Man-made climate change? Do the math

The debate over climate change as the result of man-caused carbon dioxide levels continues to grow. Most individuals on both sides of the argument haven’t realistically done the calculations based on three measured facts. These are the weight of the atmosphere, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the calculated surface area of the Earth. This calculation should be within the capability of a six-grade student and her teacher. This is not rocket science.

An October 2007 National Geographic magazine has the carbon dioxide level increasing by two parts per million annually (ppm). This calculates at over 400 billion metric tons/year. However, National Geographic can only account for 8 billion tons/year added to the atmosphere by humans. That is only 2 percent of the measured annual rise. So, human activity must not be the cause for the rise in this greenhouse gas.

Rather, it’s most likely coming from hydro thermal vents at the ocean floor or other sources which we can do nothing about except add stilts to our building foundations and move inland as the ocean levels rise.

Rodger Anderson
Glenville