Archive for the ‘Global Warming’ Category
What Can Nations Do To Combat Global Warming?
When you think about Global Warming, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Global Warming are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.
There are things individuals can do to help stop global warming. Yet, when nations get involved, it is to everyone’s benefit to see to it that the right steps are taken. Nations can combat global warming by many different means.
For one thing, a good forestry department can have a huge impact. The carbon dioxide that is one cause of global warming is eaten up by trees. If a country fosters the growth of its forests and does not allow them to be cut down indiscriminately, global warming will be slowed down.
Another thing nations can do is to focus on energy efficiency. The less energy is used, the less global warming has a chance to take hold. A country can place efficiency standards on appliances and cars. Even better, they can redesign cities so that walking and cycling can become an option instead of people having to drive everywhere.
Alternative sources of energy emit little or no greenhouse gases. Using them will help curb global warming. Hydro-power, solar energy, and windmills can be used to take the place of burning gas, or coal for electricity. Windmills, in fact, are already being set up by the scores in many fields in out-of-the-way places. This is a good step to prevent global warming.
Nations can also be quick to adjust their policies to the climatic changes of the times. When one type of crop will no longer grow well because it needs a cooler climate, that crop can be replaced in that area with a different kind that will. Nations can build aqueducts to transport water to drought-ridden areas.
See how much you can learn about Global Warming when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.
There are different ways that nations can get their message about global warming across. First, they can make laws about it. They can require people to use environmentally-friendly appliances, fuel sources, and vehicles. They can make it a legal requirement for auto makers to reduce harmful emissions given off by their cars.
Another way to change people’s behavior is to make it financially advantageous to be concerned about global warming. If gas prices are higher, people are spurred on to finding a more fuel-efficient vehicle, or even a different fuel source altogether.
Tax incentives and government subsidies can also encourage people to think about global warming. The only problem is that this approach usually favors those who have more money in the first place.
Governments can make it their business to inform and educate the people of the country. With news and data about global warming, people will be prompted to take it seriously. When methods for reducing greenhouse gases are made known by the government, people have a chance to put those methods into practice.
Finally, it is essential that governments get involved with making sure that research and development are done. Global warming cannot be overcome without good information. It is to the advantage of every citizen when the nation puts some of its focus on global warming. When a country approaches global warming with a common sense, proactive sensibility, beneficial changes can be made.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, author of this Free Adsense eBook — make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!
Forestry and Global Warming
The way land is used can have an affect on global warming. The kinds of plants, animals, or minerals set upon a plot of land render it different from other plots of land. It is these differences that can be explored to help you gain an understanding of global warming.
Forests are an important use of land in most countries. This is true for many reasons, but when it comes to global warming, it is particularly true. Plant life can scrub carbon dioxide from the air. Much of the very carbon dioxide that is one of the causes of global warming can be eliminated just by being in the vicinity of certain plants.
Trees are the best carbon dioxide scrubbers there are in nature. Old growth trees are especially good at removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it within their cells. For this reason, old growth trees need to be protected from the lumber jack’s blade.
While the lumber trade argues that the old growth trees can be easily replaced by new trees, this is simply not the case. New trees do not possess the abilities that old trees have of preventing global warming by trapping carbon dioxide.
Some proponents of cutting suggest that certain new trees are capable of trapping more greenhouse gases than the old trees. The truth is that, even if this is true, it is not true when you compare the new special trees to any trees that have many decades of growth. To prevent global warming, you need trees with some substance to them.
Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.
One law was proposed to stop logging and road building in the forest to prevent global warming. This particular law was to protect a large amount of forest-approximately 13 million acres on ancient forest. Most of this forest was so unspoiled that it did not even have any roads at all. This law would also ban clear-cutting, a practice that totally destroys acres upon acres of old growth trees.
Several studies have been done to estimate the amount potential global warming caused by the deforestation of tropical rainforests. Loggers do not just take out mature trees for lumber. People who want to clear a place to live, work, or farm in the jungle clear the forest by cutting and burning large portions of the rainforest.
As if this was not enough, other greenhouse gases are increased by deforestation. These include methane and nitrous oxide. Global warming is foreseeable when people greedily take the rainforest and other forests for their own purposes.
It seems that, by the figures in these studies, global warming prevention should focus on the green house emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels first. However, the deforestation comes in a close second in causes for global warming.
People can stop this dependence on old growth trees for lumber. There are many different building materials available to be used. It does not upset the balance of nature when you build with stone, for example. Also, furniture can be made from other materials. When people learn that forests are important in stopping global warming, they can help the situation by refusing to use lumber that comes from old growth forests and the rainforest.
You can’t predict when knowing something extra about Global Warming will come in handy. If you learned anything new about Global Warming in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, author of this Free Adsense eBook — make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!
The History of the Movement to Stop Global Warming
People have not always known about global warming. The idea had to start somewhere. The history of the global warming concept is probably older than you might think. It all began in the late 1800’s.
There was a scientist named Svante Arrhenius who was studying fossil fuel combustion in Sweden towards the end of the 19th century. An 1859 prediction claimed that the burning of such fuels would eventually lead to the process of global warming. Svante Arrhenius recognized that temperatures on the earth’s surface were related to carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
Arrhenius studied global warming to find out the average surface temperature of earth. He figured that doubling the carbon dioxide in a greenhouse effect would raise the surface temperature by five degrees Celsius. He also concluded that human activities could be to blame for future global warming. His focus, though, was on how much carbon dioxide would have to be taken away to cause global cooling.
Infrared spectroscopy was developed in the 1940’s that could be used to measure the sun’s radiation. It was used to measure the absorption of radiation with and without added carbon dioxide. Gilbert Plass determined that the increased carbon dioxide would cause the earth to absorb more radiation, and so cause global warming.
From late in the 1950’s to early in the 1960’s, Charles Keeling produced curves of the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. He showed the scientific community that the earth had gone through 32 distinct weather variations. It had previously been thought that there had only been four. This raised alarms of ice ages rather than global warming.
Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Global Warming, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
Much changed in the 1980’s. The curve was followed and it was discovered that temperatures were getting higher at a rapid rate. Suddenly people stopped preparing for a cooling planet and began pondering global warming. Since Stephen Schneider first gave global warming a name and predicted its coming, which he did in 1976, the emphasis on the subject by the media grew more and more intense.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was created in 1988, just as the greenhouse effect was being named. In the IPCC, there are 2500 experts in all fields of study that are affecting and are affected by global warming. These include such diverse specialties as meteorology, economics, medicine, and oceanography, for example. The IPCC is still actively seeking information on global warming.
The term “the greenhouse effect” has fallen somewhat out of favor since 1990. Statistics did not follow the predicted course for the theory. However, the Kyoto Protocol, negotiated in Kyoto Japan, was aimed at preventing and correcting global warming.
Global warming is still a term that is in use and making the news daily. Since Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, people have been more aware of the problem than ever. Presently, there are scientists, celebrities, and all manner of people who are working on solutions for global warming.
The history of inquiry into the nature of global warming is over 110 years old. There have been advances and retreats in the science. However, the future of global warming research and activism seems positive.
There’s a lot to understand about Global Warming. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, author of this Free Adsense eBook — make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!
Forecasting the Future of Global Warming
If people knew what kind of future global warming would actually bring, they would likely want to do more to help the environment. The problem is that predicting the future of global warming is a very complex task. Just as the local weatherman does not always get it right, neither can the predictor of global warming.
Some of the difficulties inherent in forecasting future global warming have to do with those same factors that every meteorologist faces. Winds can cool the air or warm it depending on the direction they take. Cloud cover can cool a hot day. Air masses move in to cause storms as cool fronts and warm fronts are generated.
Ocean currents can change the temperature of the land on which they strike. The earth’s atmosphere is constantly in a cycle of evaporation and precipitation. The nature of this cycle will affect global warming. At the same time, all these variables will be affected by global warming in return.
It is hard to predict the future of global warming when little is known about the actions people will take to prevent it, or not. Underdeveloped countries will strive towards development. Generally in the past this has meant using the cheapest industrial equipment available, even if it is the most polluting. However, these countries may decide to put emphasis on preventing global warming instead.
I trust that what you’ve read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.
It is not known at this time how fast the population of the world will grow. Statisticians can make educated guesses, but a number of factors can always change the dynamics of population growth. Biological factors, as well as governmental policies and economics can all play a part. The more people on earth, the greater the chance for global warming.
Fuel efficient cars have already been developed, and the research continues to make them even better. There is a question, though, as to whether the people of the world will embrace these technologies. At least at first, cost might prevent poor people from having hybrid or other fuel efficient cars. The extent to which this technology is made available to all people will affect the amount of global warming that can be expected.
As ice melts in the Polar Regions, the ocean temperatures are affected. This is due to global warming. However, it also can perpetuate global warming by changing the evaporation rates of the sea. The courses and speeds of the oceans currents cannot be predicted with accuracy, but they will have an affect on global warming.
The proliferation of dark areas can lead to global warming. The trouble with using this fact to predict global warming is that it is not known how many dark areas will be uncovered by melting ice. As long as there is enough ice to maintain a light color, a good deal of the heat will be reflected off into the atmosphere.
While it is nearly impossible to predict the future of global warming with complete accuracy, it is good to explore the subject. It is important to estimate the damage that will be caused by global warming in order to make the concept of global warming more concrete.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!
What the Other Side Is Saying About Global Warming
While the majority of celebrities and many scientists in the world view global warming as a disaster of epic proportions, not all agree. Some people, even scientists, have opposing viewpoints that are based on their own formal observations and the data from many sources. It is interesting to explore what these people have to say about global warming.
One of the most talked-about aspects of global warming is the rise in sea levels. If you are to believe most people who speak on global warming, you have to think that many habitable places on earth will soon be underwater. There is some evidence to refute this.
There is a professor of paleogeophysics and geodynamics at Stockholm University who presents interesting data. According to this professor, the sea levels are in the same range they have been in over the last three hundred years. There has not even been the slightest rise in sea levels in the last decade.
While a sea level rise of .1 to .9 meters is predicted by the year 2100, it is not seen by this group of people as a dangerous situation. After all, there was a .2 rise in the sea level during the past century and humans did not even seem to notice.
When the global warming pundits talk about the rises in sea level that result from three sheets of ice that melt per year, it is the opponents of the movement that put it into terms that make sense. If the ice continues to melt at that rate, it will take a thousand years to raise the sea level by 5 cm.
Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Global Warming, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.
The people who preach on the dangers of global warming believe that Hurricane Katrina and others were intensified by global warming. Many experts on the other side of the fence claim that the extreme storms have not been unusual earth events. They also say that better reporting of severe weather occurrences contributes to the impression that global warming is having an impact.
While those dedicated to stopping global warming are worried about the recession of the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro, others believe there are reasons besides global warming. These people say that you have to understand how glaciers interact with the climate around them. Knowing that the air has been drier, they say, leads you to the fact that the glacial recession is a natural occurrence.
Many people who fear global warming say that it will increase diseases like malaria by allowing disease-bearing mosquitoes into higher elevations. Others realize that there are other reasons for the additional cases of malaria and other such diseases.
These include the facts that 1) people from lowland areas are resistant to disease but carry it with them when they move to higher elevations, 2) deforestation leaves a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and 3) more pools and ditches will lead to more mosquitoes.
For many reasons, global warming is not a subject that everyone agrees on. People from all over the world have different opinions and they often do not wish to see another’s viewpoint. When the true facts about global warming are clear, people can begin to come together to address the problem.
If you’ve picked some pointers about Global Warming that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!
Possible Short-Term Benefits of Global Warming
It is certain that enough global warming would be harmful to human beings. If the temperatures were hot enough and the sea levels were high enough, it would spell an end to life as it is known at this time. Yet, there may be some short-term benefits of global warming.
Few people would argue and say that a warm climate is not preferable to a cold one. Not only are warm climates generally more pleasant, there are health benefits as well. People who suffer from conditions that are affected by the cold, such as rheumatoid arthritis, often move to warmer climates. A small amount of global warming would allow people to stay in their homes.
One scientist did an extensive study of statistics to find out the health benefits of warmer weather. He studied the numbers of deaths in different months of the year in places that get cold in the winter and warm in the summer. He determined that many more people die in the winter than in the summer. This would seem to support the benefits of global warming.
However, he also noted that the statistics in this part of the study were not entirely accurate. They were muddied by the fact that there are other considerations during season changes that would not occur in global warming. For example, days were shorter in winter, but they would not be shorter if more global warming occurred.
In 2004, it was observed by lobster fishermen that the warmer temperatures caused by global warming had affected their work. There seemed to be an abundance of Maine lobsters living and thriving in the warmer waters. They were happy for the increase, but expected it to be short-lived as the optimal temperature for lobsters probably has a very small range.
The information about Global Warming presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Global Warming or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.
It has been thought for quite some time that global warming would increase the amount of corn, wheat, barley, and other grains that could be grown. Not only the warmer weather and the longer growing seasons were anticipated to yield this result. Carbon dioxide exposure was expected to increase productivity along with global warming.
Studies have shown, though, that the carbon dioxide benefits are very minimal. Current projections are that farmers will only be able to keep up with demand for crops for a few more decades. Then, it is predicted that world-wide shortages will take hold.
Furthermore, agriculture in tropical zones is expected to decline rapidly as the temperature becomes too hot to support plant life. The temperate zones will be able to have better farming, and more of the world’s crops will be grown there.
Some economists point to global warming as a boon to international trade. They feel that the loss of ice sheets in the Arctic will open up routes that have not been accessible in the past. This will provide faster travel between Europe, America, and Asia, they say.
People give plenty of reasons to embrace global warming. They see only promise in the climate change of their planet. Perhaps they just do not want to feel required to do anything about global warming. Or, perhaps there is some room for hope.
That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Adsense eBook and make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!
Books that Support or Deny the Concept of Global Warming
Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Global Warming? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Global Warming.
Global warming is discussed in two main types of books. Some would have you believe there is no problem at all. Others speak of evidence of global warming, dangerous consequences, and solutions to global warming. Reading a variety of books on global warming gives a balanced perspective.
Probably the most well-known book on global warming is Al Gore’s book An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It. Gore’s book shows reasons why people wan to save he earth from hazards such as global warming. It also implores world leaders to stands up and listens to the warnings of an environment in crisis.
An opposing viewpoint is presented in a book titled Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years. The book, written by Dennis T. Avery and S. Fred Singer, is an argument that global warming is a cyclical event that has happened gradually and systematically throughout history. Scientific data backs up the claims and demonstrates why no one should be concerned about global warming, in the authors’ opinions.
However, there is scientific information that supports the claims of global warming dangers. A book called Global Warming: The Complete Briefing gives facts and theories about the foundations of global warming and climate change. In it, the future of the world and ways to help minimize global warming are outlined.
Those of you not familiar with the latest on Global Warming now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.
Children can learn about the subject by reading a book called This Is My Planet: The Kids’ Guide to Global Warming. Jan Thornhill, the author or the book, gives the startling facts about the quickly occurring changes brought on by global warming, and how that is happening. Catering to the younger audience, though, she is careful to sprinkle the book with a lot of hope and ways for children to help change the situation.
The Down To Earth Guide To Global Warming, by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon, is another book that uses a bit of humor to discuss a serious subject. It not only has facts about the genesis of extreme global warming, but it is full of vivid pictures. As another book for elementary children, it gives ways for kids to fight global warming in every area of their lives.
A fun and interesting book on the subject of global warming is The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook: 77 Essential Skills to Stop Climate Change. David de Rothschild, the author, constructed the book to be a tongue-in-cheek look at a survival guide aimed at surviving global warming. At the same time, it offers important information about ways to improve the environment. It is a companion book to the Live Earth Concerts in July of 2007 that took place during a 24-hour period around the world.
It is easy to find books about global warming. Many are aimed at the children who are next to inherit the earth. Some focus heavily on scientific data. Others rely on humor to tell their story. Some are even a simple call to arms to anyone who will help curb global warming. Global warming is a subject worth study and there are plenty of books to read about it.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, owner of this excellent site: Product Profits Club (click to claim your FREE membership)
Transportation Issues and Global Warming
If you’re seriously interested in knowing about Global Warming, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about Global Warming.
There is great concern over the greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles that contribute to global warming. Transportation has become a major issue. New fuels, new cars, and new types of communities are being discussed as solutions.
Gasoline-burning cars are a major contributor to global warming. In fact, they are the second largest cause of global warming pollution in the United States. It would be beneficial if the cars could be more efficient. If they could burn cleaner fuels, it would even be better.
It is predicted that Americans will continue to put gasoline-burning cars on the road at alarming rates over the next twenty years. The number estimated is around 300 million new cars. With this expectation, it is clear that cars should be made with energy efficiency in mind. Otherwise, they will cause extensive global warming.
Hybrid engines are being touted by many celebrities as a way to prevent global warming. Many celebrities prefer the Prius hybrid car. These hybrid cars do, in fact, double gas mileage. At the same time, they reduce harmful emissions that lead to global warming.
Future technologies for cars, such as fuel cells, may ease global warming even more. Fuel cells change hydrogen fuel and oxygen into electricity. Then, the electricity is used to run the vehicle. This technology has already been used by NASA and is projected to help ease global warming in the future.
The best time to learn about Global Warming is before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable Global Warming experience while it’s still free.
Alternate fuels have been in the news for helping with reducing global warming as well. One of the most interesting fuels is bio-diesel. This type of fuel can be made from a variety of sources. Vegetable oils such as soybean and rapeseed oils have been used successfully in regular diesel vehicles.
Animal fats work, but are rarely used because they are too expensive. However, used oil from fast food restaurants can be employed to do the same thing. It is surprising that global warming can be slowed down by the use of fast food by-products.
Ethanol is being used in many countries, now including the US, to decrease pollution and dependence on foreign oil. Global warming is impacted, too. Brazil, which uses ethanol almost exclusively, makes the fuel from sugar cane. In the US, corn is the chief source of ethanol.
Some cars are flex-fuel cars which can be run on different fuel sources. They can use alcohol, gasoline, or a combination. E85 is mostly ethanol with 15% of the fuel being gasoline. This fuel performs a little better than pure ethanol, but is more conducive to cutting down on global warming than gasoline.
Another way global warming can be addressed through transportation issues is in community planning. Communities can be built so that people can spend more time walking or cycling than driving. This cuts down dramatically on greenhouse gas emissions, thereby reducing global warming.
The world, especially the US, can make some changes in the way they move about and transport their goods. If people do nothing, greenhouse gasses will surely increase drastically. However, if changes are made, global warming will be cut to a very large degree.