Global Warming... I'm not worried, are you?

Question

There has been a lot of information about global warming and there is a lot to go through to find information about how worried I should be about it. I found this interesting, what do you think?

It's true that CO2 is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, but water vapor is by far the most important greenhouse gas. It accounts for 98 percent of any greenhouse effect; CO2 accounts for about one percent, and other gases the remainder. Furthermore, of that one percent due to CO2, 97 percent of that is due to nature, with mankind producing only 3 percent... By far the largest source of CO2 emissions is the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It produces 72 percent of the earth's emissions of carbon dioxide, and the rest of the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans also contribute. Combining the factors of water vapor and nature's production of CO2, we see that nature is responsible for 99.96 percent of any greenhouse effect, while mankind contributes only 0.04 percent.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Don't worry, Pebbles.  The world was around long before we hung out in Bedrock, and will continue to exist until the sun envelopes us a few billion years from now.

Turn that frown upside down!

Bam Bam

Sordenhiemer · Answer

That's great and all, but you might want to consider that nature is all about balance.  The climate is the way it is because of the natural levels of CO2 emitted by nature.  ANY change in the level, no matter how small, WILL create an imbalance.  We do not know exactly how severe an imbalance, but it WILL create an imbalance.

Think about this, if I have a 50 gallon barrel of water filled up to the very top, nothing spills out.  But if I add even one drop too much, a spill results.  It does not matter how insignificant that little drop is compared to the other 50 gallons of water already in the barrel, only that it was one drop too much.

SomeGuy · Answer

I think someone gave you some bad info. Either they were genuinely mistaken or deliberately lying to you. Either way, it makes little difference.

Water vapor is not responsible for 98% of the greenhouse effect, although it is responsible for a very large portion of it. Water vapor is actually responsible for about 36-66% of the overall greenhouse effect. The 98% figure is simply the ratio of water vapor to the other greenhouse gases.

Carbon dioxide likewise does not comprise less 1% of the overall greenhouse effect. The figure in this case is the ratio of carbon dioxide to other atmospheric gases. The figure is approximately 0.038%. Carbon dioxide is responsible for approximately 9-36% of the overall greenhouse effect (the range is due to spectral overlaps with the other absorbers).

Also, humans haven't increased concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide by 3%, as the article claims. Humans have increased levels of CO2 by about 35% in the past century.

-------------------
Edit: Yeah, after reading through the article, it's pretty clear the authors were being deliberately dishonest.

sparrowhawk · Answer

Sadly in this day and age most people 's opinion on hot topics, like global warming, are formed on what journalists, politicians, columnists, reports, radio talkshow hosts, etc say on the topic and not what the experts say. 

http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/wg1-report.html

Above is a link to the most recent report to the UN on climate change conducted by a group of climatologists from around the globe. It is a lengthy document and I don't expect you to read all of it. But if you are slightly interested in climate change (even if your skeptical) please take a look at it. Start with chapter 1. It does a good job of breaking down all the factors involved in climate change (natural and man made) and how much thought has been put into each and everyone of these factors. Even if you disagree with the conclusions, hopefully you will understand that there is more to this then quoting a couple of numbers.

ash ear edlamb amatch and astick · Answer

while humans may only contribute .04% of CO2 levels in the atmosphere, that .04% was not there before humans.  .04% may sound like a small amount but you have to realize that .04% of the global CO2 produced by humans still means that there are millions of tons of extra CO2 produced.  The world's atmosphere is not small.  Nor is it terribly forgiving.  Life on this planet relies on balance in numerous environments and a system out of balance is bound to right itself.  If you have 10 tons of bricks on either side of a seesaw, the seesaw will be balanced.  However, if you add just one brick to one side the seesaw will be out of balance until it falls all the way to the ground.  Another 10 tons of bricks would have done the job, but, all it took was one.  I am concerned.

Bob · Answer

That website is just complete nonsense, long proven wrong by scientists.

Water vapor IS the most important greenhouse gas.  But it can't cause global warming and here's why.

Excess water vapor falls out of the air in hours as precipitation.  Excess CO2 stays there for years.  So excess water vapor can't change the temperature by itself and excess CO2 can.  More here:

http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/dn11652

The CO2 in nature is constantly being recycled and is in balance.  The CO2 from burning fossil fuels is carbon the natural cycle buried over thousands of years.  We dig it up and burn it real fast.  That upsets the natural balance.  

Look at this graph.

http://scrippsco2.ucsd.edu/graphics_gallery/mauna_loa_record/mlo_record.html

The little squiggles are nature doing its' thing. CO2 falls a bit during summer when plants are active, and rises during the winter. The huge increase is us, burning fossil fuels. The scientists can actually show that the increased CO2 in the air comes from burning fossil fuels by using "isotopic ratios" to identify that CO2.  

Man is upsetting the balance of nature.  We need to fix that.

More here:

http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/dn11638

Good website for serious science about global warming:

http://profend.com/global-warming/

EDIT - Clouds have mixed effects.  Some make it cooler, some warmer.

A much more likely "feedback effect" is this.  Earth warms a little, reflective ice melts, exposes dark ground, Earth warms faster.

James Lovelock (Google him) is a scientist who knows (and respects) the Earth's ability to correct itself, better than anyone (it's been his major work).  He says this time is different, that we're definitely headed for a tipping point.

kevin s · Answer

Not where I live.
I'd welcome global warming. 
Ever try to work outside on a vehicle when it is - 30 degrees below zero F.
If it gets warmer it has been much warmer in the past and it will sure get colder. It's called climate cycles.
Sure are a lot of people willing to sell their souls so Al Gore can get rich off of selling carbon credits.

j2 · Answer

me no I live near lake Erie at 900 feet above sea level. I'm in no danger of rising seas, with abundant water supplies. don't know about coastal areas or drought plagued areas though.

I thought plants took in CO2 and released O2 you know that photosynthesis thing. so wouldn't it be the equatorial pacific is the largest carbon sequester

k31owner · Answer

Nope, since it is only the earth going through it's natural cycles. Stop global whining, not warming.

kevpet2005 · Answer

I'm not worried because I'm not going to have to live in a radically changed climate. Our descendants will have to deal with it. I sometimes wonder, though, what they will think of us. We knew the problems and did nothing about it in our headlong drive for profits and convenience. I suspect that in two hundred years what remains of human civilization will consider us to be the greatest criminals and fools the planet has ever seen.

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Global Warming... I'm not worried, are you?

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