Re[2]: [at-l] ANWR

[rafeb@adelphia.net (rafeb@adelphia.net)]

On 10 Feb 2002 at 11:55, saunterer@jimbullard.org wrote:


> According to my college earth science and geology courses (admittedly 
> lightweight freshman block stuff since I was a Fine Art major) I seem to 
> recall that some of the earth's heat is radiant.  This is from the molten 
> core that occasionally breaks through to the surface as volcanos (the 
> Romans didn't invent the heated floor, Mother Nature did).  Granted the 
> earth would be very cold without the greenhouse effect but carbon dioxide 
> in the atmosphere is not the only factor here.


But let's not lose sight of the fact that the CO2 concentration in 
the atmosphere has grown by about 35% in the last 140 years 
or so, since it was first measured reliably.

Consider this -- how many millions of years did it take for the 
sun-fed potential energy of ferns to turned to oil?  And then 
consider how brief an interval (150 years or so) we've had to 
release that energy into the atmosphere, along with the CO2 
resulting from that combustion.


> "Blame"?  That's a very judgmental word.  Certainly we are part of the 
> 'cause' but are we to "blame".  What often gets lost in any discussion of 
> the affect humans have on nature is that we are a part of nature too.


True.  There's no question that nature will survive, in some 
form, regardless of what we humans do.  The question is, 
will we survive along with it.


rafe b.