Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Global Warming Causes Cooling (Ice Age?)

One common debate point against those who want to point out flaws in global warming is that there are many scientists who speak of a coming ice age. This is true, however, what those debaters do not understand is that global warming and a coming ice age are not mutually exclusive items as the words "warming" and "ice" might suggest. It all boils down to a matter of location and perspective. Disclaimer: Please note that this article is NOT an argument for or against global warming politics. It is merely meant to show how the science behind a global warming phenomenon could lead to global cooling in other regions. Let me explain:
First, one has to understand the underlying worry of global warming. This primary concern is that the world is slowly growing warmer. This is not necessarily true on a daily basis, but measurements taken year over year and decade over decade compared to the past would indicate this is occurring. As such, it is increasing the melting rate for glaciers and the polar ice caps. Okay, simple enough. How does this lead to the next ice age?
This stems from weather patterns and the Gulf Stream. To understand how weather patterns work, consider the weather in Europe. Central Europe is on the same latitude as Canada and Siberia. However, its average temperature is more similar to that of the United States. How can this be? This is because the Gulf Streams moves vertically as well horizontally (it path resembles that of a wave). Most people are also aware that the Atlantic is considered a warm ocean while the Pacific is considered a cold one. This is because an undersea river travels between the two oceans carrying away Arctic temperatures from the Atlantic into the Pacific. In conjunction, the Gulf Stream moves across the warm Atlantic into Central Europe, leading to temperatures in this region being warmer than they would be otherwise.
However, melted polar ice caps threaten these loops. The underwater river that feeds the Gulf Stream could cease to exist and no longer provide certain regions with the weather that it does. Melted glacial regions could stop these patterns altogether. If the Gulf Stream were to shift or stop altogether, Europe and southern Canada would lose the influx of warm air to their current climates and delve into a second ice age. Other areas, like the southern United States would experience warmer climates and become much more arid, possibly even desert like. So when asked whether global warming would lead to the Earth become warmer or cooler, the answer is...YES.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Ultimate Way To Stop Global Warming

The Earth’s surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases—primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed although uncertainties exist about exactly how earth’s climate responds to them.

Energy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse.

Without this natural “greenhouse effect,” temperatures would be much lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. Instead, thanks to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a more hospitable 60°F. However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of the earth’s atmosphere. Consequently, the temperature of the planet earth is rising.

Fossil fuels burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, and power factories are responsible for about 98% of world carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methane emissions, and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. Increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production, and mining also contribute a significant share of emissions. All these have dramatically reduce the lifespan of living earth.

The quest for efficient energy affects every country on the planet. Worldwide there is an increasing interest in developing clean, reliable alternatives to petroleum fuels. Many smart, safe, and clean alternative power sources are available in the market.

People can easily install these clean power sources at their home as alternative energy to help reducing carbon dioxide emission as well as reducing their utilities bill.

In recent year, people has come up with alternative power sources run their cars in order to reduce the spending on petrol gas and of course, reduce the carbon dioxide emission.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Discover Winning Tactics on How to Prevent Global Warming

One of the most relevant topics of our time is how to prevent global warming. Never before was planet earth faced with a crisis of this magnitude. The existence of every living thing now and their descendants to come has been threatened.

Much has been debated about whose fault it is. Some say its mankind's fault, while some say it's the natural cycle of nature. Both schools of thought are right. While we don't have much control over nature and its cycles, we do have control over our own contribution. And its there that are efforts to prevent global warming should focus.

Society is being beleaguered with countless methods on how to prevent global warming. Don't waste water. Conserve electricity. Use recycled goods. Keep appliances like TV and computers off when not in use. Walk more and drive less. Keep a curb on the use of plastics. Plant more trees.

But how effective are these methods and how much of a difference would it really make? Would these practices make a big difference? Are they worth the trouble and effort? Would these practices make much of a difference on how to prevent global warming?

Whatever we choose to do must be done now. We are well near the point of no return. If we don't act soon we will soon be beyond the point of no return. If we are late then no matter what we do we will not be able to reverse the effects of global warming.

While the individual practices the earlier mentioned methods, the government needs to impose stricter laws. It needs to use the power of the media to awaken the lazy and the stubborn. It's the combined efforts of the government, the individual, and the media that would make a difference.

Saving the environment means saving the world. It means saving our lives. It means that the next generation has clean water to drink, clean air to breathe. Green living is no more an option. It is a means of survival.

Working from home saves the gas we use in travel to work. Less paper mail and more electronic mail saves trees. These are just a few of the hundreds of ways on how to prevent global warming. In order to help preserve the Earth for future generations, it is your responsibility to educate yourself on more ways to help minimize and prevent climate change.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The World Needs Nuclear Power to Stop Global Warming

Today, the world faces challenges that have arisen due to global warming. In simple terms, global warming means increase in the mean surface temperature of the earth over a period of time. This 'average' global temperature, which had remained relatively stable for last several thousand years, has started showing a sharp upward trend over the last 150 years or so - that is, since the Industrial Revolution, which picked up pace around the year 1850 and then spread across the world.
One thing that has marked the global industrialization process is the huge increase in the global energy consumption, which has been primarily fuelled by fossil fuels - carbon, petroleum, natural gas, etc. These carbon-based energy resources have fuelled unparalleled economic growth but are also continuously adding enormous quantities of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are called so because of their properties that are similar to a 'greenhouse' - a closed glass structure used for cultivating plants in controlled environments. Greenhouse gases behave just like greenhouses, as they have a similar ability to trap the energy of the sun.
The process is like this: most of the sun's radiation passes through the atmosphere and a significant portion of it is then reflected back from the surface of the earth in the form of infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere absorb a part of this infrared radiation and re-radiate it in the upward as well as downward direction. Because they cause this partial redirection of infrared radiation (heat energy) in the downward direction, they act just like the glass walls of a greenhouse - trapping a part of sun's energy, and thereby causing build-up of heat in the atmosphere.
In this manner, greenhouse gases add to the warming of the planet's atmosphere (global warming). Global warming, in turn, contributes to the phenomenon of climate change, which leads to various serious consequences like heat waves, changes in rainfall patterns, floods, as well as melting of polar ice and glaciers, causing rising ocean levels.
The burning of carbon-based fuels (fossil fuels) is adding billions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the earth's atmosphere each year, which along with other greenhouse gases, leads to rapid global warming. Therefore, to stop (or reduce) the warming of the planet, we must sharply reduce the use of fuels like coal for power generation. Nuclear plants provide a safe and effective solution in this regard, as they do not emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, and thus play a very important role in stopping global warming.
Nuclear power - which is clean and pollution-free - is the need of the hour. And when we talk of global warming, let us not forget that we are fighting against time. So, the faster we create additional nuclear power capacity, the better.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

How To Stop Global Warming

Global warming is the issue worrying one and all environmentalists around the world. It is now becoming quite imperative that be stop global warming fastest so that the effects of warming that have affected earth adversely are reversed and we are able to live a little happily than before.
There are many things that can be done on a personal level to stop global warming. Firstly, we should know how much heat and pollution is created by every family, this pollution is producing green houses gases and accelerating the process of global warming. One of the answers to stop the warming is that we should consciously start planting trees not just around us, we also ensure that the lost rainforests and tropical forests are restored back to their normal volume.
These tropical and rain forests work as lungs for the entire world, creating oxygen and purifying the air. Therefore, when these are cut off, it can harm the entire ecological system of the Earth, this means there will be very less oxygen and lesser trees to provide us with oxygen. It will make us susceptible to many breathing disorders and other health problems.
We need to stop global warming, is that the scientists have been telling us for quite sometime now. The reason is obvious, if not stopped or reduced, the large snow mountains at the poles will start melting, and this will lead to a sort of catastrophe. World's major population stays at the sea side. Once the ice starts melting it will increase the sea levels several feet above what it is now. It has been already reported from the countries near the North pole that the rising sea levels has caused them to relocate their homes a little farther.
Rising sea levels will mean destruction of huge numbers of human beings, animals, property, industries, flora and fauna. This will also mean flooding and increase in salinity of available ground water. This again is potentially harmful for human health. This will also mean millions of people will have to move from near the sea to interiors. This would also mean loss of life and loss of millions of dollars.
If you feel strongly against global warming you should try and make contributions to organization you feel has been working actively for the purpose to stop global warming. Your small financial contributions can make a lot of difference. Your contributions can provide boost to these organizations to find man power and monetary power to buy land and convert it from arid dry deforested land to a good sized forest.
You can also stop global warming at your personal level. You can try and plant as many trees around your home. You can also try and use minimum electricity, you can try and avoid usage of sprays, non-green products which increase toxic waste on the Planet. It is necessary to stop global warming so our children can live healthy and long lives.
Buy Deforested Land, help it regenerate, and protect it from exploitation again forever. You can do something about Global Warming and deforestation right now. The Wild Again Reforestation Trust relies on public donations to purchase deforested land.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Biofuels Bust: Not as Good for the Climate as previously calculated

(NaturalNews) By failing to take the larger ecological impacts of biofuels production into account, scientists have allowed governments to present the fuels as better for the world's climate and environment than they really are, according to a paper published in the journal Science. This has put the debate over biofuels dangerously off course, the authors warned.

"We made an honest mistake within the scientific framing of the debate, and we've got to correct it to make it right," said co-author Steven P. Hamburg of the Environmental Defense Fund

Because biofuels such as ethanol and wood chips come from plants that absorbed carbon dioxide as they grew, climate laws in the United States, Europe and other countries consider these fuels "carbon neutral" - they release only what they had already removed, and so need not be considered as carbon dioxide polluters. But this fails to take into account the fact that massive areas of natural forest and grassland are being cleared to plant biofuels - a process that not only threatens biological diversity and immediately releases all the carbon dioxide stored in the bodies of those plants, but also permanently removes important planetary "carbon sinks."

This oversight has since been legislated and made its way into all major climate treaties. Biofuels are treated as carbon neutral and governments are providing incentives for their production, while carbon emissions from land-use activities remain glaringly unregulated.

"If you only count part of the carbon, you set up a set of incentives that are all wrong," said Jae Edmonds of the U.S. Energy Department's Pacific Northwest Laboratory.

Lead author Timothy D. Searchinger of Princeton University warned that the biofuels oversight must be corrected immediately, before the industry becomes too large and influential.

Monday, August 22, 2011

What are greenhouse gases?

I am sure, you must have heard about gases in affiliation to greenhouse either during your academy canicule or in some account approach or ability accept apprehend in the account daily. Understanding what are greenhouse gases and how do they aftereffect the ambiance we alive in, is of absolute accent for anniversary and every one of us. Let me advice you a little with the altered greenhouse gases.

But afore alive the altered greenhouse gases, we charge to apperceive how, are greenhouse gases formed. Gases amphibian in to the atmosphere back allurement heat, leads to the accumulation of greenhouse gases. Now, let us see what the altered greenhouse gases are.

Carbon Dioxide

The best accepted of them is carbon dioxide. Back we bake any deposit ammunition like accustomed gas or oil, it releases carbon dioxide in to the ambiance or alike back we bake copse or altered types of copse products, carbon dioxide drifts into the environment. One way to get rid of the chargeless carbon dioxide in air is to bulb added and added trees.

Methane Gas

Another class of greenhouse gas is methane gas. This additionally amercement the environment, already it enters the ambiance freely. Farming practices generally absolution methane gas and alike places captivation decay such as landfills additionally actualize methane gas.

Nitrous Oxide

This is a actual alarming greenhouse gas as there are abounding activities which absolution chargeless nitrous oxide into the environment. Some of the activities are a array of accomplishments in automated parks, afire altered kinds of fuels, and alike on afire landfills which contains waste.

If we demand to alive advantageous and happy, we accept to accept the greenhouse gases, and what are their above capacity which after-effects in abominable furnishings which afresh leads to all-around warming. Now, the appellation all-around abating is misinterpreted by abounding of us. Back the greenhouse gases and assorted types of air contaminants are entrapped in the environment, they advance to acute acclimate action and warmer temperatures.

Now, back temperature rises, the ice starts melting which abet the sea levels to rise. The acceleration in sea akin agency added baptize will blanket the apple and with temperatures accepting warmer, it will aftereffect in alarming storms in anatomy of tornadoes and hurricanes. Hence, it is important for all of us to comedy our allotment and abate the accumulation of the greenhouse gases.