Global Warming - man made or nature? Does it matter?

(NaturalNews) A few years ago it wasn't in vogue to believe that we mere mortals were contributing to global warming. The majority of scientists said no and Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth was...inconvenient. Now the tide has turned and scientists are pretty much lined up behind the idea that humans are causing the icebergs to melt.

Global warming is a fact. Hopefully no one denies it now. The only question is, why? Is global warming caused by humanity? Are our carbon emissions to blame? Does it really matter?

What do they say we are doing to cause global warming? What is releasing all that CO2 into the atmosphere?

• deforestation
• coal burning electric plants
• ocean vessels burning dirty fuel
• car emissions
• airplanes
• factories

Another factor, which is not myth, is the problem of methane gas produced by livestock. We can laugh about cows farting all we want, but the truth is that methane gas is a real problem, especially since agriculture is producing 14% of our greenhouse gases. Grazing animals actually emit dozens of polluting gases, mostly through belching (and flatulence to a lesser degree). The estimates vary from 26-132 gallons of methane gas a day.

All of the greenhouse gases released by our factories, vehicles, ships, planes, and power plants pollute our air and water. Fish from every river and lake in the United States are found to contain mercury, a byproduct of coal burning.

Our Oceans are in trouble. Global warming and increased levels of CO2 are blamed for acidification of the water, which will result in extinction of species.

Whatever the cause, global warming will have a catastrophic effect on many parts of the globe. Oceans will rise. Populations will be displaced. Fertile land will turn to barren wasteland.

Here's the bottom line. Should it take a global crisis for us to consider change? If there was irrefutable proof that our greenhouse gas emissions were not the cause of global warming, should we keep burning up fossil fuels? Should we keep starting wars to gain access to oil? Should we keep burning coal, polluting our rivers and streams with mercury? Should we keep polluting our oceans and our air?

Common sense says no. Along with every other living being (except the nasty ones) our health is dependent on clean air and clean water. Trees filter the air and release oxygen. Our rivers and oceans, once teaming with life, can again be our greatest resource for food. Every action we take to reduce carbon emissions benefits our health, the health of the planet, and other life forms, whether or not we are decreasing global warming. It is time to do what's right because it is right for all of us.

We must continue to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy. We must increase our efforts to utilize energy from the sun, the wind, and ocean tides. We must clean up our act and become responsible global citizens. It's time to grow up.

Oh, and the cows? If we started feeding them their natural diet, a diverse mixture of grasses and other plants rather than rye grass fertilized with petroleum based fertilizers, they wouldn't produce so much gas.

Sources:

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://animals.howstuffworks.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Allene Edwards first became interested in alternative medicine and holistic treatment modalities when she successfully used diet therapy to manage her children�s ADHD. Later when she became chronically ill with an auto-immune disease that multiple doctors could not identify, much less cure, she successfully treated both the symptoms and the cause through naturopathic treatment and nutrition. She is the Managing Editor of Organic Lifestyle Magzine and a regular contributor.