Global "Warning"
 

I was just watching a documentary on Hurricane Katrina's 135 mph winds, and it was saying that 2005 was the worse hurricane season on record in the North Atlantic. My question is why so many tropical storms now? The only thing that I could think of was global warming. I titled this thread Global "Warning" because I think we're now seeing the warning signs of more weather disasters yet to come, because of global warming.

What about our health? How is global warming effecting our health? I think it will eventually effect our health, but right now I think it's too soon to predict the specifics.

The bottom line is I think it's very much clear that the climate change we're experiencing is a serious threat to our planet that has to be addressed now. The longer we wait the worse it's going to get.

What are your thoughts on global warming? Do you think it's causing much of the climate change we are now experiencing?

I haven't noticed a climate change.

Storms as bad as Katrina have hit the gulf before.

As to the effects or existence of global warming, the jury is out. I suppose it doesn't hurt to have cleaner air, etc. though.

I think the scientists said that war in the Sudan is caused by global warming due to drought and lack of sustainable agriculture.

In fact the malaria build up in humid regions that are not using DTT to sustain the mosquitoes may be due to global warming.

I think the concept of reducing carbon emissions in our atmosphere is going to be a tough pill to swallow. Maybe until the aliens come with flying saucers? ;)

True, but these storms are no longer a once a season thing. There were 28 storms in 2005, but only five grew into hurricanes, one of them reaching Florida. The storms now are far more intense with heavier rainfalls than in the past.

I haven't noticed a climate change either, but people in other countries have.

Thoughts? That it's an issue that needs more attention on an international scale - hopefully things will change in '08 when Bush is gone, and Harper falls.

Is it causing climate change? Yes. Has been for years really, looking at the old cottage records... at the cottage my family would take daily lake temperature and clarity readings (either for fishing or swimming) every summer, and looking at the last 70 years it's easy to see some troubling spikes - aside from that visiting friends in the far north or in the rockies provides ample evidence with changes in weather patterns, the snow belt, permafrost melting, etc. Climate change is amplified the further from the equator one goes, and on the edges of ecosystems so it's been a far sight easier to notice up this way.

Climate change does not necessarily mean only the intensity of a storm... It also means increased aridness, or foul gases that are emitted from the ground that aid in the heating of our planet.

Global warming I thought also meant loss of one of the ionospheres causing more UV and Cosmic rays onto the Earth...

Scientist believe that with the warm weather and heavy rainfalls that the mosquito population will increase. I know Malaria kills about 1 million people each year, but I don't think this is due to global warming, as long as you focus on lowland areas, plus those regions already have a mosquito problem. Some insects that carry deadly diseases may not be able to survive hotter temperatures in the southwestern part of the U.S. anyway. I'm not saying this won't change in the future though. Malaria has risen since the 70s in highland cities, now, how much of that can be tied to temperature increases as opposed to population movement, lapses in mosquito control or the spread of drug resistent parasites pretty much is a matter of debate. I don't think really anyone, including scientists can predict any outbreak or anyone's death by saying this is due to climate change. I do know that good public health relies on a long list of factors, like the availability of doctors, effective medications, clean water, proper sanitation, ect ect. and even with that, people die every year of what should be preventable diseases. I think with global warming the death toll could increase.

I agree. Global warming is related to melted icebergs, wild fires, drought, floods, ect. I can go on and on about all the related problems that are caused by global warming.

What I think we will and are seeing is increase old types of all infections, like a resurgence in smallpox, fungal outbreaks and other vectors we don't want to begin to discuss and don't have enough drugs for...

Also, there is a gross reduction in numerous fish and aquatic animal populations worldwide. You use to get large ton fish, not anymore. From sharks, marlins, etc. We have overfished. Same with tuna that are part of the food chain for other species.

We are going to have a problem within 5 years with some fish and animals...

What Bush/Harper do is basically going to do little/nothing so long as China gets to be exempt from Kyoto.

Some tuna are already considered to be endangered. I can't remember the specific name of the species though, but I know large quantities of it are consumed each year in Japan.

We see it in the salmonids... The babies are not getting to sea and it take 2-3 years to be an adult and they are not coming back...

Now, while the weather in my area is very pretty, it is abnormal when it does not rain in Seattle 9 months out of the year... And while we did have significant snow pack, we will be seeing increased flooding due to thaw and melt...

Who's to say that won't change? There are a lot of troubled spots all over the world from depleted forests to dying reefs. Some areas have more rainfall than normal, and some have less.

Even here, in the United States, excessive carbon emissions add to global warming, and the U.S. has a relatively clean environment.

It won't change until humankind, meaning all of us, find something to do with our carbon emissions... Maybe a loss in food stuffs? Many countries, 2nd and 3rd world ones are switching to ethanol to drive their vehicles. Why the US is so resistant when we generated much of this technology is beyond me...

I dunno, I don't think US has a clean environment to be one of the most richest and industrialized nations in the world... And although, China is catching up quickly and will surpass us in 50 years with money and other things, they are doing more to switch than we are...

Making US back into the stone ages...

Yeah, Seattle's weather is becoming more extreme. Still mild compared to most of the country, but we've been getting more snow in the past few years than I can ever remember growing up here.