Carbon neutral?

[otherthoughts]

I'm not offended at all. I have a different perspective that we should of started with from the beginning:

Have enough kids to replace you.

Yeah, I said it.

One couple, two kids max. The issues that comes up is some people out there WANT MORE then two and people remarry and all that fun stuff. I know a couple that wants to raise 6 kids, and they are already on their 2nd one year into the marriage.

There has been many articles out there, can't think of any at the top of my head, that has suggested that there are too many people on this earth. The earth cannot sustain the human population for long if we keep going like this. Resources will vanish and wars will be fought over those vanishing resources. Hmmmm, that's actually a killer way to destroy a species. Damn mother nature is good....

Besides all this doom and gloom, I still try to keep a positive view on the whole situation. Technology shall grow and progress will happen. New ideas will come through in order to handle these problems. The world my father grew up in compared to how I grew up is completely different. Different viewpoints, different mindsets and different priorities. The basic stuff is still there, but I'm not worried about the Reds dropping a nuke on my house

Will this be enough to create a world that I can be proud of to give to my childrens childrens children? I can only hope for that.

I can't argue with that!

The world is a better place with optimistic viewpoints like yours mattf!

Thanks for making this a more upbeat thread with your point of view

Best regards
Otherthoughts

[John A]

Ignorance is bliss huh? Wonder which side though.....

Anyway, yes you are correct that high levels of CO2 help to create larger and thicker concentration of plants. What does that have to prove with your argument? We are coming out of an ice age, of course there was less CO2 because there was less plants to eat it up! Global warming exists, the issue people have had is if the cause is human based. The reason why a lot of scientists believe that it is caused by humans because the rate at which the world is warming is a lot faster then anything that has been documented, both within human perception and from the study of ice cores.

Ozone layer issues are still around, just because you don't hear it in the main-stream media doesn't mean the problem is gone. I guess people would rather watch American Idol and hear about that then doom and gloom. Whatever makes the sponsors happy.

The study of the ozone layer and its depletion around Antarctica is well documented and scientific groups are still studying it. Just look up "Ozone Hole Meteorology" or "Ozone Forecast" or maybe "Antarctica Forecast". Stating that in 15-20 years we won't be studying and trying to improve our effect on what we do to the planet shows how much you know about science in general.

Nut Job leaders in 3rd world countries with warheads and missiles? Well shucks and all, I wonder where those weapons come from? I wonder which country has such a large and robust military and weapon spending program.....

Alright that's my rant for the day.

1) It is just a counterpoint to the idea that CO2 is the ultimate evil gas and we should all be punished (or at least feel very guilty) for any CO2 we emit. More plant life has a cooling effect on the atmosphere.

2) So in the MMGW (man made global warming) world, because earth is warming faster than it has in past history, it is automatically caused by humans? - many scientists also believe that the human impact on temperature is insignificant.

3) So why hasn't the ozone issue been plastered all over the headlines like man made global warming? I suggest it has nothing to do with American Idol or other distractions - otherwise the media wouldn't be waving the banner of MMGW either. Could it be because it doesn't monetize any particular political agenda these days? At least not like cap and trade and other new environmental taxation schemes. The ozone issue may still be out there but it just doesn't pay to play that game anymore - nor has it turned into the disaster it was predicted to be nearly 30 years ago. I am not a scientist, but I have good friends who are and I appreciate their ability to realize something isn't always what the media portrays it as. Also, I didn't say we won't be studying the planet in 15-20 years, just that this particular field will not be playing in the headlines like it is today.

4) I'm inferring that your "Well shucks and all" comment means you believe I'm too simple minded to understand how good and evil work (or perhaps you believe that the US is the root cause/enabler of evil in the world?) My point is Global Warming is not the biggest issue the world is facing going into this century (although to listen to some in the media it's akin to a Biblical flood about to happen that can only be stopped by not driving to work, not using electricity and not heating our homes.) I cringe when I think what the upcoming taxation policies will be on CO2 emissions (where will it end? breathing taxes?, body decomposition taxes? - because even death releases carbon into the atmosphere, etc...)

If calling me ignorant makes you feel better about your beliefs, go for it - I haven't found that tactic to ever do much toward changing somebody's viewpoint. We won't agree on this issue but it's important to realize that there are a whole lot of people in the world (both scientists and non-scientists) who don't follow the MMGW heard.


John

[Green Printer]

Most recently a large U.S. printing company bought 130 tons of certified carbon offsets.

What has changed by buying the Offsets?

[otherthoughts]

John A,

<snip>"My point is Global Warming is not the biggest issue the world is facing going into this century"

I agree, Global Warming may Not be the biggest issue the world is facing going into this century.

Perhaps you could elaborate on what you consider the biggest issues the world is facing going forwards?

Greater diversity of opinion is always welcome!

I think that your points are well worth considering.

<snip>I suspect we'll have bigger fish to fry in other areas like natural resources running low and nut job leaders in 3rd world countries with warheads and missiles.

I am particularly interested in your viewpoints on natural resources running low. Your second point is well taken, the only debate there might be the contention that only 3rd-World leaders are Nut-jobs with warheads and missiles

Best Regards
Otherthoughts

[gordo]

Most recently a large U.S. printing company bought 130 tons of certified carbon offsets. What has changed by buying the Offsets?

Aeroplan air mile rewards has a scheme to let you redeem your flight rewards for carbon offsets based on the amount of flight CO2 emissions it took to get you where you were hoping to go:

more info here: Aeroplan

And then there's this report on a quiet sun: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8008473.stm

gordon p

[Green Printer]

What is the carbon footprint for obtaining carbon offsets?
Is is possible to every recover the carbon footprint of selling carbon offsets?
How does someone not polluting selling his good carbon footprint to a polluter buying carbon offsets change anything?
The polluter is still polluting the non polluter is still not polluting and now the carbon is traded which has a carbon footprint to accomplish the carbon trade the net is more carbon polluting than there was when nobody did a thing.

[Craig]

What is the carbon footprint for obtaining carbon offsets?
Is is possible to every recover the carbon footprint of selling carbon offsets?
How does someone not polluting selling his good carbon footprint to a polluter buying carbon offsets change anything?
The polluter is still polluting the non polluter is still not polluting and now the carbon is traded which has a carbon footprint to accomplish the carbon trade the net is more carbon polluting than there was when nobody did a thing.

You just don't get it Green Printer, and you obviously never will!!!

It makes them FEEL better about polluting, and after all isn't that what it's all about!

Gosh darn it, we tried to stop polluting but just couldn't, soooo we decided to buy carbon offsets! Isn't that Wonderful!!!! We're now an environmentally conscious "Green" company!! Yeah Us!!!!!!

[Green Printer]

You just don't get it Green Printer, and you obviously never will!!!

It makes them FEEL better about polluting, and after all isn't that what it's all about!

Gosh darn it, we tried to stop polluting but just couldn't, soooo we decided to buy carbon offsets! Isn't that Wonderful!!!! We're now an environmentally conscious "Green" company!! Yeah Us!!!!!!

Finally a very good response that tells it like it is.

I have been doing this type of posting to get this kind of answer.

The message has been received and interpreted correctly. I can now stop fanning the flame.

[Craig]

It's only common sence... something that seems to be lacking in America lately.

[arsenal123]

if we all become willing to live just as our own ancestors had, the rest is a piece of cake! The knowledge we possess over and above our Ancestor's will make our lives seem effortless in comparison to their's. Just to be clear, I mean to include the human population differences that exist between us and our ancestor's as well.