Please click on the slide to see a larger version. It’s from James Hansen, the leading climatologist with NASA who is considered by most to be the most trusted name in the U.S. on climate change issues and research. This graph represents the real “meat” of the global warming issue by simultaneously showing the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the atmosphere. These two gases are cited as the two most responsible for the phenomenon. The third line (bottom) also charts the earth’s average temperature.
Now, first note that this data shown goes back nearly 450,000 years. How did they collect this? Easy. By taking ice cores in the Artic and Antarctic regions and doing chemical analysis on the cores.
Second, note the routine up and down iterations of the lines with a definite overall pattern. Those variations represent various climate cycles throughout time. Now, note the distinctive parallel between the level of gases and the temperature, which of course indicates the definite relationship between the buildup of these gases in the atmosphere and the rise in worldwide temperatures. The gases trap the sun’s heat, which is a natural process and something that must happen in order to keep the planet’s temperature regulated, which enables us to live here. But when those gases start to exceed the normal level, more heat becomes trapped and it becomes warmer. Hence global warming.
Third, and most important, please note the sudden spike in CO2 and methane starting in the early part of the 1800s, which coincides with the start of the industrial revolution and the burning of fossil fuels. You can see that CO2 levels always peaked around 285 to 300 ppm (parts\per million) then came back down until the industrial revolution. Since then it’s been going up to where it is today at approximately 385 ppm.
Last, note the temperature line that absent of any downward turns since the Industrial age, in fact it’s starting to trend upward.
That is the crux of global warming. Some may say the Hollywood or environmental groups lie. Regardless of who one believes, the data doesn’t lie. I know of no environmental advocate or scientist who wouldn’t love to be able to stand up in front of the TV camera and say, “Well folks, we were wrong. Global warming is not happening.”
If people still refuse to believe that this is real, then they would likely be real easy to convince that the earth is flat and that smoking is not dangerous to one’s health. "
Tim
Now, first note that this data shown goes back nearly 450,000 years. How did they collect this? Easy. By taking ice cores in the Artic and Antarctic regions and doing chemical analysis on the cores.
Second, note the routine up and down iterations of the lines with a definite overall pattern. Those variations represent various climate cycles throughout time. Now, note the distinctive parallel between the level of gases and the temperature, which of course indicates the definite relationship between the buildup of these gases in the atmosphere and the rise in worldwide temperatures. The gases trap the sun’s heat, which is a natural process and something that must happen in order to keep the planet’s temperature regulated, which enables us to live here. But when those gases start to exceed the normal level, more heat becomes trapped and it becomes warmer. Hence global warming.
Third, and most important, please note the sudden spike in CO2 and methane starting in the early part of the 1800s, which coincides with the start of the industrial revolution and the burning of fossil fuels. You can see that CO2 levels always peaked around 285 to 300 ppm (parts\per million) then came back down until the industrial revolution. Since then it’s been going up to where it is today at approximately 385 ppm.
Last, note the temperature line that absent of any downward turns since the Industrial age, in fact it’s starting to trend upward.
That is the crux of global warming. Some may say the Hollywood or environmental groups lie. Regardless of who one believes, the data doesn’t lie. I know of no environmental advocate or scientist who wouldn’t love to be able to stand up in front of the TV camera and say, “Well folks, we were wrong. Global warming is not happening.”
If people still refuse to believe that this is real, then they would likely be real easy to convince that the earth is flat and that smoking is not dangerous to one’s health. "
Tim
2 comments:
Sounds like a very interesting slide--I couldn't see it.
Can you add it?
I added the slide. Just click on the picture to enlarge it!
Liz
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