Global Climate Disrupution and the “Anthropocene Era”

Let me call readers’ attention to Glenn Doty’s incredible comments on my post about the new “Anthropocene Era,” so named because of the vast impact humankind has had recently on the planet, and the fact that this impact can only increase as time goes forward.  For those who want a primer on glaciation and the astronomical/geological forces that affect it, you’ll struggle to find anything done any better than this brief science lesson.

However, now that I understand (at some level) the forces that affect global warming over a period of thousands, and in some cases, millions of years, can’t we conclude that they’re irrelevant?  Atmospheric CO2 levels have risen over 29% since I was born.  It’s true that I’m not a kid anymore, but we’re not exactly talking about “geologic time” here.  Not only are levels increasing, but the rate of change at which the levels are rising is increasing as well.  Isn’t everything else negligible, insofar as it’s happening so slowly in comparison?