Glen Luckman World’s Climate Change Discussions By Kelly Hunter

Everyone’s talking about global warming. A planet (Earth) in peril! But, if there is global warning then there are bound to be global climate changes. So how dangerous can a global climate change be? That global warming is taking place, is a long foregone conclusion. Many of you may even be familiar with some of the reasons for it.

Let’s start with some questions. What impact will global warming have on the world climate? How can, we, humans prevent any further damage to our environment? Can the warming be slowed down or reversed? If yes, how? How much time do we have left now? There are many more questions to be asked and answers to be found but these are some of the most important ones.

All said and done, questions asked, the most important thing to do is spread awareness about global climate change and how it will all affect us and our future generations. An increasingly thirsty and hot world is not far away. But if we act fast, there is much we can do at both individual and community levels. It’s all about timing and taking the right measures to halt global warming in its tracks.

What is global warming?

Global warming can be defined as a steady increase of temperatures of the earth as well as oceans due to an increase in quantity of specific gases that trap heat within the atmosphere. These gases that trap heat are known as ‘green house’ gases. They occur naturally. Also produced naturally, these gases are found in certain regions of our planet. Greenhouse gases are released when fossil fuels are used to produce energy. Over the years these gases are have begun to be produced in significantly large numbers leading to altering the climatic conditions of our planet.

However, despite all this, it is actually quite difficult to pinpoint if global climate change is actually taking place and to figure out the speed of this process. However, it is a fact that ice caps are melting, water tables are receding, climatic conditions across the world are changing, summer temperatures are rising while summer duration is getting longer, winters are getting harsher and shorter etc.

What are the concerns?

Tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons that have the capability of killing thousands of people, destroying thousands of miles of land are now not unheard of. There are many recent examples of these natural catastrophes like the Katrina, the tsunami of 2005, the recent earthquake in Haiti among others. Also, human produced catastrophes like setting fire to forests, oil wells etc lead to severe impacts on the world climate.

How does global climate change affect me?

As the average temperatures rise world-wide, it will have a devastating effect on the environment. As more greenhouses are released and trapped in the atmosphere, the oceans’ temperatures will also rise, leading to glaciers melting. According to many scientists, this process has already begun. This could only mean one thing, that global climate change though already under process, it’s time to stop it and one of the best ways to do this is by switching to renewable sources of energy.

Glen Luckman Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change By Kevin Long

We all know that energy from the sun is required for sustaining life on earth. The outer atmosphere deflects approximately 30% of the sunlight that comes to the earth and this light is then scattered back in space. Remaining sunlight reaches the surface of the earth and gets reflected upwards in the form of slow moving energy known as infrared radiation.

Greenhouse gases absorb the heat caused by the infrared radiation like CO2, water vapor, methane and ozone, due to which it becomes difficult for the gases to escape the atmosphere.

According to experts, only 1% of the earth’s atmosphere is made up of greenhouse gases and these gases regulate the climate through heat trapping. This is known as the ‘greenhouse gas effect’. According to climate change experts, without the greenhouse gas effect, the average earth temperature will be colder by 30 degrees Celsius. This temperature will be too cold for the sustenance of our ecosystem. Therefore, the greenhouse effect is very much required for the earth; however it must be in a controlled manner.

How are we contributing to the greenhouse effect?

There is no doubt that the greenhouse effects is required for the ecosystem but it becomes a problem when the natural process gets distorted and accelerated by human activities and more greenhouse gases are created in the atmosphere which increase the temperature of the earth more than required. When we burn oil, coal, natural gas and gasoline the level of CO2 increases in the atmosphere. The level of harmful gases like nitrous oxide and methane also increases due to farming methods and changes in the use of land. Dangerous and long lasting industrial gases are produced from factories.

By Shampa Dey

The heat caused by infrared radiation from the sun which escapes from the Earth’s outer surface, is absorbed by “greenhouse gases” which trap the heat forming a kind of blanket of warm air that surround the planet. This occurrence is called the “green house effect”. It is suggested that the temperature on average would have been much lower compared to what is now. Survival of the ecosystem would have been difficult in such extreme condition.

UNDERSTANDING THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

In the natural greenhouse effect, the type of the type of topograph the sunlight falls plays a key role. Different types of surfaces absorb or radiate heat differently. For example, white glaciers reflect maximum sunlight resulting in minimum heating of the surface and the lower atmosphere. On the other hand, sunlight is absorbed the maximum by dark desert soil causing more heating of the surface and the lower atmosphere. Clouds that cover the sky reduce the amount of solar radiation penetrating onto the earth’s surface and also reduce the amount of radiation emitted into space.

BASIC MECHANISM

About 50% of the solar radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface and the rest is emitted as infrared radiation by the surface of earth. Green house gases absorb most of the infrared radiation and pass on to the other atmospheric gases by molecular interaction. The greenhouse gases too radiate some heat. Heat is radiated both upwards and downwards with some escaping into the space and some getting back to the earth surface. The earth surface and the lower atmosphere is thus aiding to the survival of life on earth.

Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide etc. are molecules formed by two atoms which are loosely bound and are thereby easily excited by solar radiation. The loose atoms then pass on the heat to other gases by molecular interaction. Major components of the atmosphere such as oxygen and nitrogen are formed my tightly bound atoms which are not easily excited and thus do not absorb heat.

EFFECTS ON GLOBAL WARMING

Though greenhouse effect is an essential environmental phenomenon, the trouble begins when human activities disturb or accelerate the natural process by creating more of the green house gases necessary for the optimum warming of the earth surface and thus raising the surface temperature above ideal one.

Higher the concentration of the green house gases more is the heat radiation towards the earth. The emission of green house gas such as carbon dioxide is mainly due to burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, petrol, kerosene etc.
Higher concentration of such man-made greenhouse gas causes considerable warming of the earth and the sea resulting in Global Warming.

HUMAN CONTRIBUTION

• Level of carbon dioxide is increased by burning of natural gas, coal, oil, petrol etc.
• Some agricultural and land-use methods increase the level of methane and nitrous oxide in atmosphere.
• Industrial wastes and gases contribute substantially to the green house effect and thus adding to global warming.
• Deforestation is one of the major causes of global warming today.
• Population explosion is another prime factor contributing towards global warming.

Glen Luckman What is Global Warming? By Lisa Mills

Global warming is explained as an increase in the average temperature of the earth. Hurricanes, droughts and floods are more frequent and this is said to be the result of global warming.

Scientists claim that over the last 100 years or so the temperature near the earth’s surface has risen. This means the earth is now warmer than it has been for the last thousand years. What is more, the warmest years ever recorded have been in the last eight years.

There has always been climate change, but according to scientists increased temperature rises in recent years has been faster than ever before. They therefore feel that the global warming we are now experiencing is not a natural occurrence but one that is being brought on by man.

Throughout history temperatures have varied substantially depending upon the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Natural gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have always been in the atmosphere as without them Earth would be a very chilly planet!

Farmers around the world use nitrogen fertilizers and it’s use is increasing in order to feed the growing world population. These fertilizers are often washed away into lakes and oceans where algae feeds on them and the consequence is they bloom uncontrollably and eventually starve the water of oxygen creating a dead zone.

Since the industrial revolution carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by nearly 40% which is the result of burning fossil fuels, deforestation and industrial production.

Some carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere, the rest is absorbed into the sea and vegetation. CO2 should be compensated by plant absorption, but as the earth’s atmosphere becomes warmer plants close their pores to prevent the loss of water and switch to consuming oxygen and produce carbon dioxide instead.

Global warming can be compared to the inside of a car on a hot sunny day. The sun will heat the inside of the car but the heat will then be unable to escape, thus causing a greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is the absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere which in turn warm the lower atmosphere of the surface of the earth. The issue of global warming is how the strength of the greenhouse effect changes when human activity increases the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

There are many natural causes of gas emissions into the atmosphere. Ruminant animals for instance produce methane gas which is 25% more potent than carbon dioxide. Global meat consumption has increased and is still rising, this in turn means more cows, more methane gas.

Glen Luckman Alternative View to Global Warming By Ettaariane Wilson

Scientific evidence behind Global warming is being seriously challenged.

In sharp contrast to the theory that we face unprecedented disasters across the planet, some scientists dispute that global warming is caused by mankind.

They believe Global warming is a natural occurring event that follows this process every few hundred years. They also believe the predicted disasters will not be as severe as we have been led to believe.

Neither party is in the position to refute the fact that Global warming is increasing.

We are therefore in the horns of a dilemma. Do we ignore the increase of carbon dioxide and other gases in our atmosphere because it is a ‘natural occurrence’ or, do we do our best to reduce our carbon footprint all over the planet. If we take the latter path then our carbon footprint needs to be reduced by 80% and quickly.

However, this cannot happen without total Government co-operation world wide. It also needs the full co-operation of the people of this planet: recycle, recycle, recycle.

Lets open our own Court and look at the evidence of both parties.

We will begin with the theory that the Greenhouse effect is the end result of the burning of fossil fuels since the beginning of the Industrial revolution. Firstly, we need to have a clear idea of exactly what the Global warming effects are and how they are affected by the burning of fossil fuels, if,indeed,they are.

Global warming is caused by the increase of average temperature of Earths air and oceans. This began in the mid-20th century and is mainly believed to be caused by a concentration of greenhouse gases,(carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane), in turn, caused by de-forestation and the burning of coal and other fossil fuels.

The heat from the sun is trapped in the Earths atmosphere and can’t get out. This greenhouse effect is good if it is controlled. However, if there are too many gases in the atmosphere then plants, animals and people will die.

Global warming is affecting the planets ecological system and causing breaks in the food chain. Other effects are wild weather systems: floods, typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes. Etc. It also causes acid rain which, in turn, gradually destroys everything it touches.

Greenhouse gases are caused mainly through our need for electricity and transportation sending chemicals to pollute air, water and land, into the atmosphere. This ties in with the start of global warming commencing in the mid-20th century with new factories and transport around the globe.

Other causes of greenhouse gases are burning rubbish at landfill tips, and cutting down trees that would otherwise remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, using electrical equipment in our homes and driving our cars when we could walk.

This is a tiny simplistic list of manmade causes of global warming, yet, this tiny list makes a significant difference to the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

If you believe that mankind is the cause of global warming then you can help to reverse the effects in many ways. There are numerous websites on the internet and books in the local library plus advice from councils and agencies to help you decide how you can help the Earth by reducing your carbon footprint.

Let us take a look now at the evidence provided by the scientists who believe Global warming isn’t caused by mankind but is a natural occurrence, happening every so many hundred years.

In the other camp, scientists state, among other things, that this episode of global warming is just taking the temperature of the Earths atmosphere back to what it was in Medieval times. They also argue that the magnitude of the gas emissions involved is inadequate to answer to the magnitude of the Earths temperature increase.

They state: the climate change is controlled by cyclical eccentricities, which run in 100,000, 21,000, 11 year and 206 year cycles, in Earths orbit and rotation plus differences in the heat output of the Sun. Greenhouse gases just contribute in a very minor way.

Also attributable are atmospheric causes due to clouds, polar ice caps and volcanic dust. Tectonic causes-landmass movement, oceanic currents and sea floor spreading also contribute.

During the last hundred years two cycles of warming and cooling have occurred and we are in the second warming cycle. A fact that is seemingly well hidden from us.

Glen Luckman  Economy of Solar Hot Water Heaters By Jacob Mintz

Conversion of Sun Radiation to Heat

The physical principle of converting sun radiation into heat was known for generations. For many years people knew that liquid bottles are heated up when they are exposed to sun radiation. Greenhouse agriculture is known for centuries. As of the 20th century, Solar Hot Water Heaters based on the greenhouse effect were developed, and in countries like Spain or Israel almost every dwelling building is equipped with a Sun powered Water Heater System.

Water Heating is cheaper than Solar Power Generation

Residential Solar Power generation is based on the photovoltaic effect. Although the effect was known for over 200 years and was explained in the 1920s by Albert Einstein, commercial exploitation started seriously only in the 90s of this century. Solar Power generation is still an expensive technology because it is not as matured as the conversion of sun radiation to heat using the greenhouse effect. It is expected that within the next 5 to 10 years residential photovoltaic power generation panels will be sold at more affordable prices. Solar Water Heating systems are sold at very affordable prices right now, even the most expensive evacuated tubes collector type that is recommended for use in the colder less sunny regions carries a very affordable price tag. In most countries, the payback time on sun powered water heaters is 3 to 5 years, even for the most expensive systems

The Benefits

A typical household spend about 20% of the home energy bills on heating water whether the water heater is operating on electricity, gas or other fossil fuel. A sun powered water heater can eliminate 80% of this expense for the 15 to 20 years life span of the solar heater.

The household once equipped with the sun powered heater contributes to the environment by the evident reduction in CO2 and pollutants emissions.

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

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

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

By Raguraman Gurusamy

The gases that absorb radiation are called greenhouse gases. The greenhouse gases include the gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, or water vapor that contribute to the warming of the atmosphere of the Earth by reflecting radiation from the surface of the Earth. They keep the Earth warm. They naturally exist in the atmosphere, heating the atmosphere of the Earth by trapping energy that originally comes from the Sun. Due to this, the temperature of the Earth increases. This is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gases play the vital role in raising the temperature of the Earth. If the greenhouse gases are not there on the surface of the Earth, the Earth would be as cold as the surface of the Moon. The temperature would be around -18 degree Celsius. Actually, the characteristic surface temperature of the Earth is around 15 degree Celsius. It is now worried that the warming effects are being lamentably increased, inducing climate changes and melting of polar icecaps.

All the countries are keenly watching the warming effect. Almost all the countries are taking effort to measure the climatic changes taking places in the globe; however, the measurement is clearly showing that the global climate is keep on changing. In the past 100 years, the atmosphere of the Earth has warmed up by about half a degree Celsius. In addition, during this time human beings have also been released extra greenhouse gases. These gases have been produced as a result of burning the fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil.

It is evident that the artificial emissions of greenhouse gases, by the activity of increased use of fossil fuels, are accountable for some of the warming of the global climate during the 20th century. The additional greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere absorb more energy and consequently increase the greenhouse effect. Due to this, the global temperature can raise further.

Besides by burning the fossil fuels, the greenhouse gases have also produced by the exhausts of motor vehicles. The destruction of rain forests is also responsible for the release of carbon dioxide, which in turn causes global warming. There are also many other natural ways by which the climate can be changed. The gases released from active volcanoes mix with the water vapor present in the air to create aerosols, and cool the atmosphere. The changes in the energy of the Sun and the flow of the ocean also affect the climate of the Earth. If the Earth keeps on to warm as predicted by the climate models, the temperature of the surface of the Earth may be three degree Celsius warmer than the current temperature by the year 2100. Due to this sudden change in the temperature, many ecosystems would get affected; which in turn affects many species of animals and plants.

Climate Change from Glen Luckman