To Americans, the Risks of Global Warming Are Not Imminent

[MtnBiker]

A majority worries about climate changes, but thinks problems are a decade or more away

by Lydia Saad

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- One has to wonder why Americans don't demand more political action on global warming when surveys routinely find them saying they believe it is happening and are generally worried about it -- and when activists like former vice president Al Gore are sounding piercing alarm bells about the risks of climate change. Yet, only a small fraction of the public names global warming in unaided measures of perceived problems facing the nation or as a top government priority. Although a majority of Americans say they are at least fairly worried about global warming, the issue ranks near the bottom of other environmental issues rated.

One answer could be that, while Americans say they are worried about global warming, they also believe the worst manifestations of the problem are a long way off. A recent Gallup Panel poll explored this idea with a pair of questions concerning each of seven possible ways that global warming could affect life as we know it on Earth. These range from stronger hurricanes, to extinction of animal species, to a significant rise in ocean levels. Gallup asked respondents to rate how much they worry about each event happening, and to predict when, if ever, they think each event will occur.

Generally speaking, not much more than one-third of Americans are "very worried" about any of the seven effects of global warming measured in the survey; however, a solid majority are at least "somewhat worried" about nearly all of them.

The most common concern is for the worsening of weather events such as hurricanes, flooding, and droughts, as well as rising ocean levels swamping coastal areas. Americans express slightly less concern for the extinction of animal species and spread of tropical diseases. Far fewer Americans are worried that northern Europe will experience dramatic cooling due to changes in the Gulf Stream. Concern about the most severe effect of global warming -- "that human life will cease to exist on earth" -- is in a class by itself, as it is the only item for which a majority of Americans (66%) are not especially worried.



Full story - http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=26842

[Gaffer]

There will be global warming and cooling and there's nothing we can do about it. Life will not be exterminated. Just changed. As conditions change humans will adapt. Just like all other life. If a specise goes extent it is because it was not capable of adapting. That's the problem with specialized specise.

[GW in Ohio]

I dunno, Gaffer.

If the worst predictions about global warming come true, millions of people will starve because climate change will make conditions impossible for growing crops and raising livestock in many areas where farming and ranching are practiced today.

Furthermore, many areas now in the temperate zone could become unliveable if temperatures rise in the worst case scenario.

Yeah, it won't start to get bad for another decade or two, but is that what we want to leave for our children and grandchildren? Famine, starvation, devastation, a new dark age?

I'm ready to practice whatever conservation measures are necessary. I'm ready to drive an electric car and use a lot less electricity in my home.

But nothing is going to happen until we get a president who will take the problem seriously and provide leadership. It will take a president with character to tell Americans that they need to start consuming less energy, but I think most Americans are ready to accept that kind of leadership.

[MtnBiker]

Interesting, in your reply the 2nd word you used was "dunno" and the 4th was "if". Should a president base policy on dunnos and ifs?

[GW in Ohio]

I ain't no president, dude. I'm just an ordinary citizen. But I'm ready to do my part to deal with global warming, as soon as we get a president with some backbone who'll address the problem.

[Dilloduck]

I ain't no president, dude. I'm just an ordinary citizen. But I'm ready to do my part to deal with global warming, as soon as we get a president with some backbone who'll address the problem.

Why not start now if you're so damn worried about it ?

[stephanie]

If mother earth....wants to explode...There ain't shit we can about it....Except go with it...:poke:Good Grief..

[Gaffer]

If mother earth....wants to explode...There ain't shit we can about it....Except go with it...:poke:Good Grief..

That's what i tried to tell him. There is NO proof that global warming is caused by man, its only speculation based on politics and attempts to get control of the government. And if there is major global warming then people will adjust to it and do what they have to in order to survive. It doesn't mean we have to go into another dark ages unless the libs and the muslims get control of the country. Then you will see dark ages.

[stephanie]

That's what i tried to tell him. There is NO proof that global warming is caused by man, its only speculation based on politics and attempts to get control of the government. And if there is major global warming then people will adjust to it and do what they have to in order to survive. It doesn't mean we have to go into another dark ages unless the libs and the Muslims get control of the country. Then you will see dark ages.

It's become so over the top......It's just total hysteria, now..
Just like in the 70s, when the earth was coming to an end from........Global Cooling....

Just Ridiculous...:poke:

[avatar4321]

It's become so over the top......It's just total hysteria, now..
Just like in the 70s, when the earth was coming to an end from........Global Cooling....

Just Ridiculous...:poke:

Now they've made it so it doesnt matter if its warmer or cooler, they are just calling it "Climate change"

[LiberalNation]

If humans are changing the climate which looking at all the studies we are. We should try to limit it but then you have to look at the cost and benifits. Sure we could cut our CO2 outlet to zero but how many would starve from that or we could just do nothing and when it gets bad people still starve. Balance, hopefully will find it.

[stephanie]

Now they've made it so it doesnt matter if its warmer or cooler, they are just calling it "Climate change"

Yep....
They knew people weren't falling for it...

But, it's sure evident....there are a lot of people who are falling it...Scary

[Gaffer]

Yep....
They knew people weren't falling for it...

But, it's sure evident....there are a lot of people who are falling it...Scary

That's cause the MSM is pushing it and promoting the hysteria. It's part of the liberal agenda. Scare the hell out of people then tell them how you will fix it. mussolini and hitler used it very well. Now the libs are trying it from a different angle.

[GW in Ohio]

Geez....

I would really like to think you guys are right and it's just a ploy by liberal elements.

I hope you're right.

[stephanie]

Geez....

I would really like to think you guys are right and it's just a ploy by liberal elements.

I hope you're right.

Just really think about the arguments, G.W..
Look at the Gores, Hollywood, all the hyprocicy..., coming from them..

That's a good start...

I'm all for conservation, saving the animals, and all that...
But their really isn't much else we can do...

The United states has been working on improving our industry, and we're far ahead of others in my opinion...

Don't let the Global warming nuts, fool you....

:cheers2:

[Gaffer]

Geez....

I would really like to think you guys are right and it's just a ploy by liberal elements.

I hope you're right.

GW what does the media love to do? The sensationalize. They blow things out of purportion for ratings. They have reporters stand in hurricane winds to show how bad it is and crawl all over the victims of such disasters looking for the "human interest" story. Global warming or climate change as they have now decided to call it is just another sensationalist propaganda ploy. It brings in viewers and presents the agenda of people like gore who wants to be the big magumba of the enviromentalist religion. 20 years from now they will be harping on something else.

They have been saying for years that the magnetic field was going to reverse polarity at any time. Hasn't happened. There's always the chance of an astroid impact on earth. It would change things drasticly if it did. Nothing we could do about it. There would be changes in the world and life here.

The wording is all important in these reports too. I can say that most scientist agree there is global warming. But how many is most and in what capcity do they practice. If I ask ten scientist of various fields and 7 of them say yes there is global warming then "most" is the key word. "Scientist" is the next key word. Because how many of them are climitologists?

It's like saying 4 out of 5 doctors agree....Except they don't tell you only one is a medical doctor and he disagrees.

The other reason I say its the media and the liberals is that they only want to hold America to this high standard, the rest of the world and really big polluters like china and india are ignored.

[Yurt]

I ain't no president, dude. I'm just an ordinary citizen. But I'm ready to do my part to deal with global warming, as soon as we get a president with some backbone who'll address the problem.

You could start by not opening your mouth and spewing such uneducated hot air.

As you know, global warming is a MYTH. For a fairly non-scholarly view that won't bore you, try this:

STATE OF FEAR (http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?t=1383)

Would be interested in your views after reading this book.

[Yurt]

Geez....

I would really like to think you guys are right and it's just a ploy by liberal elements.

I hope you're right.

It is more than a liberal ploy, it is a ploy by environmentalists with an agenda, environmentalists who must create a STATE OF FEAR (http://www.debatepolicy.com/showthread.php?t=1383) in order to keep their budgets coming in. Some of the stuff cited in this book is clear and convincing truth that global warming is equally scoffed at by scientists. Yet the MSM will not report on that. I strongly suggest you research just a little bit. The book is a novel, but his footnotes are REAL.