Comments on: Global Boiling: Storms And Floods Bring States Of Emergency In Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, And West Virginia http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/14/global-boiling-floods/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:42:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Alan http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/14/global-boiling-floods/comment-page-1/#comment-153304 Alan Mon, 18 May 2009 15:55:36 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=10049#comment-153304 One has to wonder how flooding in West Virginia and Kentucky was worsened by mountaintop removal coal mining. Gee, so much for "clean" coal, the burning of which is a major contributor to the accumulating greenhouse gas we continue to pump into our collective atmosphere. Even the noise polluter across the street is this moment doing his share to belch more carbon dioxide into the air. From the EPA's Web site: . . . "an average gas-powered lawnmower expels as much pollutants in one hour of operation as a car driving 650 miles l..." One has to wonder how flooding in West Virginia and Kentucky was worsened by mountaintop removal coal mining. Gee, so much for “clean” coal, the burning of which is a major contributor to the accumulating greenhouse gas we continue to pump into our collective atmosphere. Even the noise polluter across the street is this moment doing his share to belch more carbon dioxide into the air. From the EPA’s Web site: . . . “an average gas-powered lawnmower expels as much pollutants in one hour of operation as a car driving 650 miles l…”

]]> By: Anders http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/14/global-boiling-floods/comment-page-1/#comment-153268 Anders Fri, 15 May 2009 14:49:25 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=10049#comment-153268 Well, sure it is well linked. The issue is that it is not well discussed. For instance, there are not many people in San Diego and north of there who just had their house burnt to the ground by unmanageable forest fires that realize that for every degree of warmer temperature in the atmosphere, the number of lighting strikes increase, and those lighting strikes contribute enormously to forest fires, which in turn are a large contributor to CO2 emissions, which further increases temperatures, etc. My only point is that we can talk about climate change in the abstract and its relation to weather patterns, but unless we get specific as to HOW climate change impacts the individual, there won't be action - weather related incidents described by you here are a good way of doing so, but when people see "tornadoes in Missouri!!" they don't link it to climate change - there have always been tornadoes in Missouri. Can we show correlation AND causation?? Well, sure it is well linked. The issue is that it is not well discussed.

For instance, there are not many people in San Diego and north of there who just had their house burnt to the ground by unmanageable forest fires that realize that for every degree of warmer temperature in the atmosphere, the number of lighting strikes increase, and those lighting strikes contribute enormously to forest fires, which in turn are a large contributor to CO2 emissions, which further increases temperatures, etc.

My only point is that we can talk about climate change in the abstract and its relation to weather patterns, but unless we get specific as to HOW climate change impacts the individual, there won’t be action – weather related incidents described by you here are a good way of doing so, but when people see “tornadoes in Missouri!!” they don’t link it to climate change – there have always been tornadoes in Missouri. Can we show correlation AND causation??

]]> By: Brad http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/14/global-boiling-floods/comment-page-1/#comment-153266 Brad Fri, 15 May 2009 14:23:44 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=10049#comment-153266 Anders: 1) The climate we have now is a human-generated one. There is no natural weather now. We have significantly and permanently perturbed the global weather system. 2) Global warming is well linked to increased storm intensity. Anders: 1) The climate we have now is a human-generated one. There is no natural weather now. We have significantly and permanently perturbed the global weather system.

2) Global warming is well linked to increased storm intensity.

]]> By: Anders http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/14/global-boiling-floods/comment-page-1/#comment-153264 Anders Fri, 15 May 2009 13:46:55 +0000 http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/?p=10049#comment-153264 Brad, Crazy weather-related issues, for sure! However, I fail to see how a few of these weather-related disasters are related to human-induced climate change. Tornadoes, for instance, come to mind. Perhaps if there is a stronger emphasis on making the connection between natural disasters such as these and how humans are contributing to worsening these phenomena, we will see a greater support for legislation for mitigation. Thoughts? Brad,

Crazy weather-related issues, for sure! However, I fail to see how a few of these weather-related disasters are related to human-induced climate change. Tornadoes, for instance, come to mind.

Perhaps if there is a stronger emphasis on making the connection between natural disasters such as these and how humans are contributing to worsening these phenomena, we will see a greater support for legislation for mitigation. Thoughts?

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