ADUK Archive

WhoseGeneration wrote:Scale.
To perhaps delay the inevitable by a short period of time.
Not exactly a cooperative species, worldwide, are we?
More competitive, I would suggest, otherwise why trade imbalances?
Or, the waste of resources and energy on the military?
"Save the planet", just a PR stunt by those in power.
Enabling them to stay in power.

OK...I agree the big picture may mean our species is ultmately doomed - will our unique inventiveness save us or destroy us...who knows? Climate change may or may not be controllable but probably best to give it a try I'd have thought.

martine wrote:Climate change may or may not be controllable but probably best to give it a try I'd have thought.

What are the objectives? To halt climate change in its tracks? If so then King Canute had some wise words to say about that. To halt the part of climate change for which mankind is responsible? Well, that might be possible but first we'd need to work out whether we're having a significant effect, and then to work out a reasonable balance between having an effect and having the benefits that we currently enjoy. If concerns about oil reserves running out are correct then, irrespective of whether increased levels of carbon dioxide and other gases are really an issue, that will have a limiting effect on our ability to increase levels of pollution.

I worry about the unintended consequences of using 'green' energy - if we make significant use of the wind what are the downsides? If we make significant use of wave power around our shores, what ecological disasters might we incur? If we change to using a nuclear base-load, which I'm convinced is our only long-term option given current technological knowledge, then will our energy generation cause significant warming without polluting? And would it be a problem?

martine wrote:

WhoseGeneration wrote:Then assuming any actions it makes can affect the outcome.
Total nonsense.

Dare I ask...why nonsense?

Perhaps see man as a 'blip' on the planet's surface, a spot on its skin?

http://img.timeinc.net/time/covers/1101 ... eline1.gif

Man? Around for 5, 6, 7 million years.

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect19/life_on_earth.jpg

Earth created 4.5 billion years ago.

It'll be here long after we've gone.

Even some of the people who've been warning of global warming for 30 years are now saying we're past stopping it - we need to manage the effects. Rising sea levels leading to flooding of the London underground, for example.

Horse wrote:Perhaps see man as a 'blip' on the planet's surface, a spot on its skin?

Yes indeed our tenure is but the blink of an eye in cosmic terms...but...we are the only species (so far) who have even a possibility of shaping our own long-term future. Sitting back and deciding we are insignificant is a self-fullfillng prophecy.

martine wrote:

Horse wrote:Perhaps see man as a 'blip' on the planet's surface, a spot on its skin?

Yes indeed our tenure is but the blink of an eye in cosmic terms...but...we are the only species (so far) who have even a possibility of shaping our own long-term future. Sitting back and deciding we are insignificant is a self-fullfillng prophecy.

Hmmm . . . I don't think that mankind thinking it has all the answers will stop us leaving the Earth long before the Earth dies; either we'll evolve to something different or we'll die out'.

Should we all get back to arguing about BGOL now?

martine wrote:

Horse wrote:Perhaps see man as a 'blip' on the planet's surface, a spot on its skin?

Yes indeed our tenure is but the blink of an eye in cosmic terms...but...we are the only species (so far) who have even a possibility of shaping our own long-term future.

Aye, but a lot of damage can be done by 'intelligence' - especially if it gets mis-used. Steady evolution from a relatively unintelligent basis might be less disruptive.

I'm coming back as a cat in my next life: extremely selfish, cares nowt for anybody or anything else......yes, I could manage that to a pretty advanced standard.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

TripleS wrote:I'm coming back as a cat in my next life: extremely selfish, cares nowt for anybody or anything else......yes, I could manage that to a pretty advanced standard.

Spends 90% of the day sleeping and can lick its own balls - what's not to like?

>^..^<

[/quote]
Spends 90% of the day sleeping and can lick its own balls - what's not to like?

>^..^<
[/quote]

Furballs

martine wrote:

WhoseGeneration wrote:OK...I agree the big picture may mean our species is ultmately doomed - will our unique inventiveness save us or destroy us...who knows? Climate change may or may not be controllable but probably best to give it a try I'd have thought.

Ask yourself, how much have the really wealthy altered their behaviour to help ameliorate "climate change"?
Or, the politicians, flying all over, to summits to discuss "climate change".
Nah, the "plebes" can do it.

Horse wrote:
Should we all get back to arguing about BGOL now?

We could attempt to decide whether it's more or less economical.

WhoseGeneration wrote:

Horse wrote:
Should we all get back to arguing about BGOL now?

We could attempt to decide whether it's more or less economical.

Well . . .

One argument 'against' is that rev-matching isn't achieved, so there's a potential fuel saving Vs possibly greater wear on clutch, tyres, etc.

I never knew that a roofboard on an instructors car could lead to "the end of the world as we know it" as they say in all the best songs....can anyone name the band by the way who sung that?!?!??! No cheating and using google Anyway on that note I'm off to burn my damn headboard...eeekkk it's plastic, the burning of which might create an even bigger hole in the atmosphere

drivingschoolnewbury wrote:I never knew that a roofboard on an instructors car could lead to "the end of the world as we know it" as they say in all the best songs....can anyone name the band by the way who sung that?!?!??! No cheating and using google Anyway on that note I'm off to burn my damn headboard...eeekkk it's plastic, the burning of which might create an even bigger hole in the atmosphere

REM [No Googling was involved in this post]



Upturn the roof sign, make four holes equidistant around the rim. Attach four small chains which meet in a loop. FIll with compost, plant geraniums, hang in garden from bracket

Horse wrote:Well . . .

One argument 'against' is that rev-matching isn't achieved, so there's a potential fuel saving Vs possibly greater wear on clutch, tyres, etc.

Now all we need are some very good engineers to analyse this.
Big project though.
So many variables.

When you look at the destruction in Japan today, I don't think we have come close to matching the destructive force of nature.