Global Warming - Man Made or Natural

On certain subjects, I try not to go with the flow. I try to find out things on my own through conducting my own research. I try to look at both sides of the story and then draw my own conclusions. This article, I hope, is just the first of many in trying to define what Global Warming is and who, if anyone, is at fault. Understand that I am a simple person and will therefore try to explain it in a simple manner.

There is great a great alarm going on in the present that maybe has little or no basis for truth. That alarm is GLOBAL WARMING! Global Warming is defined as:"The progressive gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns. An increase in the near surface temperature of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural influences, but the term is most often used to refer to the warming predicted to occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases."weather.ncbuy.com/glossary.html As you can see it has been going on for quite some time. It has occurred during specific periods between Ice Ages and even during some of those Ice Ages. Some say it is primarily caused by the distance of the earth from the sun, some say that it is a natural occurrences caused by trees ans plant life on the earth.

However, recently it has been determined that the earth is actually cooler today than 100 years ago. So I guess the question should be, When will the next Ice Age happen? Some scientist say that the cycles between Glacial Periods range anywhere from 10 thousand years to 80 thousand years. If this is the "norm", are we not in a Ice Age period now? According to some we are. But more toward the end. Thus the reason for the receding glaciers. It is true to a certain extent that part of the "warming" is being caused by pollution. But that part is minutely small.

Most scientist agree that the biggest part of the "greenhouse effect" is caused by the plant population and trees. As well as the location of the earth from the sun. Distance from the sun has been proven as one reason for Ice Ages, reduction in the earth's temperatures over an extended period of time have allowed existing glaciers to grow is size. If the temperatures are reduced over a long enough time frame the glaciers continuing growing in size till they cover large portions of the earth. Thus the same can be stated for the warm temperature fluctuations. The longer the warm up period, the warmer the temperature will be. So is the "Greenhouse Effect" and Global Warming caused more by man or the nature of natural occurrences?

I hope to disperse more information with links backing both sides of the argument in the near future as I do more research on this very interesting subject.