(10-08-2021, 11:57 AM)BilltheCat Wrote: "Will they result in catastrophe fir mankind? No I don’t think so".
You will admit, I'm sure, that (as muschi points out) our generation has done very little to look after planet Earth.
Deforestation, cattle-farming, increases in greenhouse gases etc all give the younger generation every reason to be scared.
BTC, I will of course admit that. The younger generation are showing no signs of being any better though, they embrace the ‘throw away’ society and must have all the latest gadgets. They talk the talk but………………
The amount of plastic in the oceans is a complete disgrace and there is no excuse whatsoever. Then you have things like disposable nappies, which will be a major pollutant for many years to come.
I have long thought that it should be illegal to mass produce something that you can’t destroy or recycle.
As for deforestation, I agree that is a real problem. That is largely a result of overpopulation in poor countries though and I’m not sure how you could approach that.
Greenhouse gasses are not inherently bad, in past eras the level of CO2 in the atmosphere has been much higher and has resulted in lush forests carpeting the earth. Plants need CO2, hence the practice of pumping it into poly tunnels and the like.
There is no reason to be scared but there is every reason to promote sustainable systems. That can’t be done in a hurry though, and we will need to continue burning fossil fuels for some time to come. We also need to develop electric cars that don’t have batteries you can’t recycle.
Any attempts to reduce pollution get my full support.
Blaming the young for ‘wanting all the latest gadgets’ is grossly unfair. They didn’t invent these products and commercial and industrial systems; that was our generation, our parents, grandparents and great grandparents generations.
Regarding deforestation, that is mainly the result of rich countries wanting meat and stuff like palm oil, not over population. I recommend looking up Hans Rosling if you want to learn more about where global population might be headed - my own assumptions where completely over turned.
You studied meteorology? I did a module on economics once but I don’t claim to be an economist. Climate science has moved on and the link between human industrialisation and CO2 is conclusive. You must have some incredibly compelling evidence to go against the weight of research and findings of the vast number of scientists from around the world. Why not share it?
CO2 may have been higher in the past, but we weren’t there to experience the effect, and it didn’t rise as fast. Also, adding CO2 in a greenhouse is not the same as in the environment where ecosystems are more complex, and raised CO2 can lead to drought and heat stress for plants. To suggest otherwise is simplistic and unscientific.
