Introduction

Climate change is a hot topic, but the story you’re told—that CO2 from human activity is causing a dangerous spike in temperatures—isn’t the full picture. From my perspective in Southwest Virginia, where I’ve seen the real damage of coal mining, I believe the Earth has been warming steadily since around 1750. This isn’t a crisis but a gradual process driven by nature and human activity, interrupted by events like volcanoes and pollution. Here, I’ll explain why the warming is steady, not scary, and how nuclear power offers a practical fix, using clear facts for everyday folks.

No alarmism, just common sense from coal country.

A Steady Warming, Not a Sudden Jump

Global temperatures have risen about 1.1°C since 1850, with most of that since 1900, according to thermometer records like HadCRUT. The IPCC, a UN group, claims recent warming—especially since 1980—is a sharp, CO2-driven jump, caused by human emissions (about 4–5% of annual CO2, now at 420 ppm or 0.042% of the atmosphere). I see it differently. Data shows a steady rise of about 0.01°C per year from 1900 to 2024, not a sudden spike. Their “scary jump” ignores natural recovery and human impacts starting much earlier, around 1750.

Holocene temperatures versus CO2 do not track each other suggesting other factors at play.

Holocene temperatures versus CO2 do not track each other suggesting other factors at play.

Why Is the Earth Warming?

Warming began with the end of the Little Ice Age (1300–1850), a cold spell when rivers froze, and crops failed, about 0.5–1°C cooler than today. Since 1750, the Earth has been naturally warming back to normal, likely adding 0.2–0.4°C to the 1.1°C rise, based on tree rings and ice cores. This was helped by stronger sunlight and fewer big volcanoes.

Humans started contributing early, too. By 1750, clearing forests for farms released CO2, raising levels from 260–320 ppm (based on plant fossils) to today’s 420 ppm. Early coal use and farming added to this gradual warming. The IPCC focuses on post-1850 industry, but I see human impacts starting a century earlier, making the rise steady, not a recent crisis.

Interruptions to Warming

The warming trend hit bumps along the way. Two massive volcanic eruptions cooled the planet:

From the 1940s to 1970s, temperatures dipped ~0.1–0.2°C, even as CO2 rose. Why? Pollution from coal plants and factories released SO2, forming particles that reflected sunlight, cooling the Earth. Clean air laws in the 1970s cut SO2, letting warming continue. If you adjust for this cooling, the 1900–2024 trend looks steady, not a CO2-driven leap.

Learning from the Hypsithermal

About 9,000–5,000 years ago, during the Hypsithermal, the Arctic was 2–4°C warmer than today. Trees grew near the Arctic Circle in Siberia, and the Sahara was green, based on fossils and ice cores. CO2 was lower (260–320 ppm), and warming came from stronger summer sunlight, not humans. Early civilizations thrived. This shows Earth can handle warmer climates, unlike the IPCC’s warnings that 1.5–2°C today will bring disaster. They downplay this history to push CO2 fears.

Why the Alarmism?

The IPCC uses computer models to predict 1.5–5°C warming by 2100, blaming CO2 and showing scary graphs with a post-1980 spike. These models assume CO2 (now 420 ppm) drives everything, ignoring natural recovery, volcanoes, or SO2’s past cooling. Their alarmism pushes “green” solutions like wind and solar, which rely on toxic mining in places like Congo and Chile—pollution I’ve seen echoes of in Southwest Virginia’s coal country. This supports global policies and billions in funding, often more about control than solutions.

Nuclear: A Practical Fix

To cut CO2 without environmental harm, nuclear power is the answer. It produces almost no CO2 (5–6 grams per kilowatt-hour vs. coal’s 800–1000) and avoids “green” mining’s toxic waste. Canada’s CANDU reactors, for example, can recycle nuclear waste into fuel, powering homes cleanly. Unlike the “green” hype blocked by fear, nuclear is a proven solution.

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Conclusion

Since 1750, the Earth has warmed steadily—about 0.01°C per year—due to natural recovery from the Little Ice Age and human activity like farming and industry. Volcanoes and SO2 pollution slowed it at times, but there’s no scary CO2-driven jump. The Hypsithermal, with 2–4°C warmer Arctic climates, shows we can adapt. The IPCC’s alarmism pushes “green” mining that hurts places like Congo, ignoring nuclear power’s clean potential. From Southwest Virginia, where I’ve seen mining’s toll, I say let’s choose facts over fear and embrace solutions like nuclear for a practical future.

Evidence based Earth Science

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