Sacred Ganges river left in peril by global warming.
By on Jun 16th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Sacred Ganges river left in peril by global warming.
“In this 3,000-year-old city known as the Jerusalem of India for its intense religious devotion, climate change could throw into turmoil something many devout Hindus never thought possible: their most intimate religious traditions. The Gangotri glacier, which provides up to 70 percent of the water of the Ganges during the dry summer months, is shrinking at a rate of 40 yards a year, nearly twice as fast as two decades ago, scientists say.”
“This may be the first place on Earth where global warming could hurt our very religion. We are becoming an endangered species of Hindus,” said Veer Bhadra Mishra, an engineer and director of the Varanasi-based Sankat Mochan Foundation, an organization that advocates for the preservation of the Ganges.
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India is extremely overpopulated, so the Ganges river is very polluted.
June 16th, 2007 at 4:38 pmWait – there’s water in the Ganges?
June 16th, 2007 at 4:55 pm“Global warming!” Run for the hills!
LMAO.
June 16th, 2007 at 5:31 pmMuckdog,
Here’s the policy statement from the American Meterological Society. I think these guys know a thing or two about weather. Again, I’m still waiting for the quotes from scientific organizations that take your opinion.
“Despite the uncertainties noted above, there is adequate evidence from observations and interpretations of climate simulations to conclude that the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface are warming; that humans have significantly contributed to this change; and that further climate change will continue to have important impacts on human societies, on economies, on ecosystems, and on wildlife through the 21st century and beyond. Focusing on the next 30 years, convergence among emission scenarios and model results suggest strongly that increasing air temperatures will reduce snowpack, shift snowmelt timing, reduce crop production and rangeland fertility, and cause continued melting of the ice caps and sea level rise. Important goals for future work include the need to understand the relation of climate at the state and regional level to the patterns of global climate and to reverse the decline in observational networks that are so critical to accurate climate monitoring and prediction.”
June 16th, 2007 at 5:34 pmHere’s my source:
http://www.ametsoc.org/policy/2007climatechange.html
June 16th, 2007 at 5:36 pmI worked in Haiti for about 6 months, back in the 1980’s, and saw children washing their faces in dirty gutter water. Some of them swam in the ocean to get clean which is a smart thing to do.
June 16th, 2007 at 5:37 pmInstead of filling this post with crap and personal opinions, let’s just stick to quotes from reputable organizations. Here’s from the EPA’s site:
“If greenhouse gases continue to increase, climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earth’s surface could increase from 2.5 to 10.4ºF above 1990 levels by the end of this century. Scientists are certain that human activities are changing the composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases will change the planet’s climate. But they are not sure by how much it will change, at what rate it will change, or what the exact effects will be. See the Science and Health and Environmental Effects sections of this site for more detail.”
Source: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html
June 16th, 2007 at 5:39 pmFrom the American Association for the Advancement of Science
“The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to society. Accumulating data from across the globe reveal a wide array of effects: rapidly melting glaciers, destabilization of major ice sheets, increases in extreme weather, rising sea level, shifts in species ranges, and more. The pace of change and the evidence of harm have increased markedly over the last five years. The time to control greenhouse gas emissions is now.”
Source: http://www.aaas.org/news/press_room/climate_change/mtg_200702/aaas_climate_statement.pdf
June 16th, 2007 at 5:46 pmgas emissions is now.
Instead of filling this post with crap and personal opinions, let’s just stick to quotes from reputable organizations. Here’s from the EPA’s site:
Comment by Vinnie — June 16, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
Nah, let’s go with the first way.
I heard that the Hindus make a funeral pyre when a man dies, and then they send it floating down the Ganges. I also heard the sometimes the dead man’s wife will jump into the flames, pretty hardcore, huh?
Oh, oh, and also, I heard that all types of animals wallow around in the Ganges, and that human waste is disposed in the river, and that according to religious custom, one must bathe in the Ganges, gross!!!!!
June 16th, 2007 at 5:48 pmFrom the American Geophysical Union
“Human activities are increasingly altering the Earth’s climate. These effects add to natural influences that have been present over Earth’s history. Scientific evidence strongly indicates that natural influences cannot explain the rapid increase in global near-surface temperatures observed during the second half of the 20th century.
…
“Moreover, research indicates that increased levels of carbon dioxide will remain in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years. It is virtually certain that increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will cause global surface climate to be warmer.”
Source: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change_position.html
June 16th, 2007 at 5:55 pmComment by PRIMVS INTER INFANTIA — June 16, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
You’ll obviously never have children, and if it doesn’t affect you, why worry, right kiddo?
June 16th, 2007 at 5:59 pmFrom The Royal Society:
“The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action.”
…
“We urge all nations, in the line with the UNFCCC principles4, to take prompt action to reduce the causes of climate change, adapt to its impacts and ensure that the issue is included in all relevant national and international strategies.”
Source: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/displaypagedoc.asp?id=20742
June 16th, 2007 at 6:00 pmVinnie, thanks for all the great info and links. Obviously our “intelligent design” trolls don’t believe in any scientific evidence. They only believe what they hear on Fox News. And Fox News only spews what the corporate polluters tell them to. But we thank you.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:05 pmAnd while not really a scientific organization, here’s from Condi’s own organization:
“President Bush is firmly committed to taking sensible action on climate change – at home and abroad. Climate change is a serious, long-term challenge that requires an effective, sustainable policy and the United States is implementing a comprehensive strategy to address the challenges of global climate change.”
Source: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/75455.pdf
So, Muckdog, are you saying you disagree with the US Department of State on this?
June 16th, 2007 at 6:06 pmShane,
THANKS!!
Sorry if I’m being an over-posting troll of my own. :) I do feel it’s important for everyone to know what the world’s scientists believe about this subject.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:08 pmI think a billion people pissing in the river is more problematic than a bit of global warming.
Comment by m12 — June 16, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
HEYOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You got that right!!!
June 16th, 2007 at 6:10 pmYou’ll obviously never have children, and if it doesn’t affect you, why worry, right kiddo?
Comment by shane — June 16, 2007 @ 5:59 pm
Who knows?
I might already have kids?
But, just out of curiosity… why do ya mention it?
June 16th, 2007 at 6:11 pmSorry, just had to add one more. This is the Oreskes study that analyzed 928 abstracts from scientific journals with the word ‘climate change’ in them. Of these, 75% took the consensus position – that recent global warming is man-made. The other 25% dealt with historical climate change and didn’t comment on current events. What is most interesting:
“Remarkably, none of the papers disagreed with the consensus position.”
Source: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686
June 16th, 2007 at 6:26 pmVinnie, thanks for trying, but you won’t convince muckdog of anything. He is a hardcore global warming denier.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:30 pmWhat is with all the hatred for other’s religions? Even though Buddhism has waned in India, the Ganges river is held sacred, polluted or no, for BILLIONS of people, Hindu and Buddhist alike. During the annual Kumba Mela – the LARGEST religious gathering on earth attended by more than 5 MILLION Hindu believers – a large number of them do bathe (once) in the river as a pilgrimage. Nasty? To many of us who live in countries with clean water (which is nowhere near even HALF the planet) perhaps. But for millions of Indians, the river is to them what the Nile is to Egypt, LIFE ITS SELF. And what many of you clearly cultural Neanderthals do not seem to know, is that the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS has been working to CLEAN the sacred Ganges river for future generations, and they have made a LOT of progress. Educate yourselves before you front yourselves off as bigoted idiots.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:32 pmas most of you might know . at the source of the Ganges at Derha Dun theres a large American school …around Derha Dun you can meet the most truely amazing enlightened American people I have ever met in my entire life
June 16th, 2007 at 6:46 pmComment by slobeck — June 16, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
Tobey’s no an American, he’s from somewhere in the UK.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:53 pmDear me! One only has to read the first 25 posts to realize how racist America is. And they wonder why the world doesn’t welcome them with open arms as the Great Liberators bearing Democracy and Human Rights.
June 16th, 2007 at 6:55 pmDear me! One only has to read the first 25 posts to realize how racist America is. And they wonder why the world doesn’t welcome them with open arms as the Great Liberators bearing Democracy and Human Rights. Comment by david — June 16, 2007 @ 6:55 pm
Don’t blame all of America, for the 28% loyalist wingnut extremists that defend the Bushies off the edge of the cliff. They’ve *ALWAYS* been bigots, and hatemongers. Every country has them!
June 16th, 2007 at 7:00 pmAnd a footnote for folks about Indian law. The tradition of the surviving wife jumping on to the pyre alive has been illegal in India for years, though it does still happen albeit rarely. It is also illegal to dump corpses into the Ganges, which also still happens but rarely with adult corpses. The government has had a very difficult time stopping the dumping of children’s corpses because of the belief that for a child to be reborn in good circumstances in its next life, it must have its sins washed away, which is what bathing in the river is all about. People there, like in the west, hold the welfare of their children’s spirits in very high regard. And like any parent would do anything for their child’s welfare, so they do this. It is however illegal and has been for decades. These laws, public education campaigns and foreign organizations’ (British and American) efforts using technology to clean the waters have indeed made it cleaner than the Thames (quite a bit cleaner actually). Aside from all that the river is astoundingly beautiful, as are the cultures that depend upon it. We all should really be concerned with the effects of global warming on this and ALL of the earth’s bodies of water.
June 16th, 2007 at 7:06 pmslobeck –
dont get me wrong – India is the greatest place on earth
India is the exact opposite of America – only good comes out of India ( kinda)
I have spent 2.5 years of my life in India I have a house in Goa, my children have been going to India since they were 2 years old……. we all love the place wow wow wow …………..
I show a lot of respect for mother India – speaking of exploding heads if it were so sacred why did the guys running the ghats want me to give them 5 rupees for a picture – - – I did not take a picture due to my own integrity
But slobeck i see where your coming from ……….. and if you cannot see the funny side of India then you need to experience it yourself
to me seeing a stiffs legs sticking out a rickshaw ( is slightly not the normal here in scotland and I do find it funny )
also seeing 19 bodies wrapped up in white cloths waiting to be burned on the two remaining open fire ghats is not quite what Im used to either as most are electric powered ghats now ……. funny also
India is so amazing to me its as if Im tripping on LSD all the time wow wow wow
June 16th, 2007 at 7:07 pmslobek it called Sati
please I seen guys striking at the gates of their factory cause they aint been paid for 9 months , then the factory owner comes out and sets them on fire and burns them to death …….. then the factory owner gets a £60 fine ( funny eh)
please dont say anything is illegal in India cause it aint –
whoever has the most money wins the court case
I should know –
How many Indian wifes get burnt in accidents in the Kitchen
How many baby girls are infatasied
———————————–
Yes India is Amazing – a lot of good comes from india BUT theres a horrific black side which we all tend to ignore or blank it out
saying that I LOVE INDIA more than anyplace on earth
June 16th, 2007 at 7:14 pmPat Buchanon said it’s God’s way of punishing them for having a ‘crazy’ religion.
June 16th, 2007 at 8:18 pmSacred Ganges river left in peril by global warming.
See this is confusing. This suggests that the environmental disaster that is the Ganges hasn’t had that state of affairs changed by global warming.
So what are the actual problems cited ?
June 16th, 2007 at 11:04 pmThe increased flows into the river diluting the cholera is it ?
So what are the actual problems cited ?
The increased flows into the river diluting the cholera is it ?
Comment by Kilo — June 16, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
The problem is that the river’s glacial source is drying up due to climate change. In a few decades there won’t be any water left to pollute.
June 16th, 2007 at 11:20 pm“So what are the actual problems cited ?
The increased flows into the river diluting the cholera is it ?”
Comment by Kilo
The flows are decreasing.
June 16th, 2007 at 11:20 pmThere is an annual cycle of precipitation,
which replenishes the glacier that,
is being disrupted.
Thanks, Vinnie. I’m saving this web page in my favorites so I can find the links in the future. Thaks for all the leg work. I do believe that what you’ve done is what the administrators of this site hoped people would do, namely to provide a place for exchanging ideas and information.
Of course, some of us like to show up just to post snide comments. (Guilty as charged.)
June 16th, 2007 at 11:51 pmOf course, some of us like to show up just to post snide comments. (Guilty as charged.)
Comment by Wayne A. Schneider — June 16, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
I don’t quite follow…
???
June 17th, 2007 at 12:34 amI don’t quite follow…
???
Comment by PRIMVS INTER PARES — June 17, 2007 @ 12:34 am
Guilty conscience, PIP? Hee-hee. Actually it wasn’t you I had in mind when I wrote that. Around that particular moment I think you were actually posting some thoughtful and/or amusing things.
But I am definitely guilty of posting snide remarks that don’t really contribute to the debate. I can’t help it. I was forced to stay away for so long that I sometimes feel like making up for it all in one night. (No, not banned by TP. Prohibited from internets use by my bosses. Now I have a computer of my own at home.)
Have a good night, PIP.
You, too, everyone.
June 17th, 2007 at 1:48 amI think a billion people pissing in the river is more problematic than a bit of global warming.
Comment by m12 — June 16, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
Thanks Wayne!! Yes, we all can get nasty posting. It’s one of the trolls tactics to post inflammatory stuff that riles us up. All we can do is show people what the left and the right are made of. Comments like the above two by m12 make it easy to see the true nature of most of the trolls and their Republican ilk.
I mainly wanted to counter Muckdog and similar types who argue that scientists are split on this issue of global warming. They are not. I’m still waiting to hear from Muckdog what scientific organizations share his point of view.
Just for grins, I thought I’d conclude my numerous posts with a quote from one of the great thinkers of our time John McCain:
“if you want to ignore the findings of literally every reputable scientific organization in America and the world, that’s your privilege.”
Source: http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/05/07/news/local/doc463f5d39b2121430847468.txt
June 17th, 2007 at 3:10 amVinnie,
Oh, he’ll waste your time giving you the names of some groups that get their funding from the oil and gas industry or, worse yet, he’ll start quoting Patrick Michaels. In other words, rather than give you the names of reputable, respected scientists or groups, he will cite people who are paid to say global warming doesn’t exist. Or, failing that, he will quote Sen James Inhofe. But he won’t be able to find anyone believable because either they don’t exist, or they got kicked out of the Science Academy and were forced to join the Mad Scientists Club.
June 17th, 2007 at 8:46 amI should know -
How many Indian wifes get burnt in accidents in the Kitchen
How many baby girls are infatasied
Female selected infanticide is merely part of your culture of abortion. Undesirables like gays can be promptly disposed of.
Comment by m12 — June 17, 2007 @ 1:57 am
This is the shit which makes TP a blast. I get the same thrill reading crazy talk as I do when some overly confident wasp shows up on Antique Roadshow convinced that grandmas cookie jar is worth thousands only to have some qualified individual point out the “Made in China for Walmart” marking clearly printed on the ventral surfacel Glad it is raining here otherwise I might have been outside living!
June 17th, 2007 at 1:30 pmAre you people stupid? Try a google search for “global warming debunked,” “global warming fraud” and “global warming hype.”
I’ve already listed at least 3 dozen links from scientists, heads of research agencies, heads of college science departments, meteorologists, etc. I’ve even given links from scientists who left the IPCC!
Instead of blindly following the left wing talking points and the daily kos crowd, why not do some research on your own and look at all the opinions out there?
When Al Gore said “I’m not running for President,” my first thought was that he was going to run for President.
When Al Gore said that the “debate was over” and the “science is settled” on global warming, I knew that exactly the opposite was the case. And now there are thousands of scientists saying the same thing.
As I’ve linked to before, man is responsible for .11% of CO2. This isn’t MY conclusion. It’s the conclusion of scientists who measure and determine sources of CO2. So if you’re hitching your wagon to the thought that reducing that .11% to .08% is going to modify the earth’s cooling and warming cycles, you’re all CRAZY.
June 17th, 2007 at 2:07 pmI’ve already listed at least 3 dozen links from scientists, heads of research agencies, heads of college science departments, meteorologists, etc. I’ve even given links from scientists who left the IPCC!
Comment by muckdog — June 17, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
Funny, I can’t find any of these links. You talk about all of the links you’ve posted but now you can’t post any of them. What’s up with that? Perhaps, it would be because it would be so easy to show that these are not mainstream scientific organizations but industry-funded organizations with an obvious unbiased interest.
Just list one organization on the same level as the American Meterological Association with their opinion on global warming and we’ll consider it settled.
I HAVE done my research. Didn’t you read the conclusions from the numerous scientific organizations that I’ve listed?! I’ve concluded that people like you are selfishly interested in short-term profits and don’t care what kind of a world we leave the next generation. My guess is that you don’t have kids and the most important thing in your life is making money. That would explain a lot of why you think the way you do.
June 17th, 2007 at 6:51 pmYou talk about all of the links you’ve posted but now you can’t post any of them.
Look, if you’re too lazy to go back on the “global warming” comments and find them, I’m not going to help you. I’m not going to train you on how to use Google, either.
Didn’t you read the conclusions from the numerous scientific organizations that I’ve listed?
Yes, I’ve read them all. I’ve also read from scientists and organizations that countered those beliefs. Have you? I’ve come to the conclusion that many have (and many more are) that “global warming” is mostly hype and that the science is not settled. And that there are political opportunists trying to use “global warming” to their advantage.
June 18th, 2007 at 1:32 am