Weblog van Spruit
Goal in life: Create order, think lateral.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Trees growing on cars?
Ecosystems are very complex, we (myself in any case) do not understand them enough to make 100% accurate predictions about how they react and to fully realize the mechanisms at work.
Today it struck me that oil sits in the earth for millions of years, so it must be a substance that Earth can do nothing much with, a waste product of dead trees, algen and other vegetation. But Earth has its ways to deal with waste products, in the general fashion that life is only possible when there is life.
In this case us, humans, play an interesting role. Humans pump up oil and use it to drive combustion engines, like cars. Cars produce CO2, amongst other things. Trees need CO2, they use it to make more tree and trees end up as oil again finally. Some of the CO2 humans produce is actually used by trees. Maybe driving around in cars is even needed to free up carbon, because all carbon would become oil in the end? I do not know of another process that turns oil into CO2.
Pretty good ecospheric recycling story so far, but the downside is that we make way too much CO2, so the earth heats up (at least most scientists say so). But maybe trees start growing faster too, and algen? For Earth it may not be so bad after all. We may experience some nature disasters, like raised sea level and earth quakes, but that is not a problem for Earth, only for humans and other animal life.
ps. Since I am not an ecologist and therefore may have made a huge misinterpretation, let me know...Labels: co2
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Saturday, July 21, 2007
Ice ages
Remember in school they told you about ice ages? Means that in between ice ages it was getting warmer. No CO2 producing human industry back then.
See how the Genographic Project at National Geographic explains those. The period 25,000 to 20,000 BC contains an interesting statement.
"Ice ages have been a recurring feature of Earth's climate for millions of years. In relatively recent geologic times they have occurred on a cycle of approximately every 100,000 years. Changes in the tilt of Earth's axis and the shape of the planet's orbit may be responsible for these events. The complex interaction of the ocean-atmosphere system could also be a major factor."
Here the influence of the Sun's activity level is not mentioned. However, this indicates that there are several other involved factors than CO2 which can be involved in climate changes.
So, apparently it is not so sure what is causing global warming. What is sure is that the globe is warming. I suggest we start adapting to this fact instead of trying to impose our will on the climate. After all adaptability is what has kept Homo Sapiens alive during all other climate changes before.
This does not mean that we should not look for alternative energy sources. And also the emission of CO2 can best be reduced, just to be sure. However, focus should be on adapting to changing circumstances and not on changing circumstances!Labels: co2, global warming, schwindle
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Friday, July 13, 2007
Great Global Warming Schwindle
Fact, the planet is getting warmer. Not a fact, CO2 is causing it.
I have always had my doubts on this general accepted version on the cause of global warming. Now I am sure this is at least not proven at all!
See uitzending gemist.Labels: co2, global warming, schwindle
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