What to say to unbelievers about Harvey, weather in general, and Climate Change

[lunatica]

Last edited Sat Sep 9, 2017, 03:42 PM - Edit history (2)

I'm re-posting this because it's time for deniers to pay attention.

I know, the urge to throw up your hands and run screaming in frustrated defeat is great with them. But...

Explain it to them in the simplest terms that even they can understand:

Even a rise of a mere 2 degrees in temperature causes the following things to happen
Water, in it's liquid state starts to evaporate into its gaseous state and because the temperature is higher, more water evaporates from the oceans, rivers and lakes than used to. Any moisture in deserts is also sucked up by hotter air.
This puts much more vapor into the air
So when it rains or snows, which it will
More vapor turns into more precipitation.
Thus when it rains, it rains more and when it snows it snows more
Weather that carries and dumps water or snow dumps more of it at any given time.
Thus, hurricanes are bigger and longer and wetter - there's all that extra tonnage of moisture in them.
Rain is much more torrential
There is also more snow when it comes down.
And this is normal now.
Any child who has ever learned the most rudimentary teachings about weather will understand this. Let's hope grown-up Idiocrats will too.

[yallerdawg]

1. Something is going on. And it is getting clearer.

Houston is experiencing its third ‘500-year’ flood in 3 years. How is that possible?

All of that is alarming news for residents of Houston, New Orleans and the millions of other people who live in areas vulnerable to extreme flooding. It cumulatively suggests that what we once projected would be extreme weather is more common than we thought and, as the climate cooks, is only getting more so.

[lunatica]

2. If the media would cover Global Warming and Climate Change the way they do Trump

Action would ensue.

I remember they covered pollution and it made people change the laws about it, making it bad to pollute.

I remember when they harped about overpopulation and at least in the US it made a huge impact so that for a few years we had zero population growth. People started having only as many children as could replace them. in other words families were usually only the parents and two children.

The media could make such a difference.

[FakeNoose]

3. Call it climate change - not global warming

The right-wingers have all latched onto "global warming" like it's proof that climate change isn't really happening.

I'm not sure how even they can't deny it, but apparently their stupidity is unending. In fact it's not warming everywhere equally. But it is warmer in enough areas that the things you list are really happening now.

People should not be choosing to live near the coastlines. Lower altitudes, nearer the coasts are in real danger of flooding just like we're seeing in Houston right now. These storms aren't going to stop, so we humans need to change our behavior, and live somewhere safer away from the perimeters.

[lunatica]

4. Actually I wrote Global Warming because it's what they say

I've stumped quite of few of the deniers by telling them what I wrote above. They actually get it. It's very basic. No need to use scientific jargon. Just use their language.

[FakeNoose]

5. Sure, I read you loud and clear

It's a good post and good suggestion.

[lunatica]

6. Thanks

It's also as simple as it gets.

[ananda]

10. Here's the problem.

The rightwing will admit that there is such a thing as climate change ..
and it's been going on for millions of years.

I think we need to just call it what it is: human caused warming and
climate chaos.

[lunatica]

7. .

[KT2000]

8. to the deniers

I just say - Why do you think all branches of the US military have been preparing for the effects of Climate Change for years? Then I point to the Navy build up in NW Washington. The Navy is tasked with protecting the Arctic as it has already become more passable due to Climate Change.
Then I say they have been duped by the corporations who want to make as much money off of it as they can before it becomes a disaster.

[lunatica]

9. I try to educate them at their mental level

They have no direct knowledge of what the Navy does or the Arctic. It's meaningless to them.

But they understand water vapor and clouds.

[lunatica]

11. kick

[Jamaal510]

12. K&R

[lunatica]

13. Reposting this in light of Hurricane Irma and Jose following closely