When I first started this project, I knew that the Earth’s surface temperature is increasing. What I did not know was how serious climate change and global warming are. Over the past few years I have noticed a change in the weather patterns. My knowledge has grown a tremendous amount.
I started off by talking about the reason why I became so interested in the environment. I read an article that mentioned an unusual solution. This got me thinking about why this matters to me. Why should I care about the Earth? Why should any of us care? Earth is our home. Through this process I have come to appreciate the Earth and all that it offers humans like resources, food, water, weather, and a place to call home.
Global warming is just one impact of climate change. Other impacts include severe weather, lack of natural resources, and decrease in crop yield. I then started to look into solutions. It appears that there are many right now solutions, but nothing permanent. These solutions include renewable sources, carbon taxing, and cap and trade.
Renewable sources are resources that naturally replenish over a short amount of time. Wind, Sunlight, water, geothermal and biomass are all considered renewable sources of energy. These energies mostly provide electricity, but can also supply heat to houses, and fuel to cars. So what can individual households do? I think if you can afford to make switches to renewable resources you should think about it. Although it can be an expensive at first in the long run you will save money and energy. For others that do not have all the money in the world, there are small and simple things you can do around the house to make a difference. Some of those things include, changing a light bulb and making sure you do not have any leaky faucets.
If every household makes little changes then we are making a large step to helping the environment. What I mean to say is that these changes add up, but I wonder is this enough? Will any of the changes be enough to counteract human impact?
The other solutions (cap and trade and carbon taxing) basically mean that industries have to pay for their pollution, which gives them incentive to use renewable sources. For a right now solution this is very possible. I think this solution would allow us to maintain carbon levels and research a long term solution.
Lately, I have spent time thinking about these solutions and if we have enough time. If we do not make changes soon, we could see some serious problems. What changes can we make? Will they be enough? I think I have taken for granted my time on Earth. I assume that I will have a tomorrow. I assume that I will have food and water. The truth is that our natural resources will not be able to support our population. The weather could very well destroy our land causing us to be unable to grow crops.
The world we live in is not so safe, but it is our pollution and very being that has caused this. As the Earth gets sicker, it starts to pollute our lives. At some point the Earth could become unlivable. Maybe changing our lives now would allow future generations to enjoy a semi-normal Earth, without the possible consequences we face today. Maybe the damage we have caused can be healed, but it will take one big Band-Aid.
This Blog has forced me to think about my own life and daily routine. I appreciate the time I have spent on Earth and look forward to the years to come. Now I am more conscience of turning off the faucet while brushing my teeth or using Eco-friendly light bulbs. I hope that my growth of knowledge and thinking has allowed readers to learn about human impact on the Earth and what we can do now to heal our home.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Looking Into my Crystal Ball
First of all predicting future climate and weather is not easy. As I have said before climate is defined as weather averaged over a period of time (usually thirty years). By averaging we are smoothing out the unpredictable nature of weather. This makes our predictions of climate reliable.
All scientists can do is use our history to infer what the future will hold if this goes unsolved (meaning that humans do not make any changes to their lives). Climate change will have impacts anywhere form “disruptive to catastrophic.” More severe weather is expected only because it has occurred more often now. Changes will differ from region to region, but one universal problem the world is predicted to see is a decrease in crop yield. This is a serious problem because we already live in a world filled with “food shortages and famine.”
Even if the United States takes steps to reduce emissions the problem is going to get worse. Under law the United States Global Change Research program is required to report on the effects of climate change every ten years. Many effects are the same that we have seen for many years like extreme weather, heat waves and droughts due to the increase of greenhouse gases, and erosion. “But the speed and severity of these effects in the future are expressed with less certainty in the report and will depend to some extent on how quickly the United States and other nations move to reduce emissions.” How severe these impacts are, is entirely up to us and the actions we take to reduce emissions.
According to a report issued by the United States Global Change Research Program global warming is undoubtedly caused by humans. “Climate changes are underway and include increased stresses on water supplies, challenges to livestock and crop production, risks to coastal areas from rising sea levels and storm surges, health risks, quality of life issues in urban areas and permanent changes to entire ecosystems.” The Southwestern part of the United States has had the most severe reactions. Overall this is a time sensitive topic. We need to make changes before it is too late.
All scientists can do is use our history to infer what the future will hold if this goes unsolved (meaning that humans do not make any changes to their lives). Climate change will have impacts anywhere form “disruptive to catastrophic.” More severe weather is expected only because it has occurred more often now. Changes will differ from region to region, but one universal problem the world is predicted to see is a decrease in crop yield. This is a serious problem because we already live in a world filled with “food shortages and famine.”
Even if the United States takes steps to reduce emissions the problem is going to get worse. Under law the United States Global Change Research program is required to report on the effects of climate change every ten years. Many effects are the same that we have seen for many years like extreme weather, heat waves and droughts due to the increase of greenhouse gases, and erosion. “But the speed and severity of these effects in the future are expressed with less certainty in the report and will depend to some extent on how quickly the United States and other nations move to reduce emissions.” How severe these impacts are, is entirely up to us and the actions we take to reduce emissions.
According to a report issued by the United States Global Change Research Program global warming is undoubtedly caused by humans. “Climate changes are underway and include increased stresses on water supplies, challenges to livestock and crop production, risks to coastal areas from rising sea levels and storm surges, health risks, quality of life issues in urban areas and permanent changes to entire ecosystems.” The Southwestern part of the United States has had the most severe reactions. Overall this is a time sensitive topic. We need to make changes before it is too late.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Love
In my last post I ended by questioning what the government was doing to help the environment. It is only fair to research and see what Obama is doing with the climate change problem. By signing an “executive order,” Obama is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now the federal government must set “targets” for reducing emissions from buildings and transportation. By setting a time limit of ninety days to set its targets, Obama is sending a message to the public. It is obvious that this problem is important to the president.
" ‘As the largest consumer of energy in the US economy, the federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,’ Obama said in a statement.” Honestly this statement makes me believe that the government is looking at the future and recognizing an issue. Obama wants Congress to pass a bill setting “mandatory limits.” The problem is that we do not know if this solution will work. Eventually, the president would like to require major industries to also set limits.
I think a big problem with solutions is time. I am not saying that we are running out of time, but time is crucial. The longer we wait the more expensive it will be. The longer we wait the more inconvenient the solutions will be. The longer we wait…. Who knows where we will be in five or ten years. What I do know is I love Earth. I want to do something.
" ‘As the largest consumer of energy in the US economy, the federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,’ Obama said in a statement.” Honestly this statement makes me believe that the government is looking at the future and recognizing an issue. Obama wants Congress to pass a bill setting “mandatory limits.” The problem is that we do not know if this solution will work. Eventually, the president would like to require major industries to also set limits.
I think a big problem with solutions is time. I am not saying that we are running out of time, but time is crucial. The longer we wait the more expensive it will be. The longer we wait the more inconvenient the solutions will be. The longer we wait…. Who knows where we will be in five or ten years. What I do know is I love Earth. I want to do something.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Crazy for Nuts
This year, when I went to buy a pumpkin to carve for Halloween, I was surprised to see a limited selection of mostly small pumpkins. This right here is evidence that climate change is occurring. Think about it. Each year some crop is hit either due to flooding or drought. About a week after my pumpkin adventure I started to notice all of the acorns on the ground. What shocked me was the number of acorns on the ground. Apparently this year the squirrels are going crazy over the tremendous number of nuts compared to last year. As my mother started telling me this, I could not believe it. She then went on to tell me that chicken will become very expensive and difficult to find in the upcoming months.
It amazes how the weather affects our daily lives. Food is necessary for our survival, but has it been a luxury that we have taken for granted? I go to the dining hall every day. I go through the lines and have to choose between many options. It is hard for me to imagine a world where there are not any chooses. I am a picky eater. There are some foods I cannot stand to eat, but what if those are my only options. Last year’s weather shapes this year’s crop abundance. It is really that simple. My biggest fear out of all of this is that the government is not thinking about the weather’s effects.
It amazes how the weather affects our daily lives. Food is necessary for our survival, but has it been a luxury that we have taken for granted? I go to the dining hall every day. I go through the lines and have to choose between many options. It is hard for me to imagine a world where there are not any chooses. I am a picky eater. There are some foods I cannot stand to eat, but what if those are my only options. Last year’s weather shapes this year’s crop abundance. It is really that simple. My biggest fear out of all of this is that the government is not thinking about the weather’s effects.
Annotated Post (Quick Information)
In this post I am going to look at just a few of the websites I have used during my blogging experience. This will hopefully help your understanding of the environmental issues climate change and global warming.
1. The overall rate of warming is increasing. There is not enough plants to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide humans are producing. The warming could become uncontrollable and cause all sorts of severe weather.
2. Burning fossil fuels is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from the United States comes from electricity, transportation, commercial and agricultural activities. In developing countries emission are rising. Overall agriculture And farming could be at stake, which may cause severe health problems for humans.
3. Skeptics agree that global warming is occurring, but humans are not the cause of it. Some skeptics believe that it is the Earth's natural cycle, while other skeptics believe that something has triggered this natural cycle. Scientists have not proved that the increase of temperature is caused by a natural cycle. They have, however, proved that emissions are dangerous to the environment.
4. Renewable energies can be replenished quickly and do not directly emit greenhouse gases. Renewable energy is mainly used to produce electricity, heat homes, and fuel cars. Although renewable energy is growing, we still rely on non-renewable energies to meet our energy needs.
5. We need to act now in order to keep the costs minimal. Cap and trade is one solution that forces companies to pay for their pollution. By doing so companies will be influenced to pollute less. Cost will remain low for a short time. This solution would give scientists some time to discover a more permanent solution.
6. With the weak economy comes a lull in industry, which means that emissions are down. Our needs for wood and power are also down. By using more green effects we can stimulate our economy. The only problem is that some sort of bill has to pas through the legislature (example: cap and trade or carbon taxing: both of which would boost energy efficiency).
1. The overall rate of warming is increasing. There is not enough plants to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide humans are producing. The warming could become uncontrollable and cause all sorts of severe weather.
2. Burning fossil fuels is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions from the United States comes from electricity, transportation, commercial and agricultural activities. In developing countries emission are rising. Overall agriculture And farming could be at stake, which may cause severe health problems for humans.
3. Skeptics agree that global warming is occurring, but humans are not the cause of it. Some skeptics believe that it is the Earth's natural cycle, while other skeptics believe that something has triggered this natural cycle. Scientists have not proved that the increase of temperature is caused by a natural cycle. They have, however, proved that emissions are dangerous to the environment.
4. Renewable energies can be replenished quickly and do not directly emit greenhouse gases. Renewable energy is mainly used to produce electricity, heat homes, and fuel cars. Although renewable energy is growing, we still rely on non-renewable energies to meet our energy needs.
5. We need to act now in order to keep the costs minimal. Cap and trade is one solution that forces companies to pay for their pollution. By doing so companies will be influenced to pollute less. Cost will remain low for a short time. This solution would give scientists some time to discover a more permanent solution.
6. With the weak economy comes a lull in industry, which means that emissions are down. Our needs for wood and power are also down. By using more green effects we can stimulate our economy. The only problem is that some sort of bill has to pas through the legislature (example: cap and trade or carbon taxing: both of which would boost energy efficiency).
Thursday, October 29, 2009
What to do?
This morning I read an article about Duke University’s plan to become climate neutral (net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases) by 2024. By saving energy Duke will save money in the future. The university has already spent twenty million dollars “to switch some campus operations over to natural gas, which could cut coal consumption by seventy percent.” Over forty years, Duke plans to spend one hundred million dollars for the entire project, which includes energy efficiency, using renewable energy options like biomass and solar energy, reopening an old energy plant that currently runs on natural gas, and paying farmers to capture the methane produced by hogs. Duke also hopes to reduce the amount of drivers on campus. What makes Duke stand out of the crowd is that the UNC system has agreed to become carbon neutral by 2050. Climate neutral and carbon neutral are two different things. Duke is taking the next step by attempting to maintain all levels of ALL greenhouse gases. This plan is incredible and relies on time, but it is doable.
It is not fair of me to say that all schools should make a plan similar to Duke’s. Duke will “use external funding to help finance the project.” The reality is that not every major university has enough funding to take big steps to become completely eco-friendly. I think if schools really want to change they will. I hate to say it, but if there is not anything in it for them they may not do it. How do we get major industries to change unless it becomes a law?
Update: I completely forgot to site my information, but here it is.
It is not fair of me to say that all schools should make a plan similar to Duke’s. Duke will “use external funding to help finance the project.” The reality is that not every major university has enough funding to take big steps to become completely eco-friendly. I think if schools really want to change they will. I hate to say it, but if there is not anything in it for them they may not do it. How do we get major industries to change unless it becomes a law?
Update: I completely forgot to site my information, but here it is.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The next step
So here’s the deal. I have been thinking about the two sides we have. The most important thing they agree upon is that changes are occurring to the climate. The differences as I have already stated is what/who is to blame. Skeptics think this is a natural cycle. Believers think humans are the cause. From the research I have done I believe that we have to do something. If we wait longer the problem is only going to get worse. My problem comes in with what to do that pleases both sides. Is there a compromise?
If each household makes small changes that fit into their lives then that helps. The goal is to maintain the level of emissions for the next fifty years. Hopefully in that time scientist can discover the real cause of the changes. Right now there is evidence that supports humans’ effects. I do not think we should rush into anything before fully researching. Once we start a solution it will be difficult to change, but it might also be too late.
What makes this problem significant is timing. Time does not stop. So if we do nothing, the level of emissions is going to get worse. If we have to do something in order to steal time, we should do something that everyone can agree upon. Here is what I am asking you: what should that something be? At some point soon the older kind of light bulbs will no longer be made. So you will have to buy the new ones. If the industries only give people a green option then this will force people to change.
If each household makes small changes that fit into their lives then that helps. The goal is to maintain the level of emissions for the next fifty years. Hopefully in that time scientist can discover the real cause of the changes. Right now there is evidence that supports humans’ effects. I do not think we should rush into anything before fully researching. Once we start a solution it will be difficult to change, but it might also be too late.
What makes this problem significant is timing. Time does not stop. So if we do nothing, the level of emissions is going to get worse. If we have to do something in order to steal time, we should do something that everyone can agree upon. Here is what I am asking you: what should that something be? At some point soon the older kind of light bulbs will no longer be made. So you will have to buy the new ones. If the industries only give people a green option then this will force people to change.
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