Quote:
Originally Posted by Rearden
"Cleaning up our act" (reducing pollution) is what got us into this mess. Back when the skies were hazy with smog, more of the sunlight was reflected away. Now we have clean air, but global warming. Who knows if it's anything other than a natural cycle. I'm enjoying the longer summers.
In any event, global warming is the latest greatest secular religion.
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Not quite accurate. Many UV rays were reflected away from smoggy regions like LA and Hong Kong, but the smog also insulated heat that was already there. Moreover, there is no smog over Greenland or the polar ice caps. As the glaciers melt, more rays are absorbed into the ocean, which keeps heat longer and doesn't reflect back as many rays as the icecaps. This, in turn, causes the icecaps to melt faster. It's a self-perpetuating process.
I'm not sure how much we'll be enjoying the longer summers as extreme weather patterns like hurricanes and tornadoes continue to worsen, and tropical diseases begin to spread north...