What causes global warming?

Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. Here's the good news: technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate electricity from nonpolluting sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use. Is the earth really getting hotter? Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. And experts think the trend is accelerating: the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century. Are warmer temperatures causing bad things to happen? Global warming is already causing damage in many parts of the United States. In 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota. Since the early 1950s, snow accumulation has declined 60 percent and winter seasons have shortened in some areas of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington. Of course, the impacts of global warming are not limited to the United States. In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than 20,000 deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths in India. And in what scientists regard as an alarming sign of events to come, the area of the Arctic's perennial polar ice cap is declining at the rate of 9 percent per decade. Is global warming making hurricanes worse? Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Because the ocean is getting warmer, tropical storms can pick up more energy and become more powerful. So global warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased along with ocean temperature over the past 35 years. Is there really cause for serious concern?

Yes. Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how global warming is affecting the planet, and many agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. Among these: - Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages in the American West. - Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, in Florida, and in other areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico. - Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. - Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. - Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction. What country is the largest source of global warming pollution? The United States. Though Americans make up just 4 percent of the world's population, we produce 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning -- by far the largest share of any country. In fact, the United States emits more carbon dioxide than China, India and Japan, combined. Clearly America ought to take a leadership role in solving the problem. And as the world's top developer of new technologies, we are well positioned to do so -- we already have the know-how.

How to Fight Global Warming

The biggest cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide released when fossil fuels like oil and coal are burned for energy. So when you save energy, you fight global warming (and save money, of course). Here are some easy steps you can take: 1. Raise your voice. We need new laws that will steer our nation toward the most important solutions to global warming -- cleaner cars and cleaner power plants. Send a message to your elected officials, letting them know that you will hold them accountable for what they do -- or fail to do -- about global warming.<!--Send a message from NRDC's Earth Action Center. For contact information, see NRDC's Earth Action Center.--> 2. Choose an efficient vehicle: A car that gets 20 miles per gallon will emit about 50 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. A car getting 40 mpg will emit half that much. When buying your next car, pick the least-polluting, most efficient vehicle that meets your needs. Maybe it's an innovative hybrid that combines a gasoline engine with electric motors (and never needs to be plugged in). Or maybe it's a wagon instead of an SUV. And over the

average lifetime of an American car, a 40-mpg car will save roughly $3,000 in fuel costs compared with a 20-mpg car, so compare fuel economy performance before you buy. (See www.fueleconomy.gov's Find and Compare Cars feature.) 3. Drive smart. Get your engine tuned up and keep your tires inflated -- both help fuel efficiency. If all Americans kept their tires properly inflated (and a government study shows that many don't), gasoline use nationwide would come down 2 percent. A tune-up could boost your miles per gallon anywhere from 4 to 40 percent; a new air filter could get you 10 percent more miles per gallon. 4. Drive less. When possible, choose alternatives to driving (public transit, biking, walking, carpooling), and bundle your errands together so you'll make fewer trips. 5. Buy energy-efficient appliances. Use your consumer power when buying appliances by shopping for energy-efficient models. You may spend a little more up front, but you'll save a lot on electricity, and you'll reduce pollution produced by power plants. Look for the Energy Star label, which identifies the most efficient appliances. You can also use the Energy Guide labels to compare the efficiency of specific models. Remember that refrigerators consume the most electricity in the home. Today's refrigerators consume less than one-fourth the energy of models built 30 years ago, so an upgrade could mean huge energy savings for your household. 6. Replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. While compact fluorescents are initially more expensive than the incandescent bulbs most people use, they last 10 times as long. What's more, a compact fluorescent will lower your energy bills by about $15 a year, and by more than $60 during its life. It will also keep half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air. 7. Weatherize your home or apartment. For a very small investment, you can cut your heating and cooling expenses and reduce the burning of fossil fuels. Use weatherstripping to seal drafts around windows and doors. If a draft comes through electrical outlets or switches on outside walls, install foam draft blockers behind the cover plates. Use covers (inside or outside) on air conditioners during cold months. And make sure your home has adequate insulation. Many older homes don't have enough, especially in the attic. You can check the insulation yourself or have it done as part of an energy audit, provided by many utility companies. Call your company to see if it offers this service. 8. Choose renewable energy. If you live in a state where you can choose your electricity supplier, pick a Green-e-certified company that generates at least half its power from wind, solar energy and other clean sources. Even if you don't have the option to select a supplier, you may still be able to support renewable energy through an option on your electricity bill. 9. Offset your carbon footprint. After trying all of the above suggestions, you can make up for your remaining carbon output through purchasing carbon offsets. Offsets represent clean power you can add to the nation's energy grid in place of power from fossil fuels. Not all offset companies are alike, so do careful research before selecting one.

10. Support organizations that are making effective efforts to combat climate change. Here are a few that we recommend: - National Resources Defense Council - Global Green USA

Fresh Water - Overview

Consider this: According to United Nations estimates, there are currently 1.2 billion people in the world who do not have access to safe drinking water, and 2.4 billion who lack proper sanitation facilities. (...) By 2025, the U.N. estimates that some 3 billion people will suffer the effects of water shortages. Consider that between 1990 and 1995, global water consumption rose six-fold, which is more than double the rate of population growth. This is due in part to industrial demand; for example, it takes 80 gallons of water to produce 35 ounces of paper, and 57,000 gallons of water to produce one metric ton of steel. Changes in our diet also are driving water consumption. It takes 15,000 tons of water to produce 1 ton of beef, while 1 ton of grain only requires 1,000 ton of water. 1.1 BILLION HUMAN BEINGS HAVE NO ACCESS TO SAFE WATER. NEARLY 1.8 MILLION KIDS DIE EVERY YEAR OF DIARRHOEAL DISEASE... Flushing of toilets may be using as much as 5% of available fresh water. Nearly 50% of all water consumed in the U.S. is used for livestock. You would save more water by not eating a pound of California beef than you would by not showering for 6 months. Animals raised for food produce 130 times more excrement than the entire human population---86,600 lbs. per second---which all too often leaches into streams and contaminates groundwater. As nations like China, India and Mexico continue their rapid industrialization and catch up with the developed world, water consumption will only increase. As a result of over-consumption and depletion of its water table, Beijing is sinking into the ground at the rate of 10 centimetres per year. Certain barrios in Mexico City sink as much as 30 centimetres a year.

Fresh Water - Solutions

DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) mission to South Asia, which did so much in Sri Lanka. The DART operation has the capability of producing 150,000 to 200,000 litres of safe drinking water a day. DART uses a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU), an advanced water treatment system capable of purifying any water source found in the world. Canada could use this technology to make bringing safe drinking water to the developing world the priority of our international development efforts, addressing one of today's most pressing health questions. Aquaplastics 2005 http://www.aquaplastics.org/ Over one billion people, one sixth of the world's population, do not have access to safe water. Through this aquaplastics website, WaterAid and the European plastics industry are working together to help tackle this huge problem. Every day you click on this site, the European plastics industry will donate 10 cents to help WaterAid deliver clean, safe water and sanitation to people in Ethiopia. If we reach 1.5 million clicks by 22 June 2005 then a total of 150,000 euro will be donated to WaterAid. Please help us to reach our target by clicking here once a day - it only takes seconds and it doesn't cost you anything! Living Machines, Inc., builds solar-powered waste-water systems that mimic nature by using microorganisms, plants, fish, and small inverti- brates to process sewage and wastewater. Its end product is reusablewater that can be used to water parks, gardens, and golf courses; help cool industrial plants; flush toilets; and aid in construction work, firefighting, and washing your car. The biggest of these extraordinary systems is in Wyong, Australia, where the Master Foods Company uses it to process 200,000 gallons of wastewater per day. www.livingmachines.com Efficient ways to use water in your household: Click here > (From www.globalgreen.org) www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid123.php www.falconwaterfree.com Odor-free, waterless urinals for schools, public buildings that could save 40,000 gallons of fresh water per fixture annually. The Bioneers Visionary yet practical solutions to restore the living systems of the earth. www.bioneers.org The Air To Water Company: Making Water From Moisture In The Air Check out House Of The Children, an organization that is bringing fresh water solutions to indigenous children in the Amazon." http://www.houseofthechildren.org/

WHAT YOU CAN DO How to Clean Up Our Water Twelve simple ways you can help stem the tide of polluted runoff. From NRDC Everyday household activities are a major contributor to polluted runoff, which is among the most serious sources of water contamination. When it rains, fertilizer from lawns, oil from driveways, paint and solvent residues from walls and decks and even waste from pet Fido are all washed into storm sewers or nearby lakes, rivers and streams -- the same lakes, rivers and streams we rely on for drinking, bathing, swimming and fishing. Here are some ways you can help reduce polluted runoff. In Your Home: 1. Correctly dispose of hazardous household products. Keep paints, used oil, cleaning solvents, polishes, pool chemicals, insecticides, and other hazardous household chemicals out of drains, sinks, and toilets. Many of these products contain harmful substances -- such as sodium hypochlorite, petroleum distillates, phenol and cresol, ammonia and formaldehyde -- that can end up in nearby water bodies. Contact your local sanitation, public works, or environmental health department to find out about hazardous waste collection days and sites.* If a local program isnt available, request one. 2. Use nontoxic household products whenever possible. Discarding toxic products correctly is important, but not buying them in the first place is better. Ask local stores to carry nontoxic products if they dont already. For examples of safe substitutes for toxic household products, check EPAs EnviroSense website. 3. Recycle and dispose of all trash properly. Never flush non-degradable products -- such as disposable diapers or plastic tampon applicators -- down the toilet. They can damage the sewage treatment process and end up littering beaches and waters. 4. Conserve water. Use the most efficient plumbing fixtures. A whopping 73 percent of the water you use in your home is either flushed down the toilet or washed down the shower drain. Toilet dams or bricks placed in your toilet tank can save four gallons of water per flush, or up to 13,000 gallons a year for the average family of four. Low-flow toilets and showerheads also yield major water savings. Repair drips promptly; a dripping faucet can waste 20 gallons a day, a leaking toilet 200 gallons. Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing them down. In Your Yard:

5. Use natural fertilizers. Apply natural fertilizer such as compost, manure, bone meal or peat whenever possible. Ask your local hardware and garden supply stores to stock these natural fertilizers. You can also buy a composting setup at a garden supply or hardware store, or by mail. Composting decreases the need for fertilizer and helps soil retain moisture. If you dont know how to compost, visit The Compost Resource Page or the EPAs composting pages. 6. Avoid over-watering lawns and gardens. Use slow-watering techniques on lawns and gardens. Over-watering lawns can increase the leaching of fertilizers into groundwater. Trickle or "drip" irrigation systems and soaker hoses are 20 percent more efficient than sprinklers. 7. Decrease impervious surfaces around your home. Having fewer hard surfaces of concrete and asphalt will improve drainage around your home and in your yard. Do your landscaping with vegetation, gravel or other porous materials instead of cement; install wood decking instead of concrete, and interlocking bricks and paver stones for walkways. Redirect rain gutters and downspouts to soil, grass or gravel areas. Planting vegetation at lower elevations than nearby hard surfaces allows runoff to seep into soil. 8. Maintain septic systems properly. Have the septic tank cleaned out every three to five years. Effluent from failed or poorly maintained septic systems can contaminate groundwater. Monitoring and cleaning your system regularly also saves money by prolonging the life of the system. Maintaining Your Car: 9. Recycle used motor oil. Avoid pouring waste oil into gutters or down storm drains, and resist the temptation to dump wastes onto the ground. A single quart of motor oil that seeps into groundwater can pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water. If you dont have a place to recycle used motor oil in your community, ask your local sanitation or public works department to create one.* When you buy motor oil, ask if the store or service station has a program to buy back waste oil and dispose of it properly. Keep up with car maintenance to reduce leaking of oil, coolant, antifreeze and other hazardous fluids. 10. Be "green" when washing your car. Hand-wash your car on the lawn with a bucket of soapy water, rags and a hose. Just turning off the hose between rinsings can save up to 150 gallons. Or, if you dont want to do it yourself, choose a car wash that recycles its water. In Your Community: 11. Help identify, report and stop polluters. Join a local clean water or environmental group that monitors industries and sewage treatment plants that are discharging wastes.** Local groups can be effective working together with state environmental agencies, EPA and national groups like NRDC to ensure that industries comply with regulations.

12. Be an activist. Contact your public officials and attend hearings to encourage them to support laws and programs to protect our water. Ask officials to control polluted runoff, increase protection for wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems, reduce the flow of toxics into our waterways, and strengthen enforcement. Volunteer for a beach or stream clean up, tree planting, water quality sampling, or stream pollution monitoring project sponsored by a local environmental group or watershed council. Visit NRDCs Earth Action Center to get government contact information and learn about urgent issues you can get in involved in.

Biodiversity - Overview
Over millions of years, plant and animal species have evolved, creating an intricate web of life unimaginable in variation and complexity. In the last hundred years, due to human civilization, natural habitats have been destroyed or forever altered, causing a mass extinction not seen since the dinosaurs. "If present environmental trends continue, we could lose half the species of plants and animals on Earth by the end of the century," says famed biologist Edward O. Wilson. The devastating loss of biodiversity is speeding up, find out what you can do to help preserve natural systems.

Oceans - Overview
Planet earth is a water planet. Oceans cover over 70% of the earth's surface and are home to 80% of all life on earth. Oceans sustain our climate and the ecosystems that support human life. As we enter the new millennium, the oceans are in trouble from pollution and over-fishing. What is causing the pollution? How can you help bring back fisheries? Read on to find out what you can do to help support and sustain the oceans.