Most liked posts in thread: Climate Change

Indeed. The stance on climate change must depend on which agenda you prefer to follow. Apparently there was more co2 in the atmosphere leading in to the last ice age than now and if you Google termites and co2 you'll maybe think that we're a bit behind in the race to accelerate climate change....that and all that algae in the sea producing nasty gases.
I'm not denying climate change, just wary that there are so many complex factors in this and too many twAts with something to gain that it's unlikely we'll be given a clear, unbiased, objective opinion from any bugger.

 

This is not biased either way but you have to remember both the Government and United Nations etc gave millions to universities and "Experts" who the more evidence they created the bigger the grants they got, The University of East Anglia was an example of this, No doubt others took the money the same

 

Following info from:http://www.powerstroke.org/

"The five main emissions for petrol and diesel cars are:

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Hydrocarbons

Particulates

Of these five, a diesel motor is better than a petrol motor with three of them, about the same with one, and worse with one. Only one of these classes of emissions is visible (particulates, or soot), and rather unfortunately for diesel motors, that is the one which is worse for them. The three emissions for which petrol motors are worse are invisible, so you won't realize that they are there; however they still cause harm to health and the environment.

What problems do these emissions cause, and how does diesel stack up:

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is the main cause for concern at the moment, and is the subject of international agreements to try to reduce its output. Carbon dioxide is causing global warming; this is a known fact. Carbon dioxide is produced by any burning of fossil fuels, and is caused by production of electricity by most current powerstations; this means that electric cars cause carbon dioxide emissions too. Carbon dioxide does not cause any health issues.

Carbon dioxide emissions are directly proportional to fuel consumption, and as diesel motors use 30 to 40% less fuel, they emit 30 to 40% less carbon dioxide than petrol motors. Natural gas and LPG motors are actually quite fuel inefficient, if otherwise cleaner burning, and so produce more CO2 than a diesel.

Although CO2 emissions are not directly harmful to us, they are changing our climate. The legacy these emissions will leave will be felt by every generation after us.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is a poison. It has no smell, but can kill you without you realizing what is happening. Carbon monoxide is the reason why you should not run you car engine (petrol) in a confined space. Diesel engines produce virtually no carbon monoxide, a petrol engine produces enough to kill you. The main remedy to carbon monoxide emissions of petrol engines has been the introduction of catalytic converters, however there are problems with catalytic converters:

They don't work until they are hot, maybe 10 or 15 minutes of driving. As most car journeys only last 10 or 15 minutes, the catalytic converters is not terribly effective.

They increase fuel consumption.

They are easily poisoned and stop working.

They are easily mechanically damaged.

Nitrogen Oxides

Nitrogen is the main constituent of the air that we breathe. When it is exposed to high pressures and temperatures it combines with oxygen in the air to form nitrous oxides.

The nitrous oxides then combine with low level ozone to form smog. Because of the way a diesel engine works, with an excess of air inside the engine (rather than "just enough" as in a petrol engine, which is what causes CO emissions), nitrous oxides are more likely to be formed. However tests of actual cars reveal that whilst emissions of NOx are higher in a new diesel than a new petrol car, that by 50,000 miles or so they are the same, and after that the petrol engine produces more than the diesel.

Therefore over the life cycle of the car, petrol and diesel engine emissions of nitrous oxides are similar. Emissions of nitrous oxides can be effectively reduced in both petrol and diesel cars by use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). EGR reduces the combustion temperature to below the point where nitrogen effectively burns."

So, it's not as simple as you suggest. Diesel is less polluting than petrol in some respects, but more in others. Labour was under international pressure to reduce CO2 emissions, so favoured diesel, at the cost of higher particulates. In climate change terms, diesel is the better bet, albeit at the cost of current air quality.
The Tories have been in power for 11 years and haven't reversed the low car tax for diesels policy, despite having knowledge of the car manufacturers' fiddled figures, which Labour didn't know. But it's all Labour's fault

 

Where do you even find out about these campaigns ?

 

Techknowledgy could be our downfall @Skyebantam, reading an article that says the Americans have drones that you can input information regards an individual and without destroying the building etc it just takes the one person out.
If these weapons are spoken about now how more advanced are the super powers.

 

Which one's you Amber........?


NEW Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a Commons debate on Brexit tonight as they stripped off in the public gallery. Labour MP Peter Kyle joked about the "naked truth" as MPs' attention was distracted from his speech by the demonstration. Tory MP James Heappey defied Commons rules to photograph the dozen people, one of whom had 'climate justice now' daubed on his back. Police officers removed the demonstration, which failed to halt debate on the floor of the Commons.

 

Meh!