İs Weather Extremities might be another case of Global Warming?

The recent spate of disasters in far-flung areas – successive floods in New England, Nashville, Arkansas, and Oklahoma; and a torrent in Pakistan – have, once again, revived the much-debated-about issue pertaining to the effect of global warming in causing extreme weather conditions.

The extremities of weather have become evident from the fact that while the floods toppled the lives of more than 20 million people; the summer heat in the eastern US, parts of Africa and eastern Asia, as well as Russia, led to the loss of millions of acres of wheat and thousands of lives in the worst-ever drought in history.
With such extreme weather conditions being clearly disquieting, the scientific community more or less is collective in expressing the opinion that global warming “probably” is taking its toll on the weather round the world.
Noting that “the climate is changing,” Jay Lawrimore – the climate analysis head at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N. C. – said: “Extreme events are occurring with greater frequency and, in many cases, with greater intensity.”
Lawrimore further added that the excessive heat, in particular, is apparently “consistent with our understanding of how the climate responds to increasing greenhouse gases.” Scientists believe that the theory about greenhouse gases underscores more weather extremes in the future – like heavier rainstorms in summer, bigger snowstorms in winter, and more intense droughts due to more record-breaking heat waves – most of which, as per reports, are already being experienced!

global warming signs in extreme weather events

Fires across Russia, record floods in Pakistan, a huge Greenland iceberg - this current unprecedented sequence of extreme weather events "matches" scientific projections of more frequent and intense extreme weather events due to global warming, says an organization of meteorologists from 189 countries.

"Several diverse extreme weather events are occurring concurrently around the world, giving rise to an unprecedented loss of human life and property. They include the record heatwave and wildfires in the Russian Federation, monsoonal flooding in Pakistan, rain-induced landslides in China, and calving of a large iceberg from the Greenland ice sheet," said the World Meteorological Organization in a statement August 11.

"These should be added to the extensive list of extreme weather-related events, such as droughts and fires in Australia and a record number of high-temperature days in the eastern United States of America, as well as other events that occurred earlier in the year," said the WMO, a specialized agency of the United Nations.

The World Meteorological Organization is the UN system's voice on the state and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources.

"The occurrence of all these events at almost the same time raises questions about their possible linkages to the predicted increase in intensity and frequency of extreme events, for example, as stipulated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report published in 2007," the WMO said.

The 2007 IPCC Summary for Policy Makers stated that "tthe type, frequency and intensity of extreme events are expected to change as Earth's climate changes, and these changes could occur even with relatively small mean climate changes. Changes in some types of extreme events have already been observed, for example, increases in the frequency and intensity of heat waves and heavy precipitation events."

"While a longer time range is required to establish whether an individual event is attributable to climate change, the sequence of current events matches IPCC projections," the WMO said.

The meteorologists explained how each of the current extreme weather events arose.

The heatwave in the European part of the Russian Federation is associated with a persistent pressure ridge that appeared in June 2010. Initially, it was associated with the Azores high, but later was reinforced by a strong inflow of warm air from the Middle East.

More than 20 daily temperature records were broken including the absolute maximum temperature in Moscow. The high temperatures triggered massive forest and peat fires in the European part of the country. Some villages were burned completely, with smoke and smog adversely and greatly affecting the health and well-being of tens of millions of people.

The floods in Pakistan were caused by strong monsoon rains. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the instant rain intensity reached 300 millimeters over a 36-hour period. The strong monsoon rains led to the highest water levels in 110 years in the Indus River in the northern part of the country, based on past records available from 1929. More areas in central and south Pakistan are affected by the floods.

In Pakistan, the death toll to date exceeds 1,600 people and more than six million others have been displaced. Some reports indicate that 40 million citizens have been affected by the floods.

The monsoon activity in Pakistan and other countries in Southeast Asia is aggravated by the La Nina phenomenon, now well established in the Pacific Ocean.

China also is experiencing its worst floods in decades. The recent death toll due to the mudslide in the Zhouqu county of Gansu province on August 7, exceeded 700, with more than 1,000 people missing. In addition, 12 million people are reported to have lost their homes owing to the recent floods.

On August 5, 2010, the MODIS sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite detected calving from the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland. The largest chunk of ice to calve from the glacier in the past 50 years of observations and data (since 1962) measures more than 200 sq. km.

Tens of thousands of icebergs calve yearly from the glaciers of Greenland, but this one is very large and because of its size more typically resembles icebergs in the Antarctic.

Climate extremes have always existed, said the WMO, "but all the events cited above compare with, or exceed in intensity, duration or geographical extent, the previous largest historical events."

According to Roshydromet, Russia's Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, studies of the past climate show no record of similar high temperatures in Russia since the 10th and 11th centuries more than 1,000 years ago.

(Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2010. All rights reserved.)

The Pakistan flood and Global Warming

The Pakistan flood may be linked to global warming.

More difficult to prove is a possible connection between the disaster and global warming, which is being bandied about in the media. As climate scientists are often quick to point out, there is danger in ascribing any particular weather event to longer term trends, such as a rise in the Earth's temperatures. Still, there is some cause for concern.
Climate scientist Gavin Schmidt, who works for NASA and Columbia University, told The Daily Green that the Pakistan disaster, "Demonstrates that people are very vulnerable to weather-based changes. It's something that I don't think has been stressed enough." Schmidt added, "We're talking about more people affected than the entire population of New York City."
Schmidt acknowledged that it's very hard to make a connection to a single event when it comes to global warming, but he said we often see a statistical correlation between rising greenhouse gases and increasing frequency and severity of these types of disasters. He pointed to analysis published in the journal Nature that showed there was a much higher likelihood of the devastating European heat wave of 2003 as a result of our post-industrial atmosphere. "Things that used to be one-in-100 year events maybe now are one-in-25-year events," he explained. "It's important to remember that these kinds of anomalies increase in likelihood much faster than you might expect just looking at the few degrees of warming."
According to National Geographic, the northern Indian Ocean has warmed two degrees Fahrenheit since the 1970s. Warmer water releases more moisture into the air, which can lead to bigger monsoon rains. It's also true that the ongoing El Nino cycle is probably a factor, as the periodic warming of ocean waters can also intensify storms. "The key message is that it's not just natural variability and not just global warming," but a combination of both, Trenberth said.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/pakistan-flood-460810#ixzz0xLfU1aRC

Reduce your vehicle's Contribution to Global Warming

How can you help reduce your vehicle's contribution to global warming?

While most of us would like to think that we aren’t part of the problem, the fact remains that if you drive one of the many vehicles on the road, you’re contributing to global warming. And America is home to the largest passenger vehicle market in the world—with over 243 million. The burning of gasoline and diesel fuel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere—and that means every time you drive, you up the ante.

The actual amount of miles driven has increased dramatically since the oil crisis of the 1970s, when the United States made admiral progress in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions. Until the 1990s, that is—that’s when they started to climb again. Meanwhile, manufacturers continued to block attempts to raise fuel efficiency standards. Thus, from the late 80s onward, fuel efficiency dropped and miles driven increased. The result? The carbon burden increased.

It’s a lethal combo—more and larger vehicles with reduced fuel efficiency partnered with higher amounts of miles driven—one that equals an upward spiraling of the carbon burden.

But don’t give up yet. While we can’t give up our reliance—and pleasure of—our cars (and trucks), you as an individual can take action to reduce your vehicle’s greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to helping to reduce dependence upon imported oil, clean up the air we all breathe and save money. Sound good? Good. Read on for tips to help make it happen:

1. Go Green: Use alternative fuel vehicles and learn about alternative fuels. Or second best, check out the fuel economy and emission information on any vehicle you own, or are planning to own. Start with the Green Vehicle Guide and the Fuel Economy Guide to see how your four wheels shape up. Check if you have a flex-fuel vehicle (FFV)—with over 5 million FFVs on the road today—your car might just be a FFV sleeper. Is yours on this list?

2. Go Easy & Maintain, Maintain, Maintain: A variety of factors affect your vehicle’s fuel economy—and one of the most important is an easy driving style and regular maintenance. If you use a lighter foot on the brakes and gas pedal, avoid putting the pedal to the metal for fast accelerations, and reduce idling time, your fuel economy will improve—and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Checking and inflating those tires to the correct pressure will also help.

3. Buddy up: Whether you choose to carpool with friends, grab the bus, hop on your bike or locomote with your two legs, they’re all ways to leave your car parked in the garage—and reduce your contribution to the carbon burden. Parking your car and choosing one of these alternatives just two times per week can chop greenhouse gas emissions by about 1,590 pounds per year. Good news, huh? And good for you—who couldn’t use more exercise?

4. Plan first: When heading out to take care of errands, see if you can combine trips. Those short trips when your car's engine is cold can use twice as much fuel in addition to producing twice as many greenhouse gas emissions. Combine those short trips into one multipurpose trip with a warm engine and you’ll not only save time, but also fuel and lessen your contribution to the carbon burden.

source: about.com

Using Alternative Fuels and Global Warming

Why Should I Care About Using Alternative Fuels Anyway?
After all, it’s the big question on your mind, right: What's the big deal?



The reality is that driving your vehicle is the one regular activity that has the single largest impact on the earth regarding climate change.

Yes, think about it: Every gallon of alternative fuel burned is a gallon of petrol not burned. That’s 20 pounds of heat-trapping carbon dioxide not released into our atmosphere, not to mention carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur and more. Plus, each one of those gallons strengthens a nation’s economy and energy independence.
Fossil Frenzy

Did you know that cars and trucks are a significant source—27 percent—of the United States’ carbon dioxide emissions?

Many countries, including the United States, currently depend heavily upon coal, oil and natural gas for energy. The United States actually generates 70 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil, but only two percent from renewable sources such as solar and wind. What gives? It’s a complex situation, one that we address in political considerations, in walking the tightrope between industry, government and policy-making.

Yet the facts remain: Fossil fuels are non-renewable which means they utilize the sunlight captured millions of years ago—and are ultimately finite resources that will go extinct, much like the prehistoric creatures for which they’re named. It’s not a pleasant thought: Eventually (and there is great dispute as to when), these supplies will run low and the expense, labor and ability to obtain them will surpass their value.
It’s only a matter of time.
Powered by the Sun

So let’s take a look at renewable resources: Think solar, biomass and biofuels. They are called renewable since they are naturally replenished or re-grown, thanks to the power of the sun, in the natural course of the seasons.

And the power of the sun is a force to be reckoned with: 127 trillion kilowatts (kW) of solar energy reaches the earth each hour, and a mere 92 trillion kWh of energy are used worldwide for an entire year.

The sunshine on our faces, the wind through the trees—have the answers been closer than we thought all along?
Using it Well

And it’s not only how we obtain our energy, it’s how we use it. Have we had so much of a good thing we’ve become mindlessly wasteful?

Energy efficiency is all about using less energy in accomplishing the same amount of work. Economy and energy usage—they’re closely tied. For example, in 2002 the carbon dioxide from energy use rose 15 percent above 1990 levels. And during that same period, energy usage had also risen 16 percent.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to catch all those dollars and "sense" leaking out from homes, businesses, schools, industries and government—to funnel it back into needed goods, education and services? It’s all about getting more bang for your buck.

We’re not into scare tactics—don’t get us wrong. It’s all about starting to solve the problems and not leaving them for the generations following in our footsteps.

Alternative fuels are one step in that direction. After all, if we’re all part of the problem, we can all be part of the solution.

source: about.com

Global Warming Signs in Summer

Scientists See Summer Full of Global Warming Signs

This summer's wildfires in Russia, floods in Pakistan, torrential rainfall in China and sweltering heat waves in 15 (out of 50) U.S. states are all signs of the effects of global warming identified by scientists in the U.S. Global Change Research Program, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

In its report, Global Climate Change in the United States, the U.S. Global Change Research Program predicted that climate change associated with global warming would trigger devastating heat, along with unusually heavy rains in some parts of the world, and extended droughts in others.

While heavy rains may not seem consistent with a warming world, they are, says the Union of Concerned Scientists. "While it may seem counterintuitive, a warming planet generates more precipitation in regions that typically experience rain or snow. That is because a warmer atmosphere absorbs and retains more water from the soil and water bodies--lakes, rivers and oceans. Where storm clouds gather, the atmosphere typically has more water to dump, producing heavier-than-normal storms."

The villain, according to the Concerned Scientists and the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is the ongoing burning of fossil fuels which causes a build-up of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, resulting in a steady increase in the Earth's average temperature.

"Climate scientists have been warning for years about the potential for intense heat waves, droughts and drenching rains in various parts of the world," said Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate scientist with the UCS in a press release. "This intense weather is consistent with well-documented climate change trends over the past several decades. Unless we significantly reduce global warming emissions, we'll likely see even more extreme weather events."

Victim of global warming? Scientists believe it may actually have been climate change that killed the mammoth off

Did global warming kill off the woolly mammoth? Scientists say it may have been climate change that wiped out the beasts

Human have always taken the blame for wiping out the woolly mammoth.
But although man hunted the beasts for their skin and meat, scientists believe it may actually be climate change that killed the mammoth off.
Some 21,000 years ago, after the last Ice Age, warmer temperatures led to a loss of grassland over much of the Earth’s surface.

As the prairies and steppes dwindled, spreading forests took their place. These changes made survival impossible for the big, grazing herbivores and the predators that fed on them, according to a Durham University study, the most comprehensive of his kind.

Researcher Professor Brian Huntley said: ‘Woolly mammoths retreated to northern Siberia 14,000 years ago, whereas they had roamed and munched their way across many parts of Europe, including the UK, for most of the previous 100,000 years.

'It would have been difficult for man to  wipe them out because our species was not so widespread then and did not have the technology.

‘We know from mammoth fossils that they were hunted by humans. But they would not have been an  easy kill because of their size.’

His research on the climate firmly points the finger at rising temperatures.

The woolly rhino, cave lion, giant deer and cave bear also failed to survive the new conditions.

Although some small pockets may have clung on, their fate had effectively been sealed.

‘Mega-mammals found it increasingly difficult to find food,’ said Dr Huntley. ‘We believe the  loss of food supplies from productive grasslands was the major

contributing factor to extinction.’

The Durham experts, who worked with researchers from London’s Natural History

Museum, report their findings in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

And they say we should learn the lessons of the past.

‘This is a model for what may happen as a result of rapid climate change over the next century,’ said Dr Huntley.

Big species today, such as the elephant, are likely to be among the first affected by climate change, he added.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1303981/Did-global-warming-kill-woolly-mammoth.html#ixzz0wwpEIg4o

 

Global Warming: the Climate of Threat

In the present context of environmental awareness, ‘Global Warming’ is the buzzwords that reverberate in every corner of our planet. It is a highly debated issue among environmental scientists & academicians. Though we are not fully aware about global warming but knowing or unknowingly we all, more or less are contributing to ‘global warming & climate change’. Rise in the average temperature near the surface of the earth is scientifically termed as global warming. As per the IPCC (Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change) report the measured average atmospheric temperature near the earth’s surface rose by 0.740 Celsius during the last 100 years (1906-2005).11 out of 12 hottest years on record occurred between 1995-2006. We are living in the midst of constantly changing climatic conditions, largely a result of human interference and if allowed to continue can cause irreparable damage to the flora, fauna & human life. Global warming will have strong effect on the variability of rainfall, drought type of situation and rise in the sea level. The overall change in the natural characteristics of the earth for global warming continuously for a long time period is known as ‘climate change’. So, the climate change is a result of global warming. Climate change is definite if the globe becomes warm & warm.
Global warming and climate change can have serious effect on agriculture. Production & productivity of most of the crops may decrease due to increase in temperature and decrease in water availability. Quality of crops may also be detoriated. Increasing temperature will increase fertilizer requirement for the same volume of production & result in higher GHG emissions. Impacts of climate change arise from global warming in forest ecosystem is also very high. According to the IPCC reports, even with a modest global warming, most forest ecosystem will be impacted through changes in forest species composition, biodiversity & plant productivity. Plant flowering, bird arrival, date of breeding in flowering all will be affected from climate change. Forest dependent communities will also be affected from such impacts of climate change in forests. More than 30 million people of India are directly involved in gathering & trading non-timber forest products such as fruits, seeds, flowers, leaves, honey, gum etc. Any impact on forest biodiversity will have adverse implications for the livelihoods for forest dependent communities like tribal. Again critically endangered species of forest could become extinct for such type of change in natural setup. Again, one of the most important & visible indicators of climate change is the recession of glaciers and snow covers in many parts of the world. The Himalayan Glaciers feed seven of Asia’s greatest rivers including Ganga & Brahmaputra. They ensure water supply to about one billion people. Continuous melting down of glaciers in Himalayan region is expected to have serious consequences on bio-diversity, agriculture production, livelihood system of people. On the other hand coastal belts are more prone to the devastating impacts of global warming. Global assessment shows that 1 meter sea level rise can lead to welfare loss of $ 1,259 million, in India equivalent to 0.36% of GNP. Sundarbans, the group of 102 islands is located along the Bay of Bengal. The sea level around the Sundarbans is rising due to global warming & the islands are under threat of getting submerged. 2 of 102 islands have already submerged.

more:
http://www.morungexpress.com/analysis/53450.html

What is GreenHouse Effect ?

The greenhouse effect is a process by which radiative energy leaving a planetary surface is absorbed by some atmospheric gases, called greenhouse gases. They transfer this energy to other components of the atmosphere, and it is re-radiated in all directions, including back down towards the surface. This transfers energy to the surface and lower atmosphere, so the temperature there is higher than it would be if direct heating by solar radiation were the only warming mechanism .

This mechanism is fundamentally different from that of an actual greenhouse, which works by isolating warm air inside the structure so that heat is not lost by convection.

The greenhouse effect was discovered by Joseph Fourier in 1824, first reliably experimented on by John Tyndall in 1858, and first reported quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896.

If an ideal thermally conductive blackbody was the same distance from the Sun as the Earth, it would have an expected blackbody temperature of 5.3 °C. However, since the Earth reflects about 30%[4] (or 28%) of the incoming sunlight, the planet's actual blackbody temperature is about -18 or -19 °C , about 33°C below the actual surface temperature of about 14 °C or 15 °C. The mechanism that produces this difference between the actual temperature and the blackbody temperature is due to the atmosphere and is known as the greenhouse effect.

Global warming, a recent warming of the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere, is believed to be the result of a strengthening of the greenhouse effect mostly due to human-produced increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Source : Wikipedia

is Global Warming undeniable?

Scientists say global warming is undeniable 

THE world will be hotter by 2100 than at any time in the past few million years if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, the Australian Academy of Science warns in a new report.
Global emissions would need to peak within the next 10 years, and then decline rapidly for the world to have a better than 50-50 chance of avoiding a temperature rise of 2 degrees, it concludes.
Produced and reviewed by two expert panels, the 24-page report, The Science of Climate Change, Questions and Answers, acknowledges there are still scientific uncertainties about some of the details of climate change.
These include its impact at specific locations, the precise timing and size of future changes, and when high-risk tipping points might be reached.
But broad conclusions about the impact of high emissions are based on strong evidence and rigorous scientific scrutiny, its authors said. ''We are very confident that human-induced global warming is a real phenomenon.''
A former academy president, Kurt Lambeck, said the report was aimed at clarifying often contradictory comments from non-scientific ''instant experts''.
The report refutes many of the claims made by climate change sceptics, such as that the globe has been cooling since 1998, the sun is mainly to blame for recent warming, recent warming is part of natural variability, and volcanoes emit more carbon dioxide than human activities.
The report ''unambiguously'' supported the conclusion that a continued reliance on fossil fuels would lead to a warmer world, with predictions ranging from a 2 to 7 degree increase by 2100.
Source : http://www.smh.com.au

 

If we give up , They Give up...Global Warming Video

if you give up , they give up...
Stop Global Warming , Save Animals , Save the WORLD...

What is Global Warming-Video

This video explains the concept of global warming, which is generally thought to be caused by human driven emissions of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide.

Global Warming and Vehicle Choice

A gallon of gasoline weighs just over 6 pounds. When burned, the carbon in it combines with oxygen from the air to produce nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). By switching from a gas guzzler to a hybrid, you can literally save the earth a couple of tons of greenhouse gases.

• U.S. cars and light trucks together consume 8.2 million barrels of oil each day. This translates to more than 300 million metric tons of carbon that comes from our cars and trucks every year.
• Our transportation CO2 emissions are the largest source (about one-third) of our CO2 emissions, more than factories, homes, and all other sources.
• According to Environmental Defense, over the past decade and a half, all auto companies have increased their carbon burden by some degree or another. GM is the biggest global warmer, but Prius-producing Toyota has increased its output at an even higher rate.

What effect could global warming have on the world?

We can heed these warning signs and frightening forecasts—or we can wait until the problems become even more difficult to handle.

• Arctic ice is thinning and Antarctic ice shelves are breaking up faster. Sea levels are rising. Global warming could increase the number of people affected by flooding by 20 - 50 million people.
• Ranges of disease-carrying mosquitoes have spread, carrying malaria, dengue fever, and other diseases.
• Spring comes earlier, fall later, and the growing season has become longer and warmer; agricultural output in poorer countries could be significantly reduced, putting 80 – 90 million poor people at risk of hunger and malnutrition later in the 21st century.
• Large cities in the U.S. may experience, on average, several hundred extra deaths per summer.
• Temperature changes have caused declines in the range and survival of some plant and animal species; entire ecosystems may be lost and others severely impacted.
• According to a 2004 Pentagon report (not an environmental organization), abrupt global climate change could bring the planet to the edge of anarchy as countries fight to defend and secure dwindling food, water, and energy supplies.

If fuel economy were improved by 5 mpg, American consumers would save 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. Moving the world's drivers to more fuel-efficient automotive technology, such as hybrid cars and alternative fuel vehicles, could be one part of a comprehensive strategy to mitigate global warming and its effects.

What Are Hybrid Cars

What Are Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars are cars that use two different sources of power, not cars that use hybrid fuels such as Gasoline Alcohol mixtures. The most popular hybrid cars, and the ones that are produced by most car manufacturers, are gas electric hybrid cars. A Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) uses two sources of power, a conventional gas internal combustion engine and an electric motor to power the car. Hybrids are generally classed as either full hybrids or mild hybrids.
Full hybrid systems allow both the gasoline engine and electric motor to provide power to the wheels. This means that the electric motor can take over from the gasoline when the car is stopped at lights or in traffic gridlock, and with the newer models can even drive the car at lower speeds. The hybrid systems available from Toyota, Lexus and Ford employ this technology.
Mild hybrids use the electric motor to enhance the conventional gas motor to give better performance and to cut down on gas consumption. Some of the modern mild hybrids will also allow the electric motor to take over from the gas motor while the vehicle is stopped. Many of the hybrids from General Motors use this technology for their hybrids.

Read more at Suite101: Hybrid Cars and Global Warming: Automobiles that Give Better Fuel Economy and Lower Greenhouse Gases http://green-fuels-vehicles.suite101.com/article.cfm/hybrid_cars_and_global_warming#ixzz0wciatmuo

The Global Warming News Facebook Page

We Have a Facebook Fan Page now and You can also follow us on facebook...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Global-Warming-News/139585576077044

How is Wildlife Affected by Global Warming?

Most researchers agree that even small changes in temperature are enough to send hundreds if not thousands of already struggling species into extinction unless we can stem the tide of global warming. And time may be of the essence: A 2003 study published in the journal Nature concluded that 80 percent of some 1,500 wildlife species sampled are already showing signs of stress from climate change.
How Global warming Affects Wildlife
The key impact of global warming on wildlife is habitat displacement, whereby ecosystems that animals have spent millions of years adapting to shift quickly. Ice giving way to water in polar bear habitat is just one example of this.
Another, according to The Washington Post, is the possibility that warmer spring temperatures could dry up critical breeding habitat for waterfowl in the prairie pothole region, a stretch of land between northern Iowa and central Alberta.
Affected wildlife populations can sometimes move into new spaces and continue to thrive. But concurrent human population growth means that many land areas that might be suitable for such “refugee wildlife” are already taken and cluttered with residential and industrial development. A recent report by the Pew Center for Global Climate Change suggests creating “transitional habitats” or “corridors” that help migrating species by linking natural areas that are otherwise separated by human settlement.
Shifting Life Cycles and Global warming
Beyond habitat displacement, many scientists agree that global warming is causing a shift in the timing of various natural cyclical events in the lives of animals. Many birds have altered the timing of long-held migratory and reproductive routines to better sync up with a warming climate. And some hibernating animals are ending their slumbers earlier each year, perhaps due to warmer spring temperatures.
To make matters worse, recent research contradicts the long-held hypothesis that different species coexisting in a particular ecosystem respond to global warming as a single entity. Instead, different species sharing like habitat are responding in dissimilar ways, tearing apart ecological communities millennia in the making.
Global warming Effects on Animals Affect People Too
And as wildlife species go their separate ways, humans can also feel the impact. A World Wildlife Fund study found that a northern exodus from the United States to Canada by some types of warblers led to a spread of mountain pine beetles that destroy economically productive balsam fir trees. Similarly, a northward migration of caterpillars in the Netherlands has eroded some forests there.
Which Animals Are Hardest Hit by Global warming?
According to Defenders of Wildlife, some of the wildlife species hardest hit so far by global warming include caribou (reindeer), arctic foxes, toads, polar bears, penguins, gray wolves, tree swallows, painted turtles and salmon. The group fears that unless we take decisive steps to reverse global warming, more and more species will join the list of wildlife populations pushed to the brink of extinction by a changing climate.

The Original Post:
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/a/global_warm_wil.htm

Facts About Global Warming and Vehicles

The Drive to Reduce Emissions From Fuel

 

Greenhouse emissions, is a topic being discussed widely today, and especially here in California. The need for a solution is more than and emergency. We are in dire need to clean our air, here and worldwide.
Research shows that moving vehicles have the highest impact on greenhouse emissions. The 450 million vehicles on the road today account for half of the world's total consumption, generate nearly one fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, and have pervasive effects on land use and air quality. Personal transportation (i.e., home use) is responsible for 30 to 50% of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, 33% of toxic water pollution, and over 45% of toxic air emissions.
In addition, fueling passenger cars accounts for more than one quarter of world oil consumption. Light trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUV) are all the rage today, but have severe implications for the environment. The average new light truck or SUV gets lower gas mileage and does not have the same emissions standards as a new passenger car, meaning it will emit more pollutants than a new car.
Some Facts:

• California's rising dependence on fossil fuels is a major factor in increasing greenhouse emission, further exacerbating global climate change.
• Recent studies in California have indicated that global warming may increase incidents of heat waves, droughts, floods, and fires in the state.
• Global climate change may also have potential devastating economic effects upon agriculture, fishing, timber, real estate, insurance, construction, and tourism industries.
• In addition fresh water supplies and local air quality will be impacted due to higher temperatures.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-66031001#ixzz0wcT2M4Bx

Our Choice: Global Warming Video

 Our Choice: Global Warming - Vancouver Film School (VFS)


Our Choice: Global Warming - Vancouver Film School (VFS)

Created by Vancouver Film School students Dewi Mariam and Christian Whiticar through the VFS Digital Design program.

How to Stop Global Warming-Top 45 Things To Do -3

31 Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

32 Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.

33 Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.

34 Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.

35 Keep your car tuned up Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere. 36 Drive carefully and do not waste fuel You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance. 37 Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!

38 When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on Fuel Economy and on Green Cars websites. 39 Try car sharing Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flex car - offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see Zip Car.

40 Try telecommuting from home Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

41 Fly less Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investingin renewable energy projects.

42 Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action. 43 Join the virtual march The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue. 44 Encourage the switch to renewable energy Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. 45 Protect and conserve forest worldwide Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

 The original post:
http://www.theglobalwarming.in/stopglobalwarming.htm

How to Stop Global Warming-Top 45 Things To Do -2

 The beggining of this post:
http://the-global-warming-news.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-stop-global-warming-top-45.html

16 Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

17 Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

18 Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.

19 Be sure you’re recycling at home You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.

20 Recycle your organic waste Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul. 21 Buy intelligently One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

22 Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.

23 Reuse your shopping bag When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil. 24 Reduce waste Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.

25 Plant a tree A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.

26 Switch to green power In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself. 27 Buy locally grown and produced foods The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

28 Buy fresh foods instead of frozen Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce. 29 Seek out and support local farmers markets They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them. 30 Buy organic foods as much as possible Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

How to Stop Global Warming-Top 45 Things To Do -1

How to Stop Global Warming-Top 45 Things To Do

Global Warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don't need to wait for governments to find a solution for this problem: each individual can bring an important help adopting a more responsible lifestyle: starting from little, everyday things. It's the only reasonable way to save our planet, before it is too late.

Here is a list of 45 simple things that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of these ideas are at no cost, some other require a little effort or investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

1 Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl) CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. 2 Install a programmable thermostat Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill. 3 Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. 4 Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5 Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available. 6 Do not leave appliances on standby Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

7 Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C. 8 Move your fridge and freezer Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

9 Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors. 10 Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

11 Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost. 12 Get a home energy audit Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

13 Cover your pots while cooking Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%! 14 Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

15 Take a shower instead of a bath A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximise the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

Air Pollution Capital of the World-Beijing

As it gears up to host the 2008 Olympic Games Beijing has been awarded an unwelcome new accolade: the air pollution capital of the world.
Satellite data has revealed that the city is one of the worst environmental victims of China's spectacular economic growth, which has brought with it air pollution levels that are blamed for more than 400,000 premature deaths a year.
According to the European Space Agency, Beijing and its neighbouring north-east Chinese provinces have the planet's worst levels of nitrogen dioxide, which can cause fatal damage to the lungs.
An explosive increase in car ownership is blamed for a sharp rise in unhealthy emissions. In the past five years the number of vehicles clogging the capital's streets has more than doubled to nearly 2.5m. It is expected to top the 3m mark by the start of the Olympics in 2008.
Alarm about the perilous state of the environment has gathered pace in recent years. China is the world's second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, and the World Bank has warned it is home to 16 of the planet's 20 most air-polluted cities.

For more information:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/oct/31/china.pollution

20 Ways to Reduce-Save Energy

 20 Ways to Reduce-Save Energy

*Insulate your walls and ceilings. This can save 20 to 30 percent of home heating bills and reduce CO2 emissions by 140 to 2100 pounds per year. If you live in a colder climate, consider superinsulating. That can save 5.5 tons of CO2 per year for gas-heated homes, 8.8 tons per year for oil heat, or 23 tons per year for electric heat. (If you have electric heat, you might also consider switching to more efficient gas or oil.)


*Modernize your windows. Replacing all your ordinary windows with argon filled, double-glazed windows saves 2.4 tons of CO2 per year for homes with gas heat, 3.9 tons of oil heat, and 9.8 tons for electric heat.


*Plant shade trees and paint your house a light color if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color if you live in a cold climate. Reductions in energy use resulting from shade trees and appropriate painting can save up to 2.4 tons of CO2 emissions per year. (Each tree also directly absorbs about 25 pounds of CO2 from the air annually.)


*Weatherize your home or apartment, using caulk and weather stripping to plug air leaks around doors and windows. Caulking costs less than $1 per window, and weather stripping is under $10 per door. These steps can save up to 1100 pounds of CO2 per year for a typical home. Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to find out where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. This service may be provided free or at low cost. Make sure it includes a check of your furnace and air conditioning.


*Turn your refrigerator down. Refrigerators account for about 20% of Household electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator temperature as close to 37 degrees and your freezer as close to 3 degrees as possible. Make sure that its energy saver switch is turned on. Also, check the gaskets around your refrigerator/freezer doors to make sure they are clean and sealed tightly.


*Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water setting, not hot. Switching from hot to warm for two loads per week can save nearly 500 pounds of CO2 per year if you have an electric water heater, or 150 pounds for a gas heater.


*Make sure your dishwasher is full when you run it and use the energy saving setting, if available, to allow the dishes to air dry. You can also turn off the drying cycle manually. Not using heat in the drying cycle can save 20 percent of your dishwasher's total electricity use.


*Turn down your water heater thermostat. Thermostats are often set to 140 degrees F when 120 is usually fine. Each 10 degree reduction saves 600 pounds of CO2 per year for an electric water heater, or 440 pounds for a gas heater. If every household turned its water heater thermostat down 20 degrees, we could prevent more than 45 million tons of annual CO2 emissions - the same amount emitted by the entire nations of Kuwait or Libya.


*Select the most energy-efficient models when you replace your old appliances. Look for the Energy Star Label - your assurance that the product saves energy and prevents pollution. Buy the product that is sized to your typical needs - not the biggest one available. Front loading washing machines will usually cut hot water use by 60 to 70% compared to typical machines. Replacing a typical 1973 refrigerator with a new energy-efficient model, saves 1.4 tons of CO2 per year. Investing in a solar water heater can save 4.9 tons of CO2 annually.



*Be careful not to overheat or overcool rooms. In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 degrees in daytime, and 55 degrees at night. In the summer, keep it at 78. Lowering your thermostat just two degrees during winter saves 6 percent of heating-related CO2 emissions. That's a reduction of 420 pounds of CO2 per year for a typical home.


*Clean or replace air filters as recommended. Energy is lost when air conditioners and hot-air furnaces have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5 percent of the energy used. That could save 175 pounds of CO2 per year.



*Buy energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs for your most-used lights. Although they cost more initially, they save money in the long run by using only 1/4 the energy of an ordinary incandescent bulb and lasting 8-12 times longer. They provide an equivalent amount of bright, attractive light. Only 10% of the energy consumed by a normal light bulb generates light. The rest just makes the bulb hot. If every American household replaced one of its standard light bulbs with an energy efficient compact fluorescent bulb, we would save the same amount of energy as a large nuclear power plant produces in one year. In a typical home, one compact fluorescent bulb can save 260 pounds of CO2 per year.


*Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket, which costs just $10 to $20. It can save 1100 lbs. of CO2 per year for an electric water heater, or 220 pounds for a gas heater.


*Use less hot water by installing low-flow shower heads. They cost just $10 to $20 each, deliver an invigorating shower, and save 300 pounds of CO2 per year for electrically heated water, or 80 pounds for gas-heated water.




*Whenever possible, walk, bike, car pool, or use mass transit. Every gallon of gasoline you save avoids 22 pounds of CO2 emissions. If your car gets 25 miles per gallon, for example, and you reduce your annual driving from 12,000 to 10,000 miles, you'll save 1800 pounds of CO2.


*When you next buy a car, choose one that gets good mileage. If your new car gets 40 miles per gallon instead of 25, and you drive 10,000 miles per year, you'll reduce your annual CO2 emissions by 3,300 pounds.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

*Reduce the amount of waste you produce by buying minimally packaged goods, choosing reusable products over disposable ones, and recycling. For every pound of waste you eliminate or recycle, you save energy and reduce emissions of CO2 by at least 1 pound. Cutting down your garbage by half of one large trash bag per week saves at least 1100 pounds of CO2 per year. Making products with recycled materials, instead of from scratch with raw materials, uses 30 to 55% less for paper products, 33% less for glass, and a whopping 90% less for aluminum.


*If your car has an air conditioner, make sure its coolant is recovered and recycled whenever you have it serviced. In the United States, leakage from auto air conditioners is the largest single source of emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which damage the ozone layer as well as add to global warming. The CFCs from one auto air conditioner can add the equivalent of 4800 pounds of CO2 emissions per year.



*Work with your employer to implement these and other energy-efficiency and waste-reduction measures in your office or workplace. Form or join local citizens' groups and work with local government officials to see that these measures are taken in schools and public buildings.


*Keep track of the environmental voting records of candidates for office. Stay abreast of environmental issues on both local and national levels, and write or call your elected officials to express your concerns about energy efficiency and global warming.

save energy, SAVE THE WORLD...

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century was caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which results from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Global dimming, a result of increasing concentrations of atmospheric aerosols that block sunlight from reaching the surface, has partially countered the effects of greenhouse gas induced warming.

Climate model projections summarized in the latest IPCC report indicate that the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) during the 21st century. The uncertainty in this estimate arises from the use of models with differing sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations and the use of differing estimates of future greenhouse gas emissions. An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, probably including expansion of subtropical deserts.Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects include changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, species extinctions, and changes in agricultural yields. Warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe, though the nature of these regional variations is uncertain.

The scientific consensus is that anthropogenic global warming is occurring.Nevertheless, political and public debate continues. The Kyoto Protocol is aimed at stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration to prevent a "dangerous anthropogenic interference". As of November 2009, 187 states have signed and ratified the protocol.