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Global Warming - Some Random Thoughts
by Stanley Hasegawa Disappearing arctic ice threatens the existence of polar bears. I have two thoughts on this. First, contrary to expectations, minimum arctic sea ice extent increased in 2008 over 2007. Again in 2009, minimum arctic sea ice extent increased significantly over the previous year. Now two years of increasing arctic sea ice does not constitute a trend, but minimum sea ice extent is moving in the opposite direction of what global warming predicts. If, over the next 5-10 years minimum arctic sea ice extent returns to normal (say an average of the last 30 years) then it will be rather difficult to maintain that greenhouse gases drive global temperatures: http://www.ijis.iarc.uaf.edu/en/home/seaice_extent.htm Second, even though it was likely a hardship, polar bears have managed to survive other significant warm spells in the past: http://www.co2science.org/subject/m/summaries/mwparctic.php By the way, here is what polar bears have to deal with each year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j8SGs_gnFk&feature=related Finally, here is a well reasoned alternative explanation for recent winter warming in the arctic: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/04/arctic-warming-goes-with-the-floe/ In any case, melting sea ice does not contribute to the threat of rising sea levels. What does contribute to rising sea levels is melting of ice that exists on land. Most land-based ice exists on Antarctica and to a lesser extent on Greenland. Global warming advocates claim that the ice on Antarctica is melting and contributing to rising ocean levels. This is not exactly true. There is melting of ice on western Antarctica, but the increase in ice on eastern Antarctica more than makes up for this: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25349683-601,00.html Global warming advocates also claim that ice in Greenland is melting and contributing to rising ocean levels. They claim that glacial ice from Greenland is entering the sea in increasing amounts. Well maybe, but then again: http://www.worldclimatereport.com/index.php/2008/11/14/slowdown-in-greenland/ Now I come to discover that sea levels are not rising at all, that the data used to make the claims for increasing sea levels are purposely not representative of actual sea levels: http://www.climatechangefacts.info/ClimateChangeDocuments/NilsAxelMornerinterview.pdf Here is a helpful report on what is going on, temperature-wise in Antarctica. I found the following observation to be very interesting - "Incredibly, if you are interested in Antarctica temperature trends from the present back to 1982, the region has cooled. If you go from present back to 1966, the region has cooled. Like it or not, over the past four decades, and during the time of the greatest build-up of greenhouse gases, Antarctica has been cooling!" http://www.worldclimatereport.com/index.php/2007/09/05/antarctica-warming-cooling-or-both/ http://www1.ccny.cuny.edu/advancement/pr/ANTARCTIC-2008-SURFACE-SNOWMELT.cfm It's hard to say who is right about what with respect to global warming. We will know more in the years ahead. I just want to point out that global warming may be caused by natural cycles rather than by man-made CO2 emissions. There is even this UN report: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/cow-emissions-more-damaging-to-planet-than-cosub2sub-from-cars-427843.html Speaking of CO2 - yes we are putting extra CO2 into the atmosphere. But how long does it persist? Does it persist virtually indefinitely as some global warming advocates seem to assume? Does it persist for 50-200 years? Or does it persist for say, 5 years: http://www.co2science.org/articles/V12/N31/EDIT.php Here is how one person challenges the validity of the climate models that the hypothesis of man-made global warming is based on (in an easy to understand manner): http://peacelegacy.org/articles/how-see-yourself-global-warming-climate-models-are-false Here are some other factors that may be affecting our climate: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/07/25/who-knew-rachel-carson-climate-change-expert/ http://wattsupwiththat.com/2008/02/13/where-have-all-the-sunspots-gone/ http://www.sott.net/articles/show/191471-Longer-term-Solar-Minimum-Dalton-or-Maunder http://landscheidt.auditblogs.com/ This is a rather technical site, but those interested in astronomy (in particular, our solar system) might find it very informative. And here is someone who suspects that some major global warming data is unreliable because it has been selectively chosen to support the global warming hypothesis: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/09/27/quote-of-the-week-20-ding-dong-the-stick-is-dead/ Talk about unreliable, scientists should proofread their work before sounding an alarm: http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/climategate-imminent-demise-of-glaciers-due-to-a-typo/ If you are knowledgeable in statistics or particularly in econometrics, this is a very interesting article: http://www.prisonplanet.com/stat-model-predicts-flat-temperatures-through-2050.html Here are some scriptures to keep in mind. God does want us to take care of the earth and not pollute it: "The LORD God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it." (Genesis 2:15) Global warming predicts a catastrophic future for the earth as we know it. However, God promises that the normal rhythms of life will never stop until he causes the earth as we know it to cease to exist: "And the LORD smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself, 'I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds is evil from childhood on. I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done. 'While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.'" (Genesis 8:21-22) Here again we see that the normal rhythms of life will continue on until the end, when Jesus Christ returns: "But as for that day and hour no one knows it not even the angels in heaven except the Father alone. For just like the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. For in those days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man." (Genesis 24:36-39) That mankind is physically abusing the earth is only part a larger picture; only one symptom of a more fundamental issue: "For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly but because of God who subjected it in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God's children. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now." (Romans 8:18-22) Talk about bondage to decay... In our haste to deal with a future problem that seems to be based on inadequate science, let us not become distracted from other very real and immediate problems: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/12/02/goklany-on-copenhagen-and-climate-change-health-risks/#more-13601 http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre56963j-us-blight-usa/ http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/animals/bees.asp?gclid=CJyYxJDioJwCFRxNagodUH5udg (only $20 million in research allocated for the next five years) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=night-stalker-white-nose (only $1 million in research so far) http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20327191.400-seismic-boom-breaking-the-quake-barrier.html?full=true If you don't think that global warming policy will take money away from other pressing needs consider what is going on right now in Oregon, Great Britain, and Belgium: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/state_lowballed_cost_of_green.html#_login http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1240201/Watchdog-rethinks-consumer-cost-green-energy.html http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/01/12/carbon-trading-fraud-in-belgium-up-to-90-of-the-whole-market-volume-was-caused-by-fraudulent-activities/#more-15154 Also, in case you didn't know this already, even scientists are not immune to the bondage to decay: http://www.kusi.com/weather/colemanscorner/81559212.html http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/ http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/12/08/the-smoking-gun-at-darwin-zero/ Of particular interest to computer programmers: http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/11/crus_source_code_climategate_r.html I don't know how to categorize this link except to say what in the world is going on? http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/08/copenhagen-climate-summit-disarray-danish-text Lord, forgive us for turning away from you. Have mercy on us. Revive us, that we may be a blessing to you, and be able to receive your favor. Whatever happens, thank you that we can look forward to the glory that will be revealed to us. If you walk in my statutes and are sure to obey my commandments, I will give you your rains in their time so that the land will give its yield and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. Threshing season will extend for you until the season for harvesting grapes, and the season for harvesting grapes will extend until sowing season, so you will eat your bread until you are satisfied, and you will live securely in your land. I will grant peace in the land so that you will lie down to sleep without anyone terrifying you. I will remove harmful animals from the land, and no sword of war will pass through your land. (Leviticus 23:3-6) I am richly blessed in my marriage. I have two grown children. I am semi-retired. I have been a computer programmer, systems analyst, househusband and homeschool teacher. I love to walk, talk and eat, and write short articles about devoting our lives to Jesus. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |