Global warming mod

[soup567]

Guys, quit with the logical fallacies here. Climate != Weather. The temperature of the earth of the last 100 years is statistically insignificant and can not be used in any meaningful climate prediction.

Afforess is right. I'm sorry
but even if you don't believe in climate change, is it bad to care about the environment, or research more sustainable fuels?

 

[Afforess]

Afforess is right. I'm sorry
but even if you don't believe in climate change, is it bad to care about the environment, or research more sustainable fuels?

Of course not! That's what drives me crazy about the whole climate change/global warming discussion. It has completely sidetracked us from meaningful discussion and resolutions. We have simply let all the important topics be ignored because of pet theories and political aspirations of a few. It's a shame.

 

[soup567]

Of course not! That's what drives me crazy about the whole climate change/global warming discussion. It has completely sidetracked us from meaningful discussion and resolutions. We have simply let all the important topics be ignored because of pet theories and political aspirations of a few. It's a shame.

True, true, the political debates over it should certainly stop. I personally think we should invest much more in solar technology and fuels cells. I read in National Geographic that a 100x100 mile strip of solar voltaic cells could power the entire United States, not sure if it's true though, but I think it's still worth working for.

 

[NBAfan]

Of course not! That's what drives me crazy about the whole climate change/global warming discussion. It has completely sidetracked us from meaningful discussion and resolutions. We have simply let all the important topics be ignored because of pet theories and political aspirations of a few. It's a shame.

I agree. The governments just use climate change/global warming as an excuse to raise silly taxes and gain more power.

 

[Supercheese]

True, true, the political debates over it should certainly stop. I personally think we should invest much more in solar technology and fuels cells. I read in National Geographic that a 100x100 mile strip of solar voltaic cells could power the entire United States, not sure if it's true though, but I think it's still worth working for.

And I think we should build more nuclear power plants. They are much, much more cost effective per-Watt than solar and really, disposal of any potentially radioactive waste materials is not a problem for any engineer worth his salt; but there are government regulations that are WAY over the top preventing them from doing so.

...[/offtopic]

 

[soup567]

And I think we should build more nuclear power plants. They are much, much more cost effective per-Watt than solar and really, disposal of any potentially radioactive waste materials is not a problem for any engineer worth his salt; but there are government regulations that are WAY over the top preventing them from doing so.

...[/offtopic]

Obama agreed to have 3 or 4 new nuclear power plants built, I believe(I don't remember the exact number). The good think about them is that they're very efficient for powering cities, and such, also they don't affect climate change(which I do believe in). The bad thing is the waste is very harmful to wildlife and the ocean (it takes a lot of sea water to cool them down), and the very rare, but deadly nuclear meltdown.

 

[Afforess]

True, true, the political debates over it should certainly stop. I personally think we should invest much more in solar technology and fuels cells. I read in National Geographic that a 100x100 mile strip of solar voltaic cells could power the entire United States, not sure if it's true though, but I think it's still worth working for.

And I think we should build more nuclear power plants. They are much, much more cost effective per-Watt than solar and really, disposal of any potentially radioactive waste materials is not a problem for any engineer worth his salt; but there are government regulations that are WAY over the top preventing them from doing so.

...[/offtopic]

There are a lot of really good ways to improve our current system. Nuclear Power is definitely something we should be using more of now (France creates 50% of their electricity from Nuclear Energy, while the US is at a pitiful 24% [IIRC]). However, Nuclear Energy isn't something I see us using for the really long term; the lack of any good disposal methods irks me. I know breeder reactors are always brought up as a catch-all solution, but I remain skeptical. While I can't really name what we should be doing, I can say what we shouldn't be doing. We shouldn't be relying on Middle Eastern & African Oil. Supporting dictators is wrong, no matter the reason. I'd rather we cut all economic ties with dictator countries and drilled in Alaska and Canada.

Anyway, this is getting way OT, but what the heck, lol.

 

[soup567]

There are a lot of really good ways to improve our current system. Nuclear Power is definitely something we should be using more of now (France creates 50% of their electricity from Nuclear Energy, while the US is at a pitiful 24% [IIRC]). However, Nuclear Energy isn't something I see us using for the really long term; the lack of any good disposal methods irks me. I know breeder reactors are always brought up as a catch-all solution, but I remain skeptical. While I can't really name what we should be doing, I can say what we shouldn't be doing. We shouldn't be relying on Middle Eastern & African Oil. Supporting dictators is wrong, no matter the reason. I'd rather we cut all economic ties with dictator countries and drilled in Alaska and Canada.

Anyway, this is getting way OT, but what the heck, lol.

I'd rather everyone stopped using oil completely, but I know that won't happen soon. And yes we should stop importing our oil, because if we would build more drills and rigs across the United States we could help the economy and create more jobs.

 

[Supercheese]

Yeah, oil (petrol) is great. I still marvel daily at the sheer energy density of the dang stuff -- just a few gallons of it can propel my sizeable vehicle for dozens of miles! Truly a marvel of technology.

But of course, oil is not an end-all fuel source. While I certainly don't think we are in any danger of running out of the stuff, there will inevitably be more technological breakthroughs in the future that will render oil obsolete or, at least, less important than it is today.

I, for one, cannot wait for said breakthroughs to occur. Back to the Future promised us flying cars powered by Mr. Fusion, which can accept pretty much anything as a fuel source. Dangnabbit, where are my flying cars?!

 

[Afforess]

I, for one, cannot wait for said breakthroughs to occur. Back to the Future promised us flying cars powered by Mr. Fusion, which can accept pretty much anything as a fuel source. Dangnabbit, where are my flying cars?!

It's always funny when I see a fantasy novel from the 50's in the Library. Usually, by the year 2000, we had massive space colonies, hovercars, and fusion... If only...

At least we still have 200 years before we need to be building the Enterprise.

 

[Arakhor]

And 111 years before first contact with Vulcans and the formation of the United Federation of Planets

 

[Danwood]

That's why USA didn't want to sign the Kyoto treaty, the knew climate change is a fake, so reducing emissions would be totally useless (expecially for the economy)

Smart one


How about deforestation? i want to be assured it's a fake as well, i really kile NESTLE' products, since they use tree oil

 

[Arakhor]

I thought that was more to with significant oil interests forbidding the US President to agree to curbs on polluting interests.

Deforestation is definitely not a fake

 

[Afforess]

That's why USA didn't want to sign the Kyoto treaty, the knew climate change is a fake, so reducing emissions would be totally useless (expecially for the economy)

Smart one

Pretty sure there was more to it than that. Money, probably.

How about deforestation? i want to be assured it's a fake as well, i really kile NESTLE' products, since they use tree oil

Deforestation? Depends on the area you are talking about (or the entire planet in general). If you are talking about NA, then I would guess we have a (small) positive growth of forests; but I know SA is burning the Amazon at record rates... Overall, it equates to a negative forest growth for Earth.

However, Deforestation isn't very hard to reverse, and can be overcome. The Heartland of the US was completely clear cut in the 1800's, but most of the trees have long since been replanted. I suspect similar things will happen with South America.

 

[Danwood]

Pretty sure there was more to it than that. Money, probably.



Deforestation? Depends on the area you are talking about (or the entire planet in general). If you are talking about NA, then I would guess we have a (small) positive growth of forests; but I know SA is burning the Amazon at record rates... Overall, it equates to a negative forest growth for Earth.

However, Deforestation isn't very hard to reverse, and can be overcome. The Heartland of the US was completely clear cut in the 1800's, but most of the trees have long since been replanted. I suspect similar things will happen with South America.

Now the next problem is the world population growing too fast, expecially during the last half century, it's not easy to control this factor and will probably end with wars and charesties, in natural circumstances, overcrowding ends with such consequences, and the planet resource are limited, as in civ.

But the earth is not like civ, maybe some data is messed up but i, as enviroment science student, am not as optimistic as Afforess about that, i want a clear view not a optimistic one, and learning that climate change is fake in a game forum, after the books i studied at university, is a bit odd for me. Sorry for my poor english btw.

 

[Arakhor]

There is definitely natural climate change, such as the Mediaeval mini-Ice Age. Man-made climate change is up for debate.

 

[Afforess]

Now the next problem is the world population growing too fast, expecially during the last half century, it's not easy to control this factor and will probably end with wars and charesties, in natural circumstances, overcrowding ends with such consequences, and the planet resource are limited, as in civ.

That solution is easy: find another planet.

But the earth is not like civ, maybe some data is messed up but i, as enviroment science student, am not as optimistic as Afforess about that, i want a clear view not a optimistic one, and learning that climate change is fake in a game forum, after the books i studied at university, is a bit odd for me. Sorry for my poor english btw.

Well, ClimateGate happened recently, so books will not reflect it for years yet. Professors may or may not tell you about it; really up to what they believe. Silly, I know, but true. (Also, Climategate only invalidates Anthropogenic Global Warming, not natural climate change). I know, I'm a Meteorology Major at a university myself.

 

[soup567]

That solution is easy: find another planet.

There was actually something about that in National Geographic recently. It was talking about turning Mars into a habitable planet. Problem is the process takes several hundred years, and were probably still a decade or more, away from being able to start that process.

 

[os79]

Rant of the first page by me effectively defeated by Afforess' smart linking.

I still believe there is a danger to our environment, just not as extreme as my earlier rant now.

However, I'm happy to see people finally focusing on the fact that we still need to be concerned about environment for various reasons. That would be really cool to reflect that in the game, if ever .
Still waiting on Resource Depletion refinements. That modmod is where I most strongly agree with Afforess about .

 

[Afforess]

There was actually something about that in National Geographic recently. It was talking about turning Mars into a habitable planet. Problem is the process takes several hundred years, and were probably still a decade or more, away from being able to start that process.

Better sooner than later.

I still believe there is a danger to our environment, just not as extreme as my earlier rant now.

Sure, and I'm totally for cleaning up pollution. I have asthma, and going to Airports especially causes issues for my lungs. So, I have a vested interest in cleaner air.