[GeoStL] Re: NGR: Is it really getting warmer?

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Morning all,
I think the evidence is pretty conclusive that we are witnessing a global 
warming trend. The big question in my mind is whether we can, or should, try to 
make an effort to reverse it. Geologic evidence indicates that on several 
occasions in the distant past St. Louis was covered by oceans and had a 
tropical climate. We also find skeletons of mastadons and other ice age plants 
and animals. This happened when the oceans receded (the water being stored in 
massive continental ice sheets) and earth entered one of many global ice ages.
Indeed there have been numerous global warming and cooling cycles during 
earth's history. Each cycle lasts for tens of thousands of years, so we have 
not yet witnessed a complete cycle. The thing to keep in mind is that our 
climate is cyclical, therefore it is always changing, never static. The earth's 
climate has been quite cool, by geologic standards, since the beginning of 
recorded history. That it's becoming warmer should not be surprising.
Can we do anything about it? I think the answer is: we don't know. To blame 
ourselves for global warming may be an overreaction. We didn't cause any of the 
previous warming cycles - they all happened before humans arrived on the scene. 
Yet something caused them. Geologic history suggests that the earth is 
inevitably going to enter a global warming cycle. We don't know when or why and 
most likely, if it is happening now, it's not because of anything we are doing.
Should we try to do anything about it? In my opinion, no. Why? We don't 
understand the mechanics of the global climate cycles. Since we don't 
understand the problem, how can we hope to solve it? When I was in college in 
the 70s, some scientists believed that we were entering a new ice age. There 
were proposals to pump massive quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere in an 
attempt to retain warmth in the atmosphere. How things have changed in just 30 
years! Personally I think that our ability to alter a global phenomenon that 
has been occurring for billions of years is about nil.
On the other hand, saving fossils fuels, reducing emissions of poisonous 
chemicals, gases, etc. is a worthwhile effort for many obvious health reasons. 
To say that this will also have an effect on global climate trends just doesn't 
jive with the historical record, in my mind.
Thanks for considering my opinion (if you did, that is ).
Know Future (BS Geology, 1976)
-- "Mike Griffin" <griff@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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http://www.junkscience.com/
Mike

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