Comments on: Throwing an Environmental baby out with the Republican bath water http://www.terrarossa.com/throwing-an-environmental-baby-out-with-the-republican-bath-water/ Where Conservatives Consider a New Energy Future Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:44:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kjell Arnesen http://www.terrarossa.com/throwing-an-environmental-baby-out-with-the-republican-bath-water/#comment-48 Kjell Arnesen Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:10:36 +0000 http://www.terrarossa.com/?p=71#comment-48 I take issue with the assumption that atmospheric man-made carbon dioxide is the cause of the currently observed global warming. This reply is intended as a brief outline of several reasons why I believe that global warming has very little to do with man's activities. Most of the carbon dioxide eventually winds up dissolved in the oceans where two major processes take place: 1. Coral organisms convert CO2 along with various minerals into mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate that are insoluble in water. Consequently, the carbon dioxide is tied up in coral reefs and are permanently prevented from re-entering the atmosphere. I have yet to see this important phenomenon discussed in connection with global warming. The coral reefs, including the enormous deposits of fossilized coral is the primary difference between the environments of Earth and the planet Venus. 2. Phytoplankton and seaweeds perform the same function in the oceans that forests, grasses and crops do on land in converting CO2 through photo synthesis into carbohydrates and the oxygen that we depend on for all animal life. Some 35 to 50% + of the oxygen in the atmosphere originated in the oceans. In connection with the importance of the oceans in controlling our climate cycles, I would like to point out that the Kyoto Protocol ignores the two factors I outlined above. Instead, the pollution of the oceans by raw or minimally treated sewage, and agricultural runoff high in chemical residues should be addressed. In many parts of the world the coral reefs are being choked by such effluents. Instead of the myopic concentration on minimizing man-made greenhouse gases, at an enormous cost to human-kind, we should switch the priorities to the far more important task of providing clean water and proper sanitation to the whole world. Minimizing greenhouse gases will not make much difference in slowing down global warming, so the expenditure is nearly all wasted. On the other hand, switching this funding to clean water and sanitation will result in dramatic improvement in health for a major portion of the earth's population. Other factors contributing to global warming are the long term fluctuations in the sun's intensity, variations in atmospheric water vapor (the most important greenhouse gas). Add to that the fact that atmospheric greenhouse gasses lag the increase in temperature by around 800 - 1000 years. Thus warming is causing an increase in greenhouse gases, not the other way around. The observed greenhouse gases are the result of melting permafrost in Alaska, Northern Canada and Siberia, along with volcanic activity. I take issue with the assumption that atmospheric man-made carbon dioxide is the cause of the currently observed global warming. This reply is intended as a brief outline of several reasons why I believe that global warming has very little to do with man’s activities.

Most of the carbon dioxide eventually winds up dissolved in the oceans where two major processes take place:

1. Coral organisms convert CO2 along with various minerals into mostly calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate that are insoluble in water. Consequently, the carbon dioxide is tied up in coral reefs and are permanently prevented from re-entering the atmosphere. I have yet to see this important phenomenon discussed in connection with global warming. The coral reefs, including the enormous deposits of fossilized coral is the primary difference between the environments of Earth and the planet Venus.

2. Phytoplankton and seaweeds perform the same function in the oceans that forests, grasses and crops do on land in converting CO2 through photo synthesis into carbohydrates and the oxygen that we depend on for all animal life. Some 35 to 50% + of the oxygen in the atmosphere originated in the oceans.

In connection with the importance of the oceans in controlling our climate cycles, I would like to point out that the Kyoto Protocol ignores the two factors I outlined above. Instead, the pollution of the oceans by raw or minimally treated sewage, and agricultural runoff high in chemical residues should be addressed. In many parts of the world the coral reefs are being choked by such effluents.

Instead of the myopic concentration on minimizing man-made greenhouse gases, at an enormous cost to human-kind, we should switch the priorities to the far more important task of providing clean water and proper sanitation to the whole world. Minimizing greenhouse gases will not make much difference in slowing down global warming, so the expenditure is nearly all wasted. On the other hand, switching this funding to clean water and sanitation will result in dramatic improvement in health for a major portion of the earth’s population.

Other factors contributing to global warming are the long term fluctuations in the sun’s intensity, variations in atmospheric water vapor (the most important greenhouse gas). Add to that the fact that atmospheric greenhouse gasses lag the increase in temperature by around 800 - 1000 years. Thus warming is causing an increase in greenhouse gases, not the other way around.

The observed greenhouse gases are the result of melting permafrost in Alaska, Northern Canada and Siberia, along with volcanic activity.

]]> By: Chuck Durrenberger http://www.terrarossa.com/throwing-an-environmental-baby-out-with-the-republican-bath-water/#comment-45 Chuck Durrenberger Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:57:18 +0000 http://www.terrarossa.com/?p=71#comment-45 What is so blatantly overlooked is that the liberal controlled CONgress, led by Democrats for 30+ years laid the foundation for our dependence upon foreign oil sources. Year after year, and Bill after Bill, CONgress wrote the measures and means to stop offshore drilling, to remove tax credits from new technology ventures, to give gestapo-like powers to the EPA, and to changed business tax laws and reporting requirements (which drove short-term planning & profiteering), and to pack our Judiciary with liberal minded mudges who consistenly vilate the spirit & verbiage of the Constitution. In addition, CONgrees, along with the [unaudited] Treasury Department have devalued the dollar even to the point of coercng former President Nixon to abandon the "Gold Standard." Since our money is worth nothing but a hope-filled fantasy, backed by empty promises, it's no wonder the media works its own adgenda to remove people with historical knowledge of facts, or with the backbone to face them. Is it any wonder that OPEC decided to use the Euro for future transactions? What is so blatantly overlooked is that the liberal controlled CONgress, led by Democrats for 30+ years laid the foundation for our dependence upon foreign oil sources. Year after year, and Bill after Bill, CONgress wrote the measures and means to stop offshore drilling, to remove tax credits from new technology ventures, to give gestapo-like powers to the EPA, and to changed business tax laws and reporting requirements (which drove short-term planning & profiteering), and to pack our Judiciary with liberal minded mudges who consistenly vilate the spirit & verbiage of the Constitution.

In addition, CONgrees, along with the [unaudited] Treasury Department have devalued the dollar even to the point of coercng former President Nixon to abandon the “Gold Standard.” Since our money is worth nothing but a hope-filled fantasy, backed by empty promises, it’s no wonder the media works its own adgenda to remove people with historical knowledge of facts, or with the backbone to face them. Is it any wonder that OPEC decided to use the Euro for future transactions?

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