Community Chat

[stevieb]

Several schools of thought on this... There are those who are convinced we are destroying the plantet and to some extent we are, there can be no argument about that... Still, very long term studies have indicated that the earth's climate regularly shifts markedly over time, has done so several times over the millenia and that it would do so regardless... My own view is that it's a combination of those factors that have led our climate to be so incredibly and increasingly odd currently and in the recent past...

[suzyQ3]

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@stevieb wrote:

Several schools of thought on this... There are those who are convinced we are destroying the plantet and to some extent we are, there can be no argument about that... Still, very long term studies have indicated that the earth's climate regularly shifts markedly over time, has done so several times over the millenia and that it would do so regardless... My own view is that it's a combination of those factors that have led our climate to be so incredibly and increasingly odd currently and in the recent past...

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No argument here, @stevieb . I would say that that is the general consensus.. We can't control the normal variations; we can focus on the best approach to mitigating the damage and do so sooner than later.

[SilleeMee]

So what are we, as individuals, suppose to do? Get rid of my gas-hog car and buy an electric car...I can't afford that nor the insurance for it. Should I put solar panels on top of my house so I can reduce the use of fuel at the power plant...can't afford that either. Oh but wait...I can put up a wind generator in my back yard to save fuel...oh darn the city won't let me do that. 

[suzyQ3]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

So what are we, as individuals, suppose to do? Get rid of my gas-hog car and buy an electric car...I can't afford that nor the insurance for it. Should I put solar panels on top of my house so I can reduce the use of fuel at the power plant...can't afford that either. Oh but wait...I can put up a wind generator in my back yard to save fuel...oh darn the city won't let me do that. 

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@SilleeMee, there are small things that we can do -- recycling is one. Subsidies have and should be a part of the plan to get us all on board.

But really, the heavy work has to be done at a higher level. Governments and corporations can work together instead of being at each other's throats.

Of course that means that TPTB understand the importance and not dismiss it out of either ignorance or profit concerns or both.

[SilleeMee]

@suzyQ3 

You mean recycling plastic? I don't believe that works, at least at a pace to keep up with the amount out there. Most waste management around here don't even offer recycling services for plastic because they have run into limitations also.  Really, though, I don't see what recycling plastic has to do with climate change. Production of plastics, otoh, needs reduction...at a serious rate.

Yes, I agree the tptb and those in higher places who can make a difference need to do something more now and not wait.

[suzyQ3]

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@SilleeMee wrote:

@suzyQ3 

You mean recycling plastic? I don't believe that works, at least at a pace to keep up with the amount out there. Most waste management around here don't even offer recycling services for plastic because they have run into limitations also.  Really, though, I don't see what recycling plastic has to do with climate change. Production of plastics, otoh, needs reduction...at a serious rate.

Yes, I agree the tptb and those in higher places who can make a difference need to do something more now and not wait.

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@SilleeMee, I agree that the production of so much plastic is the main problem. But you're missing the fact and the reason behind recycling as much plastic as possible: Discarded plastic fouls up our oceans and other bodies of water, as well as maiming and killing wildlife.

But yes, it is an overwhelming task and one that often is not clearly delineated for us.

[this is my nic]

We tend to think of what's "normal" because of what we ourselves have experienced.  Seems like it snowed all winter when I was a child, however, records show that just isn't the case.   Accurate weather records go back a very short time considering how long earth has been spinning around the sun.  Dinosaurs walked the earth longer than humans.  

I saw a documentary about Robert Kennedy when he ran for president in 1968.  There was a film clip of him talking to young children telling them by the time they were adults people in NYC would have to wear oxygen masks because the air would be unbreathable.  I've visited NYC many times and never saw anyond wearing a gas mask!  Scare tactics should not be used on children! 

[suzyQ3]

@this is my nic, the science of researching data about changes is very detailed and professional. They know all about trends and whether they are normal or not. They look for unusual and continuing changes. They really do know what they're looking for.

And yes, dinosaurs did walk the earth longer than humans -- nearly 65 million years.

[SilleeMee]

If you asked me, I think will be a volcano that will bring us to our knees.

[Porcelain]

Stressing people out about the climate isn't going to convince those who don't want to hear about it. If they don't want to recycle or conserve anything, that's fine. The rest of us can still do it. We can do our thing and leave them alone.