The term
"global" is validly used when it modifies an issue involving the entire earth.
When the issue is not limited or provincial in scope, but is of worldwide significance. Global warming is defined as an increase over time of the average temperature of
Earth's atmosphere and oceans. It is often used to describe the temperature rise since the
late 19th century and human causes of that rise. Use of the term "global warming" in the popular and scientific press
usually implies a human influence, but may include natural forces
of variability. The term "climate change" is a phrasing that may be used
with political orientation, but that technically includes
the natural variability.
H elp
us identify problems by answering the following points.
1.) Name one
thing happening on this planet that hasn't happened
before? Consider ice ages, changes in sea levels,
glacier formations & movements, and more.
2. Explain the fact
that the most-hot decade since temperature records have
been kept was the 1930s.
3. Why are temps on
Mars rising?
4. Why don't people
concerned about climate change analyze the fact that the
sun is hotter at the present time than in recent
decades? NOTE: The sun is the only source of the earth's
energy and heat.
A Climate Change
Global Warming Riddle
What is the difference between
climate and weather?
Hint: The chart to the right displays
global temperatures over the last 450,000 years.
Did you know
that in the 1970s climatologists were warning about acid rain
and that the
earth was cooling and there was danger of a new ice age
starting?
No,
I did not know that. Yes,
I do recall that. I
am too young to recall that, but that adds perspective to
today's debate.
1. Global
warming is too serious to be turned into ambiguous political
arguments by politicians who understand little and care even
less about the environment.
I
agree. I disagree . I do not understand the statement.
2. Global
warming will very likely have serious negative impacts on my family's daily life, my
lifestyle, and the global economy.
Agree Disagree
I haven't thought about it.
3. Water vapor,
carbon dioxide, and ozone (three oxygen atoms combined into one molecule, O3 Without the natural greenhouse effect, temperatures would drop by approximately
30°C, oceans would freeze, and life as we know it would be impossible.
That seems true. That seems false.
I do not understand the statement.
4. Are you
personally concerned about global warming?
Yes ,
with serious concerns Somewhat but not
with serious concerns Not very much
Not
at all I haven't thought about it
5. Some
climatologists are concerned that increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
might cause more heat to get trapped near the earth's surface. That heat could contribute
to global temperatures to rise somewhat. Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere are currently at approximately 25% above pre-industrial values.
That seems true.
That seems false.
I do not understand the
statement.
6. A recent study
completed by Duke University examined solar changes over 22
years versus 11 years used in previous studies. The cooling
effect of volcanoes and cyclical shifts in ocean currents can
have a greater negative impact on the accuracy of shorter data
periods. This study concluded, "The Sun may have minimally
contributed about 10 to 30 percent of the 1980-2002 global
surface warming."
That seems
plausible. That seems false.
I do not understand the
statement.
7 . Please select
from the right any category you believe will likely be negatively impacted by global
warming in the next decade.
8 .
In whatever potentially damaging ways that global warming may exist today, its causes and effects will be
corrected and eliminated by many smart scientists' inventions and implementation of new
technologies over the next decades.
Yes certainly. No way.
I do not understand.
9. The diagram to the right
depicts the variations in temperature, CO2 , and dust
taken from the Russian Vostok ice core. The samples cover the
last 400,000 years and illustrate the cyclic nature of global
warming & global cooling.
There have been at least four major
glacial periods over the Earth's history. Glaciers caused by
global cooling have formed as far south as the southern United
States. Initially they formed at a 40,000-year frequency, but
more recently at 100,000-year frequencies. There have been four
major ice ages in the more distant past.
The most recent ice age glacier
started receding 10,000 years ago from the southern portion of
the US. That means that our current phase of global warming
started about 10,000 years ago.
10. The Kyoto protocol excludes
India and China, the major emitters of greenhouse gases in the
developing world who have made it clear the Kyoto framework is
totally unacceptable to them.
I
knew that. I
did not know that.
11. Environmental
activists want everyone to believe that global warming will be detrimental enough to
possibly cause major life-threatening problems and catastrophes.
12 .
Bill Gray of the
University of Colorado is recognized as the world's leading
expert on hurricanes. Gray says of the global warming crowd, " They've
been brainwashing us for 20 years. Starting with the nuclear
winter and now with the global warming. This scare will also run
its course. In 15-20 years, we'll look back and see what a hoax
this was."
13.
Regarding the use of biofuels: Qualified scientists
should study the complete chain of events involved in the
production and use of biofuels. That chain includes the
preparation of land (destruction of wetlands and farmlands),
cultivation, harvesting, transport, actual usage efficiencies in
generation facilities that have been converted or newly designed
and built specifically for biofuels, the consumers' costs, and
the damage resulting from use of biofuels (additional green
house gases, and toxins).
Agree
Disagree
14. Scientific studies are
finding that biofuels -- a long-time cornerstone in the search
for green energy -- may sometimes produce more harmful emissions
than the fossil fuels they replace.
Agree Disagree
15. Some people
consider global warming an problem. Some people do not
see it as a problem because scientists will resolve any problems
that might exist.
How important do you
consider the global warming issue to be?
A
somewhat serious problem
that will be resolved by science
A
very serious problem that will be resolved by science
Very
serious problem that will not likely be resolved
I
don't understand much about science.
16. The Earth is currently
warming. Anyone who looks at the data can see that temperatures
have risen since the cooling spell of the 1950s. But the Earth
has been much warmer during various periods including the
Medieval Warm Period and much cooler during the Little Ice Age.
The doomsters are predicting in historic magnitudes
consequential warming over the rest of this century.
Agree
Disagree
