NAMEI POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 123 A.

MABINI STREET MANDALUYONG CITY

Why climate change is a concern to every citizen? In Partial Fulfillment for the requirement in ENGLISH IV (WORLD LITERATURE)

PREPARED BY: Danica F. Elvia

SUBMITTED TO: MS.JOAN B. VILLANUEVA

MARCH 2012

I.

Introduction

Climate change, its detrimental effects and the steps that should be taken by governments has long been a source for contention between Greenpeace societies and the various governmental units worldwide. Recent studies and research on the extent of these climate changes have determined the alarming severity of the problem and this has sparked further debate among national policy-makers and international bodies. What measures should be carried out by the executive sovereignty and how these actions vary from nation to nation based on population, wealth, economic strength and pollution index has become the subject of many a heated debate. However, the agreed upon foundation is that every government should contribute to avert, or failing that, lessen the impact climate change will have on mankind if left unchecked.

A. Background of the study Climate includes patterns of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and seasons. "Climate change" affects more than just a change in the weather, it refers to seasonal changes over a long period of time. These climate patterns play a fundamental role in shaping natural ecosystems, and the human economies and cultures that depend on them. Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water, and health risks. For example, a change in the usual timing of rains or temperatures can affect when plants bloom and set fruit, when insects hatch or when streams are their fullest. This can affect historically synchronized pollination of crops, food for migrating birds, spawning of fish, water supplies for drinking and irrigation, forest health, and more. Some short-term climate variation is normal, but longer-term trends now indicate a changing climate. A year or two of an extreme change in temperature or other condition doesnt mean a climate change trend has been "erased. Worldwide, people are paying serious attention to climate change. In Washington state, climate change is already disrupting our environment, economy and communities. We can help slow it down, but we must take action now. Terminology The most general definition of climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over long periods of time, regardless of cause. Accordingly, fluctuations over periods shorter than a few decades, such as El Nio, do not represent climate change.

The term sometimes is used to refer specifically to climate change caused by human activity, as opposed to changes in climate that may have resulted as part of Earth's natural processes. In this latter sense, used especially in the context of environmental policy, the termclimate change today is synonymous with anthropogenic global warming. Within scientific journals, however, global warming refers to surface temperature increases, while climate change includes global warming and everything else that increasing greenhouse gas amounts will affect.[ Causes Climate changes in response to changes in the global energy balance. On the broadest scale, the rate at which energy is received from the sun and the rate at which it is lost to space determine the equilibrium temperature and climate of Earth. This energy is then distributed around the globe by winds, ocean currents, and other mechanisms to affect the climates of different regions. Factors that can shape climate are called climate forcings or "forcing mechanisms".These include such processes as variations in solar radiation, deviations in the Earth's orbit, mountainbuilding and continental drift, and changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. There are a variety of climate change feedbacks that can either amplify or diminish the initial forcing. Some parts of the climate system, such as the oceans and ice caps, respond slowly in reaction to climate forcings, while others respond more quickly. Forcing mechanisms can be either "internal" or "external". Internal forcing mechanisms are natural processes within the climate system itself (e.g., the meridional overturning circulation). External forcing mechanisms can be either natural (e.g., changes in solar output) or anthropogenic (e.g., increased emissions of greenhouse gases). Whether the initial forcing mechanism is internal or external, the response of the climate system might be fast (e.g., a sudden cooling due to airborne volcanic ash reflecting sunlight), slow (e.g. thermal expansion of warming ocean water), or a combination (e.g., sudden loss ofalbedo in the arctic ocean as sea ice melts, followed by more gradual thermal expansion of the water). Therefore, the climate system can respond abruptly, but the full response to forcing mechanisms might not be fully developed for centuries or even longer. Internal forcing mechanisms Natural changes in the components of earth's climate system and their interactions are the cause of internal climate variability, or "internal forcings." Scientists generally define the five components of earth's climate system to

include Atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere,lithosphere (restricted to the surface soils, rocks, and sediments), and biosphere. Ocean variability The ocean is a fundamental part of the climate system, some changes in it occurring at longer timescales than in the atmosphere, massing hundreds of times more and having very high thermal inertia (such as the ocean depths still lagging today in temperature adjustment from the Little Ice Age) Short-term fluctuations (years to a few decades) such as the El Nio-Southern Oscillation, the Pacific decadal oscillation, the North Atlantic oscillation, and the Arctic oscillation, represent climate variability rather than climate change. On longer time scales, alterations to ocean processes such as thermohaline circulation play a key role in redistributing heat by carrying out a very slow and extremely deep movement ofwater, and the long-term redistribution of heat in the world's oceans. External forcing mechanisms Orbital variations Slight variations in Earth's orbit lead to changes in the seasonal distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface and how it is distributed across the globe. There is very little change to the area-averaged annually averaged sunshine; but there can be strong changes in the geographical and seasonal distribution. The three types of orbital variations are variations in Earth's eccentricity, changes in the tilt angle of Earth's axis of rotation, and precession of Earth's axis. Combined together, these produce Milankovitch cycles which have a large impact on climate and are notable for their correlation to glacial and interglacial periods, their correlation with the advance and retreat of the Sahara, and for their appearance in the stratigraphic record.[ The IPCC notes that Milankovitch cycles drove the ice age cycles; CO2 followed temperature change "with a lag of some hundreds of years"; and that as a feedback amplified temperature change. The depths of the ocean have a lag time in changing temperature (thermal inertia on such scale). Upon seawater temperature change, the solubility of CO2 in the oceans changed, as well as other factors impacting air-sea CO2 exchange. Solar output The sun is the predominant source for energy input to the Earth. Both long- and short-term variations in solar intensity are known to affect global climate. Three to four billion years ago the sun emitted only 70% as much power as it does today. If the atmospheric composition had been the same as today, liquid water should not have existed on

Earth. However, there is evidence for the presence of water on the early Earth, in theHadean and Archean eons, leading to what is known as the faint young Sun paradox. Hypothesized solutions to this paradox include a vastly different atmosphere, with much higher concentrations of greenhouse gases than currently exist. Over the following approximately 4 billion years, the energy output of the sun increased and atmospheric composition changed. The Great Oxygenation Event -oxygenation of the atmosphere- around 2.4 billion years ago was the most notable alteration. Over the next five billion years the sun's ultimate death as it becomes a red giant and then a white dwarf will have large effects on climate, with the red giant phase possibly ending any life on Earth that survives until that time. Solar output also varies on shorter time scales, including the 11-year solar cycle and longerterm modulations. Solar intensity variations are considered to have been influential in triggering the Little Ice Age, and some of the warming observed from 1900 to 1950. The cyclical nature of the sun's energy output is not yet fully understood; it differs from the very slow change that is happening within the sun as it ages and evolves. Research indicates that solar variability has had effects including the Maunder Minimum from 1645 to 1715 A.D., part of the Little Ice Age from 1550 to 1850 A.D. which was marked by relative cooling and greater glacier extent than the centuries before and afterward. Some studies point toward solar radiation increases from cyclical sunspot activity affecting global warming, and climate may be influenced by the sum of all effects (solar variation, anthropogenic radiative forcings, etc.). Interestingly, a 2010 study suggests, that the effects of solar variability on temperature throughout the atmosphere may be contrary to current expectations. In an Aug 2011 Press Release, CERN announced the publication in the Nature journal the initial results from its CLOUD experiment. The results indicate that ionisation from cosmic rays significantly enhances aerosol formation in the presence of sulphuric acid and water, but in the lower atmosphere where ammonia is also required, this is insufficient to account for aerosol formation and additional trace vapours must be involved. The next step is to find more about these trace vapours, including whether they are of natural or human origin. Volcanism Volcanic eruptions release gases and particulates into the atmosphere. Eruptions large enough to affect climate occur on average several times per century, and cause cooling (by partially blocking the transmission of solar radiation to the Earth's surface) for a period of a few years. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century affected the climate substantially. Global temperatures decreased by about 0.5 C (0.9 F). The eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 caused the Year Without a Summer. Much larger

eruptions, known as large igneous provinces, occur only a few times every hundred million years, but may cause global warming and mass extinctions. Volcanoes are also part of the extended carbon cycle. Over very long (geological) time periods, they release carbon dioxide from the Earth's crust and mantle, counteracting the uptake by sedimentary rocks and other geological carbon dioxide sinks. The US Geological Survey estimates are that volcanic emissions are at a much lower level than than the effects of current human activities, which generate 100-300 times the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by volcanoes. A review of published studies indicates that annual volcanic emissions of carbon dioxide, including amounts released from mid-ocean ridges, volcanic arcs, and hot spot volcanoes, are only the equivalent of 3 to 5 days of human caused output. The annual amount put out by human activities may be greater than the amount released by supererruptions, the most recent of which was the Toba eruption in Indonesia 74,000 years ago. Although volcanoes are technically part of the lithosphere, which itself is part of the climate system, the IPCC explicitly defines volcanism as an external forcing agent. Plate tectonics Over the course of millions of years, the motion of tectonic plates reconfigures global land and ocean areas and generates topography. This can affect both global and local patterns of climate and atmosphere-ocean circulation The position of the continents determines the geometry of the oceans and therefore influences patterns of ocean circulation. The locations of the seas are important in controlling the transfer of heat and moisture across the globe, and therefore, in determining global climate. A recent example of tectonic control on ocean circulation is the formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 5 million years ago, which shut off direct mixing between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This strongly affected the ocean dynamics of what is now the Gulf Stream and may have led to Northern Hemisphere ice cover. During the Carboniferous period, about 300 to 360 million years ago, plate tectonics may have triggered large-scale storage of carbon and increased glaciation. Geologic evidence points to a "megamonsoonal" circulation pattern during the time of the supercontinent Pangaea, and climate modeling suggests that the existence of the supercontinent was conducive to the establishment of monsoons. The size of continents is also important. Because of the stabilizing effect of the oceans on temperature, yearly temperature variations are generally lower in coastal areas than they are inland. A larger supercontinent will therefore have more area in which climate is strongly seasonal than will several smaller continents or islands.

Human influences In the context of climate variation, anthropogenic factors are human activities which affect the climate. The scientific consensus on climate change is "that climate is changing and that these changes are in large part caused by human activities,"and it "is largely irreversible." Physical evidence for and examples of climatic change Evidence for climatic change is taken from a variety of sources that can be used to reconstruct past climates. Reasonably complete global records of surface temperature are available beginning from the mid-late 19th century. For earlier periods, most of the evidence is indirect climatic changes are inferred from changes inproxies, indicators that reflect climate, such as vegetation, ice cores, dendrochronology, sea level change, and glacial geology. Temperature measurements and proxies The instrumental temperature record from surface stations was supplemented by radiosonde balloons, extensive atmospheric monitoring by the mid-20th century, and, from the 1970s on, with global satellite data as well. The 18O/16O ratio in calcite and ice core samples used to deduce ocean temperature in the distant past is an example of a temperature proxy method, as are other climate metrics noted in subsequent categories. Historical and archaeological evidence Climate change in the recent past may be detected by corresponding changes in settlement and agricultural patterns. Archaeologicalevidence, oral history and historical documents can offer insights into past changes in the climate. Climate change effects have been linked to the collapse of various civilizations Glaciers Glaciers are considered among the most sensitive indicators of climate change. Their size is determined by a mass balance between snow input and melt output. As temperatures warm, glaciers retreat unless snow precipitation increases to make up for the additional melt; the converse is also true. Glaciers grow and shrink due both to natural variability and external forcings. Variability in temperature, precipitation, and englacial and subglacial hydrology can strongly determine the evolution of a glacier in a particular season. Therefore, one must average over a decadal or longer time-scale and/or over a many individual glaciers to smooth out the local short-term variability and obtain a glacier history that is related to climate. A world glacier inventory has been compiled since the 1970s, initially based mainly on aerial photographs and maps but now relying more on satellites. This compilation tracks more than

100,000 glaciers covering a total area of approximately 240,000 km2, and preliminary estimates indicate that the remaining ice cover is around 445,000 km2. The World Glacier Monitoring Service collects data annually on glacier retreat and glacier mass balance From this data, glaciers worldwide have been found to be shrinking significantly, with strong glacier retreats in the 1940s, stable or growing conditions during the 1920s and 1970s, and again retreating from the mid 1980s to present. The most significant climate processes since the middle to late Pliocene (approximately 3 million years ago) are the glacial and interglacialcycles. The present interglacial period (the Holocene) has lasted about 11,700 years. Shaped by orbital variations, responses such as the rise and fall of continental ice sheets and significant sea-level changes helped create the climate. Other changes, including Heinrich events,DansgaardOeschger events and the Younger Dryas, however, illustrate how glacial variations may also influence climate without the orbital forcing. Glaciers leave behind moraines that contain a wealth of materialincluding organic matter, quartz, and potassium that may be datedrecording the periods in which a glacier advanced and retreated. Similarly, by tephrochronological techniques, the lack of glacier cover can be identified by the presence of soil or volcanic tephra horizons whose date of deposit may also be ascertained. Arctic sea ice loss The decline in Arctic sea ice, both in extent and thickness, over the last several decades is further evidence for rapid climate change. Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats on the ocean surface. It covers millions of square miles in the polar regions, varying with the seasons. In the Arctic, some sea ice remains year after year, whereas almost all Southern Ocean or Antarctic sea ice melts away and reforms annually. Satellite observations show that Arctic sea ice is now declining at a rate of 11.5 percent per decade, relative to the 1979 to 2000 average. Vegetation A change in the type, distribution and coverage of vegetation may occur given a change in the climate. Some changes in climate may result in increased precipitation and warmth, resulting in improved plant growth and the subsequent sequestration of airborne CO2. Larger, faster or more radical changes, however, may result in vegetation stress, rapid plant loss and desertification in certain circumstances. An example of this occurred during the Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse (CRC), an extinction event 300 million years ago. At this time vast rainforests covered the equatorial region of Europe and America. Climate change devastated these tropical rainforests, abruptly fragmenting the habitat into isolated 'islands' and causing the extinction of many plant and animal species.

Satellite data available in recent decades indicates that global terrestrial net primary production increased by 6% from 1982 to 1999, with the largest portion of that increase in tropical ecosystems, then decreased by 1% from 2000 to 2009. Pollen analysis Palynology is the study of contemporary and fossil palynomorphs, including pollen. Palynology is used to infer the geographical distribution of plant species, which vary under different climate conditions. Different groups of plants have pollen with distinctive shapes and surface textures, and since the outer surface of pollen is composed of a very resilient material, they resist decay. Changes in the type of pollen found in different layers of sediment in lakes, bogs, or river deltas indicate changes in plant communities. These changes are often a sign of a changing climate. As an example, palynological studies have been used to track changing vegetation patterns throughout the Quaternary glaciations and especially since thelast glacial maximum. Precipitation Past precipitation can be estimated in the modern era with the global network of precipitation gauges. Surface coverage over oceans and remote areas is relatively sparse, but, reducing reliance on interpolation, satellite data has been available since the 1970s. Quantification of climatological variation of precipitation in prior centuries and epochs is less complete but approximated using proxies such as marine sediments, ice cores, cave stalagmites, and tree rings. Climatological temperatures substantially affect precipitation. For instance, during the Last Glacial Maximum of 18,000 years ago, thermal-driven evaporation from the oceans onto continental landmasses was low, causing large areas of extreme desert, including polar deserts (cold but with low rates of precipitation). In contrast, the world's climate was wetter than today near the start of the warm Atlantic Period of 8000 years ago. Estimated global land precipitation increased by approximately 2% over the course of the 20th century, though the calculated trend varies if different time endpoints are chosen, complicated byENSO and other oscillations, including greater global land precipitation in the 1950s and 1970s than the later 1980s and 1990s despite the positive trend over the century overall. Similar slight overall increase in global river runoff and in average soil moisture has been perceived. Dendroclimatology Dendroclimatology is the analysis of tree ring growth patterns to determine past climate variations.Wide and thick rings indicate a fertile, well-watered growing period, whilst thin, narrow rings indicate a time of lower rainfall and less-than-ideal growing conditions.

Ice cores Analysis of ice in a core drilled from a ice sheet such as the Antarctic ice sheet, can be used to show a link between temperature and global sea level variations. The air trapped in bubbles in the ice can also reveal the CO2 variations of the atmosphere from the distant past, well before modern environmental influences. The study of these ice cores has been a significant indicator of the changes in CO2 over many millennia, and continues to provide valuable information about the differences between ancient and modern atmospheric conditions. Animals Remains of beetles are common in freshwater and land sediments. Different species of beetles tend to be found under different climatic conditions. Given the extensive lineage of beetles whose genetic makeup has not altered significantly over the millennia, knowledge of the present climatic range of the different species, and the age of the sediments in which remains are found, past climatic conditions may be inferred. Similarly, the historical abundance of various fish species has been found to have a substantial relationships with observed climatic conditions Changes in the primary productivity of autotrophs in the oceans can affect marine food webs. Sea level change Global sea level change for much of the last century has generally been estimated using tide gauge measurements collated over long periods of time to give a long-term average. More recently,altimeter measurements in combination with accurately determined satellite orbits have provided an improved measurement of global sea level change. To measure sea levels prior to instrumental measurements, scientists have dated coral reefs that grow near the surface of the ocean, coastal sediments, marine terraces, ooids in limestones, and nearshore archaeological remains. The predominant dating methods used are uranium series and radiocarbon, with cosmogenic radionuclides being sometimes used to date terraces that have experienced relative sea level fall.

B. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Why is climate change a concern? All across the world and in our state, people are taking action because climate change has serious impacts, locally and globally. For example, in 2007, scientists from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted that warming oceans and melting glaciers due to global warming and climate change could cause sea levels to rise 7-23 inches by the year 2100.

Worldwide, densely populated coastal communities and infrastructure that supports them would be affected (such as city buildings and homes, roads, ports and wastewater treatment plants). Some would be flooded or more vulnerable to storm damage. In flat terrain, the shoreline could move many miles inland. Other effects are also serious. In some places, floods and/or drought could become more frequent and more severe. Even seemingly less dramatic local changes in temperature, precipitation and soil moisture could severely impact many things important to human life and all life around us, including:
y y y y y y y

natural ecosystems agriculture and food supplies human health forestry water resources and availability energy use transportation

Many people are concerned that we are losing time to make a difference. Climate change and its effects may be irreversible. Life could become very difficult for some populationsplant, animal and human. Species, cultures, resources and many lives could be lost. What causes climate change and global warming? This question has been debated a lot, because climate change can be due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC 2007) and because the climate system is very complex. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is due to human activities. Ice cores taken from deep in ancient ice of Antarctica show that carbon dioxide levels are higher now than at any time in the past 650,000 years. More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere means warming temperatures. In its 2007 report to the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that it is more than 90 percent likely that the accelerated warming of the past 50-60 years is due to human contributions. These contributions include increased levels of heat-trapping gases (a.k.a. greenhouse gases) such as carbon dioxide in the Earths atmosphere. One of the biggest ways people contribute to greenhouse gases is by burning fossil fuels. We use coal, oil, and natural gas to generate electricity, heat our homes, power our factories, and run our cars. Changing land use patterns contribute, too. Trees and other plants use carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. When trees are cut down for development, agriculture, and other purposes, theyre no longer available to take carbon dioxide out of the air, and actually release carbon dioxide as they decay or burn.

As the levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases increase, more heat is trapped and global temperatures rise. This causes significant changes in the timing and length of the seasons as well as the amount and frequency of precipitation. (IPCC 2007) Is climate change really happening? Yes. In February 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported to the United Nations that the Earths climate system is undoubtedly getting warmer. According to the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington, the average annual temperature in the Pacific Northwest rose by 1.5 F in the 20th century and is expected to rise 0.5 F per decade in the first half of the 21st century. The graph below shows the global annual temperature change since 1880. Even with variation over the years, the general trend is clearly upward. Some cooler temperatures in recent years have prompted people to ask if there is now a global cooling trend, but as the graph shows, even several years of cooling doesnt mean a long-term warming trend is over.

The land-ocean temperature index combines data on air temperatures over land with data on sea surface temperatures. (Mean is the midpoint between the highest and lowest.) The black line shows the annual changes; the red line tracks 5-year periods. Source: NASA Goddard institute for Space Studies. (January 11, 2008) Although specific, individual events cant be directly linked to global warming, the IPCC has noted many indications of climate change around the world:
y

Retreating mountain glaciers on all continents

y y y y

Thinning ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic Rising sea level about 6-7 inches in the 20th century More frequent heavy precipitation events (rainstorms, floods or snowstorms) in many areas More intense and longer droughts over wider areas, especially in the tropics and subtropics C. Significance of the study

Are humans responsible for the destruction of their habitat known as Mother Nature? Humanmade pollution is evident; from litter in local streams to plumes of carbon dense smoke billowing out of power plants, it has become apparent sustainability is not a priority. In addition, our resources are being used and abused much faster than the earth can replenish and recover. Recently, this abuse of Mother Nature has become a topic of great interest. Known as the green movement, advocates stress awareness of waste and pollution and its effect on the environment. The most publicized consequence of our non-earth friendly actions is global warming. This theory is blindly adopted with little scientific evidence because it justifies the worlds need to go green. When the overwhelming facts concerning greenhouse gasses, and the sheer amount of waste humans produce is taken into account, there is no wonder global warming is justified in peoples minds. Although human induced global warming is a popular theory, it is misleading because climate change has occurred throughout history, our most recent period of warming ended over ten years ago, and the earth is currently in a state of cooling. Climate change is nothing new. In the life span of the earth, a climate where humans could and have inhabited the planet are mere smudges on its climate time-line. Starting with the big bang over 13.7 billion years ago, the earth has experienced cycles of hot flashes and freezing spells (Sorokhtin, Chilingar, and Khilyuk, 2007, p. 2). As recently as 650 million years ago the earth was frozen solid. This period of 10 million years is known as snowball earth. After this period, volcanoes began to erupt producing greenhouse gasses which warmed the earth. Over the next 400 million years, global temperatures rose and fell allowing for small life forms to succeed. Plants, cold-blooded animals, and insects did well during this time (Hulme, 2009). Then, quite suddenly, there was a mass extinction. Over 95% of the earths species died due to flood basalt eruptions lasting for one million years. The earths temperatures rose an impressive 18 degrees F due to a 700% increase in carbon dioxide during this time. It then took 195 billion years for the blanket of carbon dioxide to dissipate and the earth to cool (Khler, Bintanja, Fischer, Joos, Knutti, Lohmann, and Masson-Delmotte, 2010). The time spans of these major climatic events far surpass any current data time frames. Compared to a human life span, the earth moves at a snails pace. Any temperature fluctuations observed are not significant enough. At 55 million years ago another 20 degrees F increase occurred due to increased methane gas. Over the next 40 million years, temperatures continued to fluctuate, allowing for the polar ice

caps to expand and retreat. Since, the climate has stayed relatively stable with an ice age occurring in between. When temperatures warmed, woolly mammoths and other mega mammals that thrived during the ice age could not survive, while humans were able to adapt (Marsh, 2007). However, it would be naive to think climate change would miraculously come to a stop on behalf of human inhabitation. The above-mentioned changes had drastic effects on the earth. Recently there have been less drastic, though still noticeable, climate fluctuations. The most recognized examples of modern climate change are known as the Medieval Warming Period and the Little Ice Age. The Medieval Warming Period (MWP) took place between 800 and 1300 AD, and consisted of temperatures up to 5 degrees F warmer than today. It is the most recent phase of warming before the industrial era. These temperatures played a huge role in history, as it was what partially allowed the Vikings to colonize Greenland. Although it is currently being debated, this period of warmth could have been global (Qlan, Burns, Solomon, and Roble, 2009). If so, the slightly elevated temperatures seen over the last thirty years would not be unprecedented. In fact, they would be quite normal and expected. Following the MWP was the Little Ice Age (LIA). This period consisted of three consecutive cold spikes with slightly warmer periods in between. These spikes occurred at about 1650, 1770, and 1850 AD and are well documented in North America and Europe. As with the MWP, it is debatable whether these were global events (Mathews, Weaver, Meissner, Gillett, and Eby, 2004). At this time the sun was virtually free of sunspot activity. A correlation between temperature and sun spot activity known as the Maunder Minimum developed with help from observations from that time (Trenberth, 2009). Not only do these historical events contradict the current theory of human-made global warming, the research gained from these events brings to light other justification for naturally occurring climate change. The justification being that it just happens. There are many scientific explanations for what causes temperature fluctuations such as sun spot activity however, what reduces or increases the amount of sun spots themselves is unknown. There is no doubt the earth has, and will continue to experience periods of warming. Our most recent period began in the 1900s and lasted through the year 2000. This warmth can be accredited to a sun that was the brightest it has been in over a 1,000 years (Michaelowa, 2009). This increase in brightness did not happen over night; instead it was a result of over 100 years of activity. This increased brightness is due to sunspots. It is not clear as to the correlation between sunspots and climate change, however a rough assumption is that the more sun spots there are, the brighter it is, and therefore more heat is produced (Melezhik, 2006). In addition, sunspots create a magnetic cycle that has been found to correlate with the Northern Hemisphere land temperatures (Global Warming, 2004). The important thing of note is the date attached to the above data. At this time the earth was in fact warming. Since the early 2000s, data has shown the earth is once again cooling. According to NASA, sunspots are on the decline: out of the 365 calendar days in 2008, 266 where sunspot free. This was thought to be an all time low since 1913, however an awesome

87% of the days of 2009 were sunspot free. The graph accompanying the article depicts a peak in solar activity right around 2000, with a sharp decline predicted through 2012 (Deep, 2009). So far, this activity chart mimics that of the observed temperature fluctuations. The current lull in activity also allowing scientists to better understand what a deep solar minimum is like first hand. Other studies have found similar evidence. In the journal Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects a study was published analyzing the affects of carbon dioxide and the atmosphere. The scientists concluded the short-term temperature variances scientists have observed over the past 100 years cannot be accredited to fluctuations in carbon dioxide. Instead they are positively matched with sun spot activity Chilingar, Khilyuk, and Sorokhtin, 2008). The recent cooling and previous period of warming are considered short-term temperature changes, and cannot be cited for significant data. However, events such as the Little Ice Age have more historical bearing. Five hundred years is a much more substantial duration of time yet still trivial in comparison to the earths first ice age of one million years. As the worlds reliance on fossil fuels increases, so do the byproducts of consumerism. Ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses are being admitted into the atmosphere as more cars are on the road and more energy is being produced. According to computer simulations, the earths temperature should have increased 1.8 degrees F over the last 100 years based on the amount of carbon dioxide being released. This has not been the case however. Fluctuations have been smaller, staying with in .5 of a degree (Baliunas, 1999). Previously, carbon dioxide billowing out of volcanoes was responsible for drastic temperature changes. At times the earth was more than 20 degrees F warmer than it is now. This is poor support for global warming theorists, the volcanic eruptions responsible for the warming occurred over the course of thousands of years. These endless eruptions covered the majority of the earth in molten lava (Marsh, 2007). This scene is unfathomable for humans, and is in no way comparable to the current levels of carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere. The current levels of carbon dioxide are approximately 390 parts per million. This number has increased over the years, however when compared to other levels in history it is not alarming. During the Triassic Period, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, these low levels would have resulted in a much earlier extinction. Carbon dioxide is plant food, an abundance of it, approximately 1,560 to 1950 ppm, resulted in robust vegetation for these large animals to devour (Diffenbaugh, 2009). Humans know the benefits of this gas as well. Many botanists swear talking to their plants is the key to health. Though the plants cannot hear, they are very happy to absorb the carbon dioxide given off during the action of talking. It is clear there is little concrete scientific evidence to support, or deny global warming. What can be confirmed is that climate change is inevitable. Some studies have gone as far as to say the increase in carbon dioxide leads to cooling, not warming. This conclusion has a simple physical explanation: when infrared radiation is absorbed by green house gas molecules the air expands which causes circular fluxes of air masses restoring the temperature in the

troposphere. The small amount of carbon dioxide released into the air by humans is not enough to influence the atmospheric temperature of the Earth (Cooling of Atmosphere, 2008). If this subject is studied further and found to be true, there is no doubt a wrench will be thrown in this crucial argument. With compelling, yet questionable evidence for those who agree and disagree with the theory of global warming, there is no doubt that the debate will continue as more research is preformed and time goes on. Dr. Bell believes global warming is the greatest ruse known to modern science. It is debatable how the rumor became so large with such little evidence, however it is quite clear the opposite would be a much greater threat. Food, people and animals can survive in extreme heat with food and water; the same does not go for life in extreme cold. The essentials to life: food and water would be locked away under ice, crops unable to grow and animals unable to eat (Bell, 2007). This is a much scarier thought for humans to comprehend. Some scientists even feel this is one of the reasons global cooling research is so heavily scrutinized and disclaimed. It is apparent the prevailing research and theories on the subject are not willing to be challenged. There is no question global warming is a complex issue, however it is nothing new. Throughout history, extreme climate has been normal. Regardless of what human kind has done by way of contamination, the earth will continue about its climate cycles without batting an eye. Human life is a fluke, developed from ideal conditions in an inhabitable environment. Humans are but insignificant guests in this world who have failed to respect their hostess. They have polluted and contaminated the environment, but the earth will power on. The current climate fluctuations are not significant enough for one to use to draw conclusions. Be it another ice age or incinerating heat, the tectonic plates will shift, the volcanoes will erupt, and over millions of years people will be but a memory. However, humans are the earths current inhabitants. To continue to live, sustainability must be kept in mind. Research is contradictory on the subject of climate change; however, there is no denying that the earth is its own entity, unbound by the actions of humans. Humans are but innocent bystanders of earths natural climate change.

D. Conceptual framework

E. Outline of the study I. Introduction A. background of the study b. statement of the problem c. significance of the study d. conceptual framework e. outline of the study f. scope and limitations II. review related literature III. Result and discussion IV. Summary V. Conclusion VI. Recommendation VII. Bibliography

F. Scope and limitations y covers a wide range of potential impacts of climate change. It addresses the implications of global warming, sea-level rise, changed precipitation and evaporation and stratospheric ozone depletion for human settlement, which includes housing and infrastructure, and for the energy, transport and industrial sectors. It also covers the likely impacts of global warming and stratospheric ozone depletion on human health and air quality, and the potential overall impact on human health and natural systems of increased levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation reaching the earth's surface as a result of depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer.

Evaluating scientific predictions of global climate change is the responsibility of Working Group I. At present there are substantial scientific uncertainties about the nature and magnitude of climatic changes that might result from an effective doubling of CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. However, it is necessary to make some assumptions about changes in climate in order to assess potential impacts which are due to these changes. The general types of changes that serve as a basis for the impacts assessments are described below. They are not intended to be definitive. The assessments in each section of this report summarise studies in the literature that are based on varying assumptions about climate change; those assumptions are generally described for each study cited. Many impact assessments are based on projections of a particular General Circulation Model (GCM) for long-term equilibrium conditions due to an equivalent CO2 doubling in radiative forcing, while others assume a particular change in temperature, precipitation, or other variables. Owing to the large heat capacity of the oceans, full realisation of equilibrium temperature increase associated with a radiative forcing is expected to be delayed a number of years.

G. Review related literature

Climate change news, articles and information: Global warming scam perpetuated by government, industry, and Wall Street - and taxpayers have been footing the bill! 10/19/2011 - For over 20 years, the dogma of man-made global warming has been trumping sound science and even basic logic. The result has been a global movement of pseudoscientific alarmism about climate change that seeks to solve it with scams like global carbon taxes. But a simple visual chart put together...

Earth Shaking instead of Shaking Earth 7/23/2011 - The quake in Japan that caused the Fukushima disaster caused a rift 15 miles below the sea floor that stretched 186 miles long and 93 miles wide moving the areas closest to the epicenter of the quake a full 13 feet closer to the United States, geophysicist Ross Stein at the United States Geological...

Climate Change Skeptics Rebuffed: Cosmic Rays Have No Link to Cloud Formation on Earth 10/9/2008 - Cosmic rays do not appear to have any effect on the world's climate, researchers at a meeting of the European Geosciences Union have reported, dealing a blow to climate change skeptics. Some climate change deniers have

said that if the mean temperatures of the planet are rising, it is not due to...

Climate Change Causes Global Wheat Shortage, Food Price Hikes 9/3/2008 - Droughts caused by global climate change have led to a drop in wheat production, a worldwide shortage and high food prices around the world. The global wheat supply is at its lowest point in 50 years, with only an estimated 10 weeks of supply left. This has been one factor pushing the prices of bread,...

U.S. Southwest to go Dry as Climate Change Spurs Drought 8/26/2008 - Global warming will cause rainfall and water supplies in the West to drop drastically in the next 25 to 50 years, especially in the Southwest, according to a new report by the U.S. government. The new study focused on the next 50 years, in which changes in the emissions of greenhouse gases will not...

Urgent Carbon Emissions Cuts Needed to Save Earth From Climate Change Disaster, Warn Scientists 6/29/2008 - Preventing irreversible climate disaster will require carbon dioxide emissions reductions big enough not only to prevent the atmosphere's carbon load from increasing, but to allow the amount of carbon in the atmosphere to actually decrease, according to a warning issued by scientists at the 2007 meeting...

Earthquake and Cyclone Victims: How Can We Help End Suffering Now and In the Future? 5/16/2008 - I've struggled all week with the question of how I can best help the victims of the recent natural disasters that have devastated populations in China and Myanmar. It is not a simple matter to ponder. How can people in North America (or other western nations) offer remote help to those who live in regions...

Future of Humanity at Risk from Climate Change, Warns United Nations 4/15/2008 - The United Nations has issued a report warning that global climate change and other environmental destruction is rapidly pushing the planet's life support systems past the point of no return. The U.N. Environment Program referred to the fourth Global Environmental Outlook report as "the final wake-

up...

The Sun Isn't the Cause of Earth's Sudden Climate Change, Conclude Scientists 12/26/2007 - Changes in solar output cannot be the cause of recent global warming trends, according to a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series A. The study was spurred in part by "The Great Global Warming Swindle," the TV documentary that featured a hypothesis that increased solar radiation...

Corporate Greed, Intellectual Property Laws and the Destruction of Human Civilization 10/5/2007 - Did you know that if you have children you are an international criminal? You have violated intellectual property laws by infringing on the copyrights of companies that have been granted patents on the human genome. You have replicated that gene sequence by having children without the permission of...

Coming global warming will cause climate zone migration, species extinction 9/5/2007 - By the year 2100, global warming likely will cause the extinction of numerous species by eliminating the climate zones in which they are able to live, according to study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy Of Sciences. Using data and scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on...

How to better prepare yourself and your family against climate change, natural disasters and the post-oil economy (opinion) 7/20/2007 - I've been a proponent of personal preparedness for many years. "Preparedness" simply means having some backup supplies on hand to help you get through unexpected events or hard times, and over the last decade, we've seen numerous examples of why preparedness is so important: Hurricane Katrina, power...

Earth changes, nature's backlash and lessons yet to be learned by humans (opinion) 3/12/2007 - With modern humans engaged in highly destructive behaviors

towards nature (pollution, toxic chemicals production, CO2 emissions, abuse of animals, use of Roundup herbicides, etc.), did you ever wonder what nature would do to humans if it had the chance? In a recent CounterThink cartoon called "Human...

American Enterprise Institute allegedly offers bribes to scientists for disputing UN climate change report 2/15/2007 - According to the Guardian, the ExxonMobil-funded think tank known as the American Enterprise Institute sent letters to scientists and economists offering them $10,000 to undermine a major climate change report from the United Nations. The fourth UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report...

UN report: global warming caused by human activity 2/6/2007 - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) met Friday to unveil the first in a series of long anticipated reports on global climate change. Following the IPCC Working Group I reports unveiling at the Paris headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,...

UN panel set to release anticipated report on global climate change 1/31/2007 - Representatives of the international scientific community met Monday in Paris to commence a weeklong conference on global climate change, the climax of which will be reached Friday when a comprehensive United Nations report will be released. The report, authored by the Intergovernmental Panel on...

Rumors of reversal in White House's climate change policy false, say officials 1/22/2007 - President Bush issued a statement that has made many heads turn, sparking conjecture that the White House was poised for an about-face in their deregulatory energy and emissions policy. The White House has since fervently insisted that no such changes are being considered. The statement came Saturday...

Scientists find evidence that global warming could be causing an "evolution explosion"

1/22/2007 - If a species of weed that has adapted to climate change within just a few generations is any indicator, the hotly debated phenomenon of global warming could be causing rapid evolutionary shifts, according to a study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ecology professor...

Survey finds Europeans more concerned about climate change than Americans 1/17/2007 - According to a poll conducted by news channel France 24 for the television show, "Le Talk of Paris," more Europeans reported being concerned with climate change than Americans. In the survey, about 2,000 people were surveyed in six countries, reported polling agency Novatris. The agency also reported...

Radical weather patterns devastate California crops, endanger residents with rare freeze 1/16/2007 - Millions of dollars worth of California crops were devastated Friday when an arctic cold snap hit the state, even in areas where such weather is rare, such as Montclair and Chino. A freeze watch was issued by the National Weather Service for the Santa Monica mountains and the San Fernando, San Gabriel...

By 2040, there will be no ice left at the North Pole, scientists predict 12/19/2006 - A study published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal this week indicated that the Arctic pole could go from winter wonderland to warm water in a little over 30 years. Currently, Earth's North Pole is already warmer than the South Pole because it lies at sea-level in the middle of an ocean....

Small-scale nuclear war could devastate global environment for years, researchers say 12/18/2006 - The environmental impacts of a nuclear war -- nuclear winter, decades of radiation fallout -- are terrifying enough, but a team of researchers concluded today that even a small-scale, regional nuclear war could vastly disrupt the global climate for a decade or longer. "Considering the relatively...

Global warming already impacting monsoons, crop production in India 12/4/2006 - The quantity of monsoons in India has increased in the last 50

years, and for some, the monsoon rains can be seen as either a huge advantage or an equally large disadvantage. Although the average rainfall amount has not increased, the number of heavier monsoons has increased since the 1950s. Researchers...

H. Result and discussions

Are climate change and global warming the same thing? Not exactly, but theyre closely related, and some people use the terms interchangeably. Global warming causes climates to change. "Global warming" refers to rising global temperatures, while climate change includes other more specific kinds of changes, too. Warmer global temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans leads to climate changes affecting rainfall patterns, storms and droughts, growing seasons, humidity, and sea level. Also, while global warming is planet-wide, climate change can refer to changes at the global, continental, regional and local levels. Even though a warming trend is global, different areas around the world will experience different specific changes in their climates, which will have unique impacts on their local plants, animals and people. A few areas might even get cooler rather than warmer. What are greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect? The greenhouse effect occurs as a result of greenhouse gases trapping the suns heat and keeping it close to the earth. Anyone who has parked a closed car in the sun for a few hours on a summer day has experienced something like the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect refers to how gases in the earths atmosphere naturally keep the earth warm, similar to how a greenhouse keeps plants warm, hence the name. The earths natural greenhouse effect keeps it about 60 degrees warmer than it would be otherwise. This enables us to live comfortably on earth. (NOAA)

Although many greenhouse gases occur naturally, human activities have increased their levels and added new ones. Greenhouse gases of concern include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Scientists say that increased levels of these gases are contributing to climate change. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but human activity isnt considered a direct cause of changes in its concentration. However, a warming atmosphere can trigger changes in water vapor levels. (NOAA) Some examples of activities that contribute to greenhouse gas levels:
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Burning fossil fuels oil, gasoline, gas and coal Industrial processes and mining Landfills, septic and sewer systems Agricultural practices, including fertilizer and manure management Land use practices, including deforestation

How is weather different from climate?

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Weather can change from hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and season-to-season. It may rain for an hour and then become sunny and clear. Weather is what we hear about on the television news every night. It includes wind, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloudiness, sunshine and precipitation. Climate is the average weather for a particular region over a long time period. Climate describes the total of all weather occurring over a long period of years in a given place. This includes average weather conditions, regular weather seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall), and special weather events (like tornadoes and floods). Climate tells us what it's usually like in the place where you live. Historically, San Diego is known to have a mild climate, New Orleans a humid climate, Buffalo a snowy climate, and Seattle a rainy climate. A simple way of remembering the difference is that 'climate' is what you expect (cool, wet winters) and 'weather' is what you get (a foggy morning with afternoon sunshine). How is climate change different from ozone?

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Climate change, caused by global warming, is a different problem than the ozone hole. The ozone hole is a thinning of the stratosphere's ozone layer, which is roughly 9 to 31 miles above the earth's surface. The depletion of this ozone layer is due to man-made chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). A thinner ozone layer lets more harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation reach the earth's surface. This problem is now slowly improving since countries around the world agreed to stop manufacturing and using CFCs, an international agreement called the Montreal Protocol. Global warming, on the other hand, is the increase in the earth's average temperature due to the buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activities. Global warming is causing climate change. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was the initial effort to curb greenhouse gas production. Although many countries have agreed to the Kyoto Protocol, a remaining few, including the United States, have yet to ratify it. However, more than 400 cities in the United States, home to over 66 million people, have committed to the Kyoto goals.

I.

Summary Global warming is also known as the green house effect, is a topic that has received much attention, in recent years; yet our Climate change is not a recent problem. Every year, almost 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere by human activity. Global warming is in the earth's upper atmosphere directly caused by human burning of fossil, fuels, industrial, farming, and deforestation. Every year we see natural disasters that are extremely powerful. For example, In April of 2011, the country of Japan was hard hit by an earthquake that took the lives of thousands of people. If we ignore the fact now the result could be catastrophic. As humans, we all have our own opinions, but the problem of global warming should not be debated: it should be solved. The problem on Global warming has been unsolvable in the last 30 years, but modern day researchers have found various remedies to the problem that we as humans have inflicted on the earth. A phenomenon (otherwise known as 'Climate change of the green house effect') whereby solar radiation that has reflected back of the surface of the earth remains trapped at atmosphere levels, due to the build-up of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses, rather than being emitted back into space. The effect of this is a warming of the global atmosphere. People that don't believe in Global warming say that there is no sciencetific proof that earth's temperature is rising. Evidently they never read up on the greenhouse effect. The earth's atmosphere has mix of Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon Dioxide. It means that this mixture is delicate balance that makes the temperature on earth proper for plant and animal life. Global warming is indeed a scan, perpetrated by scientists with vested interests, but in need of crash courses on Geology, logic and philosophy of science. Therefore claiming that global warming is bad, don't really know even know if it really is as bad as they say it is.

When considering Global warming, it is first important to know how recently statistics. Global warming has been caused by the people of the world. Many things have happened as a result. Since the beginning of 20th century, the average surface temperature has increased by 1.1 degree Celsius. Just in the past 40 years. It has risen by a half of a degree. As of now the global sea level is rising three times faster than in the last hundred years when compared to the last three thousand years. This doesn't sound like much right away but any change in temperature causes melting to the polar ice caps. If they continue to melt, the sea level could start to rise dramatically. Furthermore, it is a fact that the average rice in temperature globally is 1.1 degree. The starting fact is that parts of Alaska, Canada, and Northern Russia. They have experienced a rise in temperature by 5 degree Fahrenheit. This means that they are in the Northern hemisphere where there is less water. Less water means less of the new found heat is being taken away be the vast ocean. These gasses are adding up everyday. In 1987 "Carbon Dioxide reached 340 parts per million" and "in the 1999 360 ppm". It is estimated that in 2050 the carbon dioxide count will be 600 ppm.This is at the point in which the global temperature would be "higher than it has ever been and will cause serious problems" unlike the warning sign we are experiencing currently. Clearly the recently statistics demonstrate that global warming has been effected in the world. We have properly talked about how global warming effect to our earth already. Another thing we should have talked in how to help to reduce the gasses on our earth. Building green homes is important both economical wise and environmental, not only do you help reduce pollution, but making your home energy-efficiently will help you reduce your bill. We can take charge in our own homes to start modifying energy usage. The CFL bulb works the same way as the regular one but making your home energy-efficient energy. This can mean as little as replacing the regular light blub to super-efficient compact fluorescent lights CFLs would be perfect in your house. The most important things in 21 century are home improvement or remodeling. Home improving can mean selecting newer appliances such as air-conditioners, furnaces, water heaters, and refrigerators. Furthermore, after remodeling or replacing the old product to energy-efficient appliances, it is always good idea take care of the huge important forclimate as transportation. Transport is responsible for nearly one quarter of greenhouse gas emission world wide, is important but staring 1970 it had increased rapidly worldwide. There are many ways to help reduce the vehicles that are on the road, for every person who drives fuel-efficient cars, car pull, or uses public transportations would be as consider environmental friendlybecause it reduces polluting the atmosphere. J. Conclusion The world needs to think of how the climate is changing the food supply of the Earth. The climate is doing some really bad things to the earth. The atmosphere is also not in good shape because of climate change. Humans now need to think of how climate change is

affecting people. Climate change is affecting the food supply of the world. The climate change is rapidly affecting the Earth. The Greenhouse gases are what is really messing up are world food supply and what is messing up our earth. Global Warming is causing concerns because of its high content in the atmosphere already.Because of global warming the earth is going down hill fast. We the people need to step up and take part in the fight against greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are what are leading to climate change, and climate change is what is leading to the depletion of the world food supply. Because of rising greenhouse gases, by the year 2060 the temperature will rise 12 degrees (Pittock 1). We have to use more fertilizer instead of chemical fertilizers. Natural fertilizers arent harmful to the environment. Scientists think that if we are lucky the populations will only double in the next 66 years (Roach 3). Although we will still have to increase the Wicker Page 3 demand for food. Between 1989 and 1990 the crops increased by 60 percent (Pittock 4). Between these two years we have increased farm machinery by 4.7 times what it was before (Pittock 4). And we gave increased electricity by 5.1 times what it was before (Pittock 4). The climate change is affecting our atmosphere and a lot of people dont know that. There are lots of pollutants in the atmosphere but the two that are important in global warming and climate change are carbon dioxide and CFCs. Between those two, carbon dioxide ranks number one pollutant in the atmosphere. CFCs are bad too, but not nearly as bad as carbon dioxide. CFCs quicken global warming (Weier 1). Greenhouse gases consist of carbon dioxide mainly and that is why we need to get rid of greenhouse gases all together. Believe it or not climate change affects people too. Global warming and pollution affects peoples breathing. Lately people with asthma have had a hard tine breathing because of global warming and pollution. Doctors have had more asthma patients in this year then in any year (Weier 2). So now what do you people think of global warming and pollution? The green revolution was largely based on increased energy in the form of irrigation, mechanization, fertilizers, and pesticides. Wicker Page 4 So far the production yields in crops are negative in the low latitude countries because of climate change. Natural fertilizer helps crops by 22 percent where as chemical fertilizers help a little better than that but they are harmful to the soil. Climate change can affect rainfall intensity, weather extremes, pests, and diseases. Studies have shown that Sub Saharan Africa will get the worst of global climate change and pollution. Also studies show that food production will have to grow 2 percent every year to sustain the food supply (Roach 1). Scientists state that this is possible. The world food supply is changing and the population needs to think about how to stop this from happening. Changing climate is changing our earth. As the

climate is changing so is the world food supply. There is a high content of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. People need to use natural fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers. We need to increase the demand for food. Climate change affects people too. The Green Revolution was based on the mechanics of farming. Climate change affects weather patterns too. Food production must increase 2 percent ever year to keep up with the population of the world.

K. Recommendation To prevent climate change, you will have to do your part and learn to live a green life. Electricity, automobiles, and all carbon emissions are the main causes of climate change. Follow these steps to learn ways you can helpprevent climate change, often called global warming. Step 1: A very simple way to save some energy is by changing all of your regularincandescent light bulbs with a compact fluorescent light bulb which are more efficient. Step 2: To prevent climate change, unplug electronics when not in use. A small amount of electricity is used even when a device is not on but still plugged in. Step 3: Remove yourself from mailing lists to save on paper. Step 4: Reduce emissions from your automobile by tuning up your car, inflating your tires, and taking it easy on the brake and gas while driving. Step 5: To prevent climate change, wash your clothes in cold or warm water instead of hot water. This can save you 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year. Step 6: Turn off your lights and televisions when you leave a room. In the summer keep the shades open and try not to turn on the lights until nighttime. It is now a habit of mine to not turn lights on at all during the summer days. It is reducing my electric bill and protecting the environment. Step 7: To prevent climate change, start recycling plastic bottles instead of just throwing them away. You can also recycle paper, like newspapers. Always make sure you recycle cans and glass bottles also. Some states charge you 5 or 10 cents a bottle or can which youll get back with you return them. Step 8: Use a clothesline to dry your clothes instead of a dryer. 700 pounds of carbon dioxide can be saved for half a year of air drying.

Step 9: When getting ready to buy a new car, check into any hybrids being offered. The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic hybrids are among the most fuel efficient cars offered as of right now. Step 10: Some small things you could do are: limit your time in the shower, plant a tree once a month, install low flow shower heads and sink faucets in your home, and wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket. Step 11: Buying locally grown food will support your local market and reduce transportation costs to transport goods from other states and/or countries. Buy fresh foods because frozen foods take 10 times more energy to produce. Step 12: More major steps could include switching to solar energy or wind energy. Step 13: To prevent climate change, move your thermostat up 2 degrees in the summer and down 2 degrees in the winter. You can save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. Programmable thermostats can lower heat at night and raise it in the morning automatically which can save you around $100 a year off of your bill. Tips: Check out www.climitecrisis.org for more information on going green. To prevent climate change, buy organic and avoid anything with harsh chemicals. Preventing climate change is a world wide effort. Share your knowledge with your friends and family. Make them watch An Inconvenient Truth with Al Gore, which can really be an eye opener to climate change. L. Bibliography y y Baliunas, S. (1999, August 5). Why So Hot? Dont Blame Man, Blame the Sun.The Wall Street journal, 18. Ball, Timothy. (2007, February 5). Global Warming: The Cold, Hard Facts?. Canada Free Press. Retrieved from http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/globalwarming020507.htm y Chilingar, G. V., Khilyuk, L. F., & Sorokhtin, O. G. (2008, January). Cooling of Atmosphere Due to CO2 Emission. Energy Sources Part A: Recovery, Utilization & Environmental Effects, 30(1), 1-9. doi:10.1080/15567030701568727 Deep Solar Minimum . (2009, April 1). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from NASA website: http://science.nasa.gov/sciencenews/science-at-nasa/2009/01apr_deepsolarminimum/ y Diffenbaugh, N. S. (2009, December). Influence of modern land cover on the climate of the United States. Climate Dynamics, 33(7), 945-958. doi:10.1007/s00382-009-0566-z

Global Warming: Sun Takes Some Heat. (2004, October). Environment, 46(8), 7. Retrieved from http://p8333metalib5.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com.proxy.library.uaf.edu/V/QRRXDVTGAV9K 6FN15KYB3N4LT6JFNFQ8IGB5IM6FAFVQKR6DVM-02659?func=quick-3&shortformat=002&set_number=000499&set_entry=000001&format=999 Hulme, M. (2009). Why we disagree about climate change. New York,NY: Cambridge University Press. Khler, P., Bintanja, R., Fischer, H., Joos, F., Knutti, R., Lohmann, G., & MassonDelmotte, V. (2010, January). What caused Earths temperature variations during the last 800,000 years? Data-based evidence on radiative forcing and constraints on climate sensitivity. . Quaternary Science Reviews, 29(1), 129-145. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2009.09.026 Marsh, S. (Producer), & Hearle, A. (Director). (2007). A Global Warning? [Motion picture]. United States : A&E Television Networks. Mathews, H. D., Weaver, A. J., Meissner, K. J., Gillett, N. P., & Eby, M. (2004, May). Natural and anthropogenic climate change: incorporating historical land cover change, vegetation dynamics and the global carbon cycle. Climate Dynamics, 22(5), 461-479. doi:10.1007/s00382-004-0392-2 Melezhik, V. A. (2006, April). Multiple causes of Earths earliest global glaciation. Terra Nova, 18(2), 130-137. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3121.2006.00672.x Michaelowa, A. (2009, December). Limiting Global Cooling after Global Warming is Over Differentiating Between Short- and Long-Lived Greenhouse Gases. OPEC Review: Energy Economics & Related Issues, 24(4), 343-351. doi:10.1111/j.02770180.2003.00075.x Qlan, L., Burns, A., Solomon, S. C., & Roble, R. (2009, October). The effect of carbon dioxide cooling on trends in the F2-layer ionosphere. Journal of Atmospheric and SolarTerrestrial Physics, 71(14), 1592-1601. doi:10.1016/j.jastp.2009.03.006 Sorokhtin, O. G., Chilingar, G. V., & Khilyuk, L. F. (2007). Global Warming and Global Cooling: Evolution of climate on earth. The Netherlands: ELSEVIER. Trenberth, K. E. (2009, October 3). An imperative for climate change planning: tracking Earths global energy. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 1(1), 19-27. doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2009.06.001

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