The Greenhouse and Bathtub Effects

The latest understanding of global warming, which is a part of a greater problem facing the world, global climate change, says that our planet is like a very large bathtub that we've been gradually filling with CO2. The bathtub has a small drain, but we've been filling it much faster than it's been draining.

The problem, as we are beginning to understand, is that even if we slow the flow of CO2 into the bathtub, the drain is so slow, that we're looking at centuries before things might reach an equilibrium again.

Plus, there's a point that by the time the disastrous effects become apparent to all, it will be too late. By that time, we can never put things back the way they once were. We are rapidly approaching that point.

I could provide all kinds of links explaining this in much greater detail, but I will provide ONE LINK HERE, as well as a video of a lecture on this very subject given recently by Dr. John Sterman, the Jay W. Forrester Professor of Management and Engineering Systems, and Director of System Dynamics Group at M.I.T.
(Please skip ahead to minute 18 of the video for his 30-minute presentation)