Of all the planets and places in the Universe we have to study, the place we have by far the best opportunity to know and learn from is right here. More imporantly this is the ONLY place right now we have to exist and thrive on. Whether or now humanity will be successful enough to be able to colonise other planets in the future in unknown. How can we theorise about that before knowing about, and getting involved with our ongoing colonisation and existence on this here planet?

I live in Japan, and EVERYONE here – companies, local and national government, and normal citizens, are very concerned about the environment and what's happening around the planet. The recycle rigorously, but also think rigorously, which is exactly what the naysayers are not doing, I cannot help but feel.

They will say that even though we caused the problem, we can't fix it, or that it was inevitable.

Stubborn? Lazy? Apathetic?

Who knows. Alex is right though. It's not planet we are trying to save.

It's ourselves.

[...] the only answer is to drastically cut back our dependence on fossil fuels to slow the rate of carbon dioxide production. Even if the Sun [...]

P.S. Also, be careful with your common sense, as what we can or cannot do. FYI, Sir Arthur Clarke in “Profiles of the future� (1962) described “The Failure Of Nerve� and “The Failure Of Imagination.� (BTW, it was only a year ahead of Fitch's paradox of knowability

“The atmospheric concentrations of CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4 have increased by 31% and 149% respectively since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the mid-1700s. These levels are considerably higher than at any time during the last 650,000 years, the period for which reliable data has been extracted from ice cores.� http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming
THAT PERIOD IS WAY OVER SOME OF THE ICE AGE CYCLE PERIODS. Got it? If not, align CO.sub.2 and temperature curves.

Global warming? No big deal for the planet. Ice ages? Paleeze… There is nothing we can do that will sterilize this planet.

Global warming my indeed be present, maybe, but in Earth's vast history (and long, long before man was to be seen), the planet has been much warmer, and much colder, apparently several times over for each extreme. Clearly, humans didn't cause those.

If the planet is currently warming, did humans cause it this time? Maybe, maybe not; regardless, (listen carefully, and I'll type this slooooowly for everyone) HUMANS, WE OURSELVES, ARE PART OF NATURE. I'm completely offended when people insinuate that I and other humans do not belong here, and/or that we have no right to exist or use the resources here.

We are here, we have every right to be here (after all, we didn't pick Earth, Earth picked us!) And we are doing what *every* other organism on earth does: survive. Our survival requires vast resources due to our size and numbers, and our intelligence, desires, and curiosity (unique in nature) require even more resources. But we are we, and we are here.

*IF* we are causing global warming, then as long as we're here and living, there is probably nothing we can do to stop it. If so, we should stop wasting money and money and more money and use our brains to deal with the changes instead of trying to stop the inevitable.

In reality, that is probably the crux of this whole global warming scare: many people are terrified of change, and will spend extreme amounts of money and effort in a vain attempt to stop it. We may or may not be able to cause global warming, be we almost certainly are powerless to stop if from happening regardless of the cause.

To those who feel guilty about being here and being human, well, a lot of them seem to become environmentalist, and they think I should feel guilty too (sorry, but no).

I'm all for using less of everything and keeping our water and air clean, but I'm going to use up stuff and emit carbon dioxide while I'm here. And I won't be made to feel guilty for being human, being here, or eating when I'm hungry. And I belong here as rightly as any other animal, regardless of the consequences. Live with it. And if the planet warms up or gets colder (and it will), I'll deal with that. What will you do? Shrill finger-pointing and speeches, or prepare to live with the changes? Use your time wisely…

Again, no one addresses that if global climate change is a natural event, then human pollution is only adding to the problem. Not to mention other things, like the ozone layer holes, which are absolutly the result of man-made pollution.

We will not be able to cope as easily as the cavemen did. – Our food supply and economy depends on the climate, and if we can do anything to preserve it, then we should, or at least try not to affect it.

If there is a way to produce energy without polluting so much, then it is our responsibility to do so. Do we need another massive oil spill to remind us of the environmental costs?

Excerpts:
"A NOAA report shows that ice levels which had shrunk from 5 million square miles in January 2007 to just 1.5 million square miles in October, are almost back to their original levels."

"Moreover, a Feb. 18 report in the London Daily Express showed that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than usual…"

"…scientists are saying the northern Hemisphere has endured its coldest winter in decades, adding that snow cover across the area is at its greatest since 1966."

Anecdotal, yes. But coupled with temperature data showing 4 years of downward trending global temps and correlating that to what could be another Maunder Minimum and solar minimum there is much evidence correlating glabal temps to solar activity rather than homo sapien activity.

Were I able to add an eye-rolling emoticon, I would have.

So I googled "Dr. Francis T. Manns". Here is the 1st link:
http://www.universetoday.com/2008/02/18/world-needs-to-aim-for-near-zero-carbon-emissions/#comment-13066. Lots of things are said about him there, including, “A past company of his, Mann Oil Resources Inc had a CTO (cease trade order) slapped on him in Canada. A CTO ‘prevents specific individuals and companies from trading in securities.’ Oil? That would explain this one too, “…I can tell you he knows nothing about climate or marine science — or science in general. He disputes that oceans are becoming more acidic — just go out and measure and compare to past measurements and, hey guess what, it’s more acidic.�

The enviralists invent a new crisis every time the weather patterns shift. I'm sure they're staying up late dreaming up new explanations for the next cold pattern. Better hurry, my locale was 10 degrees below average this winter.

As for Al Gore and his ilk: every time he flits across the country in his chartered jet, he burns more fuel than my car does in 15 YEARS. He shows what a hypocrite he is every time he pays his $2,500/month utility bill (his annual 221,000 kW-hour usage is 20x the national average). Practice what you preach before telling us we need to conserve. I guess conservation is only for the little people that work for a living.

Studies "proving" global warming are the only ones that get govt. funding and press coverage. When only one side of the debate is presented 24/7, no wonder people can't see it for the lie that it is.

Random responses:
Yes, Mars is not warming at the rate Earth is it's farther away and gets less energy from the sun. That's why it's colder, too.

If any human emission causes global warming then, the last ice age ended because Grog discovered fire?

The Earth has been hot, tropical, as far north as Washington State (ever heard of the redwoods?) and it will be again. The Earth has been cold, very cold (ever heard of glaciers?) and it will be again. I t has been both in the past and all without Homo Sapiens and their technology. Maybe the previous climate changes were caused by dinosaur emissions.

Universe Today has dropped significantly on my opinion meter. It may soon drop below the threshold where I won't want to waste the storage and bandwidth on a subscription.

Take a step back…everybody. Those on the 'left', those on the 'right', everybody. Step back…and shut up.

The best science that the faithful can provide are YouTube videos and news articles from the Onion. That is not enough to sell most people on the planet…we need some science, som facts…not just ideas and speculation.

The best arguements that the un-believers can offer are "we've had ice ages" and "Al Gore is stupid". Both may be true statements, actually, but put up or shut up. Again, where is the science? Where are the facts? Where is the smoking gun?

It seems to me, a reasonably educated person, that there is as much evidence to support either side as there is to support or disprove the existence of God.

I'm willing to be a lot of you who have posted behind this article are from all different parts of the world, of different races, colors, and religions. You believe (or choose not to believe) in YOUR god, and you pretty much leave the rest of us along about it.

What stops you from doing the same thing when it comes to unproven sciences? I don't want you pushing your god(s) on me any more than I want you pushing your opinion about science on me.

See the comparison? Unitl you come up with some proof…not a bunch of numbers combined to look like science (or a shroud with what looks like jesus on it)…keep it to yourself.

Finally, I want to agree with a few of the initial posters in that Universe Today is becoming a hot-spot for global warming and other eco-articles, whether or not they have solid science or not. Can we stick to scientific discoveries and leave the eco-science to a different site (after all, this is Universe Today, not TreeHuggers Today or Environment Today).

But…as with most of the posts I find myself compelled to write on UT…I feel the need to remind everyone here to get over themselves. We are just borrowing time, and its very short time at that, so let's not get so full of ourselves that we think this planet, over 4 billion years old, was put here just for us.

We are not the first to live on Earth…and we are definately not going to be the last.