Over the last ten years global warming has been an item of debate although, the one thing that has been agreed upon is that the earth is warming. An agreeable definition is one that tells us that greenhouse gasses are the cause of the warming of the earth. The controversy continues as to the cause of global warming and how will it eventually affect the earth. There has even been some controversy as to whether it exists. There is no argument as to the rise in the earth’s temperature as is has risen, in the past one hundred years, from 0,45 -.06 degrees Celsius.

The controversy is caused by those that believe and those that are skeptical. Those that believe feel that greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are a shield trapping the heat inside the atmosphere. Temperature rises when carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere See graph.

Arise in the earth’s temperature will cause the ice caps to melt and the sea levels to rise. The earth’s coastline will wash away and there is a fear of disease to human life and wildlife.

Those that don’t believe, feel that the world heating up is not a problem to the environment and that the increase in earth’s temperature is not alarming. The earth’s coastline will not disappear and neither will the ice caps.

This graph shows that there were temperature increases in the middle of the twentieth century before the spread of carbon dioxide. The graph also shows the temperature fluctuations over time.

Arguments as to whether it exists or does not exist have been many. The believers in global warming have felt they have proved its existence using computer climate models. The non believers state that these models are not based in fact and are therefore not reliable proof.

And so the arguments continue with one faction stating that global warming is something we should be alarmed about and is an issue that should not be taken lightly, and the other faction stating that global warming is a natural phenomenon and that there is no cause for alarm.

The Chacaltaya ski area in Bolivia used to be the highest in the world. Although it was less than a kilometer long, it hosted international ski competitions. Today the snow has almost gone, and so have Chacaltaya’s days as a popular ski resort.

The ski area sits upon a small mountain glacier, which was already getting smaller when the ski area opened in 1939. In the past ten years, however, the glacier has been melting at an increased rate. As the glacier melts, dark rocks beneath it are uncovered. The sun then heats the rocks, causing faster melting. Despite attempts to make snow with snow machines, this cycle seems unstoppable in the long run.

As experts debate how to solve the global warming problem, ice in mountains such as Chacaltaya and near the North and South Poles is melting faster than even the most pessimistic environmentalists may have once feared. Rising air and sea temperatures are two well-known causes, but researchers have recently discovered other unexpected processes that take place as glaciers melt. The effects are having an impact on humans even now, and they could change the face of the world in the future.

The glaciers of the Himalayas and the Andes could disappear in this century. As a result, the millions of people in India, Bolivia, and Peru who now depend on melting water from mountain glaciers could find themselves in a critical situation. The ice sheet of Greenland is also melting more quickly than scientists predicted. Greenland’s largest outlet glacier is moving toward the sea twice as fast as it was in 1995. One cause could be meltwater that runs down to the bottom of the glacier and gets between the ice and the rock below. This water makes it easier for the glacier to slide along to the ocean.

Many ice researchers believe that Greenland’s melting, if it continues, will add at least three feet to global sea levels by the year 2100. If the ice sheet of Antarctica, now largely unaffected, begins to melt, the next few centuries could see a six-foot rise in sea levels, forcing tens of millions of people out of their homes.

A white arctic fox hunts for baby seals in the ice of Norway. Scandinavia’s arctic fox population, with fewer than 200 animals remaining, now faces serious threat of extinction. How can we avoid these dire consequences of global warming? “We have to have a serious and immediate shift in attitude,” says Laurie David, producer of the prize-winning movie An Inconvenient Truth, which helped to raise awareness of the problem. Many believe that an attitude of hope and a desire to stay informed make a good beginning. An informed public is in a better position to help address this critical issue.

What has been happening around the world?

Glaciers are melting, the sea level is rising, rainfall patterns are changing and that there have been increases in the number of droughts, floods, mudslides, and heat waves. This is CLIMATE CHANGE, the biggest issue we are all facing right now, and the said effects are inevitable. They are affecting everyone. Now the question each of us must face is, “What can each of us do about this?”

The youth must play a special part in their communities, their country, and their region, for they are the next generation who will be seriously affected by the impacts now and into the future. All of these effects are already getting worse as each minute passes by. For this reason, many youth should know and be involved in this issue NOW.

What can the youth do to get involved?

1. Learn more about climate change in your country:

Know the current situation in your area, the vulnerabilities of the locality you are living in, the catastrophes that happened before, the initiatives and programs currently being implemented by the government and other organizations, the national laws and policies being implemented, and other vital information.

2. Raise awareness about climate change:

Invite other youths to learn about climate change. Promote current programs by the government. Blog about it. Write articles for your school, local and national newspapers. Promote climate change awareness websites and programs to your friends and relatives. Make a video and upload it in YouTube, in your blog and other websites. Interview local people about changes they have observed, and many others.

3. Volunteer to get youth voices heard:

Join national and local youth organizations focusing on climate change. Invite your friends to join as well. Talk to the government regarding your opinions, suggestions and proposed plan of actions.

4. Get together in a group to discuss climate change and create a project to address its impacts in your community:

Camps, forums and workshops at the national and local levels are highly effective ways to unite the youth. Participants can learn about the problems and the skills to deal with them, such as mapping community strengths and weaknesses to identify flood preparedness projects, and interviewing elders to understand changes in seasons.

A family produced and reared cattle just for their needs and hence there was less use of pesticides. The eggs laid by the chicken were used for the family and the cattle and livestock were well taken care of. Agricultural produce was devoid of pesticides and hence was healthy for consumption. The modern day farms use the latest techniques and production means, but in the process, the environment is affected and the future generation is sure to pay a price for this mechanized development.

If you want to raise animals, it means using up more than 50% of the water in the US. As per statistics, 87% of the agricultural land in US is used for raising livestock and animals for meat. We are facing the problem of global warming, thanks to our mindless attitude. Methane is one of those greenhouse gases which lead to global warming. Raising cattle for meat also causes water pollution as well. Close to thirty percent of the raw materials and fossil fuels is used for raising cattle for meat. Deforestation is increasing at a fast rate and this is primarily due to the fact that rain forests are being cut down for raising animals for meat.

In addition to the above, animals are treated very badly. The costs incurred for raising the cattle and processing meat is expensive. Hence, people are slowly changing to vegetarianism. It is advised that you slowly eliminate non-vegetarian food from your diet and include lots of plant food which is naturally grown.

This is definitely a healthy option and you are sure to slowly begin to love eating vegetarian food. Both animals as well as your conscience is all for it and going to feel happy about this decision.

Impact and FairWindsWeb.Com Consequences by Tom A Sullivan.

Once we change the global climate, we can’t change it back! How can this be? Humans can impact global temperatures to make it warmer, but not colder. Once global warming is carried to certain level, it is a runaway effect that is out of our hands at that point. WE could stop adding any excess Carbon gasses at all and Global Warming would still continue without our added efforts. Currently, humans are adding vast quantities of Carbon gasses to the atmosphere that thicken our greenhouse gasses trapping heat from escaping from earth. These excess gasses are emitted from vehicles we use, power plants that burn fossil fuels, and forests we burn. Even if we stopped burning forests and using nonrenewable energy sources, we could not stop Global warming once it begins it’s process.

Besides humans emitting greenhouse gasses as we use energy and clear forest, carbon will naturally begin to release from the frozen ground and the ocean once the Earth reaches a certain temperature. Hundreds of thousands of metric tons of Carbon gasses will be released into the air as the permafrost begins to melt as global warming takes places. As the ground that is now frozen at the higher latitudes begins to melt, decay will naturally start to take place and carbon gasses will be released into the atmosphere as this process takes place. The ice that is there now is, in a sense, preserving organic matter from decay. So, as temperatures warm and the ground thaws, it will begin to rot. The additional Carbon gasses from this thaw will add to the global warming effect making earth hotter which will lead to even more ice melting.

Additionally, the ocean, or shall we say Carbon Sink will release much of its dissolved carbon gasses as ocean temperatures climb. How does this work? Currently, global warming has not happened as fast as scientist thought it might, because excess Carbon gasses produced by human activity was being absorbed into the ocean. This is why the ocean is referred to as a Carbon Sink. As is true with any liquid that contains dissolved gasses, as the temperature of that liquid increases the dissolved gasses are released into the atmosphere. This is why warm soda goes flat much more quickly than cold soda. So, all of this excess Carbon that has been absorbed from our atmosphere into the ocean will be released as the ocean warms. In return, the Carbon gasses will make Earth warmer and the warming ocean waters will release more dissolved gasses.

How to Stop FairWindsWeb.Com  by Tom A Sullivan.

It takes a global effort to stop or slow global warming. We have started this process as we began powering our technological devices using fossil fuels to make our electricity. We continue to add to global warming efforts as we burn forests (the only think that takes the Carbon out of the atmosphere) to make way for more room for us. It is our responsibility to fix this problem. There are several things that each person can do as an individual to lessen their contribution to global warming.

Some ways to reduce your carbon footprint are obvious, while others are less known to the public. One of the obvious ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to lessen the fossil fuels used in your vehicle by driving a fuel-efficient car, buying a hybrid car, carpooling and using public transportation when possible, or not driving or riding at all. Another one we have all heard is to not use as much energy in our home. Turn off lights and electronic devices when not in use. Move your water heater to a lower setting. Wash clothes in cold water. Buy energy-efficient appliances. Install energy efficient light bulbs. Keep your home well insulated to save on air-conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. Install Solar Panels.

However, there may be some less known ways that you can be saving energy and reducing your contribution to global warming. One way is to recycle. Recycling products, such as paper, plastic, cans, and glass bottles saves a ton of energy. It takes significantly less energy to create a product from recycled material than to manufacture that product from scratch. So, when you recycle you are not only saving space in the landfill, but you are reducing energy usage, which equals less Carbon into the air.

Another little known energy saving secret is to unplug electronic appliances not in use. Even though you don’t have a device powered on, if it is plugged into an outlet, it is drawing electricity even if it is off. So that toaster that you only used for 5 minutes this morning that remains plugged into your wall for the extent of the day, is drawing energy the whole time. This tip not only decreases your Carbon footprint, but it will lower your energy bill as well.

Stop FairWindsWeb.Com Global Warming  by Matthew Richard Kerridge.

Quite possible the major global issue in the world today is the threat of global warming. For a long time we have used and abused our planet and now we are starting to realise how important our actions are in relation to the health of the earth. Many people will question what they can do to help and so will do nothing, feeling that it is the job of the worlds governments to dig us out of this hole. But the truth is that we all have an obligation to act, because we are all party to blame. But what exactly can each individual do to help with this issue?

Firstly, change all of the bulbs in your home to energy saving ones. These omit less harmful carbon emissions and are also last a lot longer so will end up saying you some money as well.

Second, make sure that you recycle you used goods. When you have used things like cans, bottles and plastic ensure that you recycle these materials to be used again. When you go to the supermarket, also try to bring the plastic bags that you have at home with you rather than using new ones each time.

Thirdly, you might consider using less packaged foods. This sort of packaging, when thrown out, creates a lot more litter and rubbish that is then burned which will release toxic gases into the atmosphere. You may also try to buy some more organic food that is not made using harmful chemicals.

Fourth of all, you should try to limit the use of your car. If you can manage it you should see if you can walk or cycle on short trips or perhaps use the bus or other public transport. It is also a good idea to try to sort out a carpool with some local people when you do things like going shopping.

Last of all, try to do your bit by planting trees whenever possible. If you have nowhere where you allowed to do so then get involved with a community project that aims to increase tree numbers in your area. Trees are very important in releasing life saving gases and deforestation is playing a very negative role in our world today.

Fundamental FairWindsWeb.Com Ways  Author Nathalie Fiset.

What do you think could come in as more important to our basic human needs such as food, shelter, medicine, education or even the need for affection? There could be one issue that would predetermine everything that will transpire on the planet, and that is the planet’s condition. If the world were on the brink of destruction, saving it would be the priority of every single individual. And save it we must. Although the threat is still not at a life and death level, there is an alarming truth that there are several problems that are now bugging the place that we live in. Say hello to global warming. And try to say bye – stop global warming!

Global warming, which is also known as the greenhouse effect, has been here long before you or anybody else out there existed. It’s been here for thousands of years. And through those thousands of years, the earth’s temperature has increased, and so has the effects of global warming. Time magazine has actually coined this problem as a planetary emergency.

There are major solutions that have been done worldwide to cope, alleviate or altogether stop the effects of this major problem. But among these choices, the obvious choice that the human race is supposed to concentrate on is how to stop global warming. Since we have all contributed to the occurrence of global warming (in our own little ways), then we should also join forces in combating this dilemma.

1. Join organizations that promise to educate you about the effects of global warming and what you can do to put a stop to this problem. Be an activist on this matter. After all, everything begins with you.

2. The next step is to conserve energy. And yes, there are so many ways that an individual can save energy. Let’s list some here: car pooling, turning off appliances that are not in use; unplugging any electronic devices that are not in use; buying energy-efficient lamps; keeping the filters of your air-conditioning unit clean; taking a walk (instead of driving); turn off the faucet when enough water has been consumed; do not use appliances or products that release chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere (examples are hairsprays and refrigerators that have CFCs); use EEF appliances; start planting trees, etc. These are basic things that we have learned even from grade school and yet, tend to forget the most.

3. If you are a slave of your profession, then, cut on those work hours to help save energy. For every individual that would cut down an hour from his work, there would be millions worth of energy saved. Learn to maximize your time and to properly manage it. I guess you never imagined before that this could also stop global warming, huh?

4. Recycle. Need we elaborate on that?

5. Use environment-friendly fuels and vehicles. They may be a little bit more expensive but they do not contribute to pollution. Honda was the first to come up with a vehicle that is cell-powered, thus, there are no harmful emissions. If you cannot afford cell-powered vehicles just yet, you can opt for those that can run thirty miles in just a gallon of fuel. This way, carbon monoxide is greatly reduced.

6. If you can, harness the power of the sun, wind and water to generate electricity. There are equipments in the market that can be used to harness solar, wind or geothermal energy. These sources of energy are clean and reusable. If, again, you can’t afford to tap on the power of these sources, then, at least, choose an electric provider that does not pollute the environment by the use of fossil fuels.

7. Insulate your home to prevent excessive use of heaters. During summer, dress lightly to minimize the use of air-conditioning units.

Most people would argue that these, altogether, would not stop global warming. Well, maybe for now that is true. But with the collective efforts of each and everyone in the planet, and if everyone would be disciplined enough to care for environmental issues such as this, then even two degrees off the present global temperature would be such a major feat.

Eco Friendly FairWindsWeb.Com Ideas by Acline Wyle.

The office is one of the most effective and accessible places where you can go green and really make a difference. This is because oftentimes, one business uses an entire building and employs hundreds of people. Therefore, if everyone at the workplace began making more eco friendly choices, the positive impact would cause the entire company to save energy and save money.

The Benefits of Going Green in the Workplace

The amount of energy that is regularly wasted in any given business place would most likely shock you. Since energy wasted is money wasted, offices can really reap the economic benefits of going green because of how much money can be saved every month. For example, lighting is responsible for 10-20% of the lighting costs of commercial buildings. This means that even something as simple as switching to energy saving light bulbs can really cause a company to save a lot of money in the long run.

Carpooling is another great idea. I’m sure I don’t have to go into details about how expensive gas can be. This is especially true if you live in a metropolitan area such as Los Angeles where traffic is such a huge issue. By carpooling, not only does everyone save gas money, they also save time because they can use the carpool lane!

Another helpful suggestion is to recycle as often as possible. This really applies to big corporations that go through countless amounts of paper everyday. The great thing about recycling is that it can go both ways because you can recycle the ink and paper products in your office, and then you can go out and buy recycled products when you run out.

Global FairWindsWeb.Com Cooling by Brian H Campbell.

There is some global warming from vast amounts of anthropogenic or man made pollution. The industrial age brought about a lot of negative changes in the environment that are indisputable. Hot gasses entering the atmosphere for over a 100 years has caused a limited amount of climate change. Global cooling is a thorn in the side of those
who want to pass Cap and Trade legislation.

Sounds like I am totally in the global warming camp. Not so! People look at one side and do not give any credence to the other side of the debate. The Farmers Almanac has been predicting weather for a long time and they look at solar patterns, including sunspot activity as some of its major sources for their predicting model. Also, scientists from around the world are dissenting from the global warming side. Why? At least in part because there is convincing proof we are entering into a global cooling period. This global cooling period could last for ten years.

One of the strongest arguments given by climate change proponents is that ice cap melting and shrinking icebergs is solely the result of CO2 or other pollutants. If this were the only way ice melts than how come we are still not in the Ice Age? Natural cyclical weather changes is the answer. This proves that when we hear of icebergs melting or polar bears floating on ice it is not necessarily global warming that caused it. When the Ice Age ended the ice melted, therefore polar bears or other animals died in the process? Polar bear numbers are increasing in some parts of the world now and icebergs growing. Other areas there decreasing. This is how the cycles of weather have performed for centuries.

Is it possible global climate change could make icebergs melt faster? Yes, it is possible but why think icebergs never melted until now? This in a sense is what you are saying when cyclical weather changes are not considered when icebergs melt. Global warming is blamed for almost everything without taking other facts into account. Cyclical weather
changes is an indisputable fact while global warming needs much more study.