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[voiceofreason]

Massive surge in disappearance of Arctic sea ice sparks global warning!

Arctic meltdown is speeding up... sea ice is vanishing faster than ever before... polar bears face extinction... and America's top climate scientist warns we only have a decade to save the planet.

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1603667.ece

[Mez]

We greenies have known about this for a while. 

[pseudonym]

I have been discussing this with friends for a while now.  It is truly frightening.

I can't begin to comprehend the resulting devastation if global warming continues the way it is.  Equally, I can't begin to imagine how to prevent it.

[Mez]

Same.

I'm quite glad I live inland these days.  Seems safer.

[.]

Have we ever thought that perhaps this is just part of the global cycle? And that humans will either just adapt or die out as a species? Que sera, sera, and all that.

[Mez]

Yes, there are lots of people who think that.  There's even a rumour going around that Mars is getting hotter at the same rate as the Earth (it's not).

[pseudonym]

What can be done?  

Aside from taking seriously drastic action and banning the use of fossil fuels, what can we do?

And even then, we're a country of only 20 million, so what difference will it make globally?



If this really is a global cycle, then we are the first species in the history of the Earth to have prompted it.  The dinosaurs were around for hundreds of millions of years.  We're going to wipe ourselves out in a mere 250,000.

[Mez]

Ain't homo sapiens great?

[.]

Yes, there are lots of people who think that.  There's even a rumour going around that Mars is getting hotter at the same rate as the Earth (it's not).

how do we know either way?

[You]

I don\'t think theres enough of the polar icecaps to drown out the world.  Venice not being a unique city, possibly, but not enough to pull a planetary Atlantis.

[Mez]

There are too many different variables for each planet, to make any such type of statement in any meaningful way.  Besides, as far as I know, Mars isn't getting hotter.

[pseudonym]

I don\'t think theres enough of the polar icecaps to drown out the world.  Venice not being a unique city, possibly, but not enough to pull a planetary Atlantis.

If you read the article, you would read that the problem isn't the concept of a planetary Atlantis, but quickening global warming, which would increase exponentially.  The more ice that melts, the less white ice reflects the sun (and the more dark ocean/land absorbs it) and so the world heats up more quickly, leading to more ice melting etc etc.

And even if the resulting rise in sea levels was 2m, or 5m, it would still cause widespread devastation.  Most of the world's population lives on the coast or by a river.

[You]

I\'ve made it clear numerous times before; I\'m very pro-global warming.  I hate the cold, and yes, I do know that despite the benefits of a mid-spring in winter and 50 degree summers, there would be catastrophic repercussions.  I\'m likely not to live long enough to see the peak of the devastation caused, but I WILL be sure to have kids that I\'ll raise in awareness of this, so they can work to fix it.  Everybody is happy!  Except for those caught in the desctruction, and those that have to wear the consequences of my kids after they help fix global warming.

[Mez]

Everybody is happy!  Except for those caught in the desctruction, and those that have to wear the consequences of my kids after they help fix global warming.

You're making the age-old mistake of assuming your kids will be like *YOU*. 

[You]

Oh no, far from it.  I\'m assuming they\'re going to be nothing like me, and thus will do something to prevent global warming further and perhaps even fix it.