Short rant on CLIMATE CHANGE.

[singer]

Don't really concern myself with global climate change... but as soon as some consortium of government funded activists gets the notion to "do something" about the planet's atmosphere to correct the "problem"... well, that WILL scare me.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Don't really concern myself with global climate change... but as soon as some consortium of government funded activists gets the notion to "do something" about the planet's atmosphere to correct the "problem"... well, that WILL scare me.

If I am right about the cause of climate change, the only way to "do something" is to reduce pollution.

And guess what?  People are already doing something about it.  Hell, at the plant, 80% of what I work on is pollution control equipment.  Thing is, what they're doing is just a start.

Pay off is, even if climate change isn't caused by pollution, all this new technology also gives you clean air and water.  And that can't be bad.

[Suu]

I still say that 70% of climate change is due to natural patterns and 30% by pollution. But that's just me and one of several theories that abound. Should we be concerned for it and scale back our polluting emissions? Absolutely. Should we donate tons of money to Greenpeace and Al Gore? Um, no. Save your money, let the corporations do what they have to do, and just stock up on sunblock for now.

In another 10 years or so when we enter a natural cooling trend, will people think that they've saved the planet? I can't wait. Lol.

[AFK]

You probably wouldn't expect this from me. No, usually I'm the calm centered one about scientific inquiry (provided creationists aren't involved).

But I've had it up to here with going to the earth science news on CNN.com, and EVERY LAST FUCKING ARTICLE is on climate change.

FUCK, people. Isn't there something in biology or geology or any of the other so called "earth sciences" that you could draw on and make an interesting article out of besides this continuous log of fearmongering BULLSHIT?!?

I don't see anything useful in any of this. Sure, I believe the climatologists with their current observations of the planet, and there is change and variation in the climate. I think they are smart people doing good science. I think they are probably right about global warming and cooling events, and I think they are probably right that human population has had some effect upon these events.

I am just so FUCKING TIRED of hearing everyone and their DOG'S opinions on this. Everyone is suddenly a scientist with a degree in toxicology, sociology, anthropology, paleogeography, geology, biology, ecology and climatology when it comes to CLIMATE CHANGE. I've only got a degree in one of those things and I STILL don't consider myself qualified to draft an opinion for or against it. I've studied hydrology and limnology and geology and I still don't have a clue how the climatologist's model's work, and these JOURNALISTS with degrees in COMMUNICATION, think they have a fucking clue?

This isn't a game of "whoever talks about it the most makes it the case". Climatology isn't politics, it isn't morality, it certainly isn't based upon some opinions of some NUMBNUTS reporter from hugatreefucktheman.org. This is real science, with real observations and real models, not some pony ride you can drive so you feel good about yourself and so you can say over and over and over "NOT IN MY FUCKING BACKYARD". This isn't a game of WHO CAN WE BLAME NEXT? This isn't a game at all.

And whats worse than people turning opinions into "science", is people spamming news articles about "science" into more fearmongering bullshit. I won't have it, not anymore. Next dipshit that walks up to me and starts talking about the melting of the polar icecaps and the rising of the oceans and the increase in storms and ALL KINDS OF THIS FEARFUL SHIT I am going to punch them in the face, folks. I'll stick with scientists for science.

Or fucking bump me off.

Of course, the whole discussion has become politicized beyond recognition and Al Gore certainly didn't help that.  I know he has good intentions, of wanting to bring the information to the masses.  But, that can be a double-edged sword, especially when many in your audience aren't really going to understand what you are talking about.  I am hopeful though, about alternative energies.  Just because the discussion has been shifted from "Save The Planet" to "Save Your Wallet" combined with "Screw the Middle East Oil Barrons!"  The results of developing cleaner sources of energy will most likely still have a positive impact on the environment, but people will have more buy-in when you shift the focus from something so distant from them to something they can really sink their teeth into. 

[Kai]

I think its rather stupid that we need some catastrophic visualization through global warming to justify not living in sludge and smog.

Clean air, clean water and clean soil should be an nice aim on its own, like it used to be when lake Erie caught on fire.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I still say that 70% of climate change is due to natural patterns and 30% by pollution. But that's just me and one of several theories that abound. Should we be concerned for it and scale back our polluting emissions? Absolutely. Should we donate tons of money to Greenpeace and Al Gore? Um, no. Save your money, let the corporations do what they have to do, and just stock up on sunblock for now.

In another 10 years or so when we enter a natural cooling trend, will people think that they've saved the planet? I can't wait. Lol.

I wasn't giving them my money anyway.  First of all, they can't do anything about it but bitch, and second, I hate Greenpeace because of the seal hunt thing.

Thing is, my refinery is allowed to dump something like 5000 metric tons of reactant into the atmosphere, by the EPA.  Our company's standard allows 50 metric tons.  We then give our data to congress, and ask for tougher standards.

Do we do this because we're eco-freaks?  No, we do it because our competitors cannot afford either the cost of the pollution control equipment nor the cost of buying a senator or three.

Over time, this results in less air pollution, which means less smog and less sinus problems for you.

In short, the invisible hand has just wiped your nose.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think its rather stupid that we need some catastrophic visualization through global warming to justify not living in sludge and smog.

Clean air, clean water and clean soil should be an nice aim on its own, like it used to be when lake Erie caught on fire.

*ahem*

Planet full of monkeys.

[Suu]

I think its rather stupid that we need some catastrophic visualization through global warming to justify not living in sludge and smog.

Clean air, clean water and clean soil should be an nice aim on its own, like it used to be when lake Erie caught on fire.

You're right. I still believe the majority of it is some marketing gimmick or some heroic "save the planet" bullshit.

[Kai]

I think its rather stupid that we need some catastrophic visualization through global warming to justify not living in sludge and smog.

Clean air, clean water and clean soil should be an nice aim on its own, like it used to be when lake Erie caught on fire.

*ahem*

Planet full of monkeys.

Planet full of monkeys, btw, was the whole impulse behind this rant, and I dare say is probably the impulse behind most rants on this forum.

[Kai]

Next one is going to be about how tired I'm hearing about evolution. 

Kai,

Going insane, slowly.

[AFK]

I look forward to that one. 

[Suu]

Next one is going to be about how tired I'm hearing about evolution. 

Kai,

Going insane, slowly.

Aww, but I LOVE evolution and survival of the fittest!

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think its rather stupid that we need some catastrophic visualization through global warming to justify not living in sludge and smog.

Clean air, clean water and clean soil should be an nice aim on its own, like it used to be when lake Erie caught on fire.

*ahem*

Planet full of monkeys.

Planet full of monkeys, btw, was the whole impulse behind this rant, and I dare say is probably the impulse behind most rants on this forum.

Monkeys are oblivious to cause and effect. 

[Bu🤠ns]

i think all it would take is a little pride of ownership. 

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Next one is going to be about how tired I'm hearing about evolution. 

Kai,

Going insane, slowly.

There's a way to shut those assholes up.

Next time you run into a partisan of either side, you simply respond with "Either we evolved from monkeys, or we're supposed to look like this, and I'm not impressed either way."

Or you can just hit them with TGRR's "least fit monkey theory".