Anyway the fact is global warming HAS been going on for a very long time, BUT it is extremely accelerated now with our usage of fossil fuels, and believe it or not "COWS"! We'll get to the cows in a minute.
Have you ever heard the term "carbon footprint"? Global warming is not caused from the heat from our emissions, but rather from the carbon dioxide left behind after we burn it. When we burn fossil fuels, the emission that is left behind is carbon dioxide. The build up of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere only allows "some, not all" of the heat coming in to the atmosphere to leave, thus causing a gradual buildup of heat. I'm not going to go into all the details of what can and will happen if we continue on the path we are already on. That is another lesson. Google it for more info. (If you don't already know the consequences, I SERIOUSLY HOPE YOU DO GOOGLE IT.)
O.K. back to the cows.
The emissions, or the carbon dioxide that comes out of cows rear ends is approximately three times the carbon dioxide created by the entire worlds burning of fossil fuels!
That's right you read it correctly. Just by requiring farmers to change the cows diets to make them less gassy, we could hugely reduce our carbon footprint. I heard on the special I watched that garlic introduced
into their diet would help greatly. We can also help by reducing the amount of beef we consume, thus lowering the demand for so much cattle raising.
I often think about global warming. I wonder what will happen when and if we ever convert all of our fossil fuel burning engines into something different. Will motorcycles follow? What will they sound like. There is a mystique to the rubble of a V-twin engine under you. I would certainly miss this. Will it happen in my lifetime? Will I have to resort to putting playing cards in my spokes with a clothespin like I did as a child?
18 comments:
You can't stop human nature. Only nature can stop the human. It will all correct itself.
Well, before I resort to the cards in the spokes deal, I'll bust out that electronic throttle box that they used to put on the big wheels that made the motorcycle sounds. Soon enough we will be installing speakers on our bikes with huge amplifiers so that we can at least still have that Hog sounds.
do the editing for me on my errors. I jsut woke up.
Why don't you just say what's really on your mind?
Eat more fish and chicken! Farting cows will kill us! LOL!
All kidding aside, I saw that same report, and it seems that we need to do something soon, or else! I've started replacing light bulbs with green ones as I need too. (They are quite pricey) But supposedly, that alone, in all our homes will make a big difference! I agree, that we as a population need to be diligent as to how we are destroying our planet. I just hope it doesn't mean I have to give up riding my motorcycle! :(
Dave,
We'll all have to get a minimum of Street Glides so we can prerecord Harley Thunder, and play it back through the stereo on the bike while we ride our quiet solar and wind powered motorcycles.
Lady R.,
That report was eye opening. It was what changed my mind. I wish everyone would see it.
I have to admit it, over the last few years my wife and I have become pretty "green". We are trying to do our part. I'm not a 100% tree hugger lunatic, but getting to be more of one the more I know. I at least want to do as little damage as I can without stopping living or enjoying the pleasures I have learned to love. We just need to find alternatives, and make a commitment to use them.
My son (while in 9th grade Earth Science class) came up with a theory: he thinks that global warming is "fake" and that Antarctica is melting because of continental drift (it is drifting into the warmer ocean, and that is why it is melting)!! LOL He might be a little goofy, but at least he was paying attention in class.
On being "green": we are all in very different places when it comes to being green. This is very obviously evidenced by the vehicles assigned to adjacent parking spaces I walk past on my way in to work every morning--a Hummer and a Prius!
Mrs. R.C.,
Motorcycles get great mileage.
That's green. Bikers are doing their part even if not doing so on purpose.
I gotta know, was it your Hummer, or your Prius?
Sorry, I don't buy the "global warming" thing at all. It's a huge farce that a lot of people are getting rich on. We only have weather data for the last 160 years. How do you determine that a planet that's millions of years old is getting warmer on such limited data?!?
Dean,
I totally used to think it was a farce as well. Untill I watched the show that I was referring to. I can't remember what it was or what channel. (Lady R., please help me here if you remember). Anyway it changed my mind, and my views. I am a skeptic by nature, but at the same time, I am optimistic.
Please do tell me... What people are getting rich off of this so called scam, and how? Most information I've seen has all been non-profit, and volunteer to spread the cause.
All the environmental associations have a lot of good reasons to exist but one of their targets is to keep this problem big in order to survive, keep the government money rolling in and keep their jobs.
Supporting environmental issues is very important (as a politician) if you want to be popular, because at the moment it is very unpopular not to do so. In order to appear "reliable", a politician needs an environmental association to back him/her up. Moreover If you start a "green-policy" you’ll get money from the government, even if you don't really care about the environment at all. Speaking of politicians, Al Gore has made a fortune for himself on the back of this whole "green" movement. It's been well reported though that he doesn't always practice what he preaches.
Keeping themselves relevant and in the spotlight induces a lot of artists to join the "live earth" movement and, frankly, we know that the real target of Madonna and her sponsors is not to make people aware of global warming but to keep her aging ass relevant and the tour dates booked.
Look at all the private companies that have a large financial stake in keeping the "green" movement going because of all the "green" products that they produce.
Sorry, but there's too many people who have a stake in keeping this going either for their financial or popularity gain. I've seen dozens of documentaries and studies on global warming (both for and against) and the "evidence" supporting it is scientifically pretty shaky.
Dean,
This is why I like you. You are not afraid to speak your mind.
So lets say you are correct, or at least partially. What harm has been done, other than money being made in a different way than if it weren't?
Lets just say for argument's sake you are wrong. Look at the consequences that are possible if we do nothing.
Lets say I'm wrong. What if it is a farce? Can you still not deny that it IS happening, weather we caused it or not, or weather or not we are making it accelerate. There is sufficient evidence to prove by measurements, and what is happening with the icebergs, etc. that THIS IS truly HAPPENING. (even if it has been going on since the beginning of time, evidence still shows an acceleration rate since we started measuring it.) Weather or not we had a hand in it, or weather or not it will reverse? I truly don't know, and don't think anyone does for sure.
I guess to me it's better to be safe than sorry. It's not a gamble I'm willing to take. I feel I must at least TRY to do my part to protect the environment for my children, and someday hope grandchildren.
It's kind of like religious beliefs. We have no concrete proof, but plenty of evidence. Weather or not you choose to believe or deny the evidence is a personal choice. My choice is to play it safe. It doesn't hurt me any either way, but it is possible it may hurt human kind down the road.
I googled "discovery channel global warming" and it took me right to a web site that premieres the show. I think I saw the Al Gore lecture as well, on the Discovery Channel.
I have a hard time wrapping around some of the theories, but it's obvious we are producing more toxic emissions every year, as the population increases. Somethings gotta give.
India and China are pumping out more toxic emissions and waste than the U.S. could ever dream up. Until those two countries agree to the same standards as the rest of us, we're all just spinning our wheels.
Dude (OK, so I am a child of the 80s-LOL): I drive a Saturn at 36 mpg, and my Harley is only a small bit better than that. I think that both Hummers and Priuses are ridiculous!
I'm with Dean on India and China. It's just like the Chesapeake Bay with crabbing...if we can't get Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia all to cooperate then we'll never get anywhere.
Lady R.,
It had to have been the two hour special on the Discovery Channel.
Thanks. And I agree.
Dean,
You bring a good point to the table for discussion.
This exact issue was brought up in the show. I agree with what you said, but giving up because of that isn't the answer. I agree with their point of view that basically stated... As leaders, we need to set an example before we can ask others to follow.
Mrs. R.C.,
LOL! The Hummer and Prious! too funny.
You must have been typing a comment, while I was typing my reply.
See above answer for Dean.
You are both correct. If we can't make Everyone do their part, some is not better than nothing, if it will ultimately result in disaster anyway. But like I said. No use giving up.
I'm not advocating that we use our earth as a toxic waste dump so I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me. But there is the "common sense" approach and there is the cliff of insanity which some of these green-lunatics have definitely jumped off.
The U.S. already plays a major role model for the rest of the world. So much in fact, that many of our laws stifle our manufacturing and force it overseas to India and China where they don't have these same restrictions. You see, we were forced by the U.N to sign the Kyoto Protocol promising to cut our emissions where China and India were not held to the same standard. I'm not saying that it should be an excuse for us to do nothing but I'm getting a little tired of all this "green" crap getting shoved down our throats when others aren't being held to the same standards!
(BTW...I never figured you for a tree-hugging fruit-eating "green"-pushing hippie!LOL!)
Dean, I do agree with the double standards negativity, and I know you know what you are talking about, but I still think we all need to do our part. Nothing, I mean nothing will ever happen to change if more people like me don't use our voices to make change.
P.S.
Trees should have boobs. Then more people would want to be tree huggers.
Agree.
(With the boobs part anyway.)
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