Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

The image below illustrates the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. For hundreds of thousands of years, you can see that a trend of a gradual decline, followed by a sharp increase is evident. You can see where humans come into the equation and the increase is enormous.


Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, as is methane, which is also rapidly increasing. In other words, they trap heat. The atmosphere of Venus is composed mostly of carbon dioxide and temperatures on the planet are on average over 800 degrees fahrenheit.

Even if the entire planet becomes acutely aware of this and changes the ways we are impacting the planet, we will likely feel the effects of our contribution for hundreds of years to come.

Do you believe humans are partially responsible for this phenomena? Can we come back from this, or are our actions irreversible at this point? What do you think has caused the natural rise and fall of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere in the distant past?

image comes from: http://climate.nasa.gov/[/SIZE]

Well YOLO I guess. It cold where I am anyways so fuck it.

Vengeance said:

Well YOLO I guess. It cold where I am anyways so fuck it.

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Climate change doesn't just have to do with heat.

Kassie said:

Climate change doesn't just have to do with heat.

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Whatever, like I said YOLO, if it happens it happens.

"Do you believe humans are partially responsible for this phenomena? Can we come back from this, or are our actions irreversible at this point? What do you think has caused the natural rise and fall of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere in the distant past?"

1. Obviously...
2. That would be a question for someone educated on the subject; a scientist.
3. I wasnt aware that carbon dioxide levels fluctuated by a margin worth discussing before we were here. If there was something, it obviously wasn't significant enough to prevent our existence. I looked at the chart again. I have no idea what caused those inclines and declines. I would assume that just how the natural process played out. This could be a bit of an amateur idea, but maybe a planet or a star exploded in a close enough radius to Earth and it released CO2 that made its way into the Earths atmosphere, causing it to spike. Or, contrary, an element that would lower the CO2 level.

Pastlife said:

"Do you believe humans are partially responsible for this phenomena? Can we come back from this, or are our actions irreversible at this point? What do you think has caused the natural rise and fall of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere in the distant past?"

1. Obviously...
2. That would be a question for someone educated on the subject; a scientist.
3. By "distant past" do you mean pre-humans? I wasnt aware that carbon dioxide levels fluctuated by a margin worth discussing before we were here. If there was something, it obviously wasn't significant enough to prevent our existence.

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1. There are a lot of people who don't believe in climate change at all, let alone believe humans have contributed to it.
2. It's an opinion question. Everyone can have an opinion on whether this is repairable or not.
3. Distant past: The 400,000 year scale present on the image. The margin is worth discussing because it fluctuates sharply and visibly, before we were even contributing. The point is carbon dioxide levels have been rising and falling in a trend for hundreds of thousands of years.

Kassie said:

1. There are a lot of people who don't believe in climate change at all, let alone believe humans have contributed to it.
2. It's an opinion question. Everyone can have an opinion on whether this is repairable or not.
3. Distant past: The 400,000 year scale present on the image. The margin is worth discussing because it fluctuates sharply and visibly, before we were even contributing. The point is carbon dioxide levels have been rising and falling in a trend for hundreds of thousands of years.

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I dont give a shit if particular denominations believe in it or not, climate change is not up for debate. Their nonbelief is irrelevant, and a single look at that chart can tell you why.

The answer is not an opinion. It is either repairable or it isnt. Only one who is highly educated on the subject can answer that.

I edited my post on the third question but you responded faster.

Pastlife said:

I dont give a shit if particular denominations believe in it or not, climate change is not up for debate. Their nonbelief is irrelevant, and a single look at that chart can tell you why.

The answer is not an opinion. It is either repairable or it isnt. Only one who is highly educated on the subject can answer that.

I edited my post on the third question but you responded faster.

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Their disbelief is relevant because without global, all in cooperation, we will never turn this thing around.

I'm not asking you to tell me as fact if this can be fixed or not. I'm asking if you THINK we can come back from this, or if we've screwed ourselves over. What you think, is your opinion.

That idea is interesting. The levels do fluctuate pretty drastically. They are spaced evenly about 100,000 years apart, which leads me to believe it wasn't something as random as star explosions, as there is an evident pattern going on here, but who knows.

Kassie said:

Their disbelief is relevant because without global, all in cooperation, we will never turn this thing around.

I'm not asking you to tell me as fact if this can be fixed or not. I'm asking if you THINK we can come back from this, or if we've screwed ourselves over. What you think, is your opinion.

That idea is interesting. The levels do fluctuate pretty drastically. They are spaced evenly about 100,000 years apart, which leads me to believe it wasn't something as random as star explosions, as there is an evident pattern going on here, but who knows.

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Thats a great point. I still see zero relevance in people giving their "opinion" when there is only correct answer. As far as that pattern goes, im with you. Thats why I'm not commited to my theory, I just threw it out there for speculation.

Pastlife said:

Thats a great point. I still see zero relevance in people giving their "opinion" when there is only correct answer. As far as that pattern goes, im with you. Thats why I'm not commited to my theory, I just threw it out there for speculation.

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It doesn't make a difference, I am just curious as to the pessimism or optimism people hold in regards to this situation. Personally, I don't think people are going to change and this is only going to get worse. Some people propose burning methane as fuel, which would turn earth quickly into a planet like Venus. It just goes to show how quick people are to disregard the well being of the planet that sustains them.

The pattern is interesting; Scientists haven't really been able to answer it yet.

I believe that humans are the primary reason for the phenomena.
Coming back from it, I doubt it. The population is only rising which is only making it more and more irreversible.
Primarily human population fluctuating and then sky rocketing up, not sure of any other reason that could be responsible as mush as that.
Just my thoughts on the subject, I'm obviously not a scientist, just a student in biology.. Haha.