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Close Window US scientists say accumulation of greenhouse gases in atmosphere is accelerating Wednesday, April 23, 2008 WASHINGTON - Major greenhouse gases in the air are accumulating faster than in the past despite efforts to curtail their growth.
Carbon dioxide concentration in the air increased by 2.4 parts per million last year, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Wednesday, and methane concentrations also rose rapidly.
Concern has grown in recent years about these gases, with most atmospheric scientists concerned that the increasing accumulation is causing the earth's temperature to rise, potentially disrupting climate and changing patterns of rainfall, drought and other storms.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has worked to detail the scientific bases of this problem and the Kyoto agreement sought to encourage countries to take steps to reduce their greenhouse emissions. Some countries, particularly in Europe, have taken steps to reduce emissions.
But carbon dioxide emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas have continued to increase.
Since 2000, annual increases of two parts per million or more have been common, compared with 1.5 ppm per year in the 1980s and less than one ppm per year during the 1960s, NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory said.
Global concentration of carbon dioxide is now nearly 385 parts per million. Preindustrial carbon dioxide levels hovered around 280 ppm until 1850. Human activities pushed those levels up to 380 ppm by early 2006.
Rapidly growing industrialization in Asia and rising wetland emissions in the Arctic and tropics are the most likely causes of the recent methane increase, said Ed Dlugokencky from NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory.
Methane in the atmosphere rose by 27 million tons (24.5 million metric tons) last year after nearly a decade with little or no increase, he said.
Methane is 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but there is far less of it in the atmosphere. When related climate affects are taken into account, methane's overall climate impact is nearly half that of carbon dioxide.
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Yeah but the other expert just wrote an article saying global warming was over?
jordanreed
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can we all agree that pollution is bad and getting worse?...or is that just some socialist mumbo-jumbo?...
Relentless.
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Pollution getting worse? In this country? No, I'm not sure that's true. Seems that with all the initiatives over the last twenty years pollution should and likely is less than ever before. Pollution in other countries? Yeah probably worse if you're talking China, Russia, and Mexico. Partly our fault in the case of Mexico.
Propertymanager
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Relentless,
You're absolutely right. Pollution is certainly much better than it has been during the past 40 years or so. The air is cleaner, the water is cleaner, and Lake Erie doesn't even catch fire anymore.
Yes, all the hysteria over the environment is just socialist mumbo-jumbo! And Yes, global warming probably ended 10 years ago. Let's get with the program - global cooling will be the next socialist buzzword (like in the '70s).
T e x
posted all the hysteria over the environment
Lake Erie doesn't even catch fire anymore.
ya, hysterical...
Relentless.
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Should count the loss of our manufacturing and farming sectors to the lessened pollution in this country and added pollution in China and Mexico.
glassman
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you guys are funny.
"pollution" is less? how could that be?
no matter how you try to "define" pollution we still consume more oil every year. and we still consume more coal every year.
it's easy to "say" Lake Erie doesn't catch fire anymore, but you still have along stretch to say it's clean:
After more than a decade of improving water quality along this spit of sand that gracefully arcs into Lake Erie from Pennsylvania's northwest corner, potentially unhealthy water conditions caused officials to close one or more of the popular beaches for 27 days last year and 17 days this year.
Even though many fun-in-the-sun days at Presque Isle State Park have been jeopardized for two summers, no one from a host of local, county and state agencies and universities has been able to figure out where the pollution is coming from or how to stop it.
we fixed some of our own worst practices, but we still have a long way to go...
as for carbon emissions? till somebody figures out how to recapture CO2 from simple carbon based fuel combustion? we will always be producing CO2 from it.
jordanreed
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quote:Originally posted by Propertymanager: Relentless,
You're absolutely right. Pollution is certainly much better than it has been during the past 40 years or so. The air is cleaner, the water is cleaner, and Lake Erie doesn't even catch fire anymore.
Yes, all the hysteria over the environment is just socialist mumbo-jumbo! And Yes, global warming probably ended 10 years ago. Let's get with the program - global cooling will be the next socialist buzzword (like in the '70s).
and this is fact?...or more of your B.S. opinions?
bond006
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PM your right its all a bunch of BS.
Ater all the first test of truth to a right winger is does tax cuts cure it? If not we will bully it now does that fix it.
If it does not then there is no problem so nothing has to be fixed.
Third grade diploma ecology 101 major
bond006
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Oh I forgot Gore is a lying commie polluter him self. So it was ok to cheat the American people and Gore.
Lockman
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Why don't we give Gore another chance? Even he looks better than the three running now. lol
jordanreed
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I am wrong..pms is correct in stating air pollution has gotten better..I apoligise
Air Pollution Statistics
During the past 29 years, air pollution in the United States has dramatically decreased as a result of the combined efforts of government, industry and individuals. Yet, research indicates that the public is largely unaware of this progress and believes that air pollution continues to increase and the air quality is deteriorating. The Foundation aims to educate the public about the great strides that have been made as well as the steps individuals and organizations can take to contribute to continued progress.
quote:Originally posted by jordanreed: I am wrong..pms is correct in stating air pollution has gotten better..I apoligise
Air Pollution Statistics
During the past 29 years, air pollution in the United States has dramatically decreased as a result of the combined efforts of government, industry and individuals. Yet, research indicates that the public is largely unaware of this progress and believes that air pollution continues to increase and the air quality is deteriorating. The Foundation aims to educate the public about the great strides that have been made as well as the steps individuals and organizations can take to contribute to continued progress.
lol, certain areas are definitely better...otherwise, we'd all be burnt or rotted from within, had the practices of the earlier decades gone unchecked.
But to maintain we're all OK now--based on that improvement--is a red herring.
Propertymanager
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quote:lol, certain areas are definitely better...otherwise, we'd all be burnt or rotted from within, had the practices of the earlier decades gone unchecked.
But to maintain we're all OK now--based on that improvement--is a red herring.
How clean is clean enough Tex? Does the environment need to be so clean for you environmentalists that all of our industry moves overseas? Does it need to be so clean that humans can no longer live here? What do you want?
jordanreed
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I'm a clean freak..I want it really,really CLEAN!! You say evironmentalist like its a dirty word,or a bad thing..its a good thing to be one.. whats wrong with you?
jordanreed
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having a clean environment should be a world-wide concern..not just here.and it should be your concern also..thats just common-sense..and you have common-sense dont you?
glassman
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quote:Originally posted by Propertymanager: How clean is clean enough Tex? Does the environment need to be so clean for you environmentalists that all of our industry moves overseas? Does it need to be so clean that humans can no longer live here? What do you want?
another myth. corporations can't compete and produce products without destroying the environment.
it's really a question of who pays.
your children or the (place name of third world country here)'s children.
have you seen picture of the air in Beijing? it's so bad they are gonna shut down most industries and at least half of all cars for the olympics.
it'll COST them big time in cash and other things too, sooner or later the butcher always gets paid.
the real reason they move overseas is because of labor costs.
T e x
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quote:Originally posted by Propertymanager:
quote:lol, certain areas are definitely better...otherwise, we'd all be burnt or rotted from within, had the practices of the earlier decades gone unchecked.
But to maintain we're all OK now--based on that improvement--is a red herring.
How clean is clean enough Tex? Does the environment need to be so clean for you environmentalists that all of our industry moves overseas? Does it need to be so clean that humans can no longer live here? What do you want?
creeks, rivers, streams? need to be able to support fish and other aquatic wildlife...
It's not good enough to merely "not catch on fire, anymore."
said wildlife that was edible for my parents' generation? Those same species should be edible for ALL OUR generations henceforth.
LOL, are you sure you wanna open up "outsourcing"?
here's a clue: Does it need to be so clean that humans can no longer live here?
That makes no sense, whatsoever...
suggest you stick to one topic at a time. Just mho...
T e x
posted the butcher always gets paid
exactamundo
cottonjim
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Air polution may indeed be on the decline due to tighter regulation etc.. but to quote a movie, we have just become "more efficient killers" thats all.
urnso77
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"methane concentrations also rose rapidly"
I knew it! I definately need to eat less chili.
glassman
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i truly hope your/my/our kids CAN laugh about it in 50 years
Relentless.
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I'd be inclined to believe that it will be alot better in fifty years. We are actually improving how we generate electricity. Batteries are holding more and more electrons all the time. I'm not saying take the pressure off the politicians, but the real problem is the countries that have our manufacturing sector. Those countries will be pumping out more vapor sludge than we ever did.
The Bigfoot
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Originally posted by Propertymanager:
quote:How clean is clean enough Tex? Does the environment need to be so clean for you environmentalists that all of our industry moves overseas? Does it need to be so clean that humans can no longer live here? What do you want?
Thank you PM for bringing our overseas neighbors into the discussion. Guess What? There is an environment overseas too and it is directly related to our own.
NO! Shipping industry overseas to areas without environmental regulation does nothing and less to clean the environment. Nor does the TONS of trash that get shipped outevery day to other countries rather than BOTHERING to properly break it down here (which we are perfectly capable of doing).
Yes, our air may be cleaner but our waste is still not properly taken care of and we still have not taken the steps necessary to be clean in our production centers (especially the energy field).
As to water quality??? Have you read nothing for the last 30 years regarding toxicity levels in fish? Hormones, Mercury, etc.? Beyond that there is overfishing to consider.
BIGFOOT prediction right here and you can hold me to it. Within the next 10 years we will see a 20% reduction seafood availability being directly related to exhausted fisheries and depleted coastlines. We are already seeing this in the Salmon population. Soon it will be a broad reaching problem. Think we got a food shortage now??? Just wait.
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Hilarious! And sadly true. The funny thing is that Al (I invented the internet) Gore and the other wacko environmentalists are getting rich with this nonsense, and laughing all the way to the bank.
jordanreed
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wacko evironmentalists,wacko lefties,..
is that how you get your point accross? Dismis by derogatory name calling?..
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