• twopi@lemmy.ca
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    14 days ago

    Nothing. Humans evolved with plants to complete the carbon cycle. Fossil fuels did not evolve, they are burned.

    • Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      I thought fossil fuel evolved from the anaerobic decay of dinosaurs and prehistoric plankton mixing with sediment which put it under intense heat and pressure.

      • twopi@lemmy.ca
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        2 days ago

        evolved is the wrong term here. Fossil fuels are formed. This is a meaningful distinction because both plants and animals are evolved and had time to adapt to the presence of the other to create a symbiotic relationship.

        Fossil fuels formation is a geological process. There is no cycle, and it is a process not dependent on living things to work the process.

    • tpyo@lemmy.world
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      14 days ago

      I quoted an article already but here’s another:

      we humans are a significant contributor to global warming. But, in reality, the CO2 we’re breathing out is part of a natural cycle, by which our bodies convert carbohydrates from CO2-absorbing plants into energy, plus water and CO2. As such, we’re not adding any extra CO2.

      which fully supports your statement

      • jnod4@lemmy.ca
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        13 days ago

        So human breathing is net zero because we’re just emitting carbon dioxide trapped in the food we just planted?

        • twopi@lemmy.ca
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          8 days ago

          Correct. We are heterotroughs (CnH2n [different sugars and carbs] + O2 -> CO2 + H2O) and pants are autotroughs (CO2 + H2O + sunlight -> CnH2n [different sugars and carbs] + O2) we are complements and complete the carbon cycle.