who thinks Global Warming is man-made, or naturally occurring?

Contributor: TumorCrunch TumorCrunch
do you believe all the talk of global warming being all humanities' fault? or do you believe it is part of the earth's naturally occurring cycles? and why?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
it is compltetly man-made. it wouldn't be happening if we had taken better care of the earth.
35
it is the natural cycles of the earth, and it would be happening regardless.
22
i believe it happens naturally , but are definitely not helping.
122
other/let me explain...
12
Total votes: 191 (171 voters)
Poll is closed
03/13/2011
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Contributor: loveshocks loveshocks
Oh good, my expensive ecology courses can come into play here

Cycles of ice ages and warmer times naturally occur, but human actions are definitely speeding up the cycling. And if you look at charts of changes in carbon dioxide over time, it's rather alarming. It's one thing to meet the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere millions of years ago, it's another to exceed it by a hundred times.
03/13/2011
Contributor: DeliciousSurprise DeliciousSurprise
Global core temperatures do rise and fall, that's the way of the world, but we are prompting it to happen much more extremely far sooner than it would have, if we'd not mucked up the environment with our carelessness and laziness.
03/13/2011
Contributor: Dusk Dusk
I agree that cycles occur throughout the age of our planet, but since the industrial revolution, human processes have been rapidly increasing the effects of global warming (and they are predicted, at best, to keep rising at an alarming rate)
03/13/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by loveshocks
Oh good, my expensive ecology courses can come into play here

Cycles of ice ages and warmer times naturally occur, but human actions are definitely speeding up the cycling. And if you look at charts of changes in carbon dioxide over time, ... more
Cool, another ecologist on here!

Yeah, global climate change most definitely is affected by human activities. There have been climate oscillations in the past, and there will continue to be, but the rate of change since industrialization rules out any known natural process. Carbon dioxide is part of it, as it is absolutely impossible to pump that much carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels into the atmosphere and not have it have an effect. It may be a small overall effect or a large one, but it absolutely has an impact.

All the pavement and dark structures humans have built absorb heat rather than reflect it, contributing to warming as well. Degassing of carbon dioxide from concrete also plays a role. I've seen some estimates that 10% of the global carbon dioxide flux is from concrete degassing. There are other sources as well, too numerous to mention, that humans play a role in.
03/13/2011
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
Man made or naturally occurring, it doesn't matter. Driving a Prius or even riding a bicycle is not the answer, outside of exterminating the majority of the human population there isn't anything we can do. We cannot turn back the clock. There is no legislation or green industry that can do anything other than make somebody feel good because they "Did SOMETHING, anything". It just doesn't work that way. Instead of pointing fingers as to why, we need to learn how to deal with what is or may be on the way.

BTW if you own a cat or even worse a big dog, that's equivalent to driving an SUV greenhouse gaswise.
03/13/2011
Contributor: Midway through Midway through
The earth goes through cycles regardless, science has proven that with much research and carbon dating. However, we aren't helping earth.
03/21/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
The earth cycles, of course. But, the changes the Earth is going through now are faster and more intense than any natural phenomenon, or natural cycles. Of course, it's proven using fossil fuels adds to global warming.

It is an inconvenient truth.
03/21/2011
Contributor: racoons racoons
I think that overproduction and overconsumption totally contribute to accelerate natural cycles..
03/22/2011
Contributor: Eden C. Eden C.
Yes, we are in a natural warming period, but it has been augmented by our fossil fuel consumption. I am unwilling to believe otherwise.
03/23/2011
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Um, this might make me out to be a bit whacky but I'll say it anyway.

I think the Earth is trying to correct the damage we have done. There are so many amazing things happening all over the world right now and it does seem to look like the end of time but I find it almost impossible to swallow.

The Earth, save for being destroyed by a huge asteroid, is going to continue with or without human life. Yeah, it would be kick ass if our species could endure until our sun dies. But, man if we don't make it that's cool too and eventually another sentient species will evolve out of what's left.

There's a tiny part of me that says we deserve what we get. We have reasoning but our foresight is damn well non-existant.

______________________ ______________________ _____

I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. ~Elwyn Brooks White, Essays of E.B. White, 1977
03/25/2011
Contributor: UnknownGirl UnknownGirl
I think both sides of the global warming issue greatly overstate their positions. I believe the true is somewhere in the middle.
03/26/2011
Contributor: Curves Curves
Quote:
Originally posted by Midway through
The earth goes through cycles regardless, science has proven that with much research and carbon dating. However, we aren't helping earth.
agree
05/02/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
Um, this might make me out to be a bit whacky but I'll say it anyway.

I think the Earth is trying to correct the damage we have done. There are so many amazing things happening all over the world right now and it does seem to look like the ... more
I agree, I know it sounds weird, but Gaia is angry. She's trying to correct and heal herself by knocking off as many pesky humans as possible.

Being more scientific, I think it is part of the cycle for global warming is to trigger everything from tornadoes and violent storms to seismic events to outbreaks of diseases. All with the end result of reducing the population, and thus reducing the damage to the Earth.
05/03/2011
Contributor: liilii080 liilii080
I've gotta go with the combo naturally occurring but humans aren't helping model. I think there have always been fluctuations in the Earths' temperature cycles over long periods of time but people are definitely screwing with the tempo.
05/03/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I agree, I know it sounds weird, but Gaia is angry. She's trying to correct and heal herself by knocking off as many pesky humans as possible.



Being more scientific, I think it is part of the cycle for global warming is to trigger ... more
Wow - that's some heavy stuff - What about the aliens? Doesn't ET have something to do with this?
05/03/2011
Contributor: PinkPedal PinkPedal
I blame man.
05/03/2011
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I agree, I know it sounds weird, but Gaia is angry. She's trying to correct and heal herself by knocking off as many pesky humans as possible.



Being more scientific, I think it is part of the cycle for global warming is to trigger ... more
You are the first person, outside of my husband, who has ever agreed with me. I think you could knock me over with a feather. And your scientific reasoning is exactly what I believe.
05/03/2011
Contributor: sexygoddess sexygoddess
a little from both. But, we're causing most of it right now. We're rushing things!
05/05/2011
Contributor: M121212 M121212
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Cool, another ecologist on here!

Yeah, global climate change most definitely is affected by human activities. There have been climate oscillations in the past, and there will continue to be, but the rate of change since industrialization ... more
We live in a crazy time.
05/05/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
Wow - that's some heavy stuff - What about the aliens? Doesn't ET have something to do with this?
Part of this post was tongue in cheek. But, I do believe the Earth is an organism and is attempting to save itself. Why not?

Thanks, Ansley.
05/05/2011
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
Wow - that's some heavy stuff - What about the aliens? Doesn't ET have something to do with this?
Instead of mocking others' opinions, why don't you share yours? You don't have to agree, but to flat out mock? Just because you find something unbelievable or outrageous doesn't mean you have to be so rude.

Anyway. All this is mostly over my head. I don't know if it's man-made, naturally occurring, or a combination of the two. I do believe (and this can appease anyone with any beliefs) that we are stewards of this earth and it's our responsibility to take as good of care of it as we can. Whether you're a creationist or an evolutionist, I think you can agree that this is our home and we should be as loving with it as possible.
05/05/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Part of this post was tongue in cheek. But, I do believe the Earth is an organism and is attempting to save itself. Why not?

Thanks, Ansley.
Yea - having a little fun. I agree in a way. Physics drives systems to 'equilibrium' - so excess heat in a system will cause a system to transfer the heat.

My only issue is when you say 'attempting to save itself' you're implying sentience - the ability to discern and act. If the Earth has 'intelligence' - how does it 'save itself' from asteroids? If the Earth is sentient - then so must every celestial body be - unless you bring in the theory of a divine intervention specific to the Earth.

There's certainly a lot we don't know - so it's fun to speculate a bit.
05/05/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
Instead of mocking others' opinions, why don't you share yours? You don't have to agree, but to flat out mock? Just because you find something unbelievable or outrageous doesn't mean you have to be so rude.

Anyway. All this ... more
I wasn't mocking anyone - it was a bit of humor. She got it - you?
05/05/2011
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
I wasn't mocking anyone - it was a bit of humor. She got it - you?
Okay, my bad then.
05/05/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
Okay, my bad then.
Thanks for being a good sport. Humor is hard in writing. I seem to fail more often than I succeed - but I can't seem to stop trying.
05/05/2011
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
Thanks for being a good sport. Humor is hard in writing. I seem to fail more often than I succeed - but I can't seem to stop trying.
lol
05/05/2011
Contributor: LostBoy988 LostBoy988
If the world ends, its going to end.
05/05/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
Yea - having a little fun. I agree in a way. Physics drives systems to 'equilibrium' - so excess heat in a system will cause a system to transfer the heat.

My only issue is when you say 'attempting to save itself' you're ... more
I do think the Earth is an organism. Is it sentient? No probably not. We're sentient and we can't always save ourselves from harm.

But, it's fun to think about. I wish I could think of the name of the geo-physicist who writes about the Earth being an organism. It does function as one. I can't think of his name.
05/19/2011
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I do think the Earth is an organism. Is it sentient? No probably not. We're sentient and we can't always save ourselves from harm.

But, it's fun to think about. I wish I could think of the name of the geo-physicist who writes ... more
Whether the Earth is a 'system' or an 'organism' is an interesting philosophical discussion. I think there is a case to be made for both. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
05/19/2011