 etc. during the current event are much higher than they have been recorded during any period historically. They did not give numbers but they showed a graph where the G-H gases have risen far beyond the levels previously recorded. That graph alarmed me!
I've read that global warming has ocurred periodically as long as history records the weather. Extenctions have been associated with it in the past as they will be this time. I read a report about ice cores that makes a strong case for the effects that this global warming event are much more threatening because of our use of fossil fuels and the CO2 emissions associated with that use. Scientists can track history from ice cores drilled at the poles. They can obtain air samples from whatever the historical period they choose as dated from the ice cores. They then compair the concentrations in the air bubbles to air concentrations currently. According to the information I obtained the amounts of greenhouse gases, methane, CO2 etc. during the current event are much higher than they have been recorded during any period historically. They did not give numbers but they showed a graph where the G-H gases have risen far beyond the levels previously recorded. That graph alarmed me!
Following the global warming comes mass extinctions where multiple species die off. What about the human species? After global warming comes global winter where ice sheets cover portions if not all of the earth. Global winter can be caused by super volcano erruptions. nuclear explosions, and asteroid strikes. Will we live long enough to see the coming Global Winter?
The reasons we should avoid global warming relates to sea level rising. According to the USGS sea levels could rise as much as 265 feet as the glaciers melt. Walk to the nearest ocean and look how high the water is and then try to imagine how high it would be if it rises 265 feet. That would be slightly more than 1/4 the height of a 1000 foot sky scraper if you're in NYC. I think that our efforts are warrented in this instance. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. We need to generate electricity, a commodaty we cannot live with out, with wind power, falling water power, and solar power. Coal and oil burning emit green house gases! Maybe we need to avoid flying except only when necessary or invent a different power source for aircraft. I'm sure our efforts will bring big changes to our lives.
With population of earth reaching 7.7 billion this October, how long can the earth support us, the people? What about the food supply? I'm sure you have realized that food does not grow in the grocery store! I've read that population experts say the earth can support only 8 to 10 billion. We seem to be reaching the earth's limit. Any way you think of it, large changes are coming to our lives.
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