[extropy-chat] Bill Moyers' Comments - GlobalEnvironmentCitizenAward

[Jon Swanson]

> Certainly, however the models of global warming causing
> ocean currents being disrupted bringing an ice age to
> Northern Europe always seemed contradictory to me.

As mentioned before, the concern of global warming eventually causing
some areas of the globe to become cooler stems from a theory
suggesting that thermohaline circulation, or the haline cycle as
another called it, may shut down.

Basically, ocean currents act as a conveyor belt moving water all over
the world.  Warm, salty water flows from the pacific and indian oceans
into the north atlantic where it cools, sinks, and eventually flows
southward again.  This warm water flowing into the north atlantic is
reponsible for the relatively mild winters in western europe and north
america.

Global warming is causing the ice cap to melt, which is releasing
tremendous amounts of fresh water into the north atlantic, thus
increasing the buoyancy of the surface water. Increased buoyancy may
prevent the current from sinking into the depths and moving southward,
thus shutting down the cycle in the north atlantic.

With no more warm water flowing into the north atlantic, winters in NA
and Western Europe will most likely become much colder.

I haven't come across any articles claiming that this can bring about
an ice age, but it will cause colder winters in north america and
europe.

What are the better solutions to the CO2 problem you had in mind?