Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with warming

Climate change ideology

schrodycat — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:57:11 -0800

Help me understand the liberal/conservative split in the US with regard to global warming. I'm puzzled as to why anthropogenic climate change became a issue that's split largely along liberal/conservative lines. The analogy in my mind is of a liberal/conservative split on whether P=NP or not. Why has this become an ideological question and not a scientific one?

Remember, kids, I'm only asking a meta-question about global warming, so play nice.

What are some global warming tipping points?

jefficator — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:32:46 -0800

What are some smaller-scale global warming tipping points that would radically alter everyday life? Last night on NPR's marketplace, a special report from Helena, Montana, described the devastation wrought by the pine beetle in the Ponderosa forests of the West. According to the report, a two-degree increase in average temperatures has prevented the hard freezes that kill the pine beetle. As a result, those pests are now rampant and destroying whole forests.

(The report did acknowledge the dissenting opinion that fire suppression and poor forest management are the culprits, but my question still stands.)

We here a lot about generic ice-cap melting, etc. But I'm imagining, for instance, that perhaps the temperature increase might prevent freezes that control mosquito populations in the South? Etc?

Can anyone identify other small catastrophes waiting to happen as temperatures inch up? Especially ones specific to your region that others might not know about?

Global Warming

Elsie — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:19:44 -0800

Are there any books in the global warming debate, written after 2006, that provide counter arguments to Bjorn Lomborg's views in Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist's Guide to Global Warming or Nigel Lawson's An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming? I am a lay person who needs to read a couple recent (post-2006 copyright) accessible, scientifically/economically respected, well-written, well-reasoned books from the point of view that humans-are-causing-global warming-and-must-reduce CO2 at all costs. Lomborg's and Lawson's books seem to make reasonable arguments on the other side, i.e. that the world is warmer, but not problematically so; humans can adapt; that huge sums of CO2 reduction trillions would be better spent solving problems of a warmer planet.

A Burning Question

greekphilosophy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:39:00 -0800

I need a good collection of readings identifying major issues associated with energy production using biomass. Topic: Biomass use in energy production.
Goal: The formulation of an official policy concerning biomass energy for an environmental group.

You're an environmentalist and you have strong feelings about biomass, you want us to read [fill in the blank]. You are a developer or a corn farmer or an urban planner, and you want us to read [fill in the blank]. You are an indigenous person, and if the military junta in charge of your country allowed you access to literacy education, you would want us to read [fill in the blank].

Introductory readings are not necessary - this is for a crowd that is highly educated in environmental issues and already understands the basics of biomass. What we need are readings representing a variety of stakeholder interests. All publications are fair game - blogs, podcasts, articles, books, chapters, trade journals, haiku, medieval manuscripts. Extra points for anything having to do with urban waste management.

Fifteen years ago I heard that we had ten years to turn the world around or it would be too late. When can I stop caring about the Environment?

Sully — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:37:04 -0800

In high school, I remember a teacher who taped some news show and showed it to us in class and it said that we had like, ten years to turn the planet around or global warming and our First World lifestyle where ten percent of the planet caused fifty percent of the emissions or something would push us past the point of no return. Anyway, my question is, have we passed it yet? When can I stop caring about the Environment? Is the planet finally, mercifully irretrievable?

It seems like every five years I see something on the news where it says we have only ten years left. How is this different than a doomsday cult that keeps revising when the End of the World is when the day comes and they are still there?

I am ready to stop recycling and re-using and reducing. I want to stop resenting The Environment for making me feel guilty when I live like a First Worlder, when some paper makes it into the trash, when I order in a Thai combo in its styrofoam container, when I throw away a computer monitor.

When can I say, "It's too late for us. Global Warming is a reality and it's here and there's nothing we can do to stop it... What a relief." And live my life, without having to be conscious about the choices I make with respect to how it impacts the Environment?

I know this is not politically correct.

What are some good books on the history of Earth's climate?

AdamCSnider — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:14:51 -0800

I'm looking into global climate history. Is there a particularly good overview for this? I'm a layman interested in climate change in the Earth's history - not just within a human timeframe, but reaching back as far as the term "climate" can reasonably be applied.
I'm looking for books - although if you know documentaries or websites that deal with this I'd be glad for that info as well - including both those which give a good overview of Earth's climatic history and those which specialize in specific eras. Accessibility to someone without a Ph.D. in the field would also be a plus.

Eco-Friendly sites for Kids?

snap_dragon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:28:59 -0800

I am trying to put together a list of environmental eco-friendly sites targeted from young children (kindergarten) to grades 3-4, and 4-6. Looking for anything interesting that has stats, games and so forth. Appreciate your time and input. I need a lot (30 plus...even if you give me one, that is a help)

Looking for all the B. F. Skinner wannabe's.

sully75 — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:38:27 -0800

What are the most exciting developments that are actually functioning in ecology, sustainability and alternative technologies? The more specific the better! I'm interested in alternative technology, new technology and sustainability projects currently functioning (i.e. not theoretical, but actually working), anywhere in the US. I'm interested both in people who are going back to older ways of doing things (i.e. using draft animals to farm) and new technologies (maybe an algae field next to a power plant that will be used to make alternative fuels). I'm interested in both small, personal projects (some dudes wicked cool garden or masonry stove) and large or gigantic (power plants, large scale solar and wind projects, waves, etc)

This is research for a project I'm working on.

Any and all suggestions would be awesome.

Prepare for Peak Oil without looking like a nutjob?

UMDirector — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:01:12 -0800

Best way to mitigate effects of potential peak oil and global warming issues without looking like a nutjob? CYOA in a realistic manner? So I am trying to think of ways to cover my butt in case any Peak Oil or rapid Global Warming societal collapse issues come to pass. I tend to think society will figure out ways around much of this but it never hurts to prepare just in case...I wasn't too worried about Y2K but I did have about a weeks supplies just in case.

So what can I do to prepare but also benefit me in case nothing happens (for example I ate the food and drank the Y2K water)?

An example might be: Get one of those instant water heaters to lower your electrical costs in case the price of electricity goes way up...or get solar panels...or get the following camping books that would also serve you in case of complete societal breakdown...make sure your house has a fireplace...etc...

I should maybe note we are in the 'burbs south of Boston and will likely be having a home built in the next year so I will have a lot of options coming up to set up my life in the best way possible for such things....without my wife or friends thinking I am a nutjob!

novelfilter

spacefire — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 12:48:23 -0800

New Year resolution: write a novel this year. Need some resources -motivation. I have a full-time job, how can I make sure I write at least a page/day on average?
-information: the novel will be about the decline of civilization due to global warming and its effects, described through the main character's diary. As a long-time fan and reader of post-apocalyptic literature, I am pretty familiar with the topic of total collapse, but via catastrophic, quick events. I plan to describe a prolonged, agonizing collapse of basic services and disintegration of the social fabric under the threat of nature - the novel should span about two-three years.
-characterization: I want to make my character believable, I want him to evolve, and I want to flesh out the other characters in the novel with quick, striking descriptions that allow the reader to 'know' them without long expositions - remember, this is going to be an epistolar novel.

How do you deal with the anxiety around the economic and global clusterfcuk?

onanon — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 02:07:00 -0800

How do you deal with the anxiety around the economic and global clusterfcuk? It's been keeping me awake for years, and increasingly so. I recycle, I write my representatives. I eat local, organic, take public transport.. I just can't not feel trapped and sometimes just completely terrified. I have a history of panic attacks in my immediate family, was diagnosed with the ubiquitous Depression at 16 and fought it really hard until I learned some basic meditation techniques and got some good cognitive therapy. Now I still fight a light current of anxiety, but I can usually still fight it until somebody spooks me with something apocalyptic... Then it's all over.

Fountain pens and climate change, two great tastes that go well together

b1tr0t — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:28:02 -0800

Why is Mont Blanc's height so stable? The pen company has been marking 4810 on their nibs since at least the 1930s. Just this year, it measured 4810m tall.

I'm m-m-m-m-melting... melting... MELTING!

LakesideOrion — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 10:25:16 -0800

Global Warming Filter: This might be a stupid question, but if enough polar ice has melted to open the Northwest Passage for the first time in distant memory, then why are Lake Superior's waters at an all-time low? I thought global warming was supposed to raise water levels?

Do reasonable global warming arguments exist?

donmak — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:44:21 -0800

Do reasonable arguments for or against global warming actually exist for regular people like me to read? Or must I be stuck with the annoying rhetoric of both sides? Critics of global warming claim it is faux-science, yet I never see them give evidence of this claim.

Proponents of global warming say "look at the science" and the evidence pretty much speaks for itself.

My question: Where is the science? What is a good resource to look at this data. Most of the mainstream news and conservative news just spouts snippits and rhetoric. Where can I find some good information on the "science" behind the current global warming warnings. I've watched "An Inconvenient Truth" but I shudder when I hear Al Gore strongly suggest we'll either be underwater or dead in ten years (now down to 8 years).

Also, for that matter, is there a resource that attempts to rebut the science reasonably? Preferably without that maliciousness and sarcasm of Fox News or Rush Limbaugh?

Go North, Young Woman

DenOfSizer — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:31:57 -0800

I want to buy 20 acres in Canada so that I have a refuge and a windfall when the coming global apocolypse comes down, I'm ready. Where can I buy now that would be the best investment, esp. for not much money? I like Quebec for its easy access, and I kinda like French, but that's a pretty whimsical reason. But if gas is $10/gal, i'd like to be somewhat available. On the other hand, I don't want to be overrun with gun-toting USians looking for fresh water, so maybe privacy is of the essence. Anyway, I'm open. Your thoughts?

Global warming and my mother

frogan — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:50:49 -0800

Help me ruin my mother's day: Data that compares the carbon dioxide emissions between California and China/India. My mother is a Republican (boo, hiss) and believes that any local action taken by U.S. states to curb carbon dioxide emissions would be pointless, as countries like China and India would flout any international agreements and end up hurting U.S. businesses because they would be hobbled by over-regulation.

I need to burst my mother's Limbaugh-influenced bubble and convince her that doing something about global warming would is a Good Thing.

I have a simple hypothesis: That her state, California, emits more carbon dioxide than China and India combined.

Unfortunately, I have no data to back up this claim.

Hive mind, help me ruin my mother's day.

I must save the world!

SwingingJohnson1968 — Sun, 28 May 2006 12:38:45 -0800

I had an idea for a temporary solution to postpone global warming crisis. Does my idea make any sence? I've been watching the previews for Gore's movie "Inconvienent Truth" and I've been thinking of solutions for this problem.

If the melting polar caps can cause the greatest problem, can we build large light weight structures sent into orbit that can cast huge shadows on portions of the Earth? My theory is to precisely control ambient sunlight cast on the globe, thus reducing regional temperatures.

Basically a titanic sized umbrella made of an extremely durable yet lightweight material that can be launched and unfurled once in orbit. Also a structure that can be expanded upon with multiple missions.

The structure should also be equipped with a built in self destruct mech in case this umbrella idea somehow backfires.

The further out from Earth the orbital path of the umbrella, the larger the shadow.

When life gives you lemons . . .

danny boy — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 14:04:03 -0800

Are there reputable projections for global warming's impact on the inland United States? Recently we've all seen projected coastal changes (due to rising sea levels), but beyond general predictions of drought for the interior, I haven't seen anything specific. I don't know if it's possible to develop meaningful projections anyway, but I'm hoping someone has tried.

My purpose: I wonder where a young family could relocate to that would be 1) more affordable--housing-wise--than the coasts today, and 2) less likely to suffer from environmental disasters in the future, if not downright pleasant because of them. (And it's not realistic, at least for us, to move overseas.)

I realize this is highly speculative, but you'd have to be an idiot to not plan for the coming changes, right? If you have young kids, how are you thinking about this whole mess?

Do carbon offsets really cook with gas, or just evaporate into thin air?

skyboy — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 15:05:45 -0800

Dang, those new year's resolutions... For the first time, I'm tempted to buy emissions "offsets" for my car in order to support the research and development of cleaner energy choices. Is this a good idea, or would I be wasting my money? Sure, offsets aren't very expensive, but I always want my charitable spending to be used effectively, so I'm seeking some advice... I've heard of TerraPass, and have also considered Better World Club's offsets (mostly because I need to renew my roadside assistance soon) -- are there others? Since neither of these are non-profit orgs, I'm wondering if there are any offset "watchdog" organizations, or even any generally-accepted practices for designating funds obtained from offset sales.

Gentle guidance: I'm looking for thumbs-up or thumbs-down info specifically on offsets, so you don't have to remind me that there's a myriad of other ways to contribute. I already donate to established nonprofit organizations -- ones whose track record I can research, esp. via sites like CharityNavigator and Give.org. And I'm planning to sign up for green power from my electric utility when the option becomes available.

Warming Tortillas

Alex Marshall — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:53:23 -0800

Does anyone know of an easy, quick method for heating up refrigerated corn tortillas? I love corn tortillas, and have found some great ones here in Brooklyn that I buy for a buck a package. (I like to eat tortillas and scrambled eggs for breakfast.) But I have had difficulty coming up with some way to warm corn tortillas both effectively and quickly. One way I have tried is to do each one on a hot iron skillet without grease. This works well, but takes a lot of time, about a minute or two per tortilla. I have tried heating them in a toaster oven, but this dries them out. A microwave makes them kind of chewy. My sense is that some method involving steam might work, but I haven't found it. Any ideas anyone? I'm sure that there exists an easy, simple method somewhere.