My guess is that it is due to human progression and not natural evolution. That guess is based again not on scientific means, but I think it is reasonable to conclude from the manner in which the human race as a whole has impacted the globe that we have radically accelerated the natural cycle.

I don't think you can point to any other species that has had a larger impact on the balance of the global environment than humans.

As for Honda making their engines clean as possible, I believe they do this for two reasons...because it's the right thing to do AND clean sells. However, I also don't think that clean sells well enough to be a reason in an of itself, because it takes a LOT more engineering dollars to develop a clean engine than a less efficient dirty one...so I have to conclude that there is an element of social responsibility in their decision to be a leader in this area.

 

The point is pretty moot. I highly doubt we have enough scientific expertise on this whole board combined to make a rational argument siting scientific fact. Throwing links at people doesn't mean you know what the hell you're talking about, and neither does citing partisan rhetoric.

The republican statement makes me more mad than anything else, how freaking arrogant! This is S2000 *INTERNATIONAL*! So if their view differs from yours, they must be a "bought off" republican, despite the fact that they might not even be from the US??

Oh and by the way I'm registered as a Democrat and both parties make me sick, maybe its because I have half a brain enough to think for myself instead of being told what to think by my "party"

-J

 

Correct, but that warming all took place before 1940. 82% of the "greenhouse gas" emmisions have occured since that point. Average temperatures are actually decreasing at the moment. And look in your textbook and you'll see that well before the industrial revolution the climate has always had dramatic swings in temperature (ice age, anyone). We're merely along for the ride.

 

Man all I did was go to sleep and all hell breaks loose.

Jenner - I just have to point out that assuming you know what "most" scientists believe is in itself "science being hijacked". Don't forget the rain forest which is the largest collection of CO2 consuming trees on the planet, and there are being burned, thus themselves contributing yet more CO2 to the atmosphere, while leaving less trees to take that CO2 back out. I personally think cars contribute very little these days to greenhouse gases - It's industrial exhaust that contributes the most - the same industrial exhaust the CARB and the EPA ignores........

I think Brant is right, Honda's mantra is all about balance and zen and all good things in eastern philosophy. It only follows that their engines be friendly to the world they live in while bringing the most joy to their owners They've stated as much about their company's paradigm. Marketing only gets you so much. A good product gets you a lot farther.

I'd like to add my voice to the choir: A documented increase in tempurate isn't automatically a "bad" thing. It just IS. Making it "bad" is human interpretation. It isn't any ONE thing causing this. If humans are messing up the planet so bad, the Earth will shake us off like a dog shaking off so many fleas......

 

is it me or is it freezing in here?

 

Common side effect of whoreness.

 

It's extremely difficult to get an idea of what has happened in the past 50, 100 and 150 years. First, the obvious politics and public policy forces want to skew everything one way or another. Average temperature changes can be measured, sure, but we don't have enough knowledge about the system to determine why things are happening.

On the other hand, it's my understanding that we have a rather clear picture of what's been going on for thousands and millions of years into the past.

Basically, we're currently living in an amazingly stable climate. Historically in geological terms, the Earth has had some huge temperature swings. A few degrees here and there is nothing.

The prevailing theory is that the global ocean current plays a significant role in today's climate by redistributing heat over the planet. If that current were to ever stop, an ice-age could happen - lasting for thousands of years, but only taking a couple years to begin. It could do that on it's own - which apparently has happened many times before in the past - or possibly a bit warmer weather in general could melt a bit more of the ice caps, thereby reducing the salinity of the oceans, which screws up the specific gravity of the cooling water off of Iceland so it doesn't sink nearly as fast, which is the main force that causes the ocean current to get pumped around everywhere.

 

I'm still stuck on the fact that I was right about something...

All in all I like this discussion. No, it may not help us come to any conclusions, but the dialogue is very interesting.

I do believe that the human race has been more invasive and destructive of this planet than any other species before it, but I also agree that if we become TOO invasive that "the Earth will shake us off like a dog shaking off so many fleas......"

 

Idling the car to warm it up is in my opinion a waste of your time.

However, there is no myth in that engines must be up to operating temperatures before being asked to reach their full capacity, as in high revolutions.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sheister
[B]

That's a good way to get your point across.