Arctic Ice Melt
74Why I Believe the Arctic Ice is Melting
By: Chef Jeff
There have been many people wondering about whether or not the Arctic ice is melting, and if it is, what does this mean to the world? I have been researching this topic for a few years and I have read many of the papers pro and con on the issue of whether the Arctic ice is truly melting. I have heard people on the TV telling me it is all a myth, put out there by "tree-huggers" and other people they don't like to scare the Bejeezus out of us. Some just chalk it up to just one more Liberal Media ploy to make us give up our cars and use of oil.
So, what is the truth about all of this? Is there any actual scientific data, unbiased by any political agenda, which backs up the claim that global warming is helping to melt the Arctic ice cap? Well, from what I have found, yes, there is, and while I am not hoarding ice cubes just yet, it does have me wondering about what the world will look like when my grandkids are my age.
During my research I have found many published papers, serious material that is put forward by scientists actively researching this phenomenon. Scientific research continues in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, and data continues to be gathered, but certain conclusions can be drawn, and they all point to major changes in the polar ice fields. Science, then, has come to the conclusion that ice is indeed melting. Most scientists do point to global warming as at least part of the culprit. This is where the data and evidence is leading them, and until the skeptics provide compelling evidence to the contrary, I am afraid it must remain the basis for continuing this hypothesis.
There are, as I said, skeptics, and they are equally as vocal as are the proponents of the Arctic ice melt/Global warming theories. I have not found any serious scientific writings on the side of those denying ice melt, (which doesn't mean there aren't any - I simply did not find them), but there are individuals with strong opinions saying that it is a hoax, or worse yet, as plot by "Green" proponents to discredit the Western industrial base. There are certainly elements on all sides of this issue who are vehement and angry over the debate, or as some see it, the lack of debate.
However, in light of the apparent lack of scientific information against the idea of an Arctic ice melt, I have to wonder: Where do those who speak out against global warming/Arctic ice melting find their information? Is this, as proponents of the ice melt theories claim, an attempt to discredit the actual science involved in seeking answers? Are the naysayers crying foul because they really believe the whole thing is just some made-up hoax?
I am not able to answer that with any certainty, because I do not have inside knowledge of the motives of opponents of global warming and global climate change. I can only say that, to me, it seems as if political agendas are driving the fight against the acceptance of global climate change. Why do I say this? Well, thus far most of the arguments have been trying to convince me that this is, indeed, some crazy Liberal idea to discredit our way of life, our consumerism, our national need for petroleum products in any way, shape or form. I do not deny that some proponents of the global warming idea are indeed calling for, demanding in some cases, that we wean ourselves off oil.
But I am not talking about them: I am asking about whether or not there is any science against the global warming theory, and if it exists, is it correct. In short, I would like to see what data there is to back it up. In science, emotions do not make something true or false: From the Scientific Method I learned that it is either so or it isn't. The Scientific Method was built to weed out ideas that have no basis in reality, from those which actually pass the test of time and careful scrutiny. (See chart below)
Perhaps the media is partly to blame for hyping global warming, and perhaps it is only right for dissident parts of the media to fight back against the hype. I do not like being lied to by anyone in the media, be they Conservative or Liberal or even Neutral. As for the data gathered and findings based upon that data, so far they are leading me to believe that some form of human intervention in the global climate system has and still is taking place. This intervention appears to be detrimental and will cause a change in the climate, world-wide, as we know it today.
I also accept that the Earth has regular and irregular cycles of climate change. Whether or not our intervention is exacerbating a change, I can't say quite yet. It appears so, but more data along these lines has yet to be gathered and presented, in my opinion. However, if it smells like smoke, makes you choke like smoke, burns your eyes like smoke, then I would say it's fair to assume that there is a fire close at hand.
I agree with those who call for a change in our lifestyles. I agree with those who want energy sources other than oil and coal. To my way of thinking, all options are on the table; solar, wind, nuclear and hydro (both rivers and ocean). To think otherwise is, again in my humble opinion, to hide your head in the sand and shout invectives at those with whom you do not agree. There has to be compromise and concession, otherwise we will return to the Stone Age.
- The New Land Rush
Large Companies are beginning to buy up land in the Arctic, waiting for the day when they can build ports open all-year-round to better exploit Canadian natural resources. And you think Global warming is a Liberal-inspired conspiracy & hoax???
For and Against the Idea of Global Warming
Most opponents of Global Warming use anecdotal evidence to make their case. This is one such video against the idea that Global Warming is true. But where are
The sound you hear in the background is the ice cracking as the scientists look on. This was filmed in the far north, usually beyond the reach of the seasonal
TV broadcast of the newest data about Arctic Ice melts
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Climate change is regularly occuring and true and based on many factors - one of them is overpopulation among humans, leading to mass migrations from one country to another (did a Hub on that) and other conditions - war, crime, mental illness -- too many rats in the experimental box of old. One too many and all h#ll breaks loose - murder among rats, self mutilation...
Too many humans, too many food animals, all exuding and f#rting gasses.
Then there are the accumulated algeas in the seas and oceans that hold heat. Haven't seen much research on them since 1996, but will look in OSU databases.
Then there is the plastic continent in the Pacific, made of trash. I hate waste and I hate plastic. Ohio has 6 years of corn wasting in silos. They are selling the 2007 crop NOW at 15 cents/ear and it looks bad. Many people here buy groceries every week and throw out last weeks' that they have not touched, saying it is good stimulus for the economy. More wasted food and energy.
We need to stop waste and reduce human population growth - but national catastrophes seem to have stepped in to help with that in the last few years.
Then there are the regular wamring an dcooling cycles. With so MANY people on the globe, I'm not sure our attempts to save energy will be successful in the short run. The long run, yes.
Thanks for the Hub!
As I see it, we are losing our "War Against Nature" on 3 distinct fronts: Global Warming, Rainforst & Biosphere Depeltion, and out-of-control consumption.
Just one of these might be tolerated by the planet, but all three, especially seeing as how other huge nations are now becoming petro-dependent, will put us over the top in our slide toward mass suicide.
In the U.S. we make up about 6% of the world's population, but use about 25% of the available resources. Imagine when China, India and other places equal us in consumption! There are simply not enough resources to go around, and those we do have will be quickly used up.
The deserts are certainly expanding quickly, except in areas that are performing desert reclamation, which is working somewhat and not fast enough.
Have you heard of the plant next to Tyson's in ( I think) Texas, in which they make petroleum from turkey and chicken parts? That might help, except for the suggestion that they may move to another country.
I remember when I was in Spain there would be many days when a fine reddish dust would blow over Madrid. At first I thought it was simply pollution, but it was the Sahara blowing dust over the Mediterranian Sea from Africa.
At times the dust would make it to Germany and France, and even father north. All of that was from the growing Sahara Desert as it pushes its way south into Africa and gobbles up more land.
excellent article
Jeff, great hub! Hard to believe there are people still denying even this plain-as-day fact. There are very clear photos right here - just one of many: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9527485/
Have you heard anything about the Antarctic glaciers expanding while the Arctic is melting? Of course, there's lots of alarmist internet buzz about this topic, but nothing concrete.
I have a very conservative friend who argues that climate change is not affected by what we humans do at all. She says this is a natural cycle that has occured throughout earth's history. While I understand her argument, it seems logical that polluting the earth affects earth's ability to heal itself. Certainly, polluted water affects humans- one only has to read about Alamosa, Colorado's recent city water salmonella debacle to recognize that human carelessness can result in deaths. So why is it such a stretch to understand that what we humans do also affects other living organisms like the earth?
Self destruction, plain and simple.
Natural though climate change may be, too many gasses from too many humans and food animals must have some negative affect, don't you think? There's only so much plent to use up. Seems logical to me.
On top of that, the people wasting everything make it worse. Gasses AND waste. I think people can make climate a lot worse; I don't know if they can really reverse it with conservation and greening industries and life, but I hope so.
Chef Jeff - Can I link your Hub to mine on Global Warming matters and Green Industries??? I'd be glad to put in in the links on several of mine.
In my view, it really does not matter if the Arctic ice is melting. To me, the Arctic ice melting is just a small part of a much larger problem. The truth is we are using up the world's resources at a faster pace than they can be replenished. We have developed a lifestyle that is not sustainable. Our consumerism ways will kill our planet unless we change our wasteful way of living.
Dutch84 - thanks!
Patty Inglish MS - yes, I'd be honored to have my hub linked to yours!
Storytellersrus - My conservative freinds say the same thing. I ask them if they heard a tornado warning had been issued in their area, would they ignore it because it happens to be true that tornados occur in nature with or without human intervention?
Then I ask them if they could live in a hermetically sealed gymnasium if no fresh air could get inside, and their entire oxygen supply was dependent upon five trees growing in the gym, and every day a single branch was removed from each tree. Could the trees grow fast enough to keep the air supply balanced?
Then I ask them if I added one cow, one small fire, would the trees be able to continue keeping the balance? Lastly I ask if one lawn mower were started up in the gym, and kept running only 8 hours a day, how long would they have to live?
Of course they pooh-pooh the notion and call me a LIberal, Socialist pig, pandering to the Communist ideals of Al Gore and Barack Obama - sorry, that last part is just for humour!
But in truth people can't see how an enormous planet like our can be suffering from the things we do. If it were just one person making pollution, the planet would laugh it off. But 6 billion people, countless billions of animals, from insects to whales, all using oxygen, and with the killing off of the rainforests, which we KNOW convert carbon dioxide into breatheable oxygen - it boggles the mind, and I am afraid people just don't like having their minds boggled.
After all there is an election coming up and we have to concentrate on how to damage the opponents, not on how to fix (if indeed we still CAN fix) the environment.
Oh, one last thing - there is a small but vocal group I just discovered that says maybe we should not concern ourselves about how we destroy the current environment because, after all, once the Earth did have a greenhouse atmosphere - who is to say that what we have right now is "normal"?
John C. I understand what you are saying - melting ice is only one of the symptoms we have to observe - and quite honestly, there are some who welcome it - it would be good for business! I wonder what their wealth will get them when everything else crumbles around them? Maybe a bottle of oxygen at $100.00 a litre?
Yep, I'm gald I live in BC where my power does come from hydro. There are opponents to hydroelectirc dams too, saying it's not good for the environment either but I'd rather have hydroelectricity anyday than oil and coal.
It's scary the rate at which the ice is currently melting. It's ahead of what the scientists were projecting for Antarctic and the Arctic ice is not that great either right now. The question is: What to do about it?
Excellent article Chef. I too have been studying climate change for several years and what got me interested in conspiracies was when I found out how the government had suppressed a report that was done for the DOD about abrupt cliimate change several years ago. It's been known for quite sometime that we needed to address the climate change issue, but what I have seen repeatedly happen is that the Big Oil has used their clout to suppress reports and put alot of misinformation out there to the point that instead of addressing the actual problem they keep the masses confused by the argument on whether it is even happening at all! Of course our climate is changing, look at Katrina, the Asian Tsunami, and various other climate related disasters. Global disasters are becoming an almost daily event it seems- meanwhile people are still arguing about if it's even happening! How absurd! Yes the artic is melting at an unprecented rate, and we are in for alot more climate related disasters to come- meanwhile those in the know are too busy pointing fingers at who's fault it is. And yes, of course the earth goes through natural changes but that doesn't mean we should help it along and not change our ways. The whole suppression of the facts just ticks me off to no end. And why would George W. Bush buy over 90,000 acres of land in Paraguay on top of the one of the largest natural water resevoirs if he didn't know about something that we don't ?We have things coming down the pipeline and you better believe that those in the "know" are preparing themselves now.
Just taking a break from building my ark to come in and read this. Unless the entire world decides to take a bit of responsibility, in the long run, we are all going to be affected. It is great when a country decreases polution and plants trees and cleans up after itself, but, when the sh#@ hits the fan, even their country is going down.
i have done some research over the years and it is obvious that humans have the ability to affect the planet both positively and negatively. For the most part our behavious have been making a negative contribution but this can, and is to a small degree, change.
This is a great discussion. Thanks so much, Chef Jeff. You really know how to generate thoughtful responses. I have read each and every one of them with utmost attention.
The Bush purchase in Paraguay is a surprise to me. I know first hand that other Republican types are planning their exit strategy, should the election not go their way. These folk are purchasing land in South American countries like Costa Rica. It frustrates me that the very people who were so willing to support what I consider the most destructive American Presidency in my lifetime are now grabbing their money and leaving town.
Where is the silver lining? Or am I just a Pollyanna?
The earth changes, it does it all the time. It happens slowly so we will have time to freak out about it. We may die or we will advance, just have to see what our planet wants to do.
Good post, Jeff. There sure are problems and global warming is just one of many.
But what do we expect? When I was born, there were 2.5 billion people on the planet - now there are over 6 billion people with an expectation of 8 billion or more this century. People require space and resources just to survive. So the strain on resources intensifies and the waste accumulates.
There doesn't seem to be any human answer because most everyone wants "more". Seems that the answer is that nature will take care of the problem in time simply because, at this juncture, earth can accomodate only a couple of billion humans at one time.
Have you seen the movie Sharkwater? It's a documentary about the near extinction of sharks (100 million a year) due to the illegal shark fin trade. The makers of the movie say that once we lose these predators, it will upset the entire ecosystem of the ocean, and make it harder for the ocean to absorb carbon--leading to--you guessed it--increased global warming. Amazing how connected we all are. Great hub!
I must admit I haven't seen that documentary, Minnow, but I will lok for it online or at my local library.
Budwood, it is amazing just how many more people there are in the world today! I was born more than 50 years ago and since then we have seen more than a doubling in world population!
Moefry47 - you are right that the climate & the world do change, and normally these changes occur slowly. But in very historical times, about 1,000 to 500 years ago, two great climate changes occurred, and we still don't know exactly why. Climate also changed for several years due to volcanic activity, and this we know more about.
If the world is changing today because of human influence, then we have to determine if the change will make the Earth a better or worse place to live.
Personally, I believe that we are ruining the planet, and that is why I stand for those who seek to make changes in our behaviors so we stop, or at least slow down, our intervention.
Climate change occurs naturally all the time. Lands around the Arctic Ocean are Arctic deserts because the Arctic Ocean is covered with floating sea ice, preventing evaporation and thus they receive very little precipitation. Yet, there are huge glaciated valleys on lands around this ocean. Where did the precipitation come from that fed these huge glaciers of the past. Almost certainly, an open and ice free Arctic Ocean. These glaciated valleys are factual. They clearly show that the floating sea ice comes and goes, as it has in all the past Ice Ages and Inter-glacial Stages, over the last 3 million years.
An Arctic Geologist
I always learn from your Hubs and this one is no exception. Great article full of interesting information.
Just found this hub of yours, Chef, and will link to it on my newest, "Global Warming Science And The Dawn Of Flight." (This Hub examines the life, work, and times of Svante Arrhenius, the Nobel prize winner who in 1895-6 took a year out of his life to calculate by hand the first CO2-climate model. Obviously, that's if it's OK with you.)
I like your calm firmness and politeness around this contentious issue. Best always!
PS--Almost forgot to mention that we are at or near the annual sea ice extent minimum as I write this comment. It's a bit higher than the last two years, due to favorable wind patterns in August slowing the transport of ice into the North Atlantic, but still the 3rd-lowest extent on record at about 5.2 million square km, and right on the -8%/year trend line for August.
Scary stuff, considering how the lower extents create more warming via the albedo effect.
Doc snow, I am honored, so please link the hub. Yes, things did turn out slightly better than anticipated, which is good news but still does not solve the problem, as you are well aware. I am hopeful that we will face this and do what we need to do before we become the newest extinct species on the planet.
Cheers!
Chef Jeff
Hi, Chef--
Just a quick update for your readers: we're nearing the annual Arctic sea ice maximum, and the extent for this year is tracking very close to where it was in the leadup to the record-setting low of 2007.
Of course, with the typical variability of sea ice extents, it would be premature to predict anything too definitively, but with the current El Nino in force, it may be that this year's minimum extent will be lower once again.
Certainly, it's not looking much like any kind of Arctic sea-ice "recovery" just now.
Keep your fingers crossed!
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solarshingles 4 years ago
Truly wonderful and well researched hub about Ice melting at both earth poles. A very challenging topic, which is going to profoundly effect our live on earth, soon.