Where to draw the line between legit concerns about climate change and sensationalist apocalyptcism?

[Rubiks]

Climate change is a legitimate concern, but I think those who claim that CC will "end all life on earth as we know" do nothing but make CC denialism stronger.

Thoughts?

 

[Dave-W]

Climate change is a fact, even if the underlying reasons are not all understood. I know as I and my wife both have to chart shore lines on deepening oceans. And melting glaciers and polar caps.

It has happened before. We get too caught up into trying to maintain the status quo rather than dealing and adapting.

The wild left would have us give up modern life in order to preserve status quo. The reactionary right would have us ignore facts, in order to preserve the status quo. Both got it wrong.

 

[pitabread]

It has happened before. We get too caught up into trying to maintain the status quo rather than dealing and adapting.

The problem is that if we're the primary cause of what is currently happening, we have the ability to curb the impact. Simply saying, "well, we'll just deal with the consequences later" seems kinda dumb.

 

[Greg J.]

Climate change is a legitimate concern, but I think those who claim that CC will "end all life on earth as we know" do nothing but make CC denialism stronger.

Thoughts?

Re: Where to draw the line between legit concerns about climate change and sensationalist apocalyptcism?

When something worries you, then you're over the line. God wants us to behave responsibly in everything—be a good steward of your life and the earth as best you can. But you don't need to fear that you aren't doing enough.

for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13, 1984 NIV)

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:25-26, 1984 NIV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6, 1984 NIV)

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. (Matthew 24:6, 1984 NIV)

God knows how to take care of what belongs to him.

The earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; (Psalms 24:1, 1984 NIV)

 

[Strathos]

When has anyone (other than climate deniers using strawman arguments) ever claimed that man-made climate change would end all life on earth?

 

[paul1149]

I'm not concerned with CC at all. It's going to change, and we are a small part of the picture. What I am concerned about is pollution. This is something we can and should do something about. We've made a lot of progress in the West in the last several decades, but Asia is lagging far behind and has hardly begun to deal with the problem.

 

[pitabread]

I'm not concerned with CC at all.

No waterfront property I guess?

 

[paul1149]

No waterfront property I guess?

LOL

 

[Kenny'sID]

If I were not a believer in the Bible, I think I would at least be more concerned than I am now about climate, but from a biblical perspective, at least as I understand it, all life will never be ended with CC.

Surely climate change will be blamed for some of the biblical things to come towards the end but as long as there are people to cast blame, we are not all dead, and again, we simply will not all be dead when Christ returns...again, that is if you believe along the lines of the Bible.

Can't you just see God saying "Oops, I should have paid more attention, the climate has now gotten away from me and I'll have to rewrite Revelation in order to compensate."

How embarrassing.

 

[Brightmoon]

Global warming scares me but I’ve got a biology degree Some food plants become less nutritious under high CO2 and high temperatures. Ocean reefs are in trouble and we might lose the Great Barrier Reef . The problem is that reefs are responsible for a lot of biological diversity . We’re already witnessing a lot of species crashes including some we use for food. That also goes for land animals .The high heat with high humidity is causing kidney problems for some people around the equator etc etc etc . If you read scientific literature,global warming should scare you !

 

[AV1611VET]

The problem is that if we're the primary cause of what is currently happening, we have the ability to curb the impact.

Do you:

1. drive a gas-powered car
2. have a cement patio
3. have glass windows
4. have a barbecue grill
5. have a fireplace
6. drink pop
7. use a CO2 extinguisher

 

[FireDragon76]

Climate change is a legitimate concern, but I think those who claim that CC will "end all life on earth as we know" do nothing but make CC denialism stronger.

Thoughts?

If large amounts of frozen methane in the oceans melt, that will lead to extinction-level type scenarios. That's why a climatologist like Guy McPherson ultimately quit his job and retired to Central America, because he became convinced human beings only have a decade or so left on earth before it all goes really, really bad. It may be an extreme viewpoint but if you've ever listened to him talk, his case is seemingly not without scientific evidence.

 

[FireDragon76]

Global warming scares me but I’ve got a biology degree Some food plants become less nutritious under high CO2 and high temperatures. Ocean reefs are in trouble and we might lose the Great Barrier Reef . The problem is that reefs are responsible for a lot of biological diversity . We’re already witnessing a lot of species crashes including some we use for food. That also goes for land animals .The high heat with high humidity is causing kidney problems for some people around the equator etc etc etc . If you read scientific literature,global warming should scare you !

Indoor air quality is another problem. CO2 indoors already can cause problems with low cognitive performance. If it goes much higher, we won't even be able to retreat into our air-conditioned homes and offices.

There's so much evidence that rising CO2 level will have serious consequences for life on earth, it's hard to imagine that people elected a president who denies global warming. If there's something that cries out to heaven, I would have to imagine that is it.

 

[AV1611VET]

Indoor air quality is another problem. CO2 indoors already can cause problems with low cognitive performance.

Do you have a water sprinkler system in your home?

 

[FireDragon76]

Do you have a water sprinkler system in your home?

No. And I'm not sure how that has much to do with what we are discussing.

 

[DogmaHunter]

It has happened before.

Not like it is happening now.

The wild left would have us give up modern life in order to preserve status quo.

Misrepresentation. Nobody is asking to give up modern life.
They are asking to give up wasteful methods and pollution.
They are asking to invest in clean energy instead of polluting energy.

Even if one doesn't agree with fossil fuels being a big factor in climate change, to the point of being extremely problematic, why would one oppose doing away with pollution if there are other cleaner ways that will improve conditions on our home planet and clear the air we all have to breath every day?

 

[FireDragon76]

Global warming scares me but I’ve got a biology degree Some food plants become less nutritious under high CO2 and high temperatures. Ocean reefs are in trouble and we might lose the Great Barrier Reef . The problem is that reefs are responsible for a lot of biological diversity . We’re already witnessing a lot of species crashes including some we use for food. That also goes for land animals .The high heat with high humidity is causing kidney problems for some people around the equator etc etc etc . If you read scientific literature,global warming should scare you !

If the oceans die that will restrict access to healthy foods that are important for optimal human life.

The oceans have died before, it happened during the end of the Paleozoic era, one of the events that helped set down all those fossil fuels in the first place (like oil or natural gas). The oceans became anoxic and filled with dead zones full of hydrogen sulfide and little oxygen. Sequestering all that carbon may have contributed to the climate we had on earth up until the present time.

 

[AV1611VET]

No. And I'm not sure how that has much to do with what we are discussing.

See post 11.

When tree huggers get on me about climate change and/or global warming, I tell them to clean out their own closets first.

 

[FireDragon76]

See post 11.

When tree huggers get on me about climate control, I tell them to clean out their own closets first.

We aren't exactly arguing for a Luddite or Amish society, just a society that at least tries to do something about the problem of anthropogenic climate change.

 

[Dave-W]

Misrepresentation. Nobody is asking to give up modern life.

Actually the wild left is. The ludites are. Not the normal left.

Even if one doesn't agree with fossil fuels being a big factor in climate change, to the point of being extremely problematic, why would one oppose doing away with pollution if there are other cleaner ways that will improve conditions on our home planet and clear the air we all have to breath every day?

All of which I am for. That is a good middle position IMO.