How to Answer the Dumb Things Climate Deniers Say

[proud2BlibKansan]

If you are like me you probably have encountered a few people that do not believe global warming exists, or if they do, they are not always convinced that humans are contributing to the problem. There are usually a range of issues these skeptics raise in an attempt to cast doubt on climate change evidence. Below are a few responses to some of the more frequent statements these deniers toss our way.

The Skeptics: There is simply no evidence that humans are contributing to climate change, if the earth is even warming.

Answer: As carbon dioxide (CO2) is pumped into the air through human activities, heat becomes trapped in the atmosphere. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as the "greenhouse effect." If the earth's global temperatures rise a mere 3 degrees, there will be catastrophic results all over the world.

The Skeptics: CO2 can't possibly be to blame for any so-called climate change as emissions only stay in our atmosphere for up to 10 years. Our oceans and terrestrial carbon sinks absorb this CO2 anyway. In fact, the oceans are so big that they could absorb over 50 times more CO2 than humans contribute now. As such, we can't possibly be to blame for any change in global temperatures today.

Answer: Actually the ocean's ability to store CO2 is not very long. Only 50% of CO2 is absorbed by areas of the ocean that are not very deep. In these areas, CO2 is released back into the atmosphere. Recent studies have shown that only 30% of CO2 is stored in the deep ocean. The rest, some 20%, stays in the atmosphere for thousands of years.

more . . . http://www.alternet.org/story/145609/how_to_answer_the_dumb_things_climate_deniers_say

[Catshrink]

1. Thanks for posting this.

[tularetom]

2. No climate denier I've heard is able to give reasons as articulate as those you listed

It's more like "It really snowed a lot and it's cold so that proves that global warming is a lie."

I doubt if most of them even know what CO2 is.

[Catshrink]

5. Sure they do...

it's the fizzy stuff in their soft drinks.

[FailureToCommunicate]

34. Agreed. The real question is why the media keeps trotting them out for "balance"

"Here with us today on 'Earth In The Balance' is noted climate scientist John Holdren. For a balanced perspective we have with us... Homey the Clown"

[timeforpeace]

3. "heat becomes trapped in the atmosphere" This one always puzzled me. No dissipation into space? Why

not?

[neverforget]

12. Here's a link:

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/greenhouse/

and here's a picture:

[asdjrocky]

4. I just hit them with a bat.

Is that wrong?

[Sal Minella]

11. Not if it shuts them up. Means justifies end in this case, I think. n/t

[eppur_se_muova]

35. Well, it's cruel to the bat. PETA will get you. nt

[Kyril Enko]

6. Why say anything at all?

Explaining it to your dog would be a better use of mental energy.

[Toucano]

7. But that's not the objection I hear most often.

"It's so cold today! So much for global warming!"

Some are joking, but some are serious. Or is it series?

[lunasun]

8. I try not to talk to dumb people

I just wish they would try as hard to not talk to me.

My answer for unsolicited information spewed my way is > "sorry I asked"!

Some get the hint that I didn't ask to hear it but alas, some are too stupid to get my reply:crazy:

[lib2DaBone]

9. One thing to consider...

Is this so much "Global Warming".... or is this mother nature "Rebelling"?

If you look at Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornado's, drought, flooding, freezing,... it's not so much global warming.. as it is a natural cycle which occurs as a weather cycle every 26,000 years on earth.

Is it possible that we are in the middle of a 26,000 year cycle?

Who knows..? But an interesting question none the less...

[freeplessinseattle]

17. now that's original, lol;) n/t

[KonaKane]

10. You might as well try to teach calculus to cattle

Seriously.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. LOL!

[greenbird]

14. Good article, but I'm still trying to explain

that global warming and the ozone hole are not the same phenomenon. I'll bookmark this if the conversation ever gets past this point.

[indy legend]

15. you can't talk to these people

Confusing them with trivial things like facts, truth or science could make their heads explode.

[beaujolais]

24. Can you explain that?

I am brand new here (my second post lol) but I always thought
that the ozone hole was caused by global warming and freon. 

Some of my family thinks they are different but I want to
teach them what is right. 

Can U explain this to me? Thanks!!!!

[Goldstein1984]

16. As a biologist and environmental scientist/engineer

I recognize the Climate Change Debate as identical to the Creationism Debate: An argument with the demon, Ignorance. If the ignorance was just a simple lack of education the solution would be to provide information, as you suggest. But the ignorance is willful. Correct information serves no purpose in either debate. In fact, I would be surprised if there weren't a 99% correlation between the membership in the Climate Change Denier and the Evolution Denier groups. They both use the same labels of "hoax" and "religion" and "elitism" in their arguments.

It's no less frustrating that many climate change and evolution deniers are otherwise intelligent people who choose to be willfully ignorant about topics that challenge their world views. In this regard, I often view these otherwise intelligent people as "technicians," people who are people trained and capable of doing complex work, and their open-minded counterparts as "intellectuals," or people educated and capable of thinking complex thoughts. I know this distinction is far from perfect.

I've found that a response that saves me a lot of time, and probably changes just as many minds as does resorting to facts, is, "I'm sorry, but this conversation really isn't a very good use of my time."

But the arguments in the OP are succinct and correct, and they should be kept on hand for that occasional person who is capable of changing their mind.

(I apologize, but it's been a tough week, so the cynicism I'm expressing in this post, while I believe every word of it, is probably written more bitingly than is necessary.)

[atomic-fly]

18. good observation Goldstein1984

I used to work with many technical types and was dumbfounded
when this subject came up.

[Goldstein1984]

22. People compartmentalize their intellectual and emotional

thought processes. The size of the compartment necessary to hold the intellectual thought processes varies.

James Inhofe is among the worst. I can't figure out whether he is very evil or just very stupid. The smart money is on both evil and stupid, but how much of each. My gut just tells me that he's without morals, ethics or character--a hollow shell stuffed full of money from special interests like a scarecrow stuffed with straw. If he only had a brain.

[farmout rightarm]

28. Frustrating is scarcely descriptive enough. I'm a scientist/engineer too and I find

that more than a few of the people you've accurately identified are even LESS inclined to believe me simply because they have an ingrained distrust of science which they identify with secular threats to their 'faith'.

Some things haven't changed since Galileo.

[Goldstein1984]

33. I don't think the lizard part of the brain can evolve in just 400 years

I don't remember who said it, but it's frightening that we've acquired the technology to inflict such damage before acquiring the wisdom needed to control it.

The human species is like a 2-year-old turned loose on a riding lawnmower--nothing is safe until the fuel runs out.

[Taitertots]

19. "But it is snowing, so much for global warming"

Then I say "catastrophic temperature change wouldn't be enough to stop it from snowing during the winter". It could be 10 degrees warmer and still be snowing.

[farmout rightarm]

30. Exactly. Warm air can hold far more water vapor than cold air.

That is why many places are getting more and more snow even though it's not as cold as before.

[Taitertots]

36. That is usually the point when their eyes glaze over

I just say global warming isn't going to be enough to stop it from snowing.

It is best to avoid anything that requires them to think. Don't even try to explain how +6 degrees in the summer and -3 in the winter still increases the average temperature.

[DCBob]

20. Most deniers just say the data is all bogus or we are just experiencing a normal warming cycle.

Its almost hopeless arguing with these anti-science morons. They have been brainwashed by right-wing media and conservative talk shows.

[Xicano]

21. What do you tell them if they say:

Ice cores show increased CO2 levels lag behind temperature increases, not the other way around? Also, what do yo tell them if they say: Solar maximum and minimum activity matches global climate changes?

What if they bring up this video? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5576670191369613647#



Peace,
Xicano

[beaujolais]

25. Ice cores show increased CO2 levels lag behind temperature increases

What do you say to them about that? It seems like it should be
the other way around. Some body said that to me and I didn't
know what to say. I hope I posted this OK. I'm new here and
don't really undestand all this posting stuff yet, but I'll
learn. Thanks!

[farmout rightarm]

29. Here's a fairly easy to grasp analysis you can have a look at

http://www.skepticalscience.com/Why-does-CO2-lag-temperature.html

[beaujolais]

31. Thanks!

I'll look at that.

[beaujolais]

32. I understand now!

When the oceans get warmer they release carbon dioxide just like a warm flat soda. That makes sense why it lags the warming

[troubledamerican]

23. Wikipedia: Collapse of Thermohaline Circulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutdown_of_thermohaline_circulation

[otohara]

26. Hey Deniers.... There's a Southern Hemisphere

where they are having a heatwave and in Brazil - 32 people have died recently due to heat.

[That Is Quite Enough]

27. My answer is usually a facepalm followed by laughter