This thread was interesting, and I'm glad that the OP did not just go into CO2, but directed the topic onto other chemicals which are harmful.
On this subject of global warming, I'm not too worried myself that the globe is warming at a dangerous rate. There isn't enough experimental evidence to support that such is occurring. The problem with meteorology and climatology, is that the only experimental data which can be obtained is very small scale. Sure, one may fill large tanks full of various gases and simulate a certain condition, but that is microscopic in comparison to the earth's atmosphere. The only data which we can gain on a much larger scale is based on corelational study, which unfortunately is not capable of determining whether two variables are related to eachother.
Take for example the studies done on the size of the northern polar ice cap. They have recorded the size of the ice cap multiple times over a few years, and discovered that it was shrinking. This is very interesting news, but unfortunately you cannot determine whether the cause of this occurring is because the globe is warming. Maybe the globe is warming because this is happening. Maybe they have no relation to eachother. Again, in science, corelational study cannot determine the relationship between two variables, only experimental study can.
But we can't experiment on a large scale. We have experimentally proven that gases such as water vapor and CO2 can cause a greenhouse gas effect, but we have only proven this in tanks which are much smaller than the earth's atmosphere.
Now what the OP is saying is a different story. If we want to take care of our environment in general, we do need to be aware of various chemicals which we emit, and which can cause harmful effects which we have discovered through experiment. But in my opinion, global warming actually distracts many from the real problems, and unnecessarily hurts businesses and economies.
07-Dec-2011 23:50:07
