Global Warming-How It Could Spark World War III

These Days global warming is a very hot topic and little wonder, seeing as the earth grows hotter with each passing year.

For a long time now the effect of man's industrialization and technological progress has quietly yet continuously eked away at the delicate balance of the planet's atmosphere and ecosystem, but within the last 30 or so years the pace of this damage has markedly accelerated!

DOWNPLAYING GLOBAL WARMING

In much the same way that big tobacco once vehemently denied the association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, for the longest time a number of multi-billion-dollar-a-year industries have also been questioning the existence of global warming and misleading the public about its reality.

In fact the Bush II years have been particular devastating to Environmental Protection Rights, yet staggeringly lucrative for those who would profit from the loss of such protection.

In what can best be described as an orgy-fest of self-congratulatory backslapping, many a heavyweight lobbyist for industries such as oil, coal, mining, logging, aviation and auto manufacturers have left the Bush Whitehouse grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat because they'd gotten firm assurance that pesky environmental laws would never get in the way of business as usual!

An example of how the Bush II Administration misled the public into believing they were truly concerned about protecting the environment was the sneaky way in which they enacted laws such as The Clean Skies Act.

The Clean Skies Act introduced in February 2003 apparently appears to strengthen already existent environmental laws such as The Clean Air Act but which in reality actually weakened and undermined them.

The Clean Skies Act gave pollutant industries a lot of leeway allowing them to spew an additional 42 million more tons of pollution into the atmosphere and raised caps on greenhouse gas emissions.

Soon after Bush II came to power the situation got so bad, that after decades of effective service, two of the most senior enforcement officials in the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) resigned citing an agency that was pursuing contrary goals to that of actually protecting the environment.

Former US vice president Al Gore is no stranger to these tactics. As perhaps the most widely recognizable face in the fight against global warming he has been scoffed at and ridiculed by the same individuals who would have us believe global warming is nothing more than a myth!

Recently in 2007 several scientists have gone on public record citing claims of a gestapo-like environment of intimidation to produce figures and reports that belied the true extent of global warming!

CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING

The unprecedented super-accelerated rate of global warming happening today is due to the amount of greenhouse gases being spewed into the atmosphere.

The most notorious greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2) because it so happens to be the biggest single contributing factor to global warming (CO2 comprises more than 75% of all greenhouse gases). So what's spewing all that CO2 in the air? Simply put--mankind and his toys!

Some of the biggest greenhouse gas pollutants include automobiles; electricity production; planes; shipping and the various manufacturing industries dotted all over the globe.

SCIENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING

This article is intentionally not an in-depth treatise of the process of global warming, but having said that, here's a brief explanation:

The rays from the sun are comprised of shortwave solar radiation which pass through the atmosphere and are then absorbed by the earth thereby warming it. Part of that absorbed energy is reflected back to the atmosphere as long wave infrared radiation which is mostly trapped by the greenhouse gases. This trapped heat ensures that the earth is approximately warmer by 33 degrees Celsius than it would otherwise be.

This trapped heat is actually good for us, for were it not for those greenhouse gases and other constituents in the atmosphere that trap heat, the earth would be as cold as Mars which has for all intents and purpose no atmosphere to speak of.

Over the past century the earth has gotten warmer by approximately 0.7 degrees Celsius. This may not seem like much until you consider that the difference between the average earth temperature of today and another ice age is a mere 5 degrees Celsius!

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Drought! Flooding! Disease! Hurricanes! Starvation! Unbearable Heat!
Any of these words seem to you to be appearing much more often in the news than before?

Do you remember the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed more than 200,000 people? Remember hurricane Katrina that claimed more than 2,000 lives? These are the better documented horror stories. The less well documented global-warming related stories are often dismissively written off as ethnic conflicts in a region (Africa) where supposedly little else can be expected.

CATASTROPHIC ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS CAUSED BY GLOBAL WARMING

1. Larsen B Ice Shelf: In 2002, a 500 billion ton chunk of ice that was 220m thick and covering a surface area of 3,250 sq km disintegrated in 35 days! What was especially alarming was that the experts expected this ice shelf to still be around for the next 100 years even after factoring in current global warming trends.

Yet more alarming still is that there're two other MUCH, MUCH BIGGER ice masses that are exhibiting the same global warming related disintegration characteristics!

These endangered ice masses are Greenland and the West Antarctic Ice Shelf which was previously thought to be stable. Since these ice masses are land based (unlike the Larsen B Ice Shelf) if either one of them goes they could raise sea levels by 20ft apiece!

If both of them disintegrate around the same time, sea levels could rise by 40ft! Catastrophic does not adequately describe the ensuing destruction.

More than 66% of the world's largest cities would be devastated if even just one of these ice masses disintegrated. Though many of the affected low-elevation costal areas are located in Asia, New York, Florida, San Francisco and The Netherlands are also on the list!

Perhaps this disturbing data may explain the belated, albeit grudging acknowledgement by the Bush II administration that global warming is not a myth after all and that it won't just affect the poorer regions of the world. As things stand, experts are predicting that with current unmodified global warming trends Greenland may collapse as soon as 2050.

2. Lake Chad: Lake Chad used to be the 6th largest lake in the world but due to global warming has shrunk to 1/20th of its former size. In fact Chad the country for which it is named after is now more than 60 miles from the water's edge!

3. New Ice Age: The northern hemisphere of the world is located above the equator and constitutes most of the world's land mass as well as almost 90% of the world population.

Though current expert reports on global warming imply that the northern hemisphere will initially actually benefit from the temperature increase (unlike the southern hemisphere where unprecedented drought and starvation is predicted by 2020) what is little mentioned is how global warming could usher in a new Ice Age!

Some paradox, huh? Warming leading to freezing! Here's a simplified explanation of how that comes about:

The Gulf Stream current is one of several currents that occur in the Atlantic Ocean. The particular importance of the Gulf Stream Current and its northern extension (the North Atlantic Drift which flows towards Europe) is that their warm-water flow heats up the surrounding air which in turn ensures that the temperature of the northern hemispheres does not dip precipitously.

These two currents are saline (salt) based. If a huge mass of fresh water (such as a melting body of ice the size of Greenland) was to dilute these currents, in effect that would shut down the Gulf Stream Current!

Once the Gulf Stream Current shuts down temperatures are going to drop precariously in the United States, Europe and other nations located in the northern hemisphere. When that happens those regions will deep-freeze into another Ice Age!

GLOBAL WARMING AND THE CO2 WARS

The following figures illustrate the CO2 emissions from the various regions around the globe:

USA: 30.3%
Europe: 27.7%
Russia: 13.7%
South East Asia: 12.2%
Japan: 3.7%
South America/Central America: 3.8%
Middle East: 2.6%
Africa: 2.5%
Australia: 1.1%

These figures amply illustrate how Western Europe and the United States are by far largely responsible for the effects of global warming we are seeing today.

Contrastingly the regions least responsible are the ones that will bear the brunt of those effects (initially at any rate, until such time that the process progresses to an ice age then the situation will reverse).

However, with the two mega economies of China and India expanding rapidly (each boasting a population in excess of 1 billion) soon their greenhouse gas emissions may surpass those of the U.S.

A series of meetings held in Washington in early 2007 had American legislators demanding that developing nations be held to the same greenhouse-gas-emission accountability as the developed nations! Not unexpectedly there were worldwide outcries and accusations of shameless hypocrisy leveled at the United States.

With the not unreasonable contention that they have the right to develop and advance in the same manner that both Europe and America have enjoyed over the past forty years these two looming economical giants are not about to be cowed by Washington.

Furthermore considering the suspicious manner with which the U.S. justified its invasion of Iraq, few these days are inclined to believe a word that Washington says.

Compounding this climate of distrust and suspicion are the many questionable prerogatives the U.S. claims. These include:

1. Not subscribing to the Kyoto Protocol (Treaty on Global Warming)
2. Seeking the right to pre-emptive strikes (Bush II)
3. Demanding to be exempted from The Geneva Convention (Bush II)
4. Not a participant of the World Court
5. Biggest contributor to global warming but doing the least to rectify the situation.

In a world where America demands exclusive rights to pre-emptive strikes, perhaps then it is not too far fetched to understand if India and China harbor a degree of paranoia that the U.S. may one day set its targets on them.

After all for a country that so conveniently and magically connected two totally unrelated events to one another as an excuse to pursue its ultimate goal (U.S. invasion of Iraq after 911), it is not unconceivable that the U.S. could one day claim that the greenhouse gas emissions from the Asian giants are threatening the very existence of its coastal cities and hence amount to an act of war!

For their part the Asian giants already suspiciously view Washington's demands concerning greenhouse gases as a thinly veiled attempt to restrict their economical development.

That said, China and India are hardly Iraq! These are two countries which both boast formidable nuclear arsenals that are quite capable of reaching the U.S. Besides if the U.S. were to take any drastic action it is unlikely that the slumbering Russian bear would continue dozing for much longer.

World wars have erupted over much less and in the heated climate of today it only takes one more little spark to set everything off!

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Did you know?! - The history of global warming debate

Global warming has become a debatable issue these days. Now, most people still wonder whether it is for real. The subject refers to the process of increase in the temperature of earth which in turn, produce changes in climate. When the earth gets warmer, the process brings out some changes in the usual rainfall patterns and then a rise in sea level. All this create a huge impact on plants, wildlife and human beings. The global warming debate provides us good information on this subject.

The issue of change in climate provides us information on the global warming caused by human activities. It also tells us about the cleansing process, the earth goes through. One of the groups feels that all human beings are responsible for the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere via the burning of fossil fuels while driving, automobiles or utilizing other means of mass transit. The utilization of these fossil fuels is directly responsible for global warming and in turn the destruction of biodiversity and ecosystems of the earth.

Some of the scientists also believe that global warming is caused due to the use of fossil fuels. One must be aware of the various cycles and temperatures of the earth in conjunction with the natural cycle associated with the evolving planet. The debate on this topic may continue for several years to come. The important actor to realize is that we are contributing to the pollution of the environment we should work towards reducing the use of fossil fuels. Prevention of rainforests from being harvested will also solve the problem. The focus on planting tropical trees, specially new ones would play the trick.

The original theory of global warming came into existence in the year 1824. In this year, Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier, the French mathematician discovered the fact that the temperature of the earth is increasing gradually. According to Fourier, the atmosphere of earth traps solar radiation and reflects it back to earth. This theory of Fourier was known as the greenhouse effect in the late nineteenth century. During this era, Nobel laureate Svante Arrhenius used this term in order to elaborate the way carbon dioxide traps heat into the atmosphere of the Earth According to Arrhenius, the greenhouse effect was fully responsible for the starting of the ice ages.

In the 1950s, G.S. Callendar, a great scientist warned that the greenhouse effect has some truth in its’ theory and it puts a great impact on the atmosphere of the earth. All the claims made by calendar were termed as the ‘Callendar effect’. This in turn, led to the enhanced research on the global warming. Most of the scientific studies predicted that increase in carbon dioxide emissions that takes place due to the excess use of fossil fuel would initiate a global warming outbreak.

However, in the late twentieth century, another ice age was predicted. Some also predicted the melting of ice caps that would result in flooding all over the world.

Frank j Vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.all-about-global-warming.com All About Global Warming Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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Municipal Composting Programs - A Way to Go Green

Composting has occurred since plants first existed on the earth. When leaves and fruit fall from trees, and when plants die, they drop to the ground, enriching the soil through the process of natural decomposition. This is nature's way of composting.

Humans have been composting for decades, maybe even centuries. In our recent history, agricultural communities have used composting as a way to enrich their gardens and farmland. In the last two decades, a much larger movement of composting in urban areas has begun, and in recent years, composting has taken on its own popularity as a new way to "go green." City dwellers are becoming more aware of the benefits of compost in their gardens and flowerbeds, and they are realizing that it is best to recycle natural products back to the earth.

Municipalities have had a major influence in this movement with programs to dispose of recyclable waste. These programs allow, and sometimes require, citizens to collect their organic waste such as leaves, branches, grass, and other yard trimmings for composting. These programs vary in season and structure but they all have the same goal of recycling natural material to the earth's benefit. In many cases, after the material has been composted, the city sells the compost back to citizens who wish to purchase it for their yards or gardens. In this way, city composting programs provide two services: they allow city dwellers to compost their organic waste, and they also make compost material available for sale at reasonable prices.

A municipal composting program may seem simple, but it can be a large project to manage. First, the citizens of the municipality must be educated about what types of products can be collected and how they are to be contained. Some city composting programs only collect yard waste, while others also allow food scraps. Second, the city must decide how they wish to collect the waste. Some municipalities use bulk collection, where leaves and waste are piled in the street or yard and trucks come collect the debris. Another way to collect the waste is through drop off sites where citizens can take their waste to a central collection area. Other communities use container collection, where the waste is put in specific types of containers such as biodegradable brown paper bags or in reusable containers and is collected by trucks.

After trucks have picked up the organic waste, the material must be transported to a central composting site to be processed and composted. Several months later, the waste you threw out will be available again for resale to citizens as premium compost. Compost can be used in many ways. Premium compost is a great way to enrich your soil, control erosion, or simply help your plants grow bigger and stronger!

The US Environmental Protection Agency indicates that 24% of the United States' solid waste is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. Just think how much waste we could keep out of landfills if more cities began composting programs! With the ability to convert all this waste into premium compost and return it to the earth, these programs are hugely beneficial. If your city doesn't have an organized composting program, contact local officials in your area and prompt them to begin one. This is a way to get involved and give something back to this planet that we inhabit.

Ellen Bell works for Home Products n' More, a company dedicated to providing high quality products for your home, garden, and auto. Home Products n' More offers a great selection of leaf bag holders and eco friendly patio furniture. Check us out at homeproductsnmore.com.

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Global Warming - Fact Or Fiction?

Some people who have studied global issues would say there was no such thing as global warming and it is all a big hoax. However, others disagree and believe that since the industrial revolution, we are having a negative affect on our environment.

The best place to start is to look at what we have already been led to believe.

The Greenhouse effect is the relationship between the earth and the sun. The sun provides the earth with the heat and energy it needs and the earth releases back that energy into space.

The greenhouse effect comes into play as the gases in the earth trap that energy so that it cannot be released back into space therefore, warming the earths environment.

The greenhouse effect is a natural process and vital to our survival, without it, the earth would be too cold to live in.

Gases such as Methane, Carbon dioxide and water vapour all trap energy from the sun and enable the warming of the earth.

It is commonly known that plants provide Carbon dioxide, but not so commonly known that plants also remove carbon dioxide.

This is because, when a plant dies and is buried into the earth, these plants become fossil fuel which is coal and oil.

When coal and oil is burned, this then removes the carbon dioxide from the air around it.

200 years ago, before machinery was invented and cars filled our streets, global warming wasn't an issue.

The natural gases which came from the earth would trap energy to warm the earth, however, since the industrial revolution, more gases are being produced, which means more energy is trapped and result is global warming.

Activists and researches cannot agree as to whether or not humans are causing global warming, but I think we can all agree that when something unnatural occurs, it affects the natural.

If we are producing more gases than what is known as natural, then you would expect that this would have an affect on our environment, but whether or not this affect is causing global warming, well, we will have to leave that down to the scientists.

It is said that in the last century the earth has warmed by 1%, although this is not a massive amount, it still could be an unnatural 1% which would have an effect on the earth's climate.

The truth of the matter is, the earth works in a certain way that even the best scientists in the world cannot fathom it. We can never assume we know it all just as we cannot 100% rely on what we already believe we know as there could be many unknown factors that have not been taken into account.

It is natural to believe that we are having some kind of affect on our environment in comparison to 200 years ago, but is the cause of global warming? I guess we couldn't say either way, but what we do know is that we need to keep it in mind and do what we can to help our environment.

Nicola Bullimore has been working in Search engine marketing and writing articles on various topics for a number of years. For more information about Environmental News and global warming issues, please visit the Enlighten website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicola_Bullimore

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How To Really Save Planet Earth: A Test About Al Gore

Al Gore is NOT telling people how to really save the planet, but you may be surprised who is. The solution to our planetary problems doesn't need to be political, and you can't even blame George Bush for this one. People created this problem and also have the power to solve it. This article can empower YOU.

If you really want to bring the Earth back from the brink of disaster, who should you be listening to?

A. Al Gore of "Live Earth" and "An Inconvenient Truth"

B. Diane Sawyer of ABC's "Seven Ways to Help Save the World"

C. Michael Brune of "Rain Forest Action Network"

D. Conservative commentator Glenn Beck of "CNN Headline News"

"An Inconvenient Truth" left out the most inconvenient truth of all, and the Live Earth concerts were an environmental joke (and the music was really bad, too). Ms. Sawyer's suggestion to cut back on toilet paper is a bit of poo itself. Then, with a golden opportunity to enlighten and empower Americans, Michael Brune of the Rain Forest Action Network only highlighted the problem with even our "environmental" groups. Therefore, and by way of deductive reasoning, the answer must be … and is … (drum roll, please) … Glenn Beck. Yep, that's right. Glenn Beck, the ultra-conservative, speaks out on CNN Headline News while interviewing Michael Brune and tells people how to really save the environment.

In speaking about the Live Earth concerts, Glenn said, "There's nowhere in here about vegetarianism or anything like that, that would make a real impact on the environment ... It is animal gases that produce more CO2 than any of the cars we're driving."

To which Michael Brune disagreed. Michael? HUH? Earth to Michael … Come in, Michael.

The fact is, a HUGE portion of our environmental problems come from eating meat and dairy (and from producing meat and dairy), and Glenn Beck, of all people, hit the nail square on the head. Global warming, rain forest destruction, coral reefs dying off, topsoil erosion, poisoned water and polluted air are all a result of animal agriculture, and everybody – including our "environmental" groups – refuses to connect these dots. Thanks, Glenn, for doing what Al Gore, Diane Sawyer and even Michael Brune have refused to do.

"A report released by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization last November charged that raising livestock produced more "greenhouse gases" globally than the international transportation system." http://www.crosswalk.com/news/11543779/

The U.N. report tells of a tragedy in the making on everyone's dinner plates, and it doesn't stop there; global warming concerns are now keeping kids up at night. http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=24717

Kids, and all Americans, need to know that they are the empowered ones. This is not a political or governmental issue. WE, each of us, has a hand in global warming, and, therefore, its cure. If we stop eating animals and their secretions, we will stop killing the planet. It is as simple as that. Concerts galore, one million TV shows on the "Top Seven Ways ..." and pseudo-environmentalists be damned. Without veganism for all people, nothing else can possibly save our doomed planet. The great news is, if we each switch to eating a vegan diet, we will no longer have to "save the planet." Veganism allows the planet to save itself.

Major kudos to Glenn Beck

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Popick, known as "The Vegan Sage," is a keen visionary & a leading expert on the diverse effects our diet has on our health & environment. Jeff is putting together a contest for students with a grand prize of one million dollars called "The Great Earth Contest," aimed at enlightening kids on the cause of our planet’s problems - and the real solution. For more info, go to www.JeffPopick.com.

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Three Global Warming Prevention Tips

Follow these 3 tips to prevent or reduce some of your most significant personal contributions to global warming.

If you wish to prevent further global warming, you must be willing to set aside the cultural norms by which you currently live, and accept that you and everyone you know must sooner or later learn to live on a fraction of the energy you currently consume. By all counts, there is no other way.

The earth is large but finite. The result of the enormous human population and the environmental impact of our current way of life is that we are rapidly extinguishing the Earth's biodiversity and degrading most ecosystems, creating a bleak future for ourselves.

There are numerous ways in which our learning to live with less will take place; there is no single, magic button solution that will solve the problem of global warming. The following tips discuss some of most potent possibilities, in that implementing them will cut out or reduce some of your most significant personal contributions to global warming:

Global Warming Prevention Tip #1: Sell your car

Yup, the past century of personal motorized travel has been a very convenient, luxurious, and enjoyable demonstration of grossly unsustainable human activity. According to the Energy Information Administration (http://www.eia.doe.gov/), the transportation sector overtook industry as the biggest US producer of carbon emissions in 1999, and motor fuel accounts for 60% of total US production of carbon emissions over the past 20 years. You probably contribute to these emissions in a variety of ways, but you have the greatest ability to reduce the role you play in this by changing how you relate to your car.

One of the best alternatives to owning your own car is to join a car co-op. In fact, car co-ops now operate in a growing number of cities around the world. Go here to find the closest car sharing option to you: http://www.carsharing.net/where.html

No care sharing going on in your area? You can start your own--check out http://www.relocalize.net/guide/carcoop for a primer.

If you cannot yet relinquish your car, make mileage efficiency the top deciding factor in choosing a vehicle, and start working now on any changes you need to make in your life to let you get rid of your car as soon as possible.

Public transportation is the only reasonable, long-term solution to the majority of our transport needs. It is slowly improving as US cities confront the impacts of an infrastructure built around cars and trucks. It will only get better when you demand adequate services; vote with your feet (and bring all your friends!) to demonstrate the need.

Global Warming Prevention #2: Buy local, eat local

You may have noticed the proliferation of farmer's markets around the country over the past decade or so. This is not just a quaint fad, but rather a vital, direct-action opportunity to reduce your global warming impact and increase local food security. When you purchase from your local area, you not only reduce the amount of carbon emissions required to support your lifestyle, you also help to keep money in your community.

The long-distance transport of food and other goods comes with a heavy ecological cost;the average meal on your plate in the US has traveled 2000 miles to get to you, which helps to explain why every calorie of food you consume costs an average of ten calories of energy to produce it. That imbalance fuels the global warming fire by adding far more carbon to the atmosphere than is necissary to meet your dietary needs.

One great resource to help you buy and eat more locally is: http://www.localharvest.org/

A partial change is better than no change; you probably can't eliminate processed and imported goods from your life tomorrow, but the more needs you can meet locally, the more you reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to the prevention of further global warming.

Global Warming Prevention Tip #3: Make your local government part of the solution

No politician interested in reelection is going to sponsor the kind of legislation required to alleviate our massive responsibility for global warming without an organized citizenry pushing for better climate legislation. Only when citizen activism shifts this topic into the mainstream will the government move to act on it substantively. Influcing the federal government on this issue may seem daunting, but pushing your local government to take action on global warming may bear fruit quickly (for help, check out http://www.coolcities.us).

Your personal action matters. Sell your car, buy your food from local sources, and pressure your governments to act. Most important of all, be vocal with friends, family, and strangers alike about why you're making these changes, and what is at stake.

Many people are making changes to combat climate change, but we need you to join us right away. Start here and now. It can be done.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This article may be reprinted freely as long as this resource box is included. Nathan Brown is an activist creating a revolutionary movement by showing people how to prevent global warming. Related global warming article:Reduce Your Carbon Footprint and Save Money

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Causes of Global Warming

As we go about our daily lives we seldom think how the way that we live affects the environment around us. While we may think for a few minutes that we need to be more environmentally conscious there are very few of us who actually take the time which is needed. The different reports about global warming need our consideration as some of the causes of global warming are caused by us.

You may ask how this is possible. The answers are all staring us in the face if we just choose to look at them. The first place to look for some of the causes of global warming is in our cities. Whenever you drive on the roads your car is sending out emissions of carbon monoxide. You just have to multiple this effect with that of the numerous other vehicles to understand that driving a fuel engine vehicle does contribute to global warming.Another way that we contribute towards the causes of global warming is by deforestation.

When we were younger we were taught that the trees in the forests, jungles and rainforests were the lungs of the world. By cutting down large amounts of trees the curative abilities of these areas are decreased.This effect happens because trees need carbon dioxide to live. When large tracts of trees are cut down in one place the balance is lost. The remaining trees can't absorb all of the carbon which is floating in the atmosphere. Due to this fact the carbon rises in volume in the atmosphere. This is also why deforestation can be seen as one of the causes of global warming.Besides these factors chemicals like methane and nitrous oxide are also causes of global warming. These chemicals while in small amounts are not enough to cause damage to the atmosphere and environment.

They can be considered as causes of global warming when they are used for various man needed schemes. These schemes include the rearing of domestic animals such as cows in a congregated mass.

The growth of rice in flooded paddy fields is also one such cause. The other chemical reasons for global warming can be seen in the artificial fertilizers that we use.When all of these actions are taken separately you think there must be a mistake in thinking that these are some of the causes of global warming. There is however lots of evidence which supports this case. In order to stop the disastrous effects of global warming you should look at the different global warming causes and see what steps you can take to prevent this fact.

The more people who realize these facts, the sooner we can halt the spread of global warming. We should not wait too long as nature will not wait for us to get our acts straightened out. Remember that the causes of global warming are warnings to us to change our ways of living.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Global Warming  learn how to prevent it right now  www.globalwarming.extrafindouts.com!

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The Perks of Global Warming

Marya Mannes once wrote, “The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future.” Obviously Ms. Mannes preferred the status quo - health, sanity, logic, blah, blah, blah. Why?

Green House Roulette is so much more intriguing.In the country, weather affects everything. For five years Western South Dakota has been gripped by drought. Water and hay are vanishing. Farms and ranches are blowing away. While the government bails out victims from hurricanes and says, ‘South Dawho?’ our cattle are pissing dust mites.

Fortunately, things are looking up. There is some good news! Those pesky glaciers are finally melting off! Last year an eight-nation report estimated an area of Arctic icepack the size of Texas and Kansas is gone. For those who are geographically impaired, that is an area bigger than a breadbox.At first, news of devastating global climate change might seem a bit of a bummer. Then I read an LA Times article and had a change of heart. The article began with the usual gloom. Greenland’s ice cap is melting.

Our coasts will flood from rising seawater. Inuit hunters are falling through thinning ice. Melting glaciers change ocean temperature and salinity contorting the jet stream, which results in altered weather patterns worldwide. Multitudes of species are dying off . . . It was disheartening.Then I got to the article’s final paragraph. Bam! My faith was restored. Here the Times pointed out the perks of global warming. Seriously, the article actually ended saying: “The report is not all gloomy. A warmer Arctic could increase the number of some species, such as Arctic char, a fish. It could extend the growing season for wheat in Canada and open up now-treacherous sea routes, such as the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route, which parallels Russia, for shipping and resource exploration.” Three cheers for the LA Times! It’s true! All is not gloomy. With that glorious bit of sunshine pumped straight up my ski bibs, I was able to see things in a whole new light. I started thinking of other advantages to global warming. Soon you will agree that people from all walks of life will benefit.

For starters, Inuit Hunters will benefit! Once Inuit have nothing left to hunt there will be no need for them to risk falling through thin ice. Plus, by needing food they will be ripe for a floating (pontoons, not ice) Arctic Super Wal-Mart. “Go get ‘em, Sam.”Boat owners will benefit! Not only will there be smooth sailing through the formerly bothersome ice of the Northwest Passage, but each summer, cruise ships will be able to run tourists straight up Bourbon Street in New Orleans.Scuba Divers will benefit! There will be no more burning coral cuts. In fact there will be no more coral. Once all the reefs are gone, divers can pack away first aid kits and dive straight in. A little silt never cut anyone. Canadian Wheat Farmers will benefit! You see, there is a 10% decrease in yield of corn from Midwest crops for every degree of global warming. No worries though, now wheat can take the place of corn. Think about all those scrumptious Wheat Dogs at the ball game. How about popped wheat with butter at the movies or steaming wheat on the cob? All scream ‘yummy’ to me.While it is a bit ironic that ethanol is made from the corn crops global warming devastates, I am sure some aspiring chemist will rise to the challenge of developing ‘Wheatanol.’ Imagine Canuck Wheat Farmers having more influence than the Saudi Royal Family. Dune-Buggy enthusiasts will benefit! The Dakotas will soon reopen for your 4-wheelin’ pleasure. Join the Mount Rushmore Nose Climb on July 4th! It will be a bugger of a challenge!Eco-Tourism Operators will benefit! Companies could offer new “Emaciation Tour Packages.” Tourists get closer photos of polar bears and whales when they are too lethargic from starvation to meander away. In addition, long treks to Inuit villages can be avoided once they are forced to beg on the streets of Nome (or cashiering at Wal-Mart).

Finally, the next generation of Bush family politicians will benefit! Once again they can avoid addressing campaign issues, this time by distracting dehydrated voters with witty campaign phrases like; “No Kyoto Pact-No Ice Pack,” or “Dead Seals Never Flip-Flop,” even promising “No Char Left Behind.” Not to mention offering new, SPF 80 tax credits.Well, by golly, I do feel better! Shall we spin the Rolette wheel some more?




About the AuthorZoologist turned satirist Nola L. Kelsey is the author of the scathingly wicked satire Bitch Unleashed: The Harsh Realities of Goin’ Country and coauthor of the twisted political satire Keeping the Masses Down. Her newsletter, Nomadic Muse, tracks Kelsey’s escape from South Dakota normality to her life as a shoestring backpacker in SE Asia. More excerpts from Bitch Unleashed and subscriptions to Nomadic Muse are available at http://www.NolaKelsey.com

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Exploding The Global Warming Myths

Are you a believer of Global warming or not? Or are you one of the cynics yet to be convinced? Well both have a part to play in the Global Warming arena debate. The whole issue is surrounded by facts and figures but when these facts and figures are looked at it is very difficult to prove them with science, so you end up with hearsay.
Global warming from our point of view is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans.
When paying attention to all the different global warming myths that are published in various publications, online, TV, and radio you will understand the issue with conflicting information. Because of these global warming myths come in many forms it is essential to understand the causes of global warming, and the facts attached to those myths.
MYTH: Water vapour is the most important, abundant greenhouse gas. So if we're going to control a greenhouse gas, why don't we control it instead of carbon dioxide?
FACT: Water vapour does trap more heat than carbon dioxide (CO2), but as CO2 levels increase in the atmosphere, they lead to warmer conditions, which lead to more water vapour in the air, which leads to even warmer conditions, thus a never ending cycle. Because of this relationship between CO2, water vapour and climate, to fight global warming nations must focus on controlling CO2.
MYTH: Global warming reduces as the ozone hole shrinks.
FACT: Global warming and the ozone hole are two separate issues.
MYTH: Global warming is not occurring due to some glaciers and ice sheets are expanding and not shrinking.
FACT: In most parts of the world, the shrinking of glaciers and ice caps have been dramatic. The best available scientific data indicate that Greenland's massive ice sheet is shrinking.
MYTH: So what if global warming is a problem, trying to fix it will affect American industry and workers.
FACT: A well thought out trading program will harness American ingenuity to decrease heat-trapping pollution cost-effectively, jumpstarting a new carbon economy.
MYTH: The cold winters and cool summers that have been happening of late are not the effects of global warming, and are infrequent events.
FACT: While it is true that different areas of country's have experienced some colder winters here and there, between them the average temperature has ben on the up.
MYTH: We can adapt to climate change. Civilizations have survived droughts and temperature shifts in the past.
FACT: Although it is true that the human race has survived an onslaught of drought and prolonged warmth along with the bitter cold and more, entire societies have collapsed from dramatic climatic shifts.
MYTH: Global warming along with extra CO2 will be beneficial, they reduce cold related deaths and stimulate crop growth.
FACT: Any beneficial effects will be far outweighed by damage and disruption.
MYTH: Global warming is just part of the worlds natural cycle. The Arctic has warmed up in the past as it is doing now.
FACT: The global warming we are experiencing is not natural. People are causing it.
While the global warming myth story is interesting, it does reduce the impact of the facts. But as they say "Truth is stranger than fiction." The many myths on global warming doing the rounds are based on global warming statistics, just with a different view point.
It is always best, as with everything, to look at the global warming myth with an open mind. There is always two sides to every coin, so explore both before making your full opinion.
Perhaps this article on global warming myth with strike a chord with you and will inspire further reading into the subject.
Global Warming reference site, challenging the common perceptions of Global Warming and aiming to give you facts supporting global warming

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A great MindMap about Global warming

This is a great Mind Map I found about global warming (press to see the original

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What is Global Warming Anyway?

Is It Happening?
Global warming, yeah, it's happening. Right now as a matter of fact. The evidence is everywhere, even in your backyard. Climatologists note that significant changes have been occurring in the earth's atmosphere and their records show that:
The Earth's average temperature is steadily increasing, up 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880, the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
There is a 20 percent decrease in summer Arctic ice since the 1970's.
Over the last 40 years, it's reported that over 22 percent of Antarctic ice has melted.
Extreme weather, including hurricanes and drought, has increased throughout the last century.
Snow has fallen later and melted sooner...yes, in your own backyard.
Is It Serious?
If you think that a sea level rise of up to 20 feet isn't serious because it won't happen in your lifetime, then you're seriously mistaken. At the current rates of global warming and carbon output, Antarctica's Western Ice Shelf will slip into the oceans raising sea levels and causing a landslide of events affecting the world that include flooding, drought and famine.
Consequences of Not Acting?
Any one reason to act far outweighs any fifty reasons not to. But even after the evidence above, if there are those who still deny, deny, deny...well, then let's all just put our bathing suits on and hope there's enough food around to feed your fan waver because it's going to get toasty.
Some consequences of not acting:
NASA projects the first ice-free summer by 2040, and a completely ice-free North Pole by 2100
Massive hurricanes many times stronger than 2005's Katrina may occur.
Heat waves have already killed 700 Chicagoans in 1995 and up to 50,000 Europeans during the summer of 2003, and they are sure to continue.
Droughts will become commonplace, such as the current one in The Sahel in southern Africa right now.
Rainfall will continue to increase in other areas, as has been already witnessed in Scotland in 2000 and India in 2004.
2.8 billion people now live under the poverty level - that is, under $2 USD per day. These people account for half of the world's population and most of them live in low-lying areas extremely vulnerable to flooding and with rising sea levels, they will be the first to feel the tragic effects of global warming on a large scale.
Can We Stop It?
Oh if global warming were like a light where we can just flip the switch at will, but unfortunately it's not. But there are many things we can do, including reducing our contribution to the warming of the earth's atmosphere and oceans by seeking cleaner and more efficient fuel sources, reducing energy consumption per person and better educating the public about the importance of environmental responsibility.
http://www.beturtle.com
http://beturtle.com/zone/global-warming

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Global Warming Statistics

By Wendy Brock

It's not a debate among the science community: global warming is happening and according to statistics from Environmental Defense, America is the top global warming polluter in the world. The only argument between scientists is how fast global warming is occurring.
Global warming is happening because burning fossil fuels, such as coal and oil creates greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are necessary, but too much of something is never good. The concentration of these gases is causing a meltdown of the ice sheets and overall weather change. Eventually, this will lead to catastrophic worldwide climate changes that will affect life as we know it.
Deforestation, cutting down forests in devastating amounts, reduces the amount of oxygen in our atmosphere. Trees and other foliage help reduce excess carbon dioxide. Without help from Mother Nature, the extra carbon dioxide will continue to heat up the planet. According to the University of Michigan's Global Change Program, about one half of the forests that once covered the Earth are gone. Without these forests, there isn't much to combat the overwhelming amount of carbon dioxide levels.
Environmental Defense, a company founded to tackle serious environmental problems, cites these statistics:
* 2006 was the hottest year on record in the continental United States. * America is the number one global warming polluter in the world. * There is a twenty percent increase in America's carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since 1990. * The U.S. fire season has increased by 78 days over the past twenty years.
NASA produced a recent study that shows summers in the 2080's will be extremely hot with temperatures reaching up to 108 degrees across the United States. NASA satellite imagery shows a permanent decline in the Arctic sea ice cover by 9 percent per decade since 1979.
The Global Warming Info Site warns researchers on global warming statistics: "You will need to keep an open mind when you are reading these facts as they can change even during a week's periodThese statistics could be the carbon emissions which industries and cars produce in the atmosphere per month."
Global warming statistics are constantly changing and many variables need to be considered in order to have accurate results. However, the facts are clear that the Earth is warming and people are to blame.
As a published writer in Pentacle Magazine and a former news reporter for NPR, I love the discovery of a good story and delivering it to an audience. My love of writing and sharing knowledge is emphasized in my articles on various subjects such as beauty, family, writing, and cooking.
View all of my articles at: http://www.helium.com/user/show_articles/35372My blog: http://www.wendybrock.blogspot.com/

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Top 10 Ways to Stop Global Warming

by Bill Temple

1 Quit your job. You don't really like it anyways, do you? If only half of all North Americans quit their job, or worked at home we could reduce global warming by a whopping 42%! Here at the Living Off the Grid think tank we did the math, on reducing the amount of cars on the road and the subsequent reduction in greenhouse gases that result in global warming and climate change. 42% was the lowest prediction as a matter of fact. Just think, no more traffic jams, no more boss, no more drive to work on Monday!

2 Work at home. How many of you would love to work at home. Just think about the reduction in headaches and the resources you would save. That is money in your pocket because you don't need that second vehicle and time saved in the commute. Well, maybe you shouldn't quit your job, just ask to work from home. The global resources saved by this move are staggering.

3. You have to Get Out of Debt. Let's face it, if you didn't have anymore debt , you probably wouldn't have to go to work would you. Pay for that new car to go to work. Pay for that new house that is close to work. This all ties in with the issue of freedom in our lives. We will never be free if we are in debt. No more debt and you are not using all of those resources, or polluting near as much. And that Tuesday out in the back yard looks mighty fine. Start right now and find that debt free lifestyle.

4, Grow a Garden. That's right grow a garden, or plant a tree. All of these things reduce our dependence on shipped in food, the overburdened transportation systems and global resources. If everybody grew a garden, we could probably save one shopping trip a month to the grocery store. Think of how that would add up.

5. Install solar panels. on your house. Yes, renewable energy in the form of free solar energy is a great answer to stop global warming. Stop using all of that oil and gas to heat your home and run your lights. You just don't have to anymore. No more excuses.

6 Install a community wind generator. One big wind generator per neighborhood would reduce our dependence on oil substantially. It would create a symbol of forward thinking right in your own back yard. Do it! There are companies out there ready to help you.

7. Eat more grain and vegetables. Not surprisingly the average North American diet is high in meat and poultry. We don't eat near enough veggies or grains. Did you know that it takes 10 times the space to feed a cow and consume beef as it does to feed one human with the same land, if you grow high yield veggies and grains!

8. Stop playing politics with the environment. There is only one answer to the dilemma that we face, and that is to reduce consumption and change our over-indulgent ways , and fast. The economics of politics says ' consume more, buy more, growth is good.' But , unfortunately that formula is not sustainable for our planet. You will end up costing your future generations their lives !

9. Get off your ass and do something. Stop reading about what needs to be done, and get up and do it. Change something about your life that will stop global warming and climate change today, right now.

10. Get organized and tell your friends. Peer pressure is a tremendous tool for change. It always has been. We used to be known as 'those people who live down that road without hydro' since we have been living off the grid for 14 years. Now there are 2 wind generators down our road and new solar panel installations going in every month. Change happens, when you change.
My friend Les gave me this list to use- Like it? Have a look at his blog at Living Off the Grid in Canada
Our family has been living off the grid since last year, and loving every minute of it.

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