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Originally Posted by stoutwench
2) There have been numerous global climate changes in the past, but didn't they take thousands of years to occur? Is it not possible that global warming is being caused by a combination of natural and man made influences?
Roger
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By most standards, I would be considered an "eco-freak", because I compost, use CF
lights, don't own a car, have only one kid, etc. But in reality, it's because I'm a cheap bastard who would rather spend boat bucks than drive an SUV for 10K a year in gas, insurance and depreciation. The stupidity of a polluting lifestyle comes into it, but the economy of just not wanting "stuff" pushes that decision.
This plays into your point this way: There have been several climate events we know of (the rapid rise in sea levels around 7,800 BC, the "mini Ice Ages" of the Medieval period, and so on) where fairly severe changes have happened comparatively suddenly. Mankind's response was to die in large numbers....historically a typical coping mechanism. So while it's true that we can't cope well with solar dimming or volcanos putting a billion tons of soot into the atmosphere, I prefer to err on the side of caution myself, because I suspect that mankind's industrial activities are playing a fairly significant part in (likely) worsening or hastening climate change, and that certain of our industrial excreta of choice (CFCs, NO, various other weird gases) haven't existed in nature, and thus comprise uniquely introduced "wild cards" that could tip rapid climate change either way.
So it's cheaper and latterly more responsible for me to not have a car and to attempt to reduce that carbon footprint as much as possible. I truly believe that if I don't go long-term cruising in the next ten years, the impact of climatic change will alter parts of the world that I will "miss out" on seeing some real beauty.
But as for the pooping, I find it stupid as well. Yachties comprise a tiny, but visible and mostly friendless (thank you, envy!) target. Freighters
pump out bilge water full of zebra mussels and goby fish from distant parts directly into the Great Lakes in amounts that surpass the
lifetime pump out of ten yachts in
every bilge transfer. In Halifax and Victoria, toilet crap goes directly into the harbours. New York has produced vast seamounts of crap and garbage.
So while I find the hypocrisy as noxious as the sludge, I will be a good little citizen until I get offshore, where I will continue to leave packaging ashore, crush cans and crap off the side with a clear conscience.
or sometimes to a farmers field, please wash all of your vegetables. No such thing as a 3 mile limit in the Great Lakes. It's all very simple, and I like it. 
No matter what country we are from, and what I have gathered are many, we all have our great qualities and not so great qualities. We are all human and we all have the same basic needs. To eat, sleep and sail. ViVA' Le Broadreach! 
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