Not to bum anyone out even more, but its not just global warming: Global Dimming

[Az]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2058273530743771382

This is a BBC (of course) video about Global Dimming. The result of visible pollutants in the air. They have caused a decrease in solar energy reaching the earth. This has caused a cooling. It has caused major shifts in the climate. It has already killed millions of people in Africa. Fortunately we are doing something about it. Unfortunately it has largely been masking the effect of global warming. So as we correct global dimming the speed of global warming increases. This is because our effects on global warming have been stronger than we thought and by taking the counter effect of global dimming off we are beginning to see the real effects of global warming.

We have to correct both visible pollutants and green house gases at the same time or we risk a runaway system. The video gives far better detail than I am and is well worth watching. Its about 47 minutes long.

[LisaM]

1. What do you expect under the Dim Sun?

How aptly named.

[Double T]

2. Good luck getting humans to cooperate with this worldwide........

disaster. Hell, they won't even give up their SUVs to lower emissions and conserve the limited dwindling resources.

[LakeSamish706]

3. Not only that, they won't even do anything to make sure that they still live...

in a Democracy...

[Double T]

4. What democracy??

[hedgehog]

5. I wonder if a dim sun is responsible for the growing number of

people with a Vitamin D deficiency. Usually it is blamed on the fact that we spend more time indoors out of the sun these days.

[Az]

6. Could be. One stat was a drop in 10% of the sun reaching the earth

That could do it I would imagine.

[charlie]

7. Ah, pining for the halcyon days

of Y2K, the ozone hole, and killer bees. A golden time.

Anyone check the Yellowstone caldera lately? With our run of luck, that thing is probably getting ready to blow before next Tuesday.

[skids]

10. Not before "the big one" hits CA...

...oh and throw in a Canary Island East Coast Tsunami in there.

So many potential disasters, so little actual preparation and rainy-day-saving. Sigh.

[SoCalDem]

8. Ahhh you saw the documentary.. Scary, isn't it..

It's been discussed a lot, but of course we have llittle power to do anything about it..

I guess our "success" over nature has doomed us to wait for her ultimate revenge :cry:

[FourScore]

9. Excellent documentary!

I hightly recommend it.

[Uncle Joe]

11. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Az.

[Az]

12. Kick for the night crowd

Hi there.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. Just waiting to hear the right use this to poo-poo warming

"See? No problem! We just keep polluting enough and they balance each other out!"