While much of this was relatively unknown outside of scientific communities in the early 70's, a couple centuries worth of industrial pollution was certainly being examined for ways to combat the effects. In Los Angeles, where I grew up, smog became a catalyst for many studies on man made pollution. In 1952 London, over 4 thousand people died from smog and the industrial pollutants which caused it.
For me, climate deniers remind me of doctors who pushed cigarettes prior to government finally stepping in.
...and climate alarmists remind me of zombie cult members.
This may well be the worst generation.
Careful, every generation has great and lazy-minded people. I'm learning not to generalize so much about generations.
Climate change is real, I've worked with the data on research regarding planetary evolution in order to better predict habitable planets in other star systems.
As you say, meh, to the habitable planets thing. Earth is the only thing designed remotely close for life. You probably have a better appreciation than most as to the awesome and perfect design of our plant. My view is that God created the other planets and solar systems to show us the difference, so we could appreciate it, and to show us how special we are.
As to "Climate Change is real", you and I don't have to re-engage on this, but you will acknowledge that phrase is just a platitude. I know you mean AGW, which is a more accurate claim. That man is negatively affecting the atmosphere of our planet through our actions. Thousands of great scientists have studied this and disagree. Much data is on their side.
I believe the United States would be foolish to abandon many of our great, and reliable resources such as natural gas, coal and oil, and move toward unproven, and unreliable things, wind especially. We should also resurrect our nuclear industry, as it has proven itself to become very safe, and effective. Study and improve everything, though. If Solar, and hydro have breakthroughs, or lithium, by all means.
But to "phase out" of oil and gas for no other reason than 400ppm of natural CO2 emissions, (plant food) is so foolish, self-loathing, and suicidal to our society. CO2 is wonderful. It should not be treated like poison and the evidence is clear that its affect on warming the earth is not linear. The greening of our earth is in-fact a positive thing.
Somehow it was determined that lower levels of CO2 in the atmosphere were the "norm". We are at around 400ppm, and many think even a bit higher is better for sustaining life.
We could easily have solar roads (which are programmable to be able to change appearances to make anything from a freeway to a basketball court l), solar windows, along with wind and hydro power plants to have more than enough power, bioluminescent algae street lights, planting canopy trees and making our skyscrapers plant accessible (allowing trees to be planted up buildings) lower the temperature of cities, etc. All those technologies exist now, crap there's a gel fridge that doesn't have a door, you just shove your crap into this weird jello looking thing and it keeps it cool, the future is already here. It's just expensive.
Ah, expensive. As in "not viable, yet"? Maybe never? We can keep an open mind to some of those things without committing to them because of some emotional political wave.
And frankly we should invest for nothing else but it would all be much cooler to look at, and life would be better as well, better for the average Joe instead of just a select few.
Is that a reason to commit to something, Blue? I mean, maybe on a 7th grade science essay, but for real? I'm not trying to be harsh. You are a sharp dude, PhD and all. I know you are just putting into simple terms, and the "making life better" part is not lost on me, but look how far down the road we've gone with the disastrous wind industry, even as evidence is more and more clear that Don Quijote should have slayed that dragon before it procreated.
Lots of bad ideas get "funding" and go on for decades, get entrenched, and have a net negative affect on society.
