Climate change:

1. 83

   habeeposted 12 years ago

   I can't believe that some people don't believe our climate is changing. Maybe YOUR climate hasn't changed, but OURS sure has! I can't remember such a cool August here - ever. Our pool water is usually so warm during the month of August that it isn't even refreshing, but this year, it's a little too "refreshing" (read COLD). We went to an outdoor restaurant the other evening, and we had to wear light jackets. I've noticed over the past few years that our autumns and springs have been coming earlier and our winters are milder. I live in South GA, and our Augusts are normally extremely hot and humid, with highs at or above 100. Lately, our highs have been in the 80s. From what I've read about climate change, some places are getting warmer while others are getting cooler. Now I'm not one of those who believes that man is totally responsible for this phenomenon - I think it's a combination of man and nature.
   
   I'm curious. Has the climate changed in your neck of the woods?

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      Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Definitely has. The winters are milder overall, the summers are hotter overall. There seem to be more tornadoes in Canada than ever before.
      
      You might be interested to know that 98% of Canadian's believe in climate change
      http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/ … story.html
      
      Regardless of the reason, it is something to worry about.
      
      Now waiting for all the "experts" to weigh in

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         habeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for responding, UW! You prolly don't mind the milder winters, but the tornadoes - ugh! I'm terrified of twisters, and we have WAY too many here.

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   2. 72

      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It sure has. Noticeably warmer. I used to wear long underwear and boots for fall and summer night races on Lake St. Clair. Now everybody's sailing most of the time in shorts and T-shirts.

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      Barbara Kayposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      In southwestern Michigan, we had a hot summer with a drought. Hotter than normal and hasn't been this dry since 1987.

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2. 66

   pollobowlposted 12 years ago

   The climate is obviously changing for us here in NC too. I don't understand the people who completely deny climate change. Climate change is a natural process of the Earth that has been proven by geologists. Now that process has been greatly accelerated by the accumulation of greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, in the atmosphere. Not a tough concept to grasp if you ask me.

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3. 61

   kathyinmnposted 12 years ago

   I noticed the winters had changed after we had the blizzard of 77 when I lived in Buffalo NY.
   
   I had since moved to Minnesota, and had to get use to a colder winter. However, after being here for 10 years, the past few years I have been hearing, we never had weather like this before.
   The past 2 summers we have had floods in the summer. This is abnormal. The flood time is in the spring when the snow melts, the last 2 summers we had spring type floods in August.
   
   Now we had such a warm winter, it was like we were 2 months ahead of time and it’s been very dry this year. Not as bad as Texas or the other states with the drought, but dry enough. We have had temps in the 100’s, which is new for me. Joe lived here all his life and he said he cannot remember it being that hot before.
   
   A lot of people are growing corn. They are planting it in places where I have not seen it planted before. I guess we are lucky are crops are doing fairly well.

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4. 67

   innersmiffposted 12 years ago

   This is the beauty in the decision to rename 'Global warming' to 'climate change'. If you notice any change in the weather at all, it's concrete proof that we need to enact a kind of eco-fascism upon the population of the Earth to stop it.

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      Mtbailzposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Eco-Facsim? I find that hard to believe considering oil companies and their power.

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      1. 67

         innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Despite all of that, Agenda 21 and other directives put forward by these very expensive and lavish 'summits' go right ahead anyway. Restrictions affect the third world the most because those communities need fossil fuels to develop. Businesses their have neither the inclination nor the funding for eco-villages and wind farms, but what they can do is hire thousands of people to dig coal. What will happen is that these countries will remain underdeveloped unless their people and markets are set free.

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5. 0

   Mtbailzposted 12 years ago

   It's happening in New England too. This last winter we had one nor'easter, something that usually happens every couple of weeks. Less precipitation in the spring, and less than usual in the summer too. It's a changing!

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6. 59

   Claims-Adviceposted 12 years ago

   Yes, very alarming indeed. How can someone possibly say that the climate is not changing? Selective perception, I wonder.

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   1. 67

      innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You'll find very few people who believe that the climate does not change. There are those, however, who doubt the catastrophic consequences of climate change the IPCC predicts, and take issue with many of the 'solutions' put forward by financially motivated lobbyists and politicians.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Most of the "financially motivated lobbyists" are being paid by the big oil, coal, and electric power industries.

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            innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Corporations looking out for their self-interest, as per usual, but there is a very strong anti-human mentality that pervades the environmental movement that people across the political spectrum are concerned about - especially since its influence is felt across the third world.

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            1. 60

               KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Yep, the 'population control' types are really getting geared up, and all this stupid talk about humans destroying the Earth is just giving them more ammo. How about this; those who think there are too many humans on the planet can just stop breeding, but let the rest of us make up our own minds. If we're meant for extinction then it'll happen either way. Conspiracy theories abound on Hubpages!

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            2. 72

               Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Short-run sacrifices may be necessary to promote the long-run goal of avoiding or mitigating potentially devastating human adjustments resulting from global warming.

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               1. 67

                  innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Sounds good and very diplomatic, but the IPCC's actual objective is a long-term rebuild of the economy with the world government in charge. Language in Agenda 21 includes 'private property and individual rights are irrelevant', all in the name of sustainability.

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                  1. 67

                     innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     List of things that are 'unsustainable' according to Agenda 21:
                     Grazing of livestock
                     Building fences
                     Plowing fields
                     Any industrial activity
                     Human made caves of bricks and mortar (single family homes)
                     Paved and tarred roads
                     Railroads
                     Floor and wall tiles
                     Fish ponds
                     Plantations
                     Harvesting timber
                     Hunting
                     Power lines
                     Economic systems that fail to provide value to the environment (there goes the free market)
                     
                     Pretty small sacrifices! Yeah!

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7. 59

   Hollie Thomasposted 12 years ago

   It's definitely changing in the UK. Winter and summer are all askew and this is reflected in the  price of vegetables.

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      Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the reminder, Hollie.
      Your broccoli is in the post.
      

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         Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         On a more serious note, those who've been warning about climate change, like forever, have stated time and time again that the deniers will only take note when staple foods (like potatoes, have you heard how expensive potties have become in the UK?) which were once inexpensive, suddenly become very expensive.

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         1. 75

            Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Well, if we believe the USDA, although this IS the worst natural disaster to hit the country since 1988, they have the situation well in hand.
            
            the 'informative inforgraphic' (sic) is well worth clicking on. I could not get it to save and upload for some reason. Excerpt of article below.
            
            http://usgovinfo.about.com/b/2012/08/15 … prices.htm
            
            On July 25th, the USDA's Economic Research Service projected that the drought's impact on the average retail price of beef, pork, poultry and dairy products should become noticeable to consumers by late summer. The full effect of increases on grocery basket prices for processed foods containing corn, flour and cereal will take over a year to show up, with little or no effect until then.
            
            According to the USDA, the increase in food prices is projected to be close to historical average this year and just slightly above that next year.
            
            While declaring the drought of 2012 to be the most serious natural disaster to impact U.S. agriculture since 1988, the USDA released this informative inforgraphic demonstrating how the growth and resiliency of the U.S. agriculture sector places it in a better position to endure unpredictable and unpreventable disasters than ever before.

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            1. 59

               Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Delaying the inevitable. In the UK, we now have half the dairy farmers that we had in 2000. And whilst it's true to say that the processing costs of dairy are largely to blame, so is the cost of destroyed crops (hey, feed for cattle, and also poor grazing due to weather conditions) 
               
               The farmers who have survived have grown their own feed, but eventually they have had to come out and demand more money for dairy from the supermarkets, because their businesses are unsustainable the way they are.

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8. 60

   ITcoachposted 12 years ago

   habee,
   
   You are saying right , The climate is changing day by day. The reason varies in different areas but i think more and more usage of coal and oil enhances the pollution as well as the Ozone layer around us. At last the climate changes but another big reason for this is usage of too much weapons like bombs and nuclear weapons also. that is also causing human danger and weather changes.
   
   Thanks for starting this world common issue.

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9. 51

   jcalesposted 12 years ago

   There's also more flooding in the rest of the world. Something has gotta give. With population booming everywhere and economies stalling nature has to preserve it's equilibrium. A big event has to occur.  Yes, I just woke up

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10. 58

    grillrepairposted 12 years ago

    i remember when i was younger "fall" in south Florida was only about 5 or 6 weeks long but these were the best weeks of the year.  The days were perfectly cool without being cool and I remember how energized i would feel all week long.
    
    For the last several years I have noticed it is extraordinarily hot.  Just hot all the time all year round.  This time of year, August and September in Florida we walk around with thick heavy humid heat and it feels like we're walking around in an oven.  In the time it takes to walk out of my office to go grab something from my truck I'll start sweating almost immediately.
    
    We used to get "winter" for a few weeks when we would have to wear jackets because we would get temperatures as low as 40 degrees but it has been 2 or 3 years since I had to wear a jacket at all.

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11. 61

    kathyinmnposted 12 years ago

    Just my 2 cents worth
    Yes the climate is changing and it’s changing in our life time. But are we totally to blame? I am sure we aren’t helping matters any. However, earth goes through climate changes all the time even way before humans walked the earth.
    At one time the Sahara desert was green and lush, America Midwest was warm and tropical, there used to be trees growing at each of the poles. 
    This worming happened before. In the middle ages the northern areas experienced a warming trend but then a mini ice age started. I think we’re in for that type of cycle again.

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    1. 78

       Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       No one says we are totally to blame, but we are not helping...
       
       Told you the "experts" would show up

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          KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          And what makes you an expert?  The science may be settled in your mind, but there are plenty of scientists out there who absolutely disagree but receive no publicity because they contradict and discredit the media's obsession with this issue.
          
          Those who would give the UN authority to dictate our environmental policies will attain their goal of leveling the playing field across the globe, we'll all end up like India in the end. Hope you don't mind dirt roads, blackouts, and no more meat... (of course liberals are often vegetarians, so that may no bother you)

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             Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             I am going on what the vast majority of scientists say... the ones who do not get funding from the oil companies.

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                KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Of course, the ones you agree with. It's so predictable. Your 'vast majority' are the ones who get media attention. Those who disagree are idiots I suppose. I'll be an expert too; global warming is natural and will not kill us.

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                   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                   No one said those who disagree are idiots. The vast majority of scientists get the attention because they are in the vast majority.

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                innersmiffposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                An exaggerated majority based on strange practices of the IPCC, like saying that everybody who attends the conferences agrees with the majority's conclusions (obviously untrue), and remember that only a portion of them are scientists, and only a portion of those are climate scientists. Then add in the factor that scientists who attempt to provide a different hypothesis regarding the Earth's climate often have their funding cut. The answer is not to believe the majority for the sake of it, but come to an educated conclusion from the evidence provided by scientists from all positions. What makes sense?
                
                My conclusion is that the climate is going through a change, but I do not buy the apocalyptic scenarios. Add into the equation the incredible amount of fraud and coverup on the behalf of the government funded 'researchers' and you have an extremely sceptical innersmiff.

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       2. 61

          kathyinmnposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          I never said I was an expert, and I do admit there is a problem. I was pointing out that it is what naturally happens in this world.
          Instead of boo hooing  about it why not come up with some practical solutions for the problems facing us ahead?

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             Uninvited Writerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             That is what they are trying to do but they are getting stopped from doing what is necessary.

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                KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                So do you think that outlawing carbon emissions here at home but allowing developing nations to do what they need to do will sovle the problem? What solution is being blocked?

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                   Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                   The problem of warming is no longer a scientific problem. This is settled. Now finding solutions is an educational and world wide political problem.

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          2. 60

             KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             The Vikings were farming/living very well in Greenland back between 800 and 1200 AD; their villages have been found under several feet of ice. What do you think they did when things got too cold? We just insist on fixing things instead of finding ways to live where it is hospitable, and the earth will always be changing.

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                Claims-Adviceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Yup, this is it. We just patch things at all costs instead of adapting to them for less cost. We just can't seem to think long-term.

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             2. 72

                Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                What the vikings were doing hundreds of years ago is irrelevant. There were climate cycles going back all the way. However the population explosion and the industrial revolution added another factor along with natural forces determining climate change. The effect of greenhouse gases is not just a hypothesis. It has been measured and its effect scientifically determined. The effect of greenhouse gases could be overcome by natural forces causing another ice age. This is apparently hard to predict in contrast to the effect of greenhouse gases on climate which is measurable and predictable..

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12. 78

    Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

    The point is to not do those things that will bring about the demise faster than it will happen naturally.

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13. 67

    prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

    The US ratified the Kyoto Protocol but is not obliged to any of its policies - carbon emission, green houses laws. Mostly R don't like and disapproved it.
    
    All the developed countries approved and abide by it including GBR, Aus, most EU countries but Canada withrew from it and the gov't is widely criticized for it by most of the people. 141 countries approved and oblige by its rulings and commitments.

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       KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Last I checked (a few weeks ago) the US had never ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

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          prettydarkhorseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          "The United States signed the Protocol on November 12, 1998. However, the Clinton Administration did not submit the Protocol to the Senate for advice and consent, acknowledging that one condition outlined by S.Res. 98, passed in mid-1997 — meaningful participation by developing countries in binding commitments limiting greenhouse gases — had not been met. In late March 2001, the Bush Administration rejected the Kyoto Protocol. The United States continued to attend the annual conferences of the parties (COPs) to the UNFCCC, but did not participate in Kyoto Protocol-related negotiations. In February, 2002, President Bush announced a U.S. policy for climate change that will rely on domestic, voluntary actions to reduce the “greenhouse gas intensity” (ratio of emissions to economic output) of the U.S. economy by 18% over the next 10 years."
          
          http://www.eoearth.org/article/Kyoto_Pr … ted_States

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             KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             Exactly, that's what I said. Congress hasn't acted so it doesn't apply to the US.

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14. 67

    prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

    In China, carbon use is due to manufacturing products that are shipped to different parts of the world .
    
    In the US, it is household consumption which utilizes carbon.

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15. 75

    Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

    
    
    It has been rather weird lately. All these clouds in the sky ... but no rain.
    Hmmm.
    

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       habeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Wish I could send you some of our rain. My tan is fading! Oh, horrors!

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          Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Wouldn't that be nifty? If we could trade weather with other states?
          We already swap energy (wind, solar, gas, hydro,nuclear, etc.) back and forth on the grid. We share our water with regions that need it.
          Why can't they come up with an interstate weather exchange?
          
          

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             Hollie Thomasposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             Why can't they come up with an international weather exchange, do you realise how damp we Brits are?

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                Mighty Momposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                I would gladly trade you some damp for relentless sunshine.
                Our "winter" and lasts seemingly five minutes in February. A few weeks of rain and 40-50 degrees.
                Then back to our regularly scheduled 10 months of summer.
                To be fair, we've had a lot fewer 100 degree days than normal this year.
                All the super hot weather migrated east.
                But there's nothing odd going on with the weather. Not a bit!!

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       Claims-Adviceposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Great clouds images. Love it.

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16. 84

    kathleenkatposted 12 years ago

    I was actually able to swim this summer. I live in Northwestern Washington. This is unusual; typically rains through July, and August feels like a brisk October day in the Southeast.
    
    Although, it would seem things have gone back to normal. I have begun needing to wear sweaters to work again.

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       teaches12345posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       After what we have experienced through Isaac here in South Florida, I would tend to agree with you.  They said there has never been a storm with such a wide band of rain: 300 miles!  The water has been very warm and I think that the climate has been a bit cooler around the nation a lot earlier each year.

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17. 74

    jacharlessposted 12 years ago

    I would attribute climatic changes to electricity, more than anything else.
    The electric energy of earth has increased 250% in the last 50 years. Everything from jets to cars, trains, phones and more, are disrupting the natural flow of electricity. It is increasing the number of violent electrical storms worldwide, heating up the elements, causing disturbances in the upper atmosphere -resulting in increased rains or droughts in strange places, not to forget reeking havoc on plant life, who rely on certain decibel levels and sound frequencies to communicate etc. Even the bumble bees are having issues pollinating and communicating with each other.
    
    James.
    
    

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       kathleenkatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I thought it seemed dark and lonely out West

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