Global warming may or may not be caused by humans, but the proponents of that belief should think about a few things when they're wondering while people aren't buying into the alleged impending doom.
People have noticed that some of the same folks who warned us of the new ice age in the 70's are now telling us we should worry about global warming. We never got the new ice age did we? Nor did we get mass starvation, worldwide plagues, or a new dark age from Y2K. There's always a new thing right around the corner that's going to cause TEOTWAWKI. It just never happens. So people accept that chicken little is alive and well and go on about their lives.
People have noticed that most of the data about global warming is based on indirect measurements, speculation, models, and simulations. People trust what they can see, not what someone else is predicting. This is how a few measurements today of temperatures on other planets can trump all the simulations in the world.
On one hand, other places without SUV's and evil corporations are getting warmer. On the other hand, we're supposed to accept that here on this planet, those are the things causing our planet to become warmer.
People notice that the scientists can't predict the 48 hour weather with a 50% success rate. Yet scientists claim they can somehow determine the climate 5, 10, or 100 years down the road. That's pretty hard sell don't you think?
People also wonder why scientists tell us in the past while there were no SUV's or smokestacks the earth has seen much warmer periods than now. Then it was part of a natural cycle. But not this time!
And those same scientists tend to be supported by $$ set aside to study this problem in one form or another. No problem = No funding. If that doesn't make for a conflict of interest, nothing does.
People notice that treaties like Kyoto don't really reduce the production of greenhouse gas so much as they transfer $$ and the ability to pollute to third world countries. Are we worried about pollution, or pollution but only as long as it's in the west? Why is it the west has to curtail it's activities while giving developing countries a free pass? We are worried about pollution right?
I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons while people question the whole thing. But until the true believers can answer a few of the questions above in a reasonable fashion instead of calling nonbelievers sheep, fools, or idiots, I'd expect them to be unable to get much support for their theories...
