Quote:
Originally Posted by fcgiii
The Medieval Warm Period centered on the 1200s was warmer than we are now, and the climate was clearly colder in the Little Ice Age in the 1600s than it is now. So we are within the geologically recent range of normal up-and-down fluctuations without human greenhouse contributions that could be significant, or even measurable.
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What IS measurable is that the past 8 years globally are the warmest in RECORDED weather records. Also MEASURABLE is the rapid increase in the last few years of SEA LEVEL RISE. Climate scientists know that the cause of the sea level rise is the rapid falling away of the world's glaciers into the sea due to the earth's recent higher temperatures.
Another issue that worries scientists is the fairly recent rapid extinction of many animal species. Personally, I can't just pretend that this isn't happening - that there is a large island of plastic bottles and other plastic items floating around and polluting the Gulf of Mexico - that the coral of coastal Miami (that I once snorkeled around) is dying - that the Florida saltwater fishing industry is dying - that hurricanes are getting stronger. When I was a child I remember honey bees were everywhere. Today with excessive pesticide spraying, I see maybe 5 honey bees in a years time. And I believe that these issues are all interconnected.
Take population increase for example. When I relocated to Florida in 1972, its population was approximately 9 million people. Today it is 30 million. I can't personally say that my quality of life has tripled because of that population increase. But, it seems logical that a population change that great has had negative effects on human quality of life and on the coral reefs surrounding Florida - and on the ecosystems in the Florida interior.
Growing population leads to greater CO2 production from burning fossil fuels - which leads to climate change. Not just burning fossil fuel in cars, trucks, golf carts, and lawn maintenance equipment. But, think of the increased airline travel miles associated with Florida's 30 million people.........that is a lot of jet fuel being burned with the combustion products probably ending up in the upper atmosphere. Modern life with great science and technology has created many everyday benefits. But, it also allows humans to have the capacity to overwhelm the environment.......the once great Mother Earth.