What causes global warming? You do,silly!

1
What causes global warming? You do,silly!

• Kevin Cummins
• Sierra Club Volunteer

2
Increases in carbon dioxide cause the earth to
get warmer

• Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2)
  (plus other gases like methane) in the
  atmosphere absorb heat radiating from the earth.
  
• This trapped heat increases the evaporation of
  water from the oceans into the air to cause a
  greater increase in warming of the atmosphere.
  CO2 has a forcing effect on climate.
• The combined effect of water vapor, carbon
  dioxide and methane controls the temperature of
  the earth.

3
Source OSTP
4
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are
increasing

• Carbon dioxide is produced from burning wood,
  coal, gas, etc.
• The amount in the atmosphere has risen from 280
  ppm (100 years ago) to 370 ppm today.
• This increase in carbon dioxide is the atmosphere
  is increasing the heat being absorbed from the
  earth.

5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Todays atmosphere blanket is too thick!

• The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere traps more
  heat and causes more water vapor to evaporate
  into the atmosphere.
• Our new blanket around the world is simply making
  the earth too warm!
• We need a thinner blanket for our earth!

8
What can happen if we dont produce less CO2 ?

• Temperatures will get warmer.
• Glaciers will melt, ice sheets in Artic will melt
  (Polar Bears hunt on ice sheets)
• Sea levels will rise. Utah will be on Pacific
  Coast. NOT!
• More droughts in dry areas and more rain and snow
  in wet areas.
• More violent weather around the world.

9

• If nothing is done to slow greenhouse gas
  emissions. . .
• CO2 concentrations will likely be more than 700
  ppm by 2100
• Global average temperatures projected to
  increase between 2.5 - 10.4F

2100
Source OSTP
10
(No Transcript)
11
Surface Melt on Greenland
12
How can we stop the earths blanket from
getting us to warm?

• We must start putting less carbon dioxide into
  the air.
• Most the CO2 in the air will be around for 100
  years.
• We need to burn less gasoline in our cars.
• Burn less coal (or burn it cleaner) for our
  electricity.
• Use less gas to heat our homes.
• Use less gas and electricity in our factories and
  on our farms.

13
What can we use for energy to replace carbon
based fuels?

• Solar
• Biofuels
• Wind
• Nuclear Power (may be necessary whether we like
  it or not!)
• Geothermal

14
We can also use less fuel

• Higher mileage cars
• Live and work closer to home
• Walk, ride bikes
• Better insulated homes
• Use more efficient lights (fluorescent/LED)
• More efficient factories

15
(No Transcript)
16
What can you do about?

• Discuss it with your parents, friends and
  relatives
• Conserve more yourself.
• Write your elected officials
• Go to college and find new and better solutions
  for the future.

17
So whats the bad news/good news if we dont act
soon?

• Bad news We could lose control of the
  temperature rise of the earth. CO2 and methane
  from warm tundra and oceans could be released to
  atmosphere. This could be beyond our control. A
  run away condition
• Good news Schools would close. NOT!
• Good news Maybe global engineering could save
  us! (reflectors in space, dust in space)

18
What can the future hold for you children?

• More community spirit- we all must work together
  to solve the global warming problem
• A safer world with fewer enemies. GW can only be
  solved with world cooperation.
• Less proverty in the world. Solving the worlds
  GW problem cooperatively will require that
  proverty be reduced.

19
As my high school teacher used to say

• Dont be a carbuncle on the butt of society!
• Get out there and make the world a better place
  to live!
• And also dont forget to take care of the elderly
  along the way (Myself included)

20
References

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
  www.ipcc.ch/
• The New Scientist.com, A Special Report on
  Climate Change, http//www.newscientist.com/chann
  el/earth/climate-change.
• Defusing the Global Warming Time Bomb by James
  Hansen, Scientific American, 290, no. 3, March
  2004, pp. 68-77. (available for download at
  http//www.columbia.edu/jeh1/)
• EPA global warming Website http//yosemite.epa.go
  v/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html
• Climate Change and Utah, USEPA, EPA
  236-F-98-007z. Sept. 1998, available at
  http//yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/cont
  ent/us-utah.html
• For young children (story book style)
• http//www.unep.org/PDF/TORE.pdf

21
Disclaimer

• The preceding is my opinion and does not
  necessarily reflect the opinion of the Sierra
  Club.