h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The dudes who invented global warming did so based on the data from ground-based thermometers. They freely admit that the data from these are affected by the 'heat-island' phenomenon and by basic human incompetence and myriads of other factors. These thermometers are almost completely ground based, yet most of our planet is water! Weather baloons and satellite (100% coverage of the Earth!!) based thermal sensors show a slight cooling of the earth over the last twenty years or so. If the so-called scientists who support the idea of global warming were to suddenly say 'naw, it looks alright after all' then they'd suddenly be out of jobs and grants too, wouldn't they? Too much fudging has been done around this area already! None of the data (apart from dodgy ground based thermometers) show any global warming at all!!!

you don't need to be a great scientist to see that you can't put more energy into a system without getting something back.

I agree with Juliet. We are releasing billions of tonnes of carbon-dioxide among other things into the atmosphere. So if the earth is a closed system and the level of solar energy input into the atmosphere is the same as the amount of energy leaving the atmosphere, surely releasing energy stored in the earths' crust for 100 million+ years is going to have some effect?
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been shown to have risen from 270 ppb to 360 ppb in the past 150 years I have read articles suggesting that once we hit a level of 550 ppb (no data in front of me- just remembering this) then we will start to see major changes in many areas of the ecosystem.

I agree with you that there (almost certainly) is a problem, but there is a slight misunderstanding. It doesn't do any harm to release energy from the ground (eg geothermal, or even nuclear - from the point of view of the energy!). The problem is with the CO2, which insulates the atmosphere so the temperature has to be higher to get the input and output to balance. The amount of energy we make is tiny compared to the input from the sun. With more CO2 around than there used to be it has to be happening - no question. The argument seems to be about how much the temperature will rise, and what nasty effects might happen even with a small average rise (changed ocean currents etc.) Only being pedantic because it makes a difference to what we should do to stop it. (I guess less energy use is a sure fire solution but it's hard to get people to do because they lose mobility and warmth. Different energy sources is probably a better way.)
I expect from the name you liked James Lovelock's books? I thought they were very convincing.

Higher temperatures and levels of CO2. Some very productive farming on the way perhaps?

Ah, but we live on the slighly more solid part of the planet.

And as we only live on the one planet, shouldnt we take the slightly cautious approach ?

Lets face it, were pouring a lot of stuff into the atmosphere that wasn't there originally, so maybe we should think about stopping it.

We need to be filtering the atmosphere , purifying it, clean up our act. Get some big filters at ground zero engage into suck mode and release clean air.
Airships with filters on fly over major cities , monitor the results.
Come on you scientists somebody has to think of cleaning the air that
envelopes the earth.
There are so many forms of pollution that fouls our air, how on earth can we hope to control. Until we can do that effectively lets
lets get people employed making the parts needed, sponsor chasing....
it would be a new adventure thousands of people in new employment.

Global warming seems to be shown in the reports of rising sea levels in Tuvalu and the bay of Bengal, in the disappearance of glaciers and icecaps all over the world and the recent extreme temperatures in Europe (summer 2003). My feeling is that this will accelerate and may suddenly become blindingly obvious (like a pan of milk boiling) within the next twenty years. If this is the case, and most people would accept it's a serious possibility, we need to keep our eyes open and start thinking fast. But things are not going to change until a sizeable proportion of the population are convinced.

Of course it may be too late by then.