Your Frequently Asked Questions
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is simply a shorthand indicator of how much carbon dioxide is being produced and released by a person or group of people. It is usually expressed as a number in terms of weight, and assumes for a period of time … usually about a year.
What are fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago from the decomposing matter of plants and animals. Over an extremely long time, layers of this decayed matter were transformed through heat and pressure into natural gas, oil and coal – fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels creates much needed energy, but there is a finite amount, and fossil fuel is not renewable. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
What is global warming?
Global warming is exactly what the phrase says—an increase in the average surface temperature of Planet Earth. Scientists tell us that the present increase in surface temperature is occurring at a rate faster than ever before in the planet’s history. Further, this increase is directly linked to increased carbon dioxide emissions caused by human activity. The increase in temperature is already affecting the earth’s climate.
What are the consequences of Global warming?
Many of the consequences of Global warming are being seen and experienced now. They include: An increase in drought and wildfires; more intense rainstorms; more powerful and dangerous hurricanes; melting glaciers and a rise in sea level; an increase in deadly heat waves and the spread of diseases; and ecosystem shifts and species dying off.
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Weather is the term used to describe conditions in the atmosphere at a specific place and time. Weather is measured by things such as temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity, etc., and can change hour-by-hour and day-by-day.
Climate is the weather of a place summarized over a period of time. So even though a place may have rainy weather one day, its average weather over 3 years could be dry, with precipitation well below normal.
Your Frequently Asked Questions
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is actually a naturally-occurring effect that helps regulate the temperature of Planet Earth’s climate. By trapping heat and holding it in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect acts like a blanket; surrounding the earth and keeping it at ideal temperatures. However, too much of a good thing can be bad, and human-related activities creating too many greenhouse gasses, too quickly. As a result, we’re accelerating the greenhouse effect … warming both the planet and the atmosphere far beyond ideal temperatures, and far too quickly.
Has global warming occurred in the past?
Yes, it certainly has. The findings of scientists suggest that some three to four hundred thousand years ago, the average surface temperature of Planet Earth was sometimes as high as six degrees above, or as low as seventeen degrees below today’s average surface temperature. However, these changes were directly related to a variety of natural causes, including atmospheric particles from massive volcanic eruptions, and orbital variations changing the inclination of the Earth toward the sun. Sadly, today’s accelerating change in climate is primarily the result of unnatural or human, causes.
What human activities are linked to global warming?
The sad fact is that, because of our ecological connection to all life on the planet, almost everything contemporary human beings do has the potential to adversely affect the climate and contribute to global warming. The truth is that modern human beings have become lousy caretakers of Planet Earth. The damage is related to many sources: the burning of coal, oil and natural gas as well as deforestation and various agricultural and industrial practices.
Why are trees part of the answer to global warming?
Trees are important because they consume carbon dioxide and excrete oxygen, the latter element being particularly important to our existence. The former element, carbon dioxide, is also quite important, but not at the levels currently found in our atmosphere. The problem is that everyday we humans are burning or cutting down hundreds of square miles of our most important air purifiers and oxygen producers; trees.
Plant more trees, and the problem is solved. Right?
Planting more trees will help, but it is not a “fix-all,” and there is little chance we can plant enough trees in the near future to offset the worldwide devastation of forests. The climate change problem is critical enough that we need to look to green technologies for reducing our consumption of fossil fuels, including solar, wind, and geothermal generation of electricity. Planting trees will certainly help solve the problem, but it will not fix the problem on its own.
Your Frequently Asked Questions
How is carbon increasing global warming?
Carbon itself is not the problem. Carbon dioxide is … and not just carbon dioxide as it’s found in nature, but excessive amounts of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere from human-related activities. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, in excessive amounts increases the size of the temperature-regulating “blanket” (mentioned in an earlier FAQ) surrounding the earth. This causes the surface temperature of the Earth to rise unnaturally, which as a result, increases global warming effects.
How hot is it going to get?
Too hot. The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects that Earth’s average surface temperature will increase from 2.5 to 10.4F (or 1.4 to 5.8C) during the period between 1990 and 2100. That’s decidedly enough of a temperature increase to create some serious environmental consequences, including mass extinctions of innumerable plant and animal and animal species.
But it was cold last month; what gives?
Sure, and you may have had unusual snowfall in your hometown last year. But there is a clear distinction that must be drawn between weather and climate change (See FAQ above), and how the two affect each other. Although global warming uses the word “warming,” it’s important to remember that the phenomenon of global warming causes climate change, and as a result, creates unnatural weather patterns that can create harsher winter weather in some parts of the world. None of these phenomena are mutually exclusive, but rather highly interconnected and affect each other greatly.
Hotter weather sounds good; what’s the problem with climate change?
Well, it might sound good if you’re living in London and want a reprieve from dreary weather and rainfall, but you would likely change your tune if the waters were to come roaring down the Thames at a level higher than the barriers. Argue all you want, but glaciers are melting, oceans are rising, and storms are becoming increasingly worse. Many plant and animal species are highly temperature-sensitive, and as a result of unnaturally changing temperatures, they are being subject to extinction on a mass scale. Dramatic changes in weather patterns, like the one’s we’ve been experiencing in recent years, will likely trigger more severe storms, cyclones, and hurricanes. Last, but certainly not least, coastal and low-lying areas could be inundated by rising waters, as other areas around the world are stricken by severe and unnatural drought conditions. Hotter weather still sound good?
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