I just wanted to get some reaction, but actually I am a little offended that you have stooped to calling me stupid and arrogant. My simply being human does not make me an enemy of the planet. You don't really know who or what I am--I'm glad I got such a visceral response from you--I applaud your passsion, but I don't appreciate being call something I most certainly am not!

arrogant and stupid. You are obviously completely uninformed about the issues of global warming and the consequences it is having on the most vulnerable beings on the planet and the consequences it will have on the rest of the beings on this planet.

The fact that you can't pick up a newspaper, turn on the TV or scan an Internet news service without being given the opportunity to learn true, hard, scientific facts about this and that you have obviously chosen to ignore this information and then the fact that you actually chose to open up a debate with your uninformed take on the issue makes you stupid.

Your stance that humans should not have to get involved in the plight of entire species of animals who are being wiped off the face of the planet is arrogant and totally lacking in compassion. Your anger that the media is continually shoving this in your face is arrogant.

No, simply being a human does not make you an enemy of the planet. Being a human who buries her head in the sand and apprently refuses to help correct a problem that humans created, who would even consider not saving a species in danger of extinction because of the actions of humans, does make you an enemy of the planet.

I applaud your passion. I also said that you do not know who I am or how I live my life. I would venture to say that many people who claim to believe man is the main cause of global warming and climate change and so on do NOTHING to change it for the better. I happen to be on the fence about the whole thing because the earth's climate goes through cycles and there is no solid evidence that what man has done has caused ALL of these changes. I also happen to recycle, have low flow toilets in my home, catch rainwater for watering my garden, have made a conscious effort to cut down on the gasoline my family uses and have purchased new, more efficient household appliance, and in general try to look for ways to cut down on what I may do to strain the planet because I personally believe that is what I should do. I am not telling everyone I meet that they are stupid and arrogant because they choose not to live as I do. I am not one who jumps head first into something without looking at both sides, and there are certainly two (or more) sides to this problem. The thing that you (and so many others who are completely convinced that man is the enemy)have proven is that you know absolutely that you are right and everyone else is stupid to disagree with you, so the problem goes on because the discussion gets shut down just like that! I do not believe that everything I read in the mainstream newspapers or hear in the mainstream newscasts is absolute truth. . . I am proud that I am more intelligent than an animal, by the way, and even though you may disagree with me, I am not about to say that your opinion is stupid.

Wow - I do applaude the efforts you're making, laundrymom, but you're wayyyyy off base here. No solid evidence that the damage to the planet is due to man???? Are you kidding me??? Um, there IS solid evidence EVERYWHERE. It's really not hard to find - hell, just look at Gore's documentary! The only other side to this debate comes from the members of congress who don't want to make the effort to pass laws that will help us ALL live longer. I also get that you don't listen to all mainstream media - BUT, just what do you consider mainstream???? EVERYONE??? Or, is it only the sources that disagree with you?
Man IS the enemy - just look at the history books. Seriously. You can argue that the planet goes through cycles, but what you're leaving out is the very real fact that what's going on NOW shouldn't have begun to happen for another few thousand years! Yes, you can look that up if you so choose. It's just one of the many, many bits of information that you don't seem interested in. And, that's what has PW so upset. If you want to start a debate - have your facts straight before hand. She's brought up many valid points, and though I wouldn't have called you stupid, she's right. There's no real room for debate here since man IS at fault!

I think the real question isn't why are we doing all this, but maybe asking why someone would go to the lengths to conserve and recycle when you don't even understand WHY you're doing it. Sorry, but when you make a comment like "I personally believe that is what I should do", yet at the same time write a post like this - it doesn't seem like you have a clear understanding of why it's important.

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Because those people who refuse to look at the scientific evidence - the facts - feel totally justified in getting up on their high horses when you call them on their ignorance. There are mountains of facts, incontrovertible proof that this global climate shift is not natural, is being accelerated directly by the actions of humans. Your statement that you don't believe everything you read in the papers or hear on the TV is specious. Do you honestly think this is some kind of publicity stunt? That information isn't always on the front page but it's there and it's easily accessible. Environmental groups have been begging the public to read it for years. Hell, we can sit on our butts and watch Animal Planet and get lots of that information - you know, the scientifically factual type.

There's also lots of information about what is coming. Can you honestly expect that buying more efficient household appliances is going to help when millions of people will be without adequate drinking water in the next 20 years?

Yeah, you go girl, you save your rain water. In the meantime, don't bother reading about food riots and crops that don't grow because they didn't get enough rain - that kind of news just makes you angry.

hit such a nerve and degrade into something so nasty. This seems to happen every time this problem is debated. For whatever reason, I tend not to take every word from newspapers and ABC Evening News and Al Gore as gospel truth. I have to mull it over for awhile, sorry! I do not lack compassion for earth or animals or anything--quite the opposite. And I think the term for my recycling and doing the seemingly insignificant other things I do is civic responsiblilty, not igorance. So, the debate continues and we are no closer to a solution. You can make fun of my silly attempts to reduce my and my family's impact on earth all you want, but at least I am doing something. So for now, I will just slink back into my insignificant-ness, turn off my carbon footprint-making computer, and go outside and plant the tree I bought yesterday. I'm done.

You start off saying how you'd hoped for a debate and to start something. Now that you have people pointing out your ignorance - and yes, it's ignorance - you're done? Just as well I'd imagine. But just keep in mind - when you continually make haughty statements like "civic responsobility" yet shirk everything else, you only keep yourself open to more contempt and mocking. Come on and be serious. In one breath you say that you don't believe the media and in the next one you huff about your good efforts and turning off your "carbon footprint-making computer"! So, which is it??? Do you believe the media or not??? This last comment of yours really tops them all. You go from 100% angry that the media is lying to you to here - practically seething over all your efforts to save an Earth you don't even believe is in danger! Excuse me, but where the hell does that make sense????? Why on Earth are you doing your "civic duty" when you don't believe anything but natural cycles are going on???
And, again - sorry - but YOU need to mull it over??? I'm sorry that I've obviously missed the point when you gave up your credentials as a scientist. Because, if YOU need to mull over the years and years and years of scientific research done, then you MUST be one of them. Correct?

The bottom line is that this never would have become so nasty if you had ANY idea what you're talking about. And, no, it's not about your opinion. This issue is ALL about FACTS - those things that you have none of - not personal opinion. If you must continue thinking that you're smarter than the folks who have dedicated their lives to the study of the Earth and the environment, at least keep it to yourself. Then you won't have to listen to anyone tell you how wrong you are.

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