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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 460549" data-attributes="member: 177">If only it were that simple.Well, what counts as "very fast" is a matter for debate.  In one sense, it is "only one degree".  In another sense, it's a notable percentage of the range of temperatures that most critters find acceptable for living.  Next, let's not that we are talking about averages - over space and time.  By looking at a global, year long average, you really cannot say the atmosphere is a fault.  The melting of ice is a local phenomenon (it happens only at the poles), and it doesn't happen all year long.  These numbers clearly don't give us the information necessary to come to a conclusion.Lastly - you'd be really, really surprised at what kind of effects a mere 1 degree average change can have.  The most recent ice age was characterized by (iirc) a 3 or 4 degree average change in global atmospheric temperature.  That was enough to cover much of the northern hemisphere of the planet with ice.  It stands to reason that a 1 degree change in the other direction should cause significant melting, no?Last I saw, electric cars were perhaps not the best solution available.  Aside from the usual limits of the technology, there's the simple matter that chemical storage batteries are nasty, chemically speaking.  We may not dump as much heat into the atmosphere, but disposing of the batteries may be a severe long-term problem.Hydrogen fuel-cell cars may be a far better solution.  Check out the October Issue of Scientific American.</blockquote>

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