Climate Change

See also: Energy Policy

Start with this lecture, presenting an excellent historical overview of the established scientific consensus that global warming exists, and it is driven by green-house gases produced by burning fossil fuels.

• The American Denial of Global Warming -- Naomi Oreskes, Ph.D., Ucsd Tv, 2007-12-20 Important encapsulation of Global Warming issue and the plan to undermine it.

We have one of the best sources for fighting global warming literally in our backyards. Plants, particularly trees, absorb carbon dioxide and provide us with clean oxygen to breathe. Some experts believe that a contributing factor to global warming is that we have cut down so many of our trees and forests for industry. By supporting foundations and organizations that protect forests and encouraging sustainable logging practices, you can help bring our planet’s temperature down. Don’t forget, however, that you can help the fight against global warming all on your own, and even get a new hobby out of the effort.

Gardening is a healthy activity and a fun way to make your home or community beautiful. One tree will absorb over 2000 lbs (906 kg) of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, preventing that gas from getting into the atmosphere. If you have room to plant a tree in your yard, try to do so. Remember, even if all you have space for is a window box, most plants are beneficial to the air and help absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen. If you can, use organic soil and fertilizer, as harmful chemicals may damage the environment, and actually add to the greenhouse gas problem.

According to Earth Sky? Communications, Inc. a car in the U.S. on average puts out 7,700 Kg of Co2 (16,940lbs) a year.

Here is a typical attempt by opponents to the scientific consensus to generate a sense that there is still widespread debate. It asserts that global warming is due only to sun variation, and its credibility is under question.

• Great Global Warming Swindle -- Martin Durkin, Martin Durkin,

• Discussion of how random cloud effects may look like positive feedback but really are not: http://climatesci.colorado.edu/2007/08/14/positive-feedback-have-we-been-fooling-ourselves-by-roy-spencer

• Book I want to get: "Human Impacts on Weather and Climate" - http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521600569

The following paper is very important as it systematically refutes the primary claim in the Great Global Warming Swindle

• RoyalSocietyPaperOnSolarActivityVsClimateChange.pdf: The Royal Society: "Recent oppositely directed trends in solar climate forcings and the global mean surface air temperature " Lockwood & Frolich

In this paper, the researchers studied the abundances of two isotopes, C-14 and Be-10, both of which are created with interaction with cosmic rays. The paper claims that the source of the two elements (tree trunks and ice sheets or ocean sediments) is very different but they show a correlation. Since the primary source of Cosmic Ray flux is the sun, these elements can be used to provide a history of solar variability.

The conclusion of this paper states:

There are many interesting palaeoclimate studies that suggest that solar variability had an influence on pre-industrial climate. There are also some detection–attribution studies using global climate models that suggest there was a detectable influence of solar variability in the first half of the twentieth century and that the solar radiative forcing variations were amplified by some mechanism that is, as yet, unknown. However, these findings are not relevant to any debates about modern climate change. Our results show that the observed rapid rise in global mean temperatures seen after 1985 cannot be ascribed to solar variability, whichever of the mechanisms is invoked and no matter how much the solar variation is amplified.

Recent Articles and Media: (Add | All Media)

• The Machinery of Climate Anti-Science -- John R Mashey, ", 2011-04-04
• Statisticians reject global cooling -- SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press, 2009-10-27
• Taking a bite out of climate data -- Patrick J. Michaels, National Review Online, 2009-09-23
• On the Rates of Sea Level Rise -- Clues from the distant past -- Wolfgang Berger, Scripps Institution Of Oceanography, 2009-06-20
• Foreign Liquefied Natural Gas -- Amita Sharma Amy Isackson, Kpbs News, 2008-10-13
• Drilling – Fool's Gold -- Raymond Lutz, East County Californian, 2008-09-11
• The American Denial of Global Warming -- Naomi Oreskes, Ph.D., Ucsd Tv, 2007-12-20 Important encapsulation of Global Warming issue and the plan to undermine it.
• Biofuels: The Science of Creating Greener Energy -- ", Ucsd Tv Molecules For The Media, 2007-09-24
• Global Warming: Man-Made or Natural? -- SFred Singer, Hillsdale College, 2007-08 Suggests anthropogenic climate change should be questioned. Written by Fred Singer, who also worked to minimize the dangers of cigarette smoking, etc.
• Climate trail goes cold at sun? -- Warming concerns not linked to star -- Brian Handwerk, Union Tribune, 2007-07-19 [This article refutes the claims that the rise in temps are due to solar activity.]
• Cadem Resolution: Local Planning to End Global Warming -- Luke Breit, Chair, CDP Environmental Caucus, Cadem Resolutions Committee, 2007-07-15
• Cadem Resolution: Support Clean Energy -- Dante Atkins, delegate, 42nd Assembly District, Andrew Lachman; Democrats for Israel Los Angeles, Cadem Resolutions Committee, 2007-07-15
• Cadem Resolution: Opposing Coal Liquefaction -- Dante Atkins, DSCC Member, AD-42, and Platform Committee Member, Cadem Resolutions Committee, 2007-07-15
• Great Global Warming Swindle -- Martin Durkin, Martin Durkin,

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