It was nice to see the recent letter (apparently by a young person who Googled the information) that cited some CO2 math in favour of the man-made global warming effect. But, it was not comforting that the math illustrations were mostly off target. In fact, there is a wealth of scientific evidence that shows that there is no man-made global warming effect. See for yourself here at this Congressional hearingat https://youtu.be/ofXQdl1FDGk (search for Legendary Climate Change Hearing with Dr. Don Easterbrook, geologist). It’s the most complete, most concise presentation of scientific evidence on global warming that I’ve even seen in my 35 years of tracking environmental science.
It’s astonishing that global warming has received so much air time over the past few decades, given the lack of scientific evidence. In addition, the arrogance of thinking that humans can terraform a whole planet in 60 years by burning fossil fuels to raise the concentration of CO2 from .03 to .04 per cent of the atmosphere is even more astonishing.
The truth is that water vapor, in the form of gas and visible clouds, is by far the primary greenhouse gas that keeps the Earth warm enough for life. Estimates of its influence vary depending on the source, from (Wikipedia) 33 to 66 per cent on a clear day or 85 per cent on a cloudy day, to 95 per cent (Geocraft Water Vapour Rules the Greenhouse System). Think about that — estimates of 50 to 95 per cent versus an increase of 0.01 per cent (one one-hundredth of one per cent) in CO2 over about 100 years.
Have you ever wondered how the greenhouse effect works, exactly? Water molecules spin faster when they absorb infrared radiation and jump from lower rotational energy levels (spinning slower) to higher energy levels (spinning faster). That’s what happens you heat food in your microwave. The radiation is tuned to the rotational energy levels of water molecules, and the water molecules in your coffee or food trap and absorb the radiation and spin faster and heat up — exactly like the water vapor in the atmosphere.
So, every time you hear someone say that CO2 is the major greenhouse gas, think of your microwave. Every day, it gives you an unmistakable reminder of how the primary greenhouse gas effect works — with water molecules, not CO2. Something like 95 per cent of the greenhouse effect is due to 66 per cent of the surface area of the Earth (the oceans of water) pumping water molecules into the sky (as vapor and clouds) to keep the planet warm.
K. Jameson
Vernon
