Global Warming: It’s not my fault!
By RT | August 19, 2009
As Wyatt would say, “Get out the duct tape!” Seriously, my brain just had a little quivering moment.
I’ve always had this guilty feeling that my excessive use of Aqua Net (in the white and pink can), back in the ’80s, has contributed to Global Warming.
Well, a new study (seems to be one all the time), seems to point the finger at…are you ready?…ANCIENT FARMING METHODS!!!!
Now, before I go for the cheap joke and say, “Global Warming: So easy a caveman could do it,” let’s look at what the study has to say:
Ancient man may have started global warming through massive deforestation and burning that could have permanently altered the Earth’s climate, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
Primitive slash-and-burn agriculture permanently changed Earth’s climate, according to a new study.Primitive slash-and-burn agriculture permanently changed Earth’s climate, according to a new study.
The study, published in the scientific journal Quaternary Science Reviews and reported on the University of Virginia’s Web site, says over thousands of years, farmers burned down so many forests on such a large scale that huge amounts of carbon dioxide were pumped into the atmosphere. That possibly causing the Earth to warm up and forever changing the climate.
Now, I know what you are saying, “But, the population wasn’t near what it is now, and emissions of pollutants are much worse now.” (I’m a mind reader. It is a gift.)
“It seems like a common-sense idea that there weren’t enough people around 5, 6, 7,000 years ago to have any significant impact on climate. But if you allow for the fact that those people, person by person, had something like 10 times as much of an effect or cleared 10 times as much land as people do today on average, that bumps up the effect of those earlier farmers considerably, and it does make them a factor in contributing to the rise of greenhouse gasses,” Ruddiman said.
Ruddiman said that starting thousands of years ago, people would burn down a forest, poke a hole in the soil between the stumps, drop seeds in the holes and grow a crop on that land until the nutrients were tapped out of the soil. Then they would move on.
“And they’d burn down another patch of forest and another and another. They might do that five times in a 20-year period,” he said.
That slashing and burning on such a large scale spewed enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and warmed the planet, the study says.
(H/T: CNN)
Allow me to pull out a nugget: “… if you allow for the fact that those people, person by person, had something like 10 times as much of an effect or cleared 10 times as much land as people do today on average, that bumps up the effect of those earlier farmers considerably, and it does make them a factor in contributing to the rise of greenhouse gasses.”
Hmmm…hasn’t it been contended that we have polluted, plucked resources and destroyed the earth way more than the ancients?
The communal living hippies are in for a shocker. Heh.
Topics: Uncategorized | 14 Comments »
August 19th, 2009 at 10:05 am
This so does not pass the smell test. I can’t believe those idiots get paid to study and then write this load of bovine manure. (which is, of course, a major pollutant).
August 19th, 2009 at 11:01 am
RT, how you been?
Yeah, I saw this yesterday. Evil humans. But of course if the eco-nazis would just snuff themselves, they wouldn’t have to witness the Global Warming misery (that isn’t happening) and they could believe they are saving the planet–it’s a twofer.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Vome to the heartlans in the sprong and see flames from horizon to horizon as the farmers burn the flint hills grass off. People not that many years ago also heated their homes with wood and coal. Lots of pollutants. Not one that match the crap spewed out by a volcano eruption or one session of congress. MUD
August 19th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
But I thought the Indians were the first environmentalists? How could this possibly be? Also what was the effect on climate from those Buffalo herds of 1 million before the white man killed them all. I love all this stuff. Mt. Saint Helens knocked down enough trees in one day to build 400,000 houses. And spewed tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Even if we wanted to change the climate I do not think we could. These people need to get a life. What about the warming that took place 50,000 years ago?
August 19th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
What about trying to save as much of the environment as possible for future generations? F- them , I guess. We waste so much crap in this world (especially energy, paper and plastic) that it’s disgusting.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
What globull warming?
August 19th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
MeToo
I just wish they’d conclusively make up their minds.
cbullitt
(I’m fine. Thanks for asking.)
I saw a little bit of irony. I was watching a show on some folks looking to buy “green” homes. When it was advised that they not use air-conditioning or set it up to 78/80 degrees…they balked. Eh…I set mine at 78. It isn’t that bad (as long as I don’t go upstairs until nightfall).
Dennis Petty
We’ve had a fair amount of volcanic activity. Given the number of earthquakes on the rise, I’d say were in for some volcanic spewage. That usually leads to global cooling, though.
Ingineer66
That’s the thing…we can’t really stop changes in the climate. I think as a whole a lot of countries have tried to make some positive changes, but there are many countries who do not see their role in helping the climate stuff. Heck, we have folks thinking we can mess with the rain production. Who died and made them God?
Randal Graves
The plastic is just bad all around, and I freely admit that. That’s why I’ve been changing over from plastic to glass, and I use a reusable BPA-free water bottle. I’ve always washed my clothes in cold water, too.
Think of all the paper we’d save if the newspapers stopped over-printing.
Heh.
Are hockey pucks recycled rubber?
Rick
I dunno. Hmm…
August 19th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
“The communal living hippies are in for a shocker.”
They’re not in for any shocker. Even the hardest core lefty environmentalist don’t believe these fear studies anymore. Last year everyone believed them but not in 2009. As you might have noticed, the media is completly ignoring these kinds of bad-science things now, they don’t sell anymore.
August 19th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
So, let’s hit up this ‘Ancient Man’ for reparations.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Definitely doesn’t pass the smell test. At least not here in the northeast. Living in both the Northern Tier of PA and at in the southeast corner of the Adirondack State Park of NY, I can, without reservation, say there is more forested area today than a hundred years ago.
What with abandoned farms, reforested pastures, and the Forever Wild Adirondacks, more trees are presently growing than there were during the time of the Civil War. Just drive around some of the New England states and observe the stone walls that once marked pasture and field boundaries that are now well within the borders of the forests.
Or note the acre upon acre of pastures being turned into forests with saplings planted by the thousands.
The same is true all up and down the east coast.
August 20th, 2009 at 3:02 am
Have you heard the story that California is scared to death of the new Chevy Volt. They are afraid that to many people will buy them and plug them in. 1st they’re not sure the power grid can handle it, then they have to create more electricity meaning burning more coal and oil creating more green house gases and more warming. I have an idea, lets plug the mouths of the tree huggers and gas bags in Washington and we will reduce green house gases about 99%
I also want to thank all the Hybrid vehicle owners for saving so much oil. I could use it. A proud H2 owner.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:32 am
I agree Joated, more forests now. Imagine how many forests we would lose if we didn’t have the forest fire fighters who minimize the damage most often caused by lightening strikes.
August 20th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Klem
Well, to be fair, the media is a flavor-of-the-moment beast.
Insolublog
Yeah, but they only dealt in bartering and clam shells.
Joated
Agreed.
Nitehawk
Good one!
Maggie Mama
The severity of the fires have also been linked to the apeasement of tree huggers (not clearing brush and limbs as they should be).
August 20th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Nighthawk we do not burn coal and very little oil out here in Cali for electricity we use clean burning natural gas. That is partially why our power grid is always on the verge of not having enough. Very few new power plants in the last 25 years while the population more than doubled. We need some new dams for water and electricity, but the hippies won’t let either happen.
And I agree with you about saving us some oil. I have a Mustang GT and an F250 with a V10. I say burn up all the oil as fast as we can then that will force everyone to find an environmentally clean fuel. And our carbon footprint problem will be solved too. If it really is a problem.