Global Warming Thoughts

I am still on the fence on this issue. Is the Earth warming? If it is are Humans causing it? I don't know. But there are more questions that need to be asked: If the Earth is getting warmer and Humans are causing it can we do anything about it? And if so what?

Although I am still on the fence I do have some firm opinions about global warming:
1. Both sides are firmly entrenched and many simply will not listen to the other.
2. Both sides repeat things that simply are not true:
a. The pro side: things like the seas will rise 20 feet.
b. The con side: things like volcanoes emit more greenhouse gases than Humans.
3. The left is using the issue for political purposes. They are using it to pass new government controls over the economy they would want to pass even if the issue of global warming did not exist.
4. If global warming is real, it is caused by Humans and we can do something about it the left does not have the right solutions.


More government control is rarely the answer, it is often the problem. The solutions to this problem, if there is a problem, will for the most part be found in the private sector. I'm not saying there is no place at all for regulation in controlling pollution, just that it has far too big a role at present and that what regulation we do need should be smarter as well as less intrusive.

The right needs to get involved on this issue with more than just a naysayer's role. What free market ways can we reduce humanity's carbon footprint? What innovations are there waiting to be invented that could reduce the amount of CO2 that gets in the air? Even if only to take this issue away from the left we should find out.

Facts:
1. Humans emit 31.32 billion tons of CO2 a year.
2. America is responsible for 5.433 billion tons of these emissions.
3. China is responsible for 8.286 billion tons of these emissions.
4. India is responsible for 2.008 billion tons of these emissions.
5. Volcanoes emit about 65-319 million tons of CO2 a year, far less than Humans.
6. An acre of forest takes in 30,000 pounds of CO2 and releases 22,000 pounds of oxygen into the air.
7. There are currently 9.6 billion acres of trees, which cover 29.6% of the Earth's land.
8. The atmosphere (as of 2014) has 397 parts per million CO2.