BrianM’s Recent Comments

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  Why Stop There

  Why buy a water-saving shower head/toilet/washer? Someone else will just use the water. Why buy a more energy efficient refrigerator? Someone else will just use the electricity. Both commodity items coupled to supply and demand.

  True, a few people paying extra money for Priuses won't make much of a dent, but that is a step towards affordably incorporating more efficient technology into all cars.

  What magic bullet are you waiting for?On Calming down the hybrid hype. posted 3 years, 11 months ago 7 Responses

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  Not All Gases Are Alike

  Mr. Hutchinson makes the mistake of assuming that nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) behave the same in the atmosphere because they are all "colorless, odorless gases". The observation that they are colorless occurs because they do not absorb visible light. However, CO2 can also absorb infrared light (IR for short, such as you would get from a heat lamp). O2 and N2 cannot.
  

  The physics behind this difference is not quickly explained (it has to do with the way that molecules absorb IR radiation), but suffice it to say that this is well understood and can easily be measured. And because of this difference, IR that is emitted from the earth's surface, light which would normally travel unabsorbed into space, can be absorbed by CO2 in the atmosphere, and some of this will be re-emitted back down to earth. The net effect is that the earth stays warmer.
  

  CO2 is a very minor component of the atmosphere compared to N2 and O2. Thus, emissions into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel can measurably change the CO2 concentration. And such increases have been measured. As to the relative contributions of man-made vs. natural sources, and whether or not recent climate changes are caused by this, are subjects for another discussion.
  On RenewAmerica columnist claims posted 4 years ago 11 Responses