| Too many greenhouse gases in the earth's | | | | advise the United Nations, revised estimates |
| atmosphere will increase the greenhouse | | | | of the current forecast in sea levels after |
| effect. The most dangerous aspects of the | | | | conducting new studies on the west Antarctic |
| continuing dramatic climatic change is the | | | | ice sheet. |
| effects of feedback loops (amplified change). | | | | |
| Examples of the feedback loops are Ice/snow, | | | | Small, low-lying island states and countries |
| as the earth warms, the levels of ice and | | | | with big coastal populations such as the |
| snow decrease. This decrease leads to higher | | | | Marshall Islands and Bangladesh could see |
| temperatures on the surface, leading to more | | | | catastrophic damage from the rise. Global |
| warming. As the earth warms, the amount of | | | | warming is at the root of the increase, say |
| water vapor in the atmosphere goes up which | | | | the researchers; as the earth's climbing |
| is the most powerful greenhouse gas in | | | | temperatures melt the Arctic sea ice and |
| existence. | | | | Antarctica. |
| | | | |
| The year 2005 was the warmest year in over a | | | | Around the world, ice sheets and glaciers are |
| century, according to NASA scientists | | | | melting at a rate unprecedented since |
| studying temperature data from around the | | | | record-keeping began. Changes in the area and |
| world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate | | | | volume of the two polar ice sheets in |
| Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report | | | | Antarctica and Greenland are intricately |
| projects that the Earth's average surface | | | | linked to changes in global climate and could |
| temperature will increase between 2.5° and | | | | result in sea-level changes that would |
| 10.4°F (1.4°-5.8°C) between 1990 and | | | | severely affect the densely populated coastal |
| 2100 if no major efforts are undertaken to | | | | regions. |
| reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (the | | | | |
| "business-as-usual" scenario). This is | | | | Glaciers along the southeastern coast of |
| significantly higher than what the Panel | | | | Greenland are thinning by more than 3 feet a |
| predicted in 1995 (1.8°-6.3°F, or | | | | year -- possibly because of global warming, |
| 1.0°-3.5°C), mostly because scientists | | | | according to a study by NASA scientists. |
| expect a reduced cooling effect from tiny | | | | |
| particles (aerosols) in the atmosphere. | | | | Researchers compared aerial surveys of the |
| | | | Greenland ice sheet taken in 1993 and 1994 |
| Scientists predict that even if we stopped | | | | with a similar survey taken last year. Their |
| emitting heat-trapping gases immediately, the | | | | data indicated that parts of the ice sheet |
| climate would not stabilize for many decades | | | | near the ocean thinned at a rate of more than |
| because the gases we have already released | | | | 3 feet (1 meter) per year. |
| into the atmosphere will stay there for years | | | | |
| or even centuries. So while the warming may | | | | "Why (glaciers) are behaving like this is a |
| be lower or increase at a slower rate than | | | | mystery," said Bill Krabill, a researcher at |
| predicted if we reduce emissions | | | | NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "But it |
| significantly, global temperatures cannot | | | | may indicate that the coastal margins of ice |
| quickly return to today's averages. And the | | | | sheets are capable of responding quite |
| faster and more the earth warms, the greater | | | | rapidly to external changes, such as a |
| the chances are for some irreversible climate | | | | warming climate." Krabill said if the higher |
| changes. | | | | rate of ice flowing into the ocean from |
| | | | Greenland "accelerates or becomes more |
| The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and | | | | widespread, it would begin to have a |
| other greenhouse gases (GHGs) released by the | | | | detectable impact on sea level." |
| burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and | | | | |
| agriculture, and other human activities, are | | | | All of the scientific data and understanding |
| the primary sources of the human-induced | | | | now point to the critical situation we face: |
| component of warming. An increase in global | | | | to slow future change we must start taking |
| temperatures can in turn cause other changes, | | | | action soon. At the same time, because of our |
| including a rising sea level and changes in | | | | past and ongoing activities we must start to |
| the amount and pattern of precipitation. | | | | live with the likely consequences - more |
| These changes may increase the frequency and | | | | extreme weather, rising sea levels, changing |
| intensity of extreme weather events, such as | | | | precipitation patterns, ecological and |
| floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and | | | | agricultural dislocations, the spread of |
| tornados. Other consequences include higher | | | | human disease and declining economic health |
| or lower agricultural yields, glacier | | | | around the world. In the end, failure to |
| retreat, reduced summer stream flows, species | | | | solve the global warming problem is not an |
| extinctions and increases in the ranges of | | | | option. |
| disease vectors. Although most studies focus | | | | |
| on the period up to 2100, warming (and sea | | | | The application of the new alternative energy |
| level rise due to thermal expansion) is | | | | and agriculture technologies of Quest |
| expected to continue, since CO2 has a long | | | | Innovations Research will provide the |
| average atmospheric lifetime. | | | | solutions of global warming. The first is an |
| | | | alternative type perpetual electric device |
| The number of cars in operation around the | | | | that will replace gasoline or diesel engines |
| world will double by the year 2030. The | | | | for transportation. With better transmissions |
| United States is responsible for 25% of the | | | | and with more aerodynamic designs, and |
| world's CO2 emissions which equates to 7 | | | | stronger yet lighter material for chassis |
| billion tons of CO2 emissions in one year. | | | | will allow a totally non-fuel burning |
| The amount of CO2 released into the | | | | automobile and truck. |
| atmosphere in the next 30 years is expected | | | | |
| to double or triple. | | | | More than half of America's electricity is |
| | | | produced from outdated, coal-burning power |
| Deforestation is another main producer of | | | | plants that dump pollutants and heat-trapping |
| carbon dioxide. The causes of deforestation | | | | gases into our atmosphere. In fact, power |
| are logging for lumber, pulpwood, and fuel | | | | plants are the single largest source of |
| wood. Also contributing to deforestation is | | | | CO2-one-third of the U.S. total. Quest |
| clearing new land for farming and pastures | | | | Innovation's solution is to replace the |
| used for animals such as cows. Forests and | | | | present power grid systems into perpetual |
| wooded areas are natural carbon sinks. This | | | | electric units that will not pollute the air |
| means that as trees absorb carbon dioxide, | | | | or waste natural resources. Smaller electric |
| and release oxygen, carbon is being put into | | | | units will also be used for many major |
| trees. This process occurs naturally by | | | | appliances such as clothes washers, |
| photosynthesis, which occurs less and less as | | | | dishwashers, water heaters, furnaces, air |
| we cut and burn down trees. As the abundance | | | | conditioners and boilers. |
| of trees declines, less carbon dioxide can be | | | | |
| recycled. As we burn them down, carbon is | | | | Protecting threatened forests will help halt |
| released into the air and the carbon bonds | | | | global warming which can also save us money, |
| with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, adding to | | | | increase food productivity and create new |
| the greenhouse effect. About 860 acres, the | | | | business and agriculture opportunities. Quest |
| size of Central Park in New York, is | | | | Innovation's Research projects of the |
| destroyed every 15 minutes in the tropics. | | | | systematic approach to new hydroponics |
| | | | agriculture and the enriched soil of Terra |
| The rate of global warming and sea level rise | | | | Preta will increase food production over 800% |
| will be higher than previous predictions | | | | on less land, thereby saving valuable |
| during the next century. Estimated land | | | | rainforests. The new water hydration device |
| losses range from 0.05% for Uruguay to about | | | | will provide atmospheric water as an abundant |
| 80% for all in the Marshall Islands. | | | | source for crop irrigation. Using the force |
| | | | of water without creating dams will utilize |
| A 1M (3 feet) sea-level rise would affect 6 | | | | turbine generated energy that will be |
| million people in Egypt, with 12% to 15% of | | | | modified for many agriculture uses in order |
| agricultural land lost, 13 million in | | | | to complete systems for providing large |
| Bangladesh, with 16% of national rice | | | | magnitude crop yields. |
| production lost, and 72 million in China and | | | | |
| "tens of thousands" of hectares (1 | | | | Best of all, these solutions exist now. The |
| hectare=2.47 acres) of agricultural land. | | | | future is now and awaiting every individual, |
| This is based on new information released by | | | | group, business, community, government or |
| the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate | | | | country ready to use new natural G-d given |
| Change. | | | | knowledge of technology to provide enough |
| | | | non-polluting energy and rich nutrient fed |
| The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate | | | | crops for everyone on our home planet. |
| Change, made up of about 2,000 scientists who | | | | |