Geologists consider the last 50 million years as the recent past because it represents approximately 1 percent of the age of the earth. Geologists are the majority of climate deniers and with good reason. The climate is changing, However, they know that we are not the cause of all the change.
On a geologic timeline, we can safely say that the human race is rather arrogant to think it has the power to change the climate of Earth on a permanent basis. What we do not take into consideration is that the climate is going to change and there is relatively little we can do about it.
That does not mean humanity does not contribute to global warming or climate change. Of course, humans add to the climate as do animals. We eat, we digest and we eliminate the waste with a bit of gas. So yes, we are adding to the greenhouse effect as is other life on this planet. Did modern technology contribute to the greenhouse effect? Of course it did, but if you think we are the only reason or that new technology is the answer to all our troubles, you are mistaken.
Take Tesla for example. Batteries power the cars. Some elements are reused, but let's face it, you can't reuse all of it and it ends up as landfill. Consider where the power comes from. Solar Panels? Large acres of solar panels (solar farms) have been shut down for disturbing the habitats of wild animals and wind farms are killing birds.
There is always a trade-off and in order to make intelligent decisions, we have to have a conversation first, which no one is willing to do.
Climate change
Earth's climate changes and it changes often in planetary terms. The last little ice age occurred from 110,000 to 12,000 years ago though there was a mini ice age that lasted from 1300 A.D.
to about 1850 A.D. The Quaternary Glaciation period experienced several changes with glaciers advancing and retreating. When the Quaternary glaciation started humans were in Africa and hadn't even begun to fan out across the earth. Aside from digestive issues they did little to make the climate change.
The problem of climate change arises from the fact that humans like to live near water and since climate change is a definite perhaps it is the way we view our presence on the earth that is in question.
Maybe we need to review how and where we live versus what we are doing to cause the inevitable change that is coming.
Long before humans arrived Florida was under water. Sea life was perfectly content with the land mass being that way and it is only since humans decided to live there that it became a problem. Humans want to live near the ocean and we don't want climate change to make us move when Florida slips beneath the sea again. Instead of allowing our planet to do what it does naturally we want to get involved. We want to seed the clouds so we have more rain, we want to put metallic crystals in the air so they will reflect sunlight to cool the earth. We want to control the weather and the planet and make it dance to our tune, not us to it.
We must remember that we are a part of this great universe. We are made of star stuff and it is time we begin to act like the species we were born to be and to take care of and cherish the planet on which we live. It is time to stop people like Al Gore, who spout platitudes and get rich off climate change. He would love to see carbon credits traded on the stock exchange. This is not about money. This is about life and the future world we leave for those who come after us.
To those in power:
Life is short.
Act accordingly.
