Posts from — July 2009

Author: David

Now-a-days we listen Climate Change more often than before. Climate change is a global phenomenon and the term “Climate Change” is indeed a straightforward expression for such a complex subject. In fact, climate change has more than we can comprehend from this phrase and that is why it is quite essential to go at defining climate change in today’s scenario. In the present glossary of researchers and scientists, climate modification as a term is no longer in use and effect. The reason behind this is that we have come to realize the effect of the changes we make to our environment will eventually increase the temperature in many parts of the world, but at the same time will also be decrease in temperature for few parts of the planet. This however, creates a general imbalance in the climate of the world which in turn leads us to the phrase, “Climate Change.”

While wondering the effects of the climate change, the things you know of as climate modification is actually referred to as global a global phenomenon of climate change. However, with all the details and statistics we have in hand at present, we can definitely conclude that the world is unquestionably warming with the temperatures rising like never before. Climate change is a global problem with many natural disasters started taking shape; the general awareness of this factor is really low. For the better understanding of the issues associated with the climate change, we require a simple definition for climate change in relation to the warming of the planet. And this definition needs to be the one that brings us the essence of this problem without compromising the simplicities. However, the easiest and most precise definition is that climate change is the effect greenhouse gases have on the earth’s overall climate. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide and methane, but are not limited to these two.

While learning more about climate change, we need to understand few important facts associated with it. The first fact is that climate change is both a natural phenomena and one catalyzed by us. For instance, greenhouse gases are a natural part of the biosphere and would exist if man did not. In fact, these gases are a vital component to the existence of life on this planet. It is due to the existence of the greenhouse gases, the temperature on planet earth does not average zero degrees! These naturally occurring gases help to keep the temperature at a desirable 59 degrees. But, the climate change, which is due to the greenhouse gases, is not indeed natural. In fact, the problem we are facing is the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases act as thermal blankets for the atmosphere. The more gas in the atmosphere, the thicker the blanket and the less heat escapes from earth. In the last 80years, we have been releasing this gases into our atmosphere and thus helping them to form a blanket.

Glen Luckman on Climate Change

What is the Greenhouse Effect and the Importance of Methane to Climate Change

By Steve Evans

The greenhouse effect, also called the “greenhouse phenomenon” or “global warming”, has recently been receiving a great deal of scientific and popular attention. The term refers to a cause-and-effect relationship in which “heat blanketing” of the earth, due to trace gas increases in the atmosphere, is expected to result in global warming.

By global warming we mean an increase in the average temperature of the planet. Actually global warming is rather a confusing term because global warming does not mean that everywhere will be hotter all of the time, it just means that on average the globe will be warmer.

Now we just mentioned that “heat blanketing” is taking place, and that this is due to trace gases in our atmosphere. There are a number of so called ‘trace’ gases, which simply means gases that are present in the atmosphere at low levels, such that there is only a trace present (a small amount in proportion to the other gases). So it is these trace gases that are producing an effect which is like wrapping the world in a blanket. Just like any blanket, it has a net effect which holds the heat in.

These trace gases are increasing as the result of human activities. Scientists know this. It is easily measured historically by analyzing things like pack ice which was deposited in layers which layers can be readily dated and go back hundreds of thousands of years.

Carbon dioxide (chemically shown as CO2, which is simply a chemist’s shorthand way of telling us that it is a molecule made up from two Oxygen (O) molecules to each Carbon (C) molecule), is a trace gas.

The principal gases in approximate order of importance, are carbon dioxide, methane, the chlorofluorocarbons (considered collectively) and nitrous oxide.

Carbon dioxide is the trace gas scientists believe is contributing most to the “heat blanketing” and currently receives the most attention.

However, Carbon Dioxide is not the only trace gas which is implicated in climate change and methane is another which some have estimated to be over a third as much as that of carbon dioxide.

Gas from natural sources, cows and other ruminants, and natural sources where natural decomposition by fermentation produces methane, all contribute to the blanketing which is the cause of the greenhouse effect.

However, human activity is also responsible for a lot of methane gas production and Municipal Solid Waste Landfills have in turn been recognized to be a source of methane which is contributing to the atmospheric buildup.

However, the magnitude of the landfill methane contribution and the overall significance of landfill methane to the greenhouse effect have been uncertain, and the subject of some debate. But, as time goes on the evidence becomes stronger, and the fact of climate change is now accepted by the vast majority of scientists working in this field.

So, it appears that methane (using US waste generation data and remembering that the methane from United States landfills is a very large quantity) makes an important net contribution to the greenhouse phenomenon.

Landfill produces a lot of landfill gas which is largely methane. Measures to reduce landfill methane emissions are thought to be among the most economical steps which could be taken to address a component of this problem.

The Glen Luckman Importance of Methane

The Impact of Climate Change

By: Paul Hata

The planet was once protected with ancient forests; it has been a shelter to almost 50% of all the animals and plants confined in lands. Also, the worldwide population depends on them for survival.

The most diverse ecological units exist in these forests, and they serve essential help to our planet especially in matters regulating the climate. This is the very reason why deforestation and climate changes go hand in hand. Where deforestation is, climate alteration always follows.

Unfortunately, the forests that should be the world’s shield to the growing global warming are now under threat; almost 80% of the vast land areas all over the earth have been wiped out. Everything went by in a matter of 30 years, and the foundation is due to human doings such as destructive logging and agricultural land transformations. The fact that deforestation is the second cause to climate change should alert every human being in order to put to a stop to anything that may interrupt our normal ecosystem. If no moves would be done, further retaliation of nature would surely come to pass.

Major Carbon Storehouses
It is increasingly clear that our ancient forests play a crucial role in the regulation of world climate through carbon storage and water recycle back into the atmosphere. It is a fact that the green areas of the earth are regulators of climate, and destruction of that area means contributing to a climate change. Eighteen percent of all carbon emissions come from deforestation. Instead of the forest protecting us from disastrous effects, man made phenomenon make them our source of devastation instead.

Full grown forests are the greatest keepers of carbon dioxide. Other “keepers” include: the earth soil, the plant life, and the smallest and biggest trees. Some popular forests such that of Congo represent one of the planet’s enormous carbon sources on land, and destruction of it may cause more greenhouse gas to get trapped in the atmosphere.

The carbon is emitted from the green life through logging, burning and rotting. If these illegal activities happen frequently and continuously in all parts of the world, then the levels of carbon trapped in our environment is exceedingly augmented. Climate changes happen abruptly and changes in the world environment would slowly take place.

Deforestation and Its Effect On Climate Change
When deforestation is made, climate changes begin to progress over a period of time. The gradual modification in climate show insignificant numbers, but it affects the earth in great ways. The following are some examples of global changes after massive deforestation: temperature of global surface has increased to 1F, precipitation events happen around the world and in extreme cases, snow capped mountains have decreased in cover, sea levels have risen, and thawing of permafrost has slowly been happening over the years.

It is said that in a matter of 50 decades, the world may be in an irreversible state already. If things could be prevented now, then it is highly suggested that every human take part in preserving the world.

The Glen Luckman Impact of Climate Change