View Full Version : Worried about climate change
Last night I saw a chart of land and ocean temperature percentiles for this year, showing record temperatures in Europe and the oceans. I also saw a graph showing that the ice caps are melting at an alarming rate. :scared15: As you can imagine, I'm worried about inheriting a polluted planet - no, I'm worried about ending up in a Waterworld-type scenario where all the land is submerged in water! The problem is, not only are there people willing to fry the planet like this, I don't know how to combat it myself; I run several electrical appliances daily and use gas to cook. And some of those appliances are essential. I don't even know what else I can do!
If I'm completely honest, on a personal level, anything you do won't have an effect. It needs the big countries (USA, China, India) to come together and properly work this out.
Global warming is definitely getting worse. And it worries me too what the world is going to be like in a few decades time. But try to only worry on the things you can personally change. If you can't do anything about it yourself, don't worry about it. That's what I tell myself
Oh sure, and while the US ramps up its use of fossil fuels, the rest of us are left deadlocked!
There are many aspects of life we have no control over. That seems to be your issue du jour. Other than a vote, there's nothing you can do about leadership or politics. Other than recycle your own waste or join an environmental group, there's nothing you can do about climate change. Truth be told, none of us will be here if or when something catastrophic happens.
Do you want to spend your days worrying about something you can't do a damn thing about or live the best life you can while you're here?
Nothing said here will alleviate your worries so it's a choice you need to make and act on.
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
25-07-18, 10:09
All we can do is our bit, the rest is up to governments to work together.
But you can work on reducing how it makes you feel. It sounds like the news is a source of triggers for you. Do you find yourself jumping from one major world worry too another?
Oh Christ no. This is terrifying!
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2018/global-climate-2017
ankietyjoe
05-08-18, 16:54
Just stop reading it if it makes you panic.
'HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD' is a meaningless statistic anyway, as accurate global records barely span a single human lifetime. How do we know that 1329 wasn't the hottest year on record?
There is also plenty of evidence that global warming is cyclical and happens every so many millennia anyway, and it hasn't wiped out humanity yet. It's a very slow process and we will adapt as we go.
That's not to say that mankind isn't contributing to all sorts of global problems, but all you can do is your part.
Frank, to help my anxiety, i have 2 questions that i ask myself constantly that help me out :
Does it affect me directly?
Is it something i can personally change?
You're looking at the second question here. It isn't something you can personally change so don't worry about it. Worrying about it is not going to change anything whatsoever. Don't look global warming up anymore. Distract yourself. Stay away from headlines that cause anxiety
Is it something i can personally change?
You're looking at the second question here. It isn't something you can personally change so don't worry about it.
Not necessarily. I could clog some factory chimneys so the noxious fumes don't get out! If sabotage is the only recourse, then so be it!
MRS STRESS ED
06-08-18, 09:05
Not necessarily. I could clog some factory chimneys so the noxious fumes don't get out! If sabotage is the only recourse, then so be it!
Frank we all are responsible and if each and everyone of us made a small change it would make a difference,
But sabotage no no no not the way to go apart getting you in a whole load of trouble xx
I could clog some factory chimneys so the noxious fumes don't get out! If sabotage is the only recourse, then so be it!
They don't allow internet in prison.
Positive thoughts
You're right, stupid idea. The only real recourse is to get off the planet before it becomes uninhabitable. Oh wait, no, there are no passenger flights off the planet!
Or you can just walk to higher ground. Yes, climate change is going to reshape the world's land. It's not going to happen overnight though. Humans will adapt. The real danger is in increased intensity and frequency of storms, but that still won't affect most of us too directly.
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But you know what the worst part is? With our leaders, there's no hope that things will get better. If anything it's only going to get worse.
But that isn't even true. Ignore the orange guy in the white mansion over here on the left side of the pond for awhile and think about it. Perhaps we are moving too slowly but there is a action being taken.
Think about where we are compared to a generation ago! There are many environmental laws worldwide, global agreements signed by nearly every country, etc. Recycling is commonplace. Some companies already are or have the goal of becoming self-sufficient. None of this was happening in 1998 or was just getting started at best. Things ARE getting better. The news tells you otherwise but they just want to rile you up so that you end up watching more news!!!
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Well, if there are so many environmental laws, how come the problem's getting worse and worse?
Well, if there are so many environmental laws, how come the problem's getting worse and worse?
Because at the heart of it all, mankind is stupid. And now more than ever, with the internet and being able to see and experience the world nearly instantaneously, we get to see all this glorious stupidity at the click of a button. Ohhh, we think we're smart but we're just a blip of light in the big scheme of things. Unless the future turns into some Star Trek Federation Socialist Utopian society where the world comes together to represent humans, we'll go extinct and the earth will continue on for millions of more years in one shape or another.
Look, if some 42,000 year old frozen worms can come back to life, I think Mother Earth will do just fine when we're gone ;)
Positive thoughts
Well, if there are so many environmental laws, how come the problem's getting worse and worse?Could be too little too late. Could be that it takes a long period of time to change things. Could be that none of it really matters at all anyway and like Fishmanpa says, the earth will be just fine. 150 years of statistics out of 4 billion is hardly enough to be a good sample size. Perhaps we're on our way back to the average for all we know. We don't know much besides being able to identify the current statistical trendline. Hopefully we're intelligent enough as a whole to try and alleviate potential problems but even if we're not, the earth will be fine and even us muddling humans will likely be fine for the most part too in the long run.
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Hi frankT,
I suffer from GAD and most of my life i have spent worrying about one thing or another to the point where it becomes obsessive. I went through the end of the world scenario many years ago, global warming, greenhouse gases ext, then i learned that 2000 years ago when the Romans occupied britain, they built there ports and harbours on the coast line at the time. But now the ruins of these are all miles inland, meaning the climate was much warmer then than now, and the see levels must have been much higher.
Man kind isn't helping the current situation, and you would have to be a fool to say otherwise, but nature is a very complex thing, and ultimately its the sun that runs the show, which its estimated will burn for another couple of million of years.
I know what its like to worry constantly, its awful and you have my sympathy 100%
All the best, Otterman...
MyNameIsTerry
07-08-18, 02:26
Hottest year on record means since they began recording, which wasn't long ago at all when compared against the length of time that humanity has actually been around.
This always reminds me of a Michael McIntyre show where he says "that first year must have been a whopper for records being broken!" :D
Perhaps we need a period of slowdown before we can shift into reverse gear Frank? During slowdown it can only continue to get worse, just at a slower pace.
As said, it has to come from governments and they need to work together. They also need big groups lobbying for change otherwise big business will only keep winning to pay their shareholders.
They need to kick councils up the bum too. It's annoying how they have different recycling policies, it should be a national strategy and not one that allows them to slime around just hitting a % however they can. So much is wasted.
Tackling plastics would be a good start. It's not much use having the climate sorted if we've killed all the marine life.
Grounding88
07-08-18, 04:42
TBH I think it's too late. Just my opinion. It's not irrational to worry about this. I worry more about politics. I can't change it I wish I could but we can all do tiny things. I'm a green voter so I try and do well for the planet. I can't get involved in the mainstream politics it's too corrupt I'm too sensitive. I think the heatwaves are showing that it is too hot. But ,Ike I said it's too late now to worry. Just donlittle things and vote when you get the chance.
Mudskipper
07-08-18, 09:27
Bear in mind that any large system (and the climate is a very large system) has inertia built into it. It takes time to respond. Just as it took centuries for mankind's activities to cause warming, it will take the same for our response to global warming to have an effect. And we are taking action. In Britain there are regular periods when the national grid is entirely powered by renewables, no fossil fuels, that didn't happen even ten years ago, and I was reading on the BBC news site about the hydro-electric power now being produced by China. It'll take a while, maybe a long while, for the situation to improve but I believe it will. In the meantime we have to find ways to cope.
I think really it's up to the governments to change regulations, and not put it on the shoulders of the public to "do their little bit". They like to control everything else, anyway. If they care enough, then they'll make the changes. Until then, I don't think they are taking it all that seriously at all... not enough to make THEM act threatened by it, anyway, IMO.
I was afraid of that. :unsure:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45775309?SThisFB
It's definitely gotten worse. And get this: the meat and dairy industry were being secretive about their emissions data and are in fact doing worse emissions than the 100 corporations responsible for 71% of greenhouse gases!
A global warming catastrophe is imminent. We need massive restructuring of our society and economy right now to prevent collapse!
nomorepanic
11-10-18, 13:38
Frank - you are still worrying about things that you cannot control. Are you getting some help for your anxiety?
Yes, but I'm waiting for a telephone appointment.
MyNameIsTerry
12-10-18, 02:23
I guess you would have to dig further into to the report to get a sense of anything considering the BBC article is just a load of woolly stuff. :shrug: All we seem to get is coral reefs will disappear and the waters will rise to cause more flooding. I was expecting a lot more factual information than that to be honest.
The advice to consumers could be much better. Trying to control sources through how we shop is hit & miss. I was surprised there wasn't more energy advice in there to be honest.
It mentions massive investment and enormous change but is very light on what that change needs to be.
The report is big on emotional terms though.
Glad to hear you are getting into therapy, Frank.
There's also this: https://bbc.in/2PnzX49
Do I have to switch to tofu?
MyNameIsTerry
12-10-18, 15:39
No, don’t eat tofu. It’ll give you terrible flatulence and you’ll just end up contributing to the ‘problem’. And then we’ll have to blame you for it!
:biggrin:
Haven't we been told leaving the EU is going to knacker our Xmas Brussels sprouts? Have they worked out how many extra years on planet earth that carbon saving will grant us? http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/toilet/t9717.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/t-toilet.php):yesyes:
MyNameIsTerry
12-10-18, 18:05
Sprouts Mexicaine, otherwise known as the Sprouts of Evil!
https://i.imgur.com/ACnk3Zn.jpg
"We will show our dedication to the evil one by eating the Sprouts of Evil! "
:roflmao:
(I also love sprouts)
Try getting involved in a campaign to reduce the harm we are doing. You could Email politicians, encourage friends and neighbors to recycle, etc. One of the biggest dangers is overpopulation, especially in places like Africa, where the birthrate is very high. When a billion Africans demand the Western lifestyle, the problems will escalate. So get involved in campaigns to encourage contraception in the developing world. Being involved will make you feel better.
Oh... this is bad.
https://theecologist.org/2015/feb/27/survivable-ipcc-projections-are-based-science-fiction-reality-much-worse
Basically, we're a lost cause.
It is bad, yes. But I’m not sure we are a lost cause. I think it is still worth trying. Humans are pretty adaptable- (although civilisations maybe less so?) As FMP said earlier in the thread, Mother Earth will recover, with or without us. And as someone else pointed out, the earth has gone through many cycles of warming and cooling over the millennia (although human civilisations have not, since Homo sapiens have not been around for all that long comparatively speaking- civilisations much less so).
MyNameIsTerry
26-04-19, 13:41
How does that compare to now since that article is 4 years old?
I was hoping someone would tell me.
This next election may be the difference between life and death. Again, the UN says we only have 12 years before something big happens. I'm expecting the biosphere of Earth to collapse entirely!
MyNameIsTerry
22-05-19, 16:14
Do you mean the European Parliament elections, Frank? From our point of view this one (should) be a short term affair so I wouldn't worry about who gets in from here as it's being fought along Brexit lines. Otherwise the main parties want to stay aligned with the EU over climate change and the Withdrawal Agreement also has a clause for this so providing they vote to pass the WA, which at some point they are going to have to, we will be committing to retaining current goals. Or are you more concerned about other states electing from parties less interested in climate change or active deniers? I suspect though that this is more about how your anxiety is triggered by change in the news.
Yes, I suppose it is. Changes in circumstances, all that.
MyNameIsTerry
22-05-19, 16:47
Probably a load of anticipatory anxiety then. I would fill your time with other stuff to distract yourself and led it fade whilst not getting sucked into news about this. And remember Farage is only winning because the major parties are dragging their feet and once they get things on track he will disappear again and the TBP vote should greatly reduce. People are protest voting in this but it's not like a GE where there are many considerations, and a proper manifesto, for us.
MyNameIsTerry
22-05-19, 18:52
TBP :doh: damn autocorrect!
Well, anyway, the biosphere is collapsing - what are we going to do about it?
Well, anyway, the biosphere is collapsing - what are we going to do about it?
We're not in control. Can't do a darn thing :shrug:
Positive thoughts
MyNameIsTerry
23-05-19, 01:43
Other than do your bit and support pressure groups, political parties that prioritise climate, etc what else is there? The big offenders are people like the US, China, etc and without international pressure on them nothing we smaller nations do will count for a great deal.
But good news courtesy of Pain on the news thread:
*Jakobshavn Isbrae… Should have been a news headline but, strangely, wasn’t.The news refers to incontrovertible evidence that a massive Greenland glacier which had been melting away has suddenly stopped losing mass and is now getting bigger.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-48265217 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-48265217)
‘But now it's all change. Jakobshavn is travelling much more slowly, and its trunk has even begun to thicken and lengthen.
"
It's a complete reversal in behaviour and it wasn't predicted," said Dr Anna Hogg from Leeds University and the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM).’
Well well! Hmm… this isn’t the first time the Global Warming/Climate Change theorists might have got it wrong, is it? I am mildly querulous at the way the scientist are trying to make this unpredicted behaviour fit in with their theories (according to their extensive and expensive computer ‘modelling’). Perhaps they should think shoehorns and pigeonholes…?
*‘More than likely, it was Jakobshavn that spawned the iceberg that sank the Titanic
’
Terry, could ‘Jakobshavn’ be the new, metaphorical name for Brexit, I wonder…?:shades:
This next election may be the difference between life and death.
Literally every election everywhere has that message communicated about it. It's very rarely true.
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My God... I just had a realization: the Yellowstone supervolcano! What if our climate changing causes it to erupt? Why, it'd destroy planet Earth and every living thing on it, for sure! ...would it affect that?
My God... I just had a realization: the Yellowstone supervolcano! What if our climate changing causes it to erupt? Why, it'd destroy planet Earth and every living thing on it, for sure! ...would it affect that?
Yes, it's been building and who knows? Only time will tell. If you recall, we had Mt. St. Helens erupt and it was devastating. An earthquake could hit anywhere in the world and devastate a country or city. We've had catastrophic floods here in the US. Cyclone Idai devastated East Africa. But hey, its a beautiful day today. Get out and enjoy it! :)
Positive thoughts
Oh that's just great. So if the government doesn't kill us all, then Yellowstone certainly will! Then again, it probably won't erupt in my lifetime, so who knows.
There was a movie I watched with this theme called "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" with Steve Carell. The ending is what I envision but with my wife. I'm perfectly good with that :)
Positive thoughts
Oh that's just great. So if the government doesn't kill us all, then Yellowstone certainly will! Then again, it probably won't erupt in my lifetime, so who knows.Ever watch (or read) Fight Club? Remember the quote "On a long enough timeline, everyone's chance of survival is zero.".
Eventually something cataclysmic is going to destroy all humans. Perhaps that or something later will destroy the Earth. And later still something will destroy the entire galaxy. It's completely out of our control. But the odds are, based on the history of our species/planet of it not happening through thousands or millions of generations, that it won't be in our lifetime either.
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No, that's why it doesn't bother me. Anyway, that's not the subject of this thread, it's about the destruction of our biosphere through our own foolishness.
Can I ask your age Frank? I ask because I know I'll be gone before the Earth reaches its end regardless if its man made or naturally. I understand worries for our children but again, we'll be gone and won't be worrying about it. I'd venture to safely assume even Millenials will pass before anything catastrophic happens so :shrug: This fear and worry is not unlike those that fear health issues. Its preventing you from actually enjoying life. The things we regret the most in life are the things we didn't do due to fear.
Positive thoughts
I'm 24.
My kids are Millenials. Here's the thing. Society as we know it has been around for over 1000 years. Are we tearing up our environment? Yep. Are there people in power that pose a threat to peace? Yep. Been that way for over 1000 years. The way I see it, either we go by some natural disaster or we take each other out. I'm going to enjoy myself regardless. Besides, if something like that actually happens who are you going to say "Told Ya So" to? ;)
I really do feel you would benefit from counseling. Find better ways to deal with, and what it all comes down to, control.
Positive thoughts
Well I certainly don't want to be caught off guard when that happens. Somebody's got to pick up the pieces if...
I mean, it's not like it's a good time for a climate emergency to happen, is it? I don't think any leader from the last decade would go as far as frying the planet like these people would!
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