The vast majority of scientists believe that temperatures are getting hotter as an average in the world, the debate mostly comes about whether it is manmade, or a natural cycle of occurrence that we can do little to stop. I am going to purposely leave what I believe out of this article, because In my opinion it shouldn’t matter which side is right because economically cycling out fossil fuels is a better option. While it might not seem that way now, I want to explain why this is the case.
The major benefit for fossil fuels right now is the cost and the efficiency brought with that cost. As it stands gas,oil, ect are extremely cheap and the average person needs to do little to actually implement their uses in daily life. Solar which many people claim as the best alternative is still, for the most part, expensive and requires implementation of upgrades and work into modern houses to be used properly. This won’t always be the case though as we have seen with Moore’s law, which says through economies of scale, better manufacturing practices ect, new technology gets exponentially cheaper over time. While solar panels aren’t exactly new technology, the investment into companies that are creating them on a large scale is.
Companies like Tesla are purposely building large factories for solar panel and electric battery production because they believe in the long run if they can get the costs cheap enough, they can release it on a scale en masse. Doing so would not only make them a large amount of money, but they would be helping the environment as well. This is the main point I am trying to make, the greatest incentive to actually bring change to anything is money. If costs can be brought down to a level where it makes sense to replace fossil fuels with solar, it will be done. The efficiency will come in time as well. Solar isn’t the only alternative to fossil fuels either, nuclear energy is actually one of the safest and least harmful sources of power out there as well.
So why should we get rid of fossil fuels in the first place? I did say that it didn’t matter if you believe global warming is manmade or not. Fossil fuels are not bad for the environment, but they are bad for you and me, this is proven and fact. The burning of coal and oil has lead to pollution in places like China which now is seeing lung cancer on average levels far above the rest of the world. People in cities like Shenzhen, where many tech factories are located, have to see doctors on a monthly basis for sickness like bronchitis directly related to the smog. Waste from fossil fuels kill ecosystems, make land unusable and pollute our country. Many times the pollution ends up hurting the towns and families of the people around the factories that employ them.
The final point I want to make about why we should move off of fossil fuels is that doing so is simply a good hedging strategy. Say there is only a 10% chance that global warming is manmade and 90% chance that it is the cause of natural cycles. Should we move off of fossil fuels and incentivize cleaner energy for only 10%? The answer is yes because of the consequences. Even if it were a 5% chance or a 2% chance, the risk of doing nothing is that humanity dies. Short term economic loss for moving to cleaner energy is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. Making the change is just a good hedging strategy.
In 100 years we are suffering the effects of higher temperatures and we realize that we could have stopped it in the past by offering a bit of efficiency and money, are we going to say it wasn’t worth it? We need to look past money, politics and all the bullshit to realize that we as human beings have only one meaning, to reproduce and survive as a species. Ensuring that happens in the long term should be worth any amount of money.
It is time to change the lifestyles of people who are constantly destroying the earth. We have learned the science of renewable energy. But not fully utilized, maybe they just realized if the earth is not beautiful anymore
Tesla cars should be more cheaper.. if your talking about renewable energy. Vote if i'm right. heheheh
Animal agriculture is the biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions. Even if ALL transportation is converted to electric, which will take decades, it'll account for only 13% of all emissions. I want an electric car but becoming vegan was the most environmental impactful decision of my life, while also being the most affordable. I highly recommend the documentary Cowspiracy for everyone who cares about the future.
yup,, but dont forget this article is about the indisputable facts around health issues related to smog. Estimates put the number of deaths worldwide per year at 15 million people.. THis is insane
Which you say is a fact, I agree. But modern life requires energy, but I think that energy can be renewed. Electric cars one of them to reduce emissions.
Wow, good quote!
I believe it is a mix some man made and some earth cycles, but I have to say this is the way to tackle the problem at hand! Most of the right learners (I am a libertarian) cannot dispute the fact there is high cancer rates in more polluted areas! Cut global warming out of the discussion all together and just change the set of facts you are talking about! Good Post!
The Grand Solar Minimum! http://www.youtube.com/user/MyanmarLiving
Geologists say, that according to our planet's life cycles, minor ice age is coming.
But this doesn't really matter in this discussion. We HAVE to replace fossil fuels, that's true. But don't forget about plastic industry.
You cannot make plastics out of "environmental-friendly" things. Plastic is the biggest threat out of all.
Yes its true. Every 15000 years a ice age happens. The modern civilization born in the last 12000 years soo according to scientists dramatic climates changes should be happening soo. And plastic. By 2050 plastic in ocean's will be the biggest environmental issues of our time. Poison fish and mass extinction. 😓
well, presuming that numbers 15000 and 12000 are not really exact, deviation in 5000 years is really easy thing to have.
We cannot influence the ice age arrival, but biotechnologies with some environmental-friendly materials might be quite useful in both situations - during ice age or before that.
Global Warming is a myth -Donald Trump
"Donald Trump is a joke". Me 2017😂
There is something wrong in everything we do this days now? Mostly yes.
We need calls to action, education based call to action, otherwise we are doomed.
In addition to what you say, just the act of hammering in to, gouging, and fracking our beautiful Mother Earth is a disgrace. She feels the pain and it's showing. There is most definitely a better way.
I just hope, Mother Earth won't start to kick us out in space, one by one :)
But should look funny :)
I don't think she'd intentionally cause harm. I just think she tries to heal by shaking it off (earthquakes), letting out steam (volcanoes) and cleansing (floods).
you ever thought of, what if, humanity just disappears now! every single human being. There won't be much things left in a hundred years. Almost nothing will be left. Only loads of plastic trash floating in oceans :)
Very true! We tend to forget that our planet is actually alive and only remember it when catastrophies happen. We need to look after Mothr Earth and she will look after us
Those are words to live by! If everyone realized that there would be peace on Earth always.
I widely agree. Thanks for sharing your balanced perspective on that hotly debated issue.
Global warming is real!
Thanks for sharing @calaber24p
.. Following you!
Solar energy is best alternative to fossil fuel researchers should make it cost efficient. Nice article.
Looking at China, I'd have to agree that pollution can be a problem. But since the U.S. really is a clean environment compared to urban areas in countries like China, I don't like that it's constantly the U.S. who is shamed into being the "bad guy" and whose politicians feel obligated to spend billions of tax dollars on these activities. Especially when other countries simply lie about the state of their environment and aren't held accountable.
No one knows that we are moving towards stone age again. And we are using other source of power other than fosol fule is try to take control the future power source. But this point stop global warming. As civilization grows and we are getting more creative our world getting more towards stone age.
Misusing of water, mining , nuclear fuel power using, more transportation service starting, more e waste producing is causing unbalance in nature.
So many journal released so many protest happens noting help it.
We continue to do what we want. Destroying trees and land. Destroying natural balance.
Nice blog @calaber24p. We should create one protest against it. @Steemit we can create community to protect nature our mother.
Everyone, please support green energy or rechargeable energy!
thats right, an friend of me tell also many about. @coreyou
Does anyone here think that global warming is a hoax..? but Pollution is a fact!
Thank you so much for the news :) Upvoted!
I was shocked when USA drop paris agreement. At this moment america is of the front on innovation and development of green energie!!! Tesla model 3, the powerball, the solar roof are just a few examples of what silicon valley and brilliant minds like musk are able to do.. The world is changing and more important the new generations are more aware than ever for the reality of climate changing. Great post !!!! Best regards!!!
A very good general point to make. Whether or not you believe that man made climate change is a real thing (it is), the fact that fossil fuels are an incredibly dirty and pollution prone energy source in general, aside from their effect on the atmosphere, is undeniable.
In regards to getting Solar to an affordable, normal, just run of the mill energy source type place, I want to tell you about an exchange I had with a local man running for the House a few years ago. The man is a big proponent of solar, has a solar array at his home, loves to throw garden parties and show it off. But he was also a high paid surgeon for decades and on the low end of rich. So when he told me that it cost him over $20k to install the array, I almost choked.
This man advocated for Solar panels becoming standard and normal across most homes.
"But how on earth is your average person supposed to afford $20k to make that happen?"
"Well, it pays for itself you see. In my case, given average electrcity costs, it will pay itself off over the course of 25 years, and after that start saving me money, it's an investment."
And this was the problem with our whole conversation. How out of touch he seemed with how the "average" person lives. The average person doesn't just have $20k laying around. The average person may or may not be able to secure a loan for $20k of home improvements. And even if they could, the average person isn't going to want to drop $20k on something that will have saved it's own worth in electricity bill costs after about 3 decades. Most people would just pay the damn electricity bill.
Now what I personally would like to see happen is for solar panel installation to become standardized on all new homes and businesses built in climate applicable, just like shingles or siding or a paved driveway, something that is just expected. I would like to see anyone remodeling and including solar panels in their remodel be able to write it off to encourage more old homes to be retrofitted, and I would like the necessary R&D to be funded to make them cheaper.
Author, you're not 100% correct. You imply that if global warming is man-made and we keep using fossil fuels, humanity will be destroyed. It's not true. GW can lead to rise of ocean level but it's no enough to wipe out humanity. We, humans, are quite hard to kill .
We need to take care of this planet that were on because where else would we be without Earth?
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Hi calaber24p, I totally agree with you, we should already find solutions and we can't do it the old way apparently..
In my new article I describe how new systems built from scratch can offer solutions.
Including further information and book recommendation.
Great post! Keep it up :)
By the way, I'm following you now
Cheers
If I remember correctly the view of earth from space is a mostly brown planet. Not the photo shop version we all in books and maps.
Great article. You touched on a lot of good points. Although, here in the United States (I'm in Austin,Texas) things seem a little more bleak. Especially since the current administration has shown it doesn't care about the potential risks of climate warming. It will be up to those like Michael Bloomberg, who said he would ante up the 15 million for the Paris Accord that Trump will probably renege on. It'll be uphill until Trump's administration is out of the White House. Here's to all of us doing our part! Thanks again for spreading the word!
I completely agree with you. Companies like Tesla are the future! However, being from America it feels there is a massive responsibility when it comes to the "environmental revolution". As one of the largest oil consumers and somewhat oil producers, it is a large part of our economy. I am located in the southwest region of the USA and there are many oil fields that operate and are a huge part of the infrastructure. These have increased towns/cities economies as well as creating jobs for American's at a very high pay scale. When these fields are in operation of hotels are busy, restaurants as wells as the suppliers that supply these outfits (food, textiles, fabrics, goods, etc.). It's sort of has a trickle down effect. Large oil tycoons pump, it creates jobs, the people spend money which in turn creates more jobs. To be honest I believe it is a good thing! To be honest global warming is not a problem, it could if not acknowledged. There is a video floating around the web, done by the co-founder of the weather channel (John Coleman) stating all this is a fraud, no big oil influence. (
)Agreements like the Paris climate deal are a hoax. If it is a "problem" I dont believe the solution should be paid for by tax payers hard earned dollars. Let the free market take care of it. Let someone make a profit off of it. The new "Apple" of energy. Carpe Diem! Companies like Lockheed Martin and Honeywell have too much government influence. Somebody just needs to step up! With companies like Tesla we are headed in the right direction! Cheers!Following the neutrality of your post if we don't stop the use of coal and fuels to help our planet we should at least do it for us. Cancer because of pollution, cancer because of pesticides etc. Man harming man...
Can you believe that in Spain you have to pay a special tax to use solar energy?! It is unfortunately not in the interest of certain big lobbies to use the free resources nature is offering. Shameful
Thanks for your post @calaber24p!
I wrote this poem mankind's destruction of the environment. I hope you enjoy it.
Their eyes open, mind awake.
The Vail blinds recognition of events,
As they play by rules unseen.
The edge invites those to find its boundaries.
How full could pockets be?
At what expense to me
Must be seen before justification.
A deep wisdom lies within them
that only they can find.
Good luck to players of this game,
Pursuing its bright light.
If you do I wish you well,
It will last just for a moment.
The group will infiltrate your Sanctuary
To shut the light once more.
These minds awake, eyes look external,
For pleasure and obsession.
To fill the darkened void of soul
Light extinguished.
great poem mate!
very real story
Environmentalists made a castastrophic mistake by focusing on climate change/global warming as the primary reason why we should care about the enviroment.
People can easily deny that burning gasoline contributed to generally warmer weather, more intense storms, and rising oceans.
It is much harder to deny the negative consequences of oil spills and pollution. These are things everyone can tangibly connect with our oil consumption.
By focusing primarily on climate change, environmentalists have lost a large section of support from people who I believe would be more likely to support their movement.
At this point, I think environmentalists would do themselves a huge favor to shift the conversation away from climate change and bridge the gap to make a more compelling argument.
yes yes yes!
Glad to see some more scientific minds here! Just the kind of stuff I want to read about. I live in China so I get to experience the pollution first hand and it suckkkksss. - Following!
15 million people a year die from pollution related issues worldwide! This is a number that boggles the mind.
https://steemit.com/nature/@eco-alex/here-s-why-people-who-deny-global-warming-are-missing-the-whole-problem
Congratulations @calaber24p
You took 46 place in my Top 100 of posts