After having spent a good portion of my professional career at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab [one of the largest climate research centers in the US], I picked up some interesting statistics. Our task was essentially to do long-range [50+ year] climate change studies using what is called "coupled climate models." Given the Earth's temperature, salinity, lunar cycles, geography, atmospheric chemistry, ocean circulation, atmospheric circulation, ocean ice, etc, etc, etc... we would perform extensive research on the affects of change from human and natural events on long-term climate. This, coupled with measured atmospheric chemistry from mother NOAA.
So... one of the most interesting statistics we came away with was the overall carbon contribution of humans. Of all the carbon emissions burped into the Earth's atmosphere every year, humans contribute a measly 5%. Of that 5%, 3% comes from the US, 2% comes from Western Europe and Asia. Given the recent move by the US and Western Europe to "prevent climate change" [whatever that means], that distribution will flip by the middle of the next decade. Given the rapid growth in China, they will most likely make up 3% of the Earth's carbon emissions, the US and Western Europe making up the other 2%.
What does this tell us? The natural processes in the individual macro ecosystems emit more carbon than humans, by an overwhelming margin. Every time a relatively large volcano erupts, it emits more carbon in 48 hours than all of the human race in 365 days.
Moral of the story? Drive your 928!! Drive it with single chamber Flowmasters!! Be smart about your daily chemical disposal. I wouldn't suggest intentionally dumping oil or coolant down your drain. However, tuning up your 20 year old German fun machine and heading down to Dallas for the OCIC will *NOT* affect global climate. Neither will all the hybrid Prius' on the planet...
-- jleidel on rennlist.com
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