| What is Global Warming? | | | | CO2 levels and temperatures continue to rise. |
| Global Warming refers to a rise in the average | | | | Instead of "fear-mongering", this is simply an |
| temperature of Earth's atmosphere due to the | | | | honest and clear-headed look at the reality before |
| presence of greenhouse gasses in the | | | | us. |
| atmosphere. | | | | |
| Greenhouse gasses are comprised mainly of | | | | What About the Oceans and Forests. Can't We |
| Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Methane, and | | | | Just Plant Trees to Soak Up All the Carbon? |
| Ozone. | | | | The Amazon rainforest is a major carbon sink. |
| The atmosphere is warmed naturally by the | | | | Each year there is a net loss of rainforest along |
| "greenhouse effect" caused by these gasses, | | | | with the increase of carbon in the atmosphere to |
| which trap the sun's radiation and act as a sort of | | | | absorb. The rainforests and temperate forests do |
| "thermal blanket" keeping the Earth within a | | | | soak up carbon, but even if deforestation where |
| mostly livable temperature band averaging around | | | | to stop today, it wouldn't be enough to soak up all |
| 59 degrees Fahrenheit. If the earth had no global | | | | the carbon released each year into the |
| warming or blanket of atmospheric gasses | | | | atmosphere. |
| keeping us warm, the planet would be about 90 | | | | The oceans also act as a carbon sink. But the |
| degrees cooler than it is - very cold; you and I | | | | problem here is that the effect of increased |
| would not be here if it weren't for global warming. | | | | carbon in the atmosphere has made the oceans |
| | | | more acidic, jeopardizing sea life, bleaching corals, |
| So Then Why Is Global Warming Considered Such | | | | and further endangering the general health of all |
| a Problem? | | | | the world's oceans. Also, the increase in air |
| What is discussed in the preceding paragraph is | | | | temperature has increased the surface |
| the natural greenhouse effect. When people talk | | | | temperature of the ocean. Warm water expands, |
| of "global warming" today they generally are | | | | thus helping to contribute to sea level rise, and |
| referring to what is probably better termed as | | | | the warmer water also leads to more intense and |
| "climate change". What we need to be concerned | | | | unusual weather patterns. |
| with is "anthropomorphic global warming" - a fancy | | | | |
| way of saying an increase over and above the | | | | This is Just Too Overwhelming. There is Nothing |
| natural greenhouse effect caused by human | | | | We Can Do. We're Doomed. |
| activity that alters the composition of Earth's | | | | Granted, it is sometimes difficult to remain |
| atmosphere, thereby increasing the greenhouse | | | | optimistic in the face of such a global challenge. |
| effect and changing Earth's climate. | | | | Just as it can be difficult to understand the full |
| The climate is an enormously complex and finely | | | | implications of the problem because it is beyond |
| balanced mechanism. Since the industrial revolution, | | | | the capabilities of any one person to fully |
| modern societies have burned fossil fuels - coal, | | | | perceive, the solutions can be just as elusive in |
| oil, and natural gas - releasing an ever increasing | | | | their scale. As more and more people start to do |
| amount of greenhouse gasses, principally carbon | | | | little things; drive less, use energy efficient light |
| dioxide or CO2, into the atmosphere. Billions of | | | | bulbs, use less electricity, and any number of small |
| tons of CO2 are burned into the atmosphere | | | | things that help mitigate a person's carbon |
| every year, with the amount increasing by about | | | | "footprint", the problem will begin to become more |
| 3% every year. | | | | manageable. |
| The problem with global warming is the effect this | | | | We need to be honest, however. Global warming |
| ever-increasing burning of fossil fuels has on the | | | | and climate change is already underway. The |
| delicately balanced atmosphere. An average global | | | | processes of climate are slow and don't turn on a |
| increase in atmospheric temperature of even a | | | | dime. The carbon released into the atmosphere |
| few degrees will have a significant impact on | | | | today will stay in the atmosphere for decades. |
| Earth's climate. | | | | We need to realize that our climate is changing |
| Aren't All You "Global Warming People" Just Fear | | | | and will continue to change no matter what we |
| Mongering? Didn't You Just Admit that Global | | | | do. |
| Warming is a Naturally Occurring Phenomenon? | | | | We should focus on mitigating the extent of that |
| No reputable scientist or environmental advocate | | | | change to within reasonable levels. Most scientists |
| has ever claimed that global warming or the | | | | agree that we still have time to keep the worst |
| greenhouse effect does not occur naturally, or | | | | of the possible consequences of massive climate |
| that there are cycles in Earth's climate. | | | | change at bay - if we act now. |
| Many skeptics use this as an argument to claim | | | | The Earth will survive. It is humanity and those |
| that those concerned with climate change either | | | | with whom we share this planet that will suffer. |
| don't know what they're talking about or simply | | | | The problem started long ago, and was |
| fear-mongering, thus clouding a discussion that is | | | | completely unforeseen until relatively recently. It is |
| essential as we face the consequences - | | | | not a time to point fingers and attempt to assign |
| whatever we think they may be - of the | | | | "blame" for the situation we now find ourselves in. |
| processes of our modern, industrial society. | | | | But we are the generation that is here, now, and |
| Never before in the history of the Earth have | | | | the circumstances before us are clear to any that |
| there been so many billions of people burning so | | | | cares to look. We are the ones obligated to do |
| many billions of tons of greenhouse gasses into | | | | whatever we can to insure a livable planet for |
| the atmosphere, or clear-cutting such great | | | | future generations. |
| swaths of forest off the face of the earth, or | | | | This isn't something for the far distant future. |
| otherwise altering what would indeed otherwise | | | | Global warming and climate change is here now. If |
| be the natural cycles of Earth's climate. | | | | we do nothing; if we remain concerned with |
| Whatever natural cycle may otherwise be | | | | short-term comforts and status quo; if we |
| occurring today, it can no longer be considered | | | | continue to fear "economic consequences" and |
| purely natural by the simple fact that human | | | | ignore the implications of the environmental |
| activity alters or overwhelms any natural cycle. | | | | collapse that would surely make any such |
| Before the industrial revolution, the concentration | | | | concerns appear foolish, then the world we know |
| of CO2 in the atmosphere was about 280 | | | | today will be gone; possibly within our lifetimes, |
| parts-per-million (PPM). Today it is close to 375 | | | | probably within the lifetimes of our children, and |
| PPM, an increase of more than 30%. The rate of | | | | certainly within the lifetimes of our children's |
| increase, especially since the last half of the 20th | | | | children. |
| century, is unprecedented. There has been a | | | | So when you leave the room, shut down the |
| corresponding rise in average global atmospheric | | | | computer and turn off the light. It isn't enough. |
| temperature. | | | | But at least it's a start. |