Global warming & media

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:06 am

The North Pole may possibly be ice free by summer - Wikinews, the free news source

This actually made the Dutch NOS eight o' clock news yesterday, I thought that was pretty amazing actually. They're having a series of dedicated reports over the next few days. I was a bit surprised, last I heard the scientists thought it may be icefree in fourty years, give or take a decade. This summer or even the next one is a bit.. wow.. fast. I think we're either way looking at a mass extinction event in the polar regions in the next few years.

And Greenland is right nextdoors, which seems to me like the next biggest concern to society. Melting ice that's already afloat doesn't cause a rise in ocean level, but landice sliding into the ocean will. Greenland alone should be good for a six and a half meter rise.

Would this make the news in your respective countries? While this is pretty remarkable, I'm not so sure what to think about the NOS. Recently they seem to have taken up a liking toward 'commercial' news. They had a news item about a super low cost insurance policy a while ago (which I took, n00bishly, and am very unhappy about), and just a week ago they had a lengthy report on the Dutch release of the latest I-Phone. That's the kind of journalism I've come to expect from the gaming industry, not real news.

Anyway, drifting off subject here. Melting ice, bad. Dutch media initiative, good. Holland losing Eurocup against Russia, very bad. Urge to kill.. rising..

SupaCat · Post by **SupaCat** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:20 am

Scientist say alot of things too be honest. On the polar ice some say 40 years until it melts, others say tomorow. And the media... Well lets say they make a fly into an elephant. That's how it is these days: you have no idea what to believe

Also, russia owned holland

Claudius · Post by **Claudius** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:08 pm

Well once it has melted and flooded coastal cities it won't be freezing 'anytime soon' either....

spiritmoon · Post by **spiritmoon** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:28 pm

its destiny.. we just have to find a way to change it..

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:04 am

No wonder it's hard to believe what those scientists are saying. Varying research with varying results... go figure. At the same time, I detest how the media in general tend to use scare tactics on people to change their ways just because of global warming.

I'd prefer if people do this voluntarily rather than be scared/forced into doing something. Yes, it may be a good thing to help the environment, but what's the point if you're forced to do so?

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:54 am

DesR85 wrote: I'd prefer if people do this voluntarily rather than be scared/forced into doing something. Yes, it may be a good thing to help the environment, but what's the point if you're forced to do so?

Brilliant point. It might also be a good thing to refrain from murder, fraud and destruction of property, but what is the point of it all if we aren't free. Who are the media or the legal system to make decisions for us?

Another opinion might be that the media should have started their "scare tactics" about 20 years ago. Then the situation might be less urgent today.

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:15 am

DesR85 wrote:I'd prefer if people do this voluntarily rather than be scared/forced into doing something. Yes, it may be a good thing to help the environment, but what's the point if you're forced to do so?

The point is that if nothing is done to halt the increase in global warming, then you grandchildren will need scuba gear to visit New York City! As individuals can't do anything about it by themselves, the only hope is to persuade enough of them to force the politicians into taking action, fear tends to be more effective with John and Sarah Doe than a reasoned argument unfortunately. Try using rational arguments and they'll continue to drive their gas guzzling SUVs.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:30 am

galraen wrote:The point is that if nothing is done to halt the increase in global warming, then your grandchildren will need scuba gear to visit New York City!

At the end of the world
Where the lions weep..

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:53 am

I'm a bit confused by the whole issue. I came home from summer vacation in July to the global media telling me "The ice on the North Pole has not been thicker in 12000 years."

Now it's back to the usual "we're all gonna drown" hyperbole. I used to take a keen interest in this, but now I'm just not interested any more. Too much tabloid scare tactics and sensationalism, so I'll just wait and see. Just to make one thing perfectly clear: My family owns a tiny island on the southernmost tip of Norway. The high-water mark on the boat dock has not gone up one centimeter since it was built in 1956. That's neither here nor there, but I think I'll postpone buying a houseboat for a while. Don't misunderstand, I take this issue very seriously. I just don't let the media scare me anymore. My wife, who's been called a "tree-hugger" by some, takes her time to scour every report on the subject, but even she can't make heads or tails out of the complete chaos that dominates.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:06 am

The melting North Pole ice will not be cause for a rise in ocean level because it is already afloat. It's the land ice that will be a problem in the near future because it'll slide into the ocean. As far as I know that has yet to happen on a scale as massive as the North Pole. But Greenland is right next doors.

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:08 am

No, Greenland has a special place in the Golf-stream, which is largely unaffected by the current happenings. That is why the media focuses solely on the Arctic, and not on Greenland. The ice mass on the northern part of Greenland is actually getting more massive. What is the real nighmare scenario is if the Golf Stream which provides warm water to the northern part of the planet were to shift course. That would mean that I could walk over to Canada, like I could just 13 000 years ago.

Lady Dragonfly · Post by **Lady Dragonfly** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:32 am

The ice mass on the northern part of Greenland is actually getting more massive.

Yes, because in summer the lakes of meltwater drain from the surface to the base (through the cracks in ice) and raise the level of the ice sheets.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 10:57 am

That's pretty weird. So I guess they're pretty sure that ice will keep sustaining itself?

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:32 pm

Yes, if there's one place in the northern hemisphere that will survive, and gives us all a reason to wake up, it's Greenland. The world is getting warmer? Hell, yeah! We're even making movies about it, like Ice Age 1 and 2, and how funny is that? That was only 50 000 years ago.... Okay, question for SYM: When was the last Ice Age? LOL!

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:37 pm

The real difficulty with this debate, IMO, are all of the vested interests on both sides of the fence. When that happens, no matter the issue, any truth becomes completely obfuscated by both personal and corporate agendas...

Personally, I do generally believe that climate change is happening... But, I'm also aware that weather patterns cycle over time and can be influenced by many variables..

DesR85 · Post by **DesR85** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 12:23 am

galraen wrote:The point is that if nothing is done to halt the increase in global warming, then you grandchildren will need scuba gear to visit New York City!

[sarcasm]Score one for scientific discovery.[/sarcasm]

Just reinforces the impression that either those scientists have their heads up their arses or they can't agree to something. Plus the fact that some of their reports get politicised just makes this nothing more than a circus.

Bah. To hell with it. If anybody wants to be environmental friendly, be my guest. If not, it's your call.

Moonbiter · Post by **Moonbiter** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 5:21 am

DesR85 wrote:[sarcasm]

Bah. To hell with it. If anybody wants to be environmental friendly, be my guest. If not, it's your call.

No, actually, it isn't. It's a little bit like taking a dump in your neighbours garden: It isn't your call, and there should and will be consequences. The entire neighbourhood has to live with the stink. Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle here. The world WILL get warmer, but the parasites called humanity is speeding it up. To think that we can stop it is stupendous idiocy, but we CAN slow it down. We have been crawling around on this globe for 30 000 years, and that's nothing! The whole "global warming" issue is actually a panic attack because Homo Sloppiens might find it slightly less pleasant to exist.

penguin_king · Post by **penguin_king** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:11 pm

they're blowing it all out of proportion, the ice caps melting will have an effect on sea levels, but not that extreme.

sea levels will rise by a foot or two worldwide, which means that there wont be as many beaches. thats about it.

in (i believe) global warming isnt entirely caused by humans. throughout history there have been ice ages, the ice melts, then a few thousand (million, or billion) years later it starts forming again. we're coming to the end of the last ice age now.

if anything, it means that the oil beneath antarctica will be more easily accessible.

thats just my thoughts on the subject.

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:58 pm

There are an awful lot of ostriches burying there heads in the sand.

Not that extreme?

The things people will convince themselves of rather than give up their precious cars, or not have limitless energy at a push of a button.

Maybe if you live on high ground it doesn't appear to be 'extreme', but this is what could await the next generation or two. But, I guess it's easier to believe the minority of 'scientists' who reassure them that everything will be fine. Nevermind that those scientists are all in the employ of petro-chemical companies, or work for universities heavily funded by those same companies. No everything will be fine, the vast majority of scientists are inventing it all, and it's much easier to blame 'media scaremongering' than face reality.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:51 pm

galraen wrote:There are an awful lot of ostriches burying there heads in the sand.

Well... I suppose we can always take heart in the fact that ostrich meat is becoming rather trendy...

In all seriousness, I agree entirely with what you are saying... the level of blissful ignorance being displayed here is quite alarming...