^We are not saying Global Warming is a hoax. The climate may be changing, it may as well be warming. Glaciers may be melting, and species may be dying out. BUT, here is the deal, all of this would probably have happened anyway, with or without human interference. The panda is an inherently weak species, with a highly specialised diet, and population that cannot evolve because of the limited gene pool. It was dying out since the previous ice age. Ice caps have been melting since 10,000 years. Ever seen an ice cube melting in a glass or a candle flame burn out? It is really noticeable only in the last few moments. Although the ice caps were melting throughout history, they got pointed out only recently. And what was to blame? Dams in Africa, Industry in China, Wheat plantations and Air Conditioners in India, and bovines with too much gastronomical irregularities in Australia. Yeah right.
Two: Why is the greenhouse effect called the greenhouse effect? Because it is great for greenhouses. What are greenhouses? Places where plants are grown. CO2 is GOOD for plant life. This is fourth standard science here.
Three: There have been many turns in the environmental tide. All kinds of prokaryots wiped out an entire kind of life. Something we depend upon so heavily was actually a poison at one point of time. Oxygen, wiped out an ecosystem of plants, replacing it with organisms of a shorter life span. All because of a "plague" of CO2 consuming, O2 spitting plants... which we now call the rain forests.
Four: There are loads of environmental myths. UV light for example, is good for life. Skin diseases may increase, there might be an imbalance, but it is also great for mutation, therefore adaptation, and ultimately, evolution.
Five: The biggest myth of all - the ecosystem was not in perfect balance and harmony till we came along. It has always been a volatile and changing entity. We came along, got along our changes, but plant life got along theirs, amphibian got along theirs, and mammals got along theirs, of which we are a part.
Five: Many of these myths are used to keep developed nations from using new technologies to the fullest. How come ACs were a problem only here? How come Africa is not allowed to develop despite being one of the richest lands in the world? Why do we need a Nuclear deal when our own land is brimming with Uranium? Because of the technology, which we don't have access to and cannot use - because it is suddenly environmentally hazardous.
Six: Yes, we are a destructive species. Yes, we are gowing away from what is natural. Yes, we live at a distance from the ecosystem. However, the only real danger is that we will destroy ourselves.
Suppose there is a Nuclear winter, or we obliterate the current ecosystem completely, life on this planet will not end. There are many organisms that can survive these, from bacteria, to viruses to even advanced animals such as cockroaches. We will start from an almost clean state, clear the stage for another evolutionary area. So yes, as someone pointed out in this thread, we only need to worry about ourselves and not the planet.
@ 2012