What is Climate Change?

Climate change is any change in climate over time whether due to natural processes or as a result of human activity. A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is, in addition to natural climate variability, observed over comparable time periods (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 4AR 2007) concludes that climate change is already occurring and that further acceleration will result to a two (2) degree increase in global temperature and of extreme weather conditions. Climate Change is caused by the increasing volume of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are gases that absorbs and re-emit infrared radiation, warming the earths surface and contributing to climate change (UNEP 1988). These gases are water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride. When these gases increase in volume more solar heat will be trapped resulting to a warmer atmospheric condition. This phenomenon is known as Greenhouse effect. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans that is associated with the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

How does it occur?

The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 4AR 2007) concludes that climate change is already occurring and that further acceleration will result to a two (2) degree increase in global temperature and of extreme weather conditions. Climate Change is caused by the increasing volume of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are gases that absorbs and re-emit infrared radiation, warming the earths surface and contributing to climate change (UNEP 1988). These gases are water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone, hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride. When these gases increase in volume more solar heat will be trapped resulting to a warmer atmospheric condition. This phenomenon is known as Greenhouse effect. Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earths near-surface air and oceans that is associated with the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Man is responsible for the accelerated warming of the Earth. Before the advent of man, climate changes were naturally caused. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally like methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone and even water vapor. Other greenhouse gases like hydrofluorocarbons (HCF), perfluorocarbon (PCF), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) which absorb and hold greater heat are man-made. These are produced through industrial processes. However, human activities also add to the increase of the naturally occurring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The burning of wood and wood products, and the production and use of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas release carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. The rapid growth of human population increases consumption of earths resources, threatening the earths carrying capacity to support life. It also increases the amount of decomposing organic wastes that releases carbon and methane into the air. Massive deforestation, mining and other forms of land conversion make the situation worse.

What are the effects of Climate Change or Global Warming?

The warming of the Earths atmosphere results to the melting of snow covers and glaciers, the rise of sea level, shorter winters, early spring, hotter summers and delayed coming of autumns, altered forest productivity and composition, habitat shifts of some animals, changes in the behavior patterns of flora and fauna, spread of diseases, stronger and more frequent typhoons, more floods, severe droughts, stronger heat waves and heavier rains and more.

These changes in the environment as a result of Climate Change have already made their impact on human population in a global scale. Socio-economic problems and difficulties will be amplified compounding the already heavy burden of the poor sectors. Agriculture become less or non-productive due to droughts and flooding. Mounting social pressure on the damaging effects of Climate Change will influence political priorities and direction. The Philippines is ranked 4th in the Global Climate Risk Index. Being archipelagic, fifteen (15) of its regions are vulnerable to sea level rise. A meter rise in sea level will affect 64 out of 81 provinces in the Philippines; sea water would cover at least 703 of 1610 towns and close to 700 million square meters of land and could displace at least 1.5 million Filipinos. The country is in the path of typhoons which in recent years have become stronger and more destructive and frequent. The Philippines is also located in an earthquake prone region, Under these circumstances, life, properties, food, health and livelihood are threatened severely affecting the most vulnerable sector of Philippine society-the poor.

Zero Waste Management Is an ecological method of handling wastes that does not degrade the environment nor pollute air, water, soil and facilitate their sanitary retrieval, reuse or recycling. Zero waste management is one of the most friendly, economical tool of contributing ecological welfare for human beings and the community. Modern waste reduction is consist of three (3) components such as: Reuse- means re-utilization of materials for particular purpose. Reduce- is the process of lessening the fresh raw materials that affects air, water and land pollution through proper waste disposal.

 Recycling- involves processing used, unwanted materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste potentially useful materials.

It involves processing used, unwanted materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land filling) by reducing the need for conventional waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production. Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle waste hierarchy

Our Current Linear Wasting System A costly one-way street

Our current production systems are linear, designed as if there are no limits to our natural resources. Products are born of environmentally-destructive activities such as clearcutting, strip mining and drilling, which result in soil erosion, habitat loss, and severe air, soil, and water contamination. We as taxpayers unwittingly encourage this wasteful and polluting behavior through governmental subsidies at three different stages: (1) When resources are extracted to make the product, financial incentives and tax breaks are given to industries that extract virgin resources. (2) When toxins enter our air and water supplies during the manufacturing process, the taxpayer helps pay to clean up these messes through programs such as the federal Superfund program. (3) At the end of the products lives, taxpayers pay again for the cleanup of toxins, which leak into the groundwater from landfills and billow into the air from incinerators.

Rather than looking at our production systems as one way and linear, we can redesign them to be cyclical, as in nature, where there is no such thing as waste and materials are kept in the production cycle. Zero Waste is emerging as a paradigm shift, a new, comprehensive socio-technical system that addresses our resource use from product design to disposal. IMPORTANCE: Does not pollute air, water and soil. Facilitates sanitary retrieved, reuse or recycling. Contributes reduction of waste. Economic source of funds through total utilization of feeds, fuel materials and fertilizers. Helps sustain good and friendly environment. .