QuoteScott Pruitt, Donald Trump’s head of the US Environmental Protection Agency, has dismissed a basic scientific understanding of climate change by denying that carbon dioxide emissions are a primary cause of global warming.
Pruitt said on Thursday that he did not believe that the release of CO2, a heat-trapping gas, was pushing global temperatures upwards.
QuoteThis stance puts Pruitt at odds with his own agency, which states on its website that carbon dioxide is the “primary greenhouse gas that is contributing to recent climate changeâ€. This finding is backed by Nasa, which calls CO2 “the most important long-lived ‘forcing’ of climate changeâ€.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report from 2014, which summarized the findings of 2,000 international scientists, states it is “extremely likely†that the steep rise in CO2, along with other greenhouse gases such as methane, has caused most of the global warming experienced since the 1950s.Pruitt’s comments were quickly condemned by scientists, environmental activists and even his immediate predecessor as EPA chief, Gina McCarthy.
QuotePruitt sued the EPA 14 times while attorney general of Oklahoma and has worked in concert with fossil fuel interests in many of these cases. The recent release of thousands of Pruitt’s emails during his tenure showed an extremely close relationship between Pruitt’s office and oil and gas companies.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/09/epa-scott-pruitt-carbon-dioxide-global-warming-climate-change
Not that any of this is some big surprise. Most of us saw this coming. But this is yet another example of an administration being out of touch with reality and in bed with special interests to the detriment of the American public. This is just the tip of the iceberg of 4 years of poor policy decisions.
Let's hope we get back to sane policies as soon as these clowns are out of office. Because if we can't, we're going to have a hell of a time dealing with an already terrible problem made that much worse by denialism and inaction. I dunno about you guys, but I don't like waiting until my arm is on fire before trying to put out a housefire.
Quote from: Hydra009
Not that any of this is some big surprise. Most of us saw this coming. But this is yet another example of an administration being out of touch with reality and in bed with special interests to the detriment of the American public.
Fox news will just spin it, like everything else that is inconvenient to their agenda. In their narrative, the scientists will be the ones serving "special interests."
Quote from: Hydra009This is just the tip of the iceberg of 4 years of poor policy decisions.
There are a lot of Democratic seats up for reelection, in less than 2 years. If Democrats don't pay attention, and come out strong, defending those seats, we could see Congress become even worse.
Quote from: Hydra009Let's hope we get back to sane policies as soon as these clowns are out of office. Because if we can't, we're going to have a hell of a time dealing with an already terrible problem made that much worse by denialism and inaction. I dunno about you guys, but I don't like waiting until my arm is on fire before trying to put out a housefire.
A lot of wonderful things come from petroleum. Plastics, for one. But those things won't be available, to future generations. We prefer to
burn it, at an unsustainable pace. When I hear about frakking, for the last pockets of oil in the U.S. and Canada, I feel a sense of loss for the civilization to come.
Quote from: Solomon Zorn on March 09, 2017, 10:03:35 PMFox news will just spin it, like everything else that is inconvenient to their agenda. In their narrative, the scientists will be the ones serving "special interests."
I'd love to hear what they make of the Pentagon's take on the issue (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/military-leaders-urge-trump-to-see-climate-as-a-security-threat/). The Right tends to hold boundless respect for the military until the military disagrees with them.
QuoteWhen I hear about frakking, for the last pockets of oil in the U.S. and Canada, I feel a sense of loss for the civilization to come.
I liken it to tearing up couch cushions and prying up floorboards to scrounge up the change necessary for the next shot of smack. What's even the point? Though I suppose in that situation, rational thought has long since been abandoned.
Pruit also said in his confirmation hearing that there is no proof that global warming is man-made.
Quote from: fencerider on March 10, 2017, 12:50:41 AM
Pruit also said in his confirmation hearing that there is no proof that global warming is man-made.
All Republicans are scientists, who got their education at the Creation Museum ... bwahaha. Don't worry about the military ... if it comes down to it ... we will have fuel for our Abrams tanks, your car ... not so much.
CO2 is not a greenhouse gas? Another alternative fact and the Trump Administration. I love the term "alternative facts." The hilarity of alternate facts is dampened only by the fact that people think they are actual facts. Say anything you want, and call it an alternative fact, and it becomes a fact, just a different fact. Trump's legacy might be that he will create a new reality, one that defies physical laws. A better world for all, built on facts; Well, alternative facts and facts of convenience.
At least we don't have Hillary as president. She sent emails.
Quote from: Hydra009 on March 09, 2017, 10:55:33 PM
I'd love to hear what they make of the Pentagon's take on the issue (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/military-leaders-urge-trump-to-see-climate-as-a-security-threat/). The Right tends to hold boundless respect for the military until the military disagrees with them.
Well, why would he listen to the Pentagon? I thought he said he was smarter than the generals (https://thepoliticus.com/content/smarter-generals-trump-just-showed-disaster-hed-be-commander-chief) anyway.
Mixing carbon dioxide with water creates carbonic acid, which is the root cause for ocean acidification.
Even Chemistry 101 is lost on these fools.
Quote from: Sylar on March 10, 2017, 08:54:55 PMMixing carbon dioxide with water creates carbonic acid, which is the root cause for ocean acidification.
Even Chemistry 101 is lost on these fools.
Honestly, I think a lot of the mismatch between perception and reality is from the sheer immensity of the Earth and the perception that human activity is far too little to affect the world. The trail of exhaust from a Hummer just wafts into the clouds and disappears, never to be seen again. Of course, that isn't what actually happens. It affects things, if only minutely. Multiply it by every other Hummer, and that's a lot of carbon wafting around.
Plus, it still snows during the winter, so those climate change alarmists are surely blowing it out of their asses. Scientists in Europe predict it'll be warmer by 2 degrees. In the winter, that's the difference between 40°F and 42°F. Big whoop. Climate change isn't real but if it were real, it wouldn't even be a real problem.
And finally, the Ds say it's a problem and the Rs say that's balooney and the waters are muddied enough that it's just a he-said-she-said situation.
And around and around we go.
Quote from: Atheon on March 10, 2017, 10:20:19 AM
At least we don't have Hillary as president. She sent emails.
I like women too, just not that one ... eeew
Quote from: trdsf on March 10, 2017, 02:10:29 PM
Well, why would he listen to the Pentagon? I thought he said he was smarter than the generals (https://thepoliticus.com/content/smarter-generals-trump-just-showed-disaster-hed-be-commander-chief) anyway.
Lincoln was smarter than his generals. Trump is no Lincoln, neither was Obama.
Quote from: Hydra009 on March 10, 2017, 10:17:24 PM
Honestly, I think a lot of the mismatch between perception and reality is from the sheer immensity of the Earth and the perception that human activity is far too little to affect the world. The trail of exhaust from a Hummer is just wafts into the clouds and disappears, never to be seen again. Of course, that isn't what actually happens. It affects things, if only minutely. Multiply it by every other Hummer, and that's a lot of carbon wafting around.
Plus, it still snows during the winter, so those climate change alarmists are surely blowing it out of their asses. Scientists in Europe predict it'll be warmer by 2 degrees. In the winter, that's the difference between 40°F and 42°F. Big whoop. Climate change isn't real but if it were real, it wouldn't even be a real problem.
And finally, the Ds say it's a problem and the Rs say that's balooney and the waters are muddied enough that it's just a he-said-she-said situation.
And around and around we go.
Awesome comment, give you 1000 likes! Partisanship is crazy monkey business. At least on the Titanic, the crew managed to get some of the life boats launched. And yes, global warming isn't a problem ... if you aren't the little people. The little people are never a problem. Just ask crooked Representative or money-bags Senator about it? The Continuity of Government will take care of them, even if they start a damn nuclear war!
dont worry not only is Trump smarter than his generals, he's smarter than everyone else working for him ;-)
conspiracy says Titanic was an insurance scam gone wrong. There wasnt enough life boats on the ship because it was supposed to go down next to a conveniently waiting ship. But because they planned to sink the ship they didnt put a full set of navigation instruments onboard and left 30 year veteran captain in the position to crash into an iceburg. - second conspiracy is that the actual ship that crashed was not the Titanic. because the Titanic construction was behind schedule when the sister ship was alongside the Titanic at the drydock for repair to hull damage they switched the name plates of the two ships.
Trump won't do anything scientific to stop global warming because the dumbass thinks he can buy his way put of every situation
Quote from: Hydra009 on March 10, 2017, 10:17:24 PM
Honestly, I think a lot of the mismatch between perception and reality is from the sheer immensity of the Earth and the perception that human activity is far too little to affect the world. The trail of exhaust from a Hummer just wafts into the clouds and disappears, never to be seen again. Of course, that isn't what actually happens. It affects things, if only minutely. Multiply it by every other Hummer, and that's a lot of carbon wafting around.
Plus, it still snows during the winter, so those climate change alarmists are surely blowing it out of their asses. Scientists in Europe predict it'll be warmer by 2 degrees. In the winter, that's the difference between 40°F and 42°F. Big whoop. Climate change isn't real but if it were real, it wouldn't even be a real problem.
And finally, the Ds say it's a problem and the Rs say that's balooney and the waters are muddied enough that it's just a he-said-she-said situation.
And around and around we go.
It is hard to ascertain specific motives on why such views, so easily debunked by modern science, are held. I am currently following some of the upcoming elections in Europe (mainly France/Germany/Netherlands). The leader of the German populist-right movement (currently 8-11% of the polls) said something similar and she is a chemist (Ph.D and all). When I saw the interview with her I screamed at the screen until I got hoarse. One could qualify that she is probably more of a biochemist, but strangely, it did not make me feel any better. OK I'm exaggerating, but really.
I think that it is part of a playbook that has been used in the US and can be traced back to the campaigns such as those conducted by Phillip Morris and other companies. Essentially, it is the technique that by adding doubt to scientific consensus, other science findings, especially those with less evidence (and at worst are more accurately pseudoscience), can be used or abused to gain political and ideological credit. But doing it for a sufficiently long time, not only the targets, but also the perpetrators seem to believe in the doubt itself. And make no mistake, no one is safe from ignorance-fueled delusions. After all, as individuals we can only know so much. At one level or another one has to trust people more knowledgeable than oneself. The issue here (and that is why these tactics are so successful) is that without competence in an area it is hard to judge someone else's competence.
For the life of me, I can't quite get the motivation behind climate change denial:
(https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state.jpeg?quality=85)
(https://secure3.convio.net/wg/images/content/pagebuilder/Four_Horsemen-2_copy.jpg)
Doesn't matter either way ... industrial civilization is running out of time. Utopianism (and Marxism is an old version) would work ... if there were free fusion energy, without any radiation pollution hazards .. but then Marx wasn't a nuclear scientist, and he thought that coal (not even petroleum) would last forever. Just another short sighted European. People now think that the robot and AI gods will save them.
Quote from: etienne on March 13, 2017, 10:59:07 PM
For the life of me, I can't quite get the motivation behind climate change denial:
(https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/rex-tillerson-secretary-of-state.jpeg?quality=85)
(https://secure3.convio.net/wg/images/content/pagebuilder/Four_Horsemen-2_copy.jpg)
Money, Denial, Money, "We Can't Possibly Mess Up What God Created", Money, Denial and Politics...
Did I miss any other idiotic reasons?