[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: [BULK] Re: [BULK] HCFC & HFC ozone & global warming

[Lawrence Lile]

Yeah, I can't really say there is a bright side to this topic.  Humans
can adapt (heck, we can live in space, there isn't anything the Earth
could throw at us we can't handle) but chipmunks, snail darters, cave
fish, spotted owls and so on won't have such a good outcome.  Not to
mention any poverty stricken humans living on coasts. 
 
So in a couple hundred years, we'll be sharing our planet with a few
billion humans, cockroaches, rats, and kudzu. Most everything else will
be extinct at this rate.  I for one am looking forward to tending my
kudzu garden and raising my pet rats.  [NOT!]
 
Meanwhile, I think every day about trying to move to a zero-carbon
lifestyle, and it seems within reach given a few years work.  
 
--Lawrence Lile
 
 

________________________________

From: rigaziodesigns [mailto:rigaziodesigns at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:18 AM
To: Lawrence Lile
Cc: Greenbuilder list
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: [BULK] HCFC & HFC ozone &
global warming
Importance: Low


On the global warming topic, a friend of mine (an engineer and life long
science buff) brought up an interesting perspective on the issue on
which I was wondering if anyone else has any insights. He pointed out
that if you look at the natural warming and cooling patterns of the
earth over it's history, that the earth is due for a ice age. His
comment on global warming is similar to Lawrence's which is that global
warming will not be good, but we humans can probably adapt to the
changes. A natural ice age however would be catastrophic for humans.
Following that thought, human induced global warming could actually be
saving us from an ice age. It was a fascinating conversation although
tough to swallow the "bright side" concept; especially during hurricane
season. 
 
Lisa

 
On 8/30/06, Lawrence Lile <LLile at projsolco.com > wrote: 




	> While there are less of these gases than carbon dioxide, they
are 10
	to 11 thousand times worse. 
	
	Aha! So they are a major problem compared to CO2. I had no idea.
I stand
	corrected.
	
	>The Kyoto Protocol is calling for only 1 billion pounds
reduction in
	carbon dioxide. That goal has been wiped out by using HCFC's and
HFC's 
	and we would be lucky to save 1 billion pounds of the 2 to 3 by
	switching to better alternative at this point.
	
	Not the only problem with the Kyoto protocol, which was
basically
	watered down so bad as to only preserve the status quo.  I would
have 
	liked to see them ratify it, then force through BIGGER
restrictions.
	
	>There was another article in todays paper about methane. If the
oceans
	heat up too much more methane will be released (worse greenhouse
than 
	carbon dioxide), and there is more methane in the oceans (12
trillion
	pounds) than carbon dioxide in all of the fossil fuels left on
	earth.Scary thought eh?
	
	Kinda knocks the air out of carbon sequestration in the oceans,
doesn't 
	it?
	
	We are facing a huge battle.  Many of the natural systems, if
stressed
	beyond a certain limit, go through a phase shift and change
	dramatically.  For example Antarctic ice shelves tend to melt
slowly for 
	a long time then suddenly collapse catastrophically. A few
degrees
	surface temperature in the Gulf makes the difference between a
Cat 2 and
	a Cat 5 hurricane.  Methane in the Oceans might be the same type
of
	system, which if it snaps could trigger runaway global warming.
In that
	case you'd better invest in some beachfront property in
Arkansas.
	
	There are some who argue that Global warming is inevitable,
because we
	won't change fast enough, so get used to it and figure out how
to cope.
	I don't hold to that theory.  However, we keep talking about
this like
	it is the end of the world.  It isn't, it's just change on a
large
	scale.  Yes, we'd lose species, flood some coastal cities, and
have to 
	get used to different weather pattterns, and all of those things
are bad
	and uncomfortable and I would rather avoid them.  However, even
if the
	worst predictions for global warming happen, our grandchildren
will 
	still be here cussing their grandparents for being so
shortsighted, but
	still living out life just fine. Between Cat 5 hurricanes.
	
	
	--Lawrence Lile
	
	
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