I'm pretty sure I believe in global warming...of the "human cause" persuasion. No one can be sure of either conclusion, but I'm leaning towards the "yes, humans cause some of it" side.
Here's why:
1) The world uses (burns) over 85,000,000 (that's 85 million) barrels of oil every DAY.
2) The world uses (burns) over 16,000,000 (again, 16 million) tons of coal every DAY. And I hope we all know how 'dirty' coal burns. It's frightening. Look it up if you don't know.
3) The world uses (burns) over (in 1999) 250,000,000,000 (that's 250 billion) cubic feet of natural gas every DAY.
In 2006 alone, we released over 27,500,000,000 (that's 27.5 billion) metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels (aka liquid rotting remains of formerly alive organic material...aka dead animals and plants)...so that's what I smell every morning when I drive by one of Tulsa's refineries...pollution from burning the rotting liquid flesh from dead wooly mammoths.
Interesting. 27.5 billion tons of CO2 every year, released into our atmosphere. That can't be good.
I can picture the biggest cities in the world in the dead heat of summer...clogged by traffic everyday, almost all day...with most of the developing world using cars built in the '70s that produce more pollution than I ever want to think of. China has over 110 cities that have populations of over 1 million people. China uses those cars, and their primary source of energy for their power plants is coal (see note above). Domestically, I can just picture LA, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Detroit, Philly, Pittsburg, NY, Miami, Atlanta, OKC, Kansas City, Seattle, Portland, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, San Diego, San Fran, Denver, Baltimore, DC, Twin Cities, Vegas, etc etc...from 7-9 every morning, and 4-6 every evening swamped with standstill traffic...engines running....everyday.
I've been to Cairo, Egypt (population estimated at 26 million people). The streets of the entire city are clogged with 1970s Mercedes cars....black smoke constantly pouring out of the back of them...in 115 degree heat...in the middle of the desert. You can literally walk up to any building, any street sign, any plant, and rub your finger across a surface and it will be black with soot. They also have what they call the "black cloud phenomenon" settle over the city every August-September. Google "Cairo black cloud"....it's interesting.
I'm talking about car pollution here...which, by the way, fails to compare to power plant emissions or emissions from industry. But we all drive cars, so I figure we can relate better with that.
Global Warming? Happens naturally, sure thing. Can we contribute to it? See "Here's why:" section above.
Do I believe in a God bigger than car exhaust and oil companies? Absolutely.
Do I believe in good stewardship of the Earth, and glory found in the beauty of God's creation? I wish I did a lot more than I do.
It aint supposed to be this way. That's really all I can say.
