National TeachIn

1
Global Warming

• National Teach-In
• February 5, 2009

2
(No Transcript)
3
Outline

• What is global warming?
• How does it occur?
• What evidence do we have?
• What are the effects?
• What are some solutions and next steps?
• How is your discipline effected by Global
  Warming, and what impact can it have in driving
  solutions?

4
What is Global Warming?

• Increases in global average temperature caused by
  an increase in Greenhouse Gases (GHG).
• Greenhouse Gases (GHG) are any gases that trap
  heat in the atmosphere. The primary GHG are
  carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide.
• Some GHG are naturally occurring, but human
  activities have increased the amount of these GHG
  in the atmosphere beyond the natural levels, and
  created additional non-natural GHG.

5
How does global warming occur?

Sunlight enters the atmosphere. Some energy is
radiated back into space in the form of infrared
waves. Much of it remains trapped in the
atmosphere by naturally occurring greenhouse
gases (GHG), which keep the earth at a livable
temperature. This phenomenon is called the
Greenhouse Effect and is essential to life on
earth.
6

Increasing the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG)
in the atmosphere beyond the naturally occurring
amount increases the amount of heat trapped in
the atmosphere. This leads to global warming.

7
What contributes to Global Warming?

• Fossil Fuels and Other sources.
• Largest portion of carbon dioxide is released by
  burning of fossil fuels for energy and for
  transportation.

Agriculture. Animals produce methane during
digestion. Wasted food produces methane in
landfills. Over fertilization of the soil
produces nitrous oxide emissions.
Deforestation. Carbon dioxide emissions from
burning/cutting down forests, and decay of
vegetation. Trees also sequester carbon.
8
Evidence of Global Warming

• Temperature increases worldwide.

9
Evidence of Global Warming

• Changing precipitation

10
Evidence of Global Warming

• Climate models link temperature increase to
  human-activities.

• Chart (a) compares the observed temperature to
  the modeled temperature variation as a result of
  natural phenomena.
• Chart (b) compares the observed temperature to
  the modeled temperature variation caused by
  human-activities.
• Chart (c) shows model using both natural and
  human-induced variations.
• Natural phenomena used in the model are solar
  and volcanic activity. The human-induced
  variation in the model are the result of increase
  in greenhouse gases.

11
What will a warmer climate affect?

• Water Resources
• Weather Damage
• Changes in Crop Yields
• Human Health Risks
• Rising Sea Level
• Tourism
• Wildlife

12
What are the Effects?

• Water Resources
• Changing climate is expected to increase both
  evaporation and precipitation in most areas of
  the United States. Where evaporation increases
  more than precipitation, soil will become drier
  and rivers will carry less water. (EPA)

http//yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/cont
ent/ImpactsWaterResources.html
13
What are the Effects?

• Weather damage
• Extreme weather conditions might become more
  frequent and therefore more damaging.
• Changes in rainfall patterns could increase both
  flooding and drought in some areas.
• More hurricanes and other tropical storms might
  occur, and they could become more powerful.

http//www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_world
book.html
14
What are the Effects?

• Changes in Crop Yields
• Colder regions may benefit, but more decreases in
  yield may be caused by drought and higher
  temperatures.
• Yields in the tropics might fall disastrously
  because temperatures there are already almost as
  high as many crop plants can tolerate.

http//www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_world
book.html
15
What are the Effects?

• Human health risks
• Fossil fuels burned in vehicles and power plants
  cause more pollution-induced asthma
• A warmer climate makes it easier for
  disease-bearing insects (ticks, mosquitoes) to
  spread and reproduce.
• Tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue,
  might spread to larger regions.
• Longer-lasting and more intense heat waves could
  cause more deaths and illnesses.
• Floods and droughts will increase hunger and
  malnutrition.

http//www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_world
book.html
16
What are the Effects?

• Tourism
• Shorter, warmer winters worsen conditions for
  outdoor winter activities, affecting
  recreation-oriented economies.
• Droughts, rising seas, flash floods, extreme
  heat, and forest fires could make profitable
  areas less desirable.
• An increase risk of illness could also make
  tourism suffer in some parts of the world.

http//www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/information/imp
lications.php http//www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pd
f/tourism_and_cc_full.pdf
17
What are the Effects?

• Rising sea level due to large amounts of glacial
  melting and ocean thermal expansion.
• Threatens coastal propertyaffecting real estate
  markets (insurance rates/availability),
  landscapes and recreation areas.
• Many coastal areas would experience flooding,
  erosion, a loss of wetlands, and an entry of
  seawater into freshwater areas.
• High sea levels would submerge some coastal
  cities and small island nations.

http//www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_world
book.html
18
What are the Effects?

• Wildlife
• The natural habitats of animals and plants will
  change with warming, making many regions
  uninhabitable for native species.
• Human occupation has altered the landscape in
  ways that make new habitats hard to reach or
  unavailable.
• Warmer oceans stress ocean ecosystems and effect
  water quality.
• High water temperatures can cause coral
  bleaching. The corals, which house approximately
  25 of the oceans species, turn white and die.

http//www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_world
book.html
19
What are some solutions?

• Increasing vehicle efficiency by increasing mpg.
• Increase building energy efficiency.
• Curb Deforestation. Carbon is stored in trees.
• Decreasing miles traveled. Increase public
  transit options.
• Emissions Trading Programs among Industry.
• Policy Changes.

http//www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_
change/solutions/policy_solutions/index.cfm
20
What are some solutions?

• Further Development of Low Carbon Technologies
• Nuclear Energy (Problems exists with nuclear
  waste disposal.)
• Wind Electricity
• Solar Electricity
• Hydrogen

Nuclear power plant.
Wind turbine field.
Hydrogen powered car.
Solar power plant.
21
What are some solutions?

• National Teach-In Recommendations
• Cut carbon 40 below today's levels by 2020.
• Create millions of green jobs Weatherize,
  solarize and rewire the nation.
• Revitalize America's economy Lead the world in
  renewable technology.
• Promote carbon neutral power. Breathe Clean Air.

http//www.nationalteachin.org/national_teachin.ph
p
22
Recent UN report says half of personal emissions
are within our control. What personal changes we
can each make?

• Drive Less and use alternative transportation
  when possible.
• Consciously reduce your personal waste by buying
  less, and reusing materials.
• Recycle what you cant reuse.
• Shut down your computer and monitor during the
  lunch break and when you leave work This cuts
  CO2 emissions generated by these appliances by
  30.
• Install a water-saving shower head.
• Switch from regular 60-Watt light bulbs to
  energy-saving CFLs.
• Dry clothes on a washing line instead of in a
  dryer.
• Pack a light suitcase World savings of 2 million
  tons of CO2 a year are possible if each
  passengers baggage was under 44 lbs and bought
  duty free goods on arrival.
• Replace a 45-minute workout on a treadmill with a
  jog in a nearby park.

Kick the Habit The UN Guide to Climate
Neutrality . UNEP. June 2008 Climate Change
Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism
Sector.UNWTO.
23
Temple University

• Office of Sustainability
• Website
• www.temple.edu/sustainability
• Contact Us!
• Director Sandy McDade (1-2517)
  sustainability_at_temple.edu
• Graduate Extern Leigh-Golding DeSantis (1-1715)
  lgd2_at_temple.edu
• Graduate Student Jeffrey Rupertus (1-1715)
  jrupertus_at_temple.edu
• Location-Mitten Hall , lower level-first office
  on the left.

24
Further Reading

• NASA. Brief, concise overview http//www.nasa.gov
  /worldbook/global_warming_worldbook.html
• Presidential Climate Action Plan Climate Action
  by topics. http//www.climateactionproject.com/pla
  n/
• How To On Talking to Skeptics http//gristmill.gr
  ist.org/skeptics

25
For specific disciplines

• Economics The Stern Review on the Economics of
  Climate Change looks at the global economic and
  social costs of aggressively mitigating versus
  adapting to climate change.
• Health Center for Health and the Global
  Environment at Harvard Medical School Inside the
  Greenhouse The Impacts of CO2 and Climate Change
  on Public Health in the Inner City
• Tourism "Climate Change and its Impacts on
  Tourism. Report commissioned from the University
  of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit.
• African American Studies Environmental Justice
  and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC)
  http//www.ejcc.org/
• Media for climate justice http//www.ejcc.org/m
  edia/video/illai/
• Religion The National Religious Partnership for
  the Environment. http//www.nrpe.org/
• Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
  http//ellabakercenter.org/
• Public Policy http//www.purdue.edu/eas/carbon/cl
  imate_change_policy.html
• Social Sciences http//www.climatechangeeducation
  .org/university_materials/social_science.html
• Sciences Union of Concerned Scientists.
  http//www.ucsusa.org/
• For a complete listing of Resources
  http//www.nationalteachin.org/resources.php