Earth's climate close to tipping point

[villager]

Earth's climate close to tipping point

By Stone Martindale

A majority of U.S. scientists concur human-made greenhouse gases have brought Earth's climate close to critical tipping points, with potentially horrific consequences.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists, along with researchers from Columbia University's Earth Institute, reached that conclusion from a combination of climate models, satellite data and paleoclimate records.

Tipping points can occur when the climate reaches a state such that strong amplifying feedbacks are activated by only moderate additional warming, reports UPI news service.

Only "moderate additional climate forcing is likely to set in motion disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet and Arctic sea ice", according to the scientist's conclusions, and that is potentially disastrous news.

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http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1313839.php/Earths_climate_close_to_tipping_point

[Breeze54]

1. Pretty scary!

I'm trying my best to change my earth unfriendly habits though...

Thanks for posting this article. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[villager]

2. you're welcome! Thought (an admittedly grim) "Paris break"

might be in order on DU!

[Mabus]

5. Same here

I just brought in a load from my solar clothes dryer (my clothes line). ;)

I'm not going to stop trying to cut down. I'll keep doing what I can to save our planet.

[villager]

7. I use my clothesline all the time! Hardly ever use the dryer!

n/t

[Mabus]

9. I hung clothes out yesterday

it was the first chance I've had in almost a week. We've had so much rainy weather that I had to use the dryer.

[villager]

10. here in SoCal, I've been using chronic (permanent?) drought to my "advantage"

at least on that score.

On the other hand, the power company wants to raise water/power rates, in case we, you know, are using less.

[Breeze54]

11. I don't have a clothsline but I air dry my dishes!

Instead of using the heater function and I haven't
installed my AC yet and it's 85 here today and humid.

*panting* :rofl:

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Hell, I think we passed it a couple years ago.

We've had ice that was formed tens of thousands of years ago disappearing. Short of a volcano spewing up dust on the level of Krakatao I don't see anything stopping the trend. If it can't be stopped, that would, logically, indicate the tipping point is passed.

[Breeze54]

4. Yes and the Snows of Kilimanjaro will be all gone by 2015!

Did you see that documentary on PBS the other night? It's so sad.

[cassiepriam]

6. The whole darn planet is over the tipping point as far as I am concerned. :(

[Uncle Joe]

8. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread villager.

[IndyOp]

12. Kick - Thank you for posting. (n/t)

[Morgana LaFey]

13. I've known this -- in my heart -- for years now.

Several years, 2 or 3 perhaps.

[Odin2005]

14. That tipping point has already come and gone, I'm afraid.

:scared:

[Rydz777]

15. We are on the tipping point of a number of disasters. Climate

is probably number one, but the world's supply of potable water is also reaching the crisis point.