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Hearts & MindsSM - Information for ChangeSM
Global Warming
Its dangers and what we can do about it
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Please help take care of our
environment, our future depends on it!
It is well established that the earth is warming,
thought the rate and effects are debated.
Explaining why has also sparked major debate among
scientists and political leaders alike. Some say that rising temperatures
are a natural cycle of climate change. Many scientists believe a major cause
is the millions of tons of pollutants released by cars and industry on a
daily basis.
Global warming is the gradual increase in the
temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans. This comes at least
in part from the
greenhouse effect, which is when greenhouse gases (like ozone,
methane, and carbon dioxide) increase in our atmosphere. This acts like an
insulating blanket, keeping more heat on the earth, rather than allowing
more of it to cycle back into outer space.
In the past century, temperatures have risen somewhere
between 0.4°C and 0.8°C. Global warming may be partly natural. However, a
big part may be from greenhouse gasses released by industry.
It is estimated that in the next 100 years,
temperatures could increase 1.4°C to 5.8°C. This could severely affect our
climate.
Like the USA, millions
of Chinese are converting to car transportation. But using bicycles instead of cars
helps reduce
air pollution. Photo in Beijing.
Potential Effects of Global
Warming
Global warming could harm agriculture and the environment. The earth could
have unusually severe heat waves, hurricanes, floods and droughts, an
increase in ocean temperatures, a drastic rise in sea levels, coastal
flooding, melting of glaciers, and other dangerous effects. Diseases such as
malaria, formerly only in the hottest climates, can affect millions more
people as hotter weather favors the mosquitoes that spread it.
Global warming will affect natural habitats and the
ecosystem. So far, it is occurring at a pace slow enough for most plants and
animals to adapt. However, scientists predict that as changes get more
severe, plants and animals might not be able to adapt fast enough to
survive.
What is being done
In 1997, the UN Conference on Climate Change held in Kyoto,
Japan, established an international agreement, known as the Kyoto Protocol,
which proposes limitation on the emission of carbon dioxide in developed
countries to 1990 levels. If successful, this protocol might lessen the
global temperature by an estimated 0.02°C to 0.28°C by the year 2050.
 Global Warming is causing
more and more serious disasters
What you can do
There are small changes we can do in our daily activities that could help
decrease the emission of greenhouse gases:
- Carpooling would lead us to use fewer cars,
therefore decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the air.
- Walking, biking, or taking the bus instead of
using a car.
- Saving electricity by turning off lights, the
television, and the computer when they’re not being used.
- Planting trees, which reduces [the presence of
greenhouse] gases since trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air.
- Recycling cans, plastics, glass, and paper would
send less trash sent to landfills and in turn save natural resources
like trees.
- Buying products, like cars and stereos, that are
made specifically to use up less energy. (look for products with the
“Energy Star” label)
- Using solar energy to heat homes, obtain hot
water, and make electricity is a big energy saver.
Remember, we are all responsible for the well-being of
our mother earth. Together we can help keep it safe, protected, and
beautiful.
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Hearts and Minds Network, Inc, Mountain and lake in Grand Teton National
Park and Beijing bicyclists photos © 2004 by Bill Blackman,
photo of a Fluorescent light bulb © by Microsoft Clip Art . This web page - http://www.heartsandminds.org/environment/warming.htm
- latest
text changes December 27, 2005, latest update May 8, 2008 |
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