Day 5. Climate Change

PROBLEM:
There is a deffinate change in our climate, but not so drastic that everyone needs to be afraid. The change is that it is warming, which is called global warming. I am going to prove there there is a change from previous generations, and not for the better. There should be some change in our society to stop these changes. I am takeing a moderate position on the issue.

EVIDENCE:
1900, the average surface temperature warmed by about 1.2-1.4 ºF.
1970s, the average surface temperature has warmed about 1 ºF.
The Earth’s surface is currently warming at a rate of about 0.32ºF/decade or 3.2 ºF/century.
The five warmest years over last century have likely been: 2005, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004.
The top 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1990.
//US Environmental Protection Agency. Temperature Changes//

A rise in sea level as the oceans warm and expand, glaciers will melt, weather patterns will change, animals and plants will shift to new habitats.
//TIME Magizine2//

Though natural amounts of CO2 have varied from 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm), today's CO2 levels are around 380 ppm. That's 25% more than the highest natural levels over the past 650,000 years. Increased CO2 levels have contributed to periods of higher average temperatures throughout that long record.
Between 1961 and 1997, the world’s glaciers lost 890 cubic miles of ice//Global Warming?//

By burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.
//An Inconvinient Truth. By Al Gore//

Worldwide sea surface temperatures have increased by about 1 degree since 1970, resulting in about 50 percent more tropical storm activity than normal.says Judith Curry, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology//Hurricanes//

The Earth has warmed about 1ºF in the last 100 years. And the four warmest years of the 20th century all happened in the 1990s //EPA for kids//

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
human activities have substantially added to the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuels and biomass (living matter such as vegetation) has also resulted in emissions of aerosols that absorb and emit heat, and reflect light.//US Environment Protection Agency. Climate Changes//

The most respected scientific bodies have stated unequivocally that global warming is occurring, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil and natural gas) and cutting down forests.
People are causing global warming by burning fossil fuels (like oil, coal and natural gas) and cutting down forests. Scientists have shown that these activities are pumping far more CO2 into the atmosphere than was ever released in hundreds of thousands of years.
//Global Warming//

Scientists are concerned that human activity, such as increased carbon dioxide production and land use, may have begun to affect Earth's climate//NASA//

now through population growth, fossil fuel burning, and deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the atmosphere. Energy that makes cars run and much of the energy used to light and heat our homes, comes from fuels like coal and oil – fossil fuels. Burning these fuels releases greenhouse gases.

Watch TV Use the Air Conditioner Turn on a Light Use a Hair Dryer Ride in a Car Play a Video Game Listen to a Stereo Wash or Dry Clothes Use a Dish Washer Microwave a Meal //EPA for kids//


SOLUTION:
There are small steps everyone can take to slow the progress of the climate changes.

• Use Energy Star light bulbs.
• Look for the Energy Star Label when you shop for appliances.
• Clean your heat and AC filters so they dont submit toxins and dirt in to the atmosphere.
• Use Green Power. An eco friendly engery source.
• RECYCLE

//US enviromental protection agency. Climate Change-What can i do?//