I have written letters in the past about Global Warming
But have recently noticed that thoughts and writings in the media regarding Man Made Global warming seem to have
come off the boil.
This became very noticable when careless scientists misplaced a decimal point, in the maths workings of a 'Climate Paper'.
This got even more world wide attention when hackers breached the security of a University, and released personal E-mails from climatologists, that aired their argumentative climate differences to the general public.
Put very simply, you either believe that global warming is man made, or you do not.
The 'do not' belief is that Global Warming is a result of
natural Cyclic Change, that has been going on for tens of thousands of years.
(It also means that you accept the global cooling of the past) I dont intend to go into the reasons for the cyclic changes,.... but,
I am sure these long term cyclic changes are very valid in ideas, and scientific content
Now for the otherside of the coin.
The belief that GW is Man made, requires you to believe that the atmospheric warming is due to the increased amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. This warming, sitting on top of the (natural?) cyclic peaks, or troughs, is just enough to ensure that the overall trend is just a tiny increase in the average temperature, over the years
I want to win back those doubters who have suddenly decided not to worry whether GW is Man-made or not.
I want to address those doubters who have taken the easy way out, by
leaving the world to its own devices.
Its these doubters that I want to bring back into the fold by discussing just one important word.....Methane.
Methane is over 20 times more powerful than C02 in its effect upon the climate.
I want to start, by pointing out a couple of not very well known facts regarding Methane production, to these GW doubters
Together with my personal idea of another unknown, and as yet unproven, methane source.
Methane is primarily produced by Bacteria feeding upon rotting damp vegetation.
Whether its on, or in the land, water, or produced in the stomachs of cattle.
Now there are about 1.5 billion managed cattle in the world.
Nor should we forget the contribution of the 7.0 billion methane producing humans living on Earth.
(Digressing for a moments fun......'Le Petomane' was a French Music Hall performer who would blow out lighted candles
on the public stage, by farting. See Wiki)
Back to the real world I hope that you are all in agreement,
vehicles, cattle and humans are all increasing. Therefore so is Methane.
In the distant past, and excluding cyclic changes, the gases from volcanic eruptions were the main reasons for temporary Global warming.
Sometime later we learned to slash and burn the forests, so that we could plant and grow crops. By growing crops we lost the C02 sink that forests provided, further increasing the production of methane.
Now here is another huge source of Methane production, not
generally talked about.......because the amount of Methane
produced can not be known with certainty, and can only be quessed about.
Im talking about the melting of the Permafrost, occuring in all cold parts of the world.
When the Permafrost melts the ground erupts and bubbles up with Methane gasses.
The Siberian Pemafrost has been melting and refreezing for a number of years now (producing what is known as 'drunken
forests') where the trees lean at angles against each other
Now I am going to guesstimate that the total production of
methane in Siberia is far more the total production of
methane from all land animals, including man.
Now why would I say that?
Because the Permafrost area of Siberia is equal in size to the areas of Germany and France combined.
Now, lets not forget Alaska, where whole villages are
dissapearing, and rivers changing course due to melting permafrost.
Again, lets factor in Canada, it has billions of acres of Permafrost.
The guestimated total of Methane bubbling out of
permafrost grounds could easily amount to many thousands of tons per year.
No wonder the Glaciers and Icebergs are secretly melting
UNDER the sea surface. Both in the Artic and Antartic oceans.
They are toppleling over more frequently than ever before.
Now I would like to add my personal thinking to an item which has never been mentioned before.........but could well add to the total of Methane production in the World.
I believe the mid-pacific circulating gyrr, which has been reported to be as big as continental USA, is full of plastic trash
and rubbish, and growing algae, all swirling around in relatively warm seas and sunshine...
My thoughts are that this is another additional (large?) source of Methane.
Remember none of the methane sources I have mentioned are going to go away. In fact methane (and CO2) production is going to increase. Just a little bit warmer and we will see the bubbling up of Clathrates, but thats another story.
I hope now that the Man made Warming doubters, after
reading the above, have now firmly made up their minds.
For extra help, and dependant on where you live, I predict you will be ordering an air conditioner within the next four years.
Drunken Trees below
http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/permafrost.html
