| Highly increase in the average temperature of | | | | Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods |
| the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in | | | | caused hundreds of millions of dollars in |
| recent decades and its projected continuation | | | | damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota. |
| is called Global Warming. | | | | Since the early 1950s, snow accumulation has |
| | | | declined 60 percent and winter seasons have |
| Global warming is a phenomenon that has been | | | | shortened in some areas of the Cascade Range |
| discussed widely nowadays and global warming | | | | in Oregon and Washington. |
| causes are one of the most studied subjects | | | | |
| presently in the world. Through out the world | | | | Of course, the impacts of global warming are |
| many governments, institutes and universities | | | | not limited to the United States. In 2003, |
| are trying to find out what are the causes | | | | extreme heat waves caused more than 20,000 |
| for global warming. As the effects of global | | | | deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths |
| warming is becoming more and more evident, | | | | in India. And in what scientists regard as an |
| many of us have started to realize that steps | | | | alarming sign of events to come, the area of |
| have to be taken to control Global warming at | | | | the Arctic's perennial polar ice cap is |
| the earliest and various countries and people | | | | declining at the rate of 9 percent per |
| have started working towards it. For this we | | | | decade. |
| know exactly what is global warming, causes | | | | |
| of global warming and effects of global | | | | Is global warming making hurricanes worse? |
| warming. | | | | |
| | | | Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but |
| What causes global warming? | | | | it does make them stronger and more |
| | | | dangerous. Because the ocean is getting |
| Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that | | | | warmer, tropical storms can pick up more |
| is collecting in the atmosphere like a | | | | energy and become more powerful. So global |
| thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat | | | | warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm |
| and causing the planet to warm up. | | | | into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. |
| Coal-burning power plants are the largest | | | | In fact, scientists have found that the |
| U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- | | | | destructive potential of hurricanes has |
| they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. | | | | greatly increased along with ocean |
| Automobiles, the second largest source, | | | | temperature over the past 35 years. |
| create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 | | | | |
| annually. | | | | What can I do to help fight global warming? |
| | | | |
| Here's the good news: technologies exist | | | | There are many simple steps you can take |
| today to make cars that run cleaner and burn | | | | right now to cut global warming pollution. |
| less gas, modernize power plants and generate | | | | Make conserving energy a part of your daily |
| electricity from nonpolluting sources, and | | | | routine. Each time you choose a compact |
| cut our electricity use through energy | | | | fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent |
| efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these | | | | bulb, for example, you'll lower your energy |
| solutions are put to use. | | | | bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon |
| | | | dioxide out of the air over the bulb's |
| Are warmer temperatures causing bad things to | | | | lifetime. By opting for a refrigerator with |
| happen? | | | | the Energy Star label -- indicating it uses |
| | | | at least 15 percent less energy than the |
| Global warming is already causing damage in | | | | federal requirement -- over a less |
| many parts of the United States. In 2002, | | | | energy-efficient model, you can reduce carbon |
| Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their | | | | dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. |
| worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, | | | | Join NRDC in our campaign against global |
| drought created severe dust storms in | | | | warming. |