Popular Science Blog – It’s Pretty Easy Being Green
After going to see Al Gore and the makers of his film, An Inconvenient Truth, speak about the global-warming crisis last week, I was inspired to make some changes to my own energy-consumption habits.
2 Comments
Thirtyseasons
on 02006-06-07 at 11:11
As you’re ready about this stuff, and thinking about energy consumption as it relates to global warming, look up something else. I’ve long suspected that, although a contributor, the “Greenhouse Gas” idea and fossil fuel issue is not the key player in the global warming scenario. I would argue that dust, and impermeable ground covers are more influential. Studies are underway now that seem to point in that direction as well. Airborne dust particles settling on glaciers have changed the color of the glaciers from a reflective white, to a darker hue that absorbs light rather than reflecting it. The result is as expected….They’re melting faster now than ever before. The ratio of dust in the air increases with development, globally…..which also parallels the increase of impermeable ground covers like pavement, concrete…parking lots and everything else.
I am sure that all of these factors work hand in hand. We need to rethink our transportation in any case – and that includes fossil fuel vehicles and all of the millions of miles of pavement and parking lots we created for them. My view is that we need to make changes a.s.a.p. and it matters less whether we start renovating at the back of the house or the front of the house as long as we get started.
As you’re ready about this stuff, and thinking about energy consumption as it relates to global warming, look up something else. I’ve long suspected that, although a contributor, the “Greenhouse Gas” idea and fossil fuel issue is not the key player in the global warming scenario. I would argue that dust, and impermeable ground covers are more influential. Studies are underway now that seem to point in that direction as well. Airborne dust particles settling on glaciers have changed the color of the glaciers from a reflective white, to a darker hue that absorbs light rather than reflecting it. The result is as expected….They’re melting faster now than ever before. The ratio of dust in the air increases with development, globally…..which also parallels the increase of impermeable ground covers like pavement, concrete…parking lots and everything else.
I am sure that all of these factors work hand in hand. We need to rethink our transportation in any case – and that includes fossil fuel vehicles and all of the millions of miles of pavement and parking lots we created for them. My view is that we need to make changes a.s.a.p. and it matters less whether we start renovating at the back of the house or the front of the house as long as we get started.