Global warming effect is increasing, Could it be possible to reduce energy consumption in reality?
466511
no, for those who dont care and only want more, nothing change them,
346700
One might suggest reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, but this is only one aspect of the problem.  \n\nWhen carbon dioxide is released, usually from sources of combustion, other chemicals and particulates are also released.  So, curbing the release of carbon dioxide from these sources would also curb the release of these otehr chemicals and particulates.   A recent study has concluded that since we have worked at cleaning up emissions and reducing particulate releases, more sunlight is reaching the surface of the earth and actually _accelerates_ the process of global warming.\n\nHonestly, the best all of us could reasonably do is to be mindful of our energy consumption habits and try to not be wasteful in what we consume and dispose of.  In conjuction with this, look at adding foliage in areas that have been stripped of plant life.  More plants will effectively remove more carbon dioxide from the lower atmosphere.
1111576
The Earth is a balanced system. Changes within certain parameters may sway the system this way or that, but won't throw it out of balance completely. \nSo yes, the Earth can compensate for changes caused by global warming, but only to a certain extent.
239270
Carcinogens causing global warming?!?!?!  NO.  Don't go rambling about things you don't understand.  Carcinogens are cancer-causing agents--things that mutate DNA.  Global warming is the result of greenhouse gases, which are gases that absorb more energy from sunlight than N2 and O2 do.\n\nI think at this point, we can certainly imagine that the problem is almost undoubtedly exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels.  It sure can't be helping.  There is some debate as to whether or not the effects are the largest part of the problem, or whether we're coming out of an Ice Age anyways, and hence the gradual warming was unavoidable.\n\nWorse than gas buring in my opinion is the deliberate destruction of rainforests, which not only produces a great deal of CO2, but which also destoys an ecosystem that works to remove CO2 from the air.
501722
Can global warming be reversed? It has been argued that so-called clean technology may be the answer. Scrubbing flue gases from power stations will certainly remove a considerable amount of sulphur dioxide and particulate matter, but nothing can remove carbon dioxide from the environment except to return it to a form of carbon, which would consume more energy than that usefully released during combustion. The same arguments apply to "clean" car engines. The reality is that international capitalism is inextricably linked to cheap oil-based technology and as George W. Bush has amply demonstrated, is incapable, at least for the foreseeable future, of dealing with the problem of global warming. Unfortunately time is not on our side. Fossil and ice core records indicate that the current level of atmospheric CO2 is associated with considerably higher global temperatures than we are currently experiencing. The latest IPCC report also predicts a long term continuation of global warming even if CO2 emissions ceased immediately. We are likely to be in a time lag where the effects of current CO2 levels have not yet fully materialised.
463041
In rather indirect ways, yes.\nRecycling paper helps save trees (recycle a little bit, save "part" of a tree) which convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.  (Carbon dioxide contributes to the greenhouse affect)\nMy driving style is geared around saving gas.  Mostly to save myself money, but even if I become very wealthy, I'm still going to be a bit conservative in my driving- still gonna get a hybrid, albeit a more powerful one.  Save gas, less emissions into atmosphere that contribute to global warming.\nOne person can't stop global warming alone.  However, each person can help a little bit, and it'll all add up.
982
Global warming has two main applications. The first is that there are certain gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, warming planets. This is known to take place on Venus, Earth, and the gas giants. Earth is the hospitable place that it is because of global warming.\n\nThis takes place because of greenhouse gases, which allow radiation from the sun to pass through the atmosphere and warm the surface of the earth. The surface then re-radiates this energy back towards space in the infrared spectrum. This energy would escape and our planet would be as cold as the moon, were it not for the greenhouse gases (mainly CO2, ozone, methane, and water vapor). They absorb the infrared energy and radiate it back to earth, increasing the overall amount of radiation hitting the earth's surface, keeping it warm day and night.\n\nThat this takes place is clear and indisputable. There is simply too little energy coming from the sun to account for our planet's temperature. The controversial point is when global warming is applied to the current rise in average global temperature that has taken place over the past 50 so years. Most scientists believe that warming of the planet is due to increases in greenhouse gases, mainly CO2, mainly due to human activities on earth.
283596
This is such a confused issue. \n\nThe short answer is: maybe, but we really do not know. \n\nThe greenhouse gases that are in the earth's atmosphere now keep its temperature warmer by about 60 degrees F. These gases include water vapor (the most important), carbon dioxide, methane, and a few others.\n\nHow might humans increase the net number of greenhouse gases?\n- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - \n\n\nBurning fossil fuels like coal and natural gas and oil results in the introduction of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Burning wood also does so. Deforestation might reduce carbon dioxide sinks. Ocean pollution might also reduce carbon dioxide sinks by killing phytoplankton. Eutrophication (fertilizer in the water) creating algal blooms might also reduce carbon dioxide sinks (at least in the long run when they die and then rot, releasing more carbon dioxide). \n\nRaising cattle and growing rice can increase the greenhouse gas methane. CFCs and HCFCs are greenhouse gases produced by man. Ozone produced in our cities is also a greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide produced by agriculture and industry is another greenhouse gas.\n\nDoes this have anything to do with global warming?\n - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - \n\nWe do not really know if the global warming we have observed in the last 100 years is natural, or due to human intervention. It might be some other process, like change in solar output. We really do not know, to be honest.  \n\nSo there are a lot of uncertainties. We just do not know, to be honest.
455064
Global warming.... It is a long term problem that is not going away, it affects the whole planet and all forms of life, most of the other problems mentioned above affect mainly the selfish human populous.\n\nWhat can you do?....\n\nStop buying products with palm oil is a good start (most rain forest is cleared for palm oil plantations)\n\nTurn off the lights you are not using\n\nDon't leave your PC on all day\n\nDon't leave things on standby (almost the same as leaving a light on)\n\nTry not to use your car quite so much\n\nSome informative and useful sites\n\nhttp://www.mec.ca/Apps/ecoCalc/ecoCalc.jsp;jsessionid=G1TlbhpQxHXzQ0wym1V5DcwxpwC1SGG7QvGYYR1XMsfSJJLk8qhK!-790721544?page=ecofootprint&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302881659&bmUID=1144345509405\nhttp://www.earthday.net/Footprint/index.asp\nhttp://resources.yesican-science.ca/energy_flow/energy_menu.html\nhttp://www.footprintbc.com/
450642
Absolutely.  Interestingly enough, though, there is also such a thing as particle refraction.  This is the pollution particles (mostly sulfates) in the air forming droplets and mixing with clouds.  These smaller particles reflect more light than unpolluted drops, therefore refracting much light and warmth from the earth.  This is referred to as global dimming.  Global dimming actually helps to balance out the global warming.  If we were to somehow end all particle pollution, then the earth would warm at a faster rate.  Without the global warming, the particle pollution would eventually freeze us out.  Therefore, if we end either process of pollution, we must end both or the earth will suffer grave consequences.  If you want more proof of global warming, investigate the hurricane trend of the last few years.  We have had an increase in the frequency of hurricanes because the ocean waters are warmer--check National Geographic, I remember an article in August or September of last year.
767789
decrease potential energy.....through physical factors like friction....
997939
In this enviroment of Global Warming I would say not. Cold is not cool any more, warming is hot.
336978
It is certainly true that there have been periods in history that have been hotter than it is now before the rise of the combustion engine and heavy deforestation that ultimately lead to the greenhouse effect. Let me say that the 1.2 degrees Celsius increase that we have observed since the rise of the machine and the human effect on the environment is really insufficient to prove what effect of global warming really is. Additionally, the most abundant greenhouse gas is water vapor (making up about 95% of the abundance of all the greenhouse gases). These two facts basically say that there is no support EXPERIMENTALLY for the theory. Yet the theory is correct: with  a build up of greenhouse gases in all the strata of the atmosphere causes infrared light to reflect several more times off of the earth's surface than it normally would, causing a net increase in thermal energy over long periods of time. I am very much a pro-environment scientist, so I can say without bias that the theory is definitely correct, yet we do not currently know what factors (global warming or something else entirely) we can attribute heat changes to, and therefore, we do not know how much global warming will affect us. Only time will really tell...
1113639
Global Warming is a myth
359037
Natural warming/cooling of the earth as it progresses through it's life cycle.  Effects of civilization on global warming may be measurable, but it is hardly signifigant when compared to the forces of nature and the tendency of our planet's temperature to fluctuate through ice ages and periods of warmer climes.
1081754
First of all, I think it is going to take a tad bit longer than a few decades to heat up the planet to the point of being uninhabitable. Go sit in yellow knife naked in the middle of winter and tell me then how long you think it will take to get the planet to the point hot enough to kill you.\n\nSecond, when we do reach that point, I think we will also have devised ways of living in hotter temperatures. I am thinking more of a bio dome type of surrounding. Or somehow force us to live underground. \n\nLastly, with things like the Kyoto accord helping, maybe we can turn things around with global warming, but only if we get rid of our dependency on fossil fuels.\n\nOtherwise, we are hooped.
557880
Global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.  Global warming has been proven, the only people who argue against it have no understanding of science and no idea what is going on in the world.  Humans are not the only cause of greenhouse gasses, but we contribute to the problem greately.  The fact is that the earth cycles through warming and cooling periods but manking disturbs the normal process and increases the rate of warming (mostly by CO2 increases from burning oil.)  There are natural sources of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses as well, volcanoes can spew millions of tons of CO2 in a matter of days... the earth has supported life through very hot and very cold peroids, but there is NO realistic argument that humans don't influence global warming.\n\nThe greenhouse effect is necessary for life as well, if all of the CO2 was elimated from the atmosphere life as we know it on earth would end, the earth would be a frozen, barren wasteland.  Without any greenhouse gasses the earth would not maintain a reasonable temperature; nights would drop to -80 Celcius on the warm parts of the planet... \n\nThe earth will recover from all of the damage we do when we are gone... life adapts, species are eliminated every year, but no little coverage is given to the new species the are discovered every year... evolution is in progress, global warming is a change, not a destruction.