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Additional
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Trash Talk Your Way To A Better World
By Dave & Lillian Brummet, Fri Dec 9th
North Americans account for less than 10% of the world'spopulation, yet we produce 50% of the world's garbage andconsume more than 33% of it's resources. If everyone consumedlike the average Read more...
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greenhouse effect
Below, you'll find extensive
information, and greenhouse effect articles and products to help you with your
interest in our evironment.
The Effects Of Global Greenhouse Warming
If the greenhouse effect has again been currently in the news, it is probably because it is once again being blamed for causing global warming. Stronger hurricanes, periods of extreme weather, heat waves, the frequency of the El Nino phenomenon, these are all attributed to global warming. But how does the greenhouse effect figure in all these?
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is the ability of our planet's atmosphere to trap and contain heat. This heat is sourced from the sun and is reflected back towards the atmosphere. Certain gases are responsible for this entrapment and they include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, fluorinated compounds and water vapor. Other man-made chemicals are also capable of retaining heat within the atmosphere.
In itself, the greenhouse effect is not essentially evil. In fact, it is this very phenomenon that has produced life on earth as we know it. Think of the greenhouse effect as a natural thermal blanketing for our planet, maintaining a surface temperature that is just right to encourage organisms to grow and survive. Without this blanketing, the earth's climate would be too cold – about 59F lower than the average – for our planet to be able to sustain life successfully.
How does the greenhouse effect contribute to global warming?
For more than 4 billion years, the greenhouse effect has kept our planet's temperature at a friendly level. Gases found in the atmosphere act to trap heat and keep our planet insulated, able to sustain itself. Problems only began to arise when scientists noticed that certain practices and human activities contribute to the modification of this process.
When the Industrial Revolution began, we also devised many ways of using fossil fuel for oil, coal and gas. The only way to utilize these fuels was by burning. As industrialization continued to expand, so did the practice of fossil fuel burning, thereby releasing gases into the atmosphere. The only problem was that these gases had nowhere else to go and have continued to build up over the years.
By building up, they cause the atmosphere to become more efficient in trapping heat, causing climates to turn warmer. This unnatural or man-made result is referred to as global warming.
How global warming affects us
We have been experiencing the effects of global warming for the past years and most of these are felt through changes in the climate. However, it's important to note that is brought about by other factors and not just as an indirect result of the greenhouse effect. Some of these factors include changes in the circulation of the oceans, changes in our planet's orbit and even changes in the intensity of the sun itself.
Global warming involves increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere near its surface. While global warming is nothing new to our planet (it has occurred over long periods in the earth's 4.5-billion-year history alternating with ice ages), it is only now when its drastic changes on a global scale has dire consequences not just for human kind but also to the millions of species that depend upon the earth for sustenance.
A famous example of the effect of global warming is the increase in sea level, brought about by the melting of glaciers. This is a problem not readily seen nor felt in countries or regions that lie on higher ground, but for many areas, this could mean land (and subsistence opportunities) lost to sea. A 0.3-meter increase in sea level for example, can eat up about 15 meters of beach.
As temperatures rise, countries that have agricultural practices firmly dependent on the regularity of glacier-melting will suffer greatly. For many regions in the world, the melting of snowpacks from the mountains means water for plant irrigation and electricity. If the melting occurs at a bad time, the planting and harvesting of crops will be significantly disrupted, causing problems in the economy on a local and national level.
With global warming, abrupt weather changes may also be experienced, such as heat waves that last longer and occur with more frequency, stronger storms and hurricanes and even changes in the behavior of the winds. Warmer climate will also contribute to the displacement of plants and animals, as those who depend upon lower temperature regions to survive will need to move to higher elevations and latitudes. For plants and animals who cannot adapt, it could mean extinction.
Healthwise, diseases that right now are currently limited by the location and living habits of their carriers have the possibility of invading areas that didn’t have a problem with them before. An example of this is malaria, along with other diseases caused by mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes thrive in tropical settings and as more and more regions become warmer, mosquitoes will expand their range. They will now be able to go to areas that they usually do not inhabit because of the temperature. This exposes the formerly unexposed population to the health risks caused by mosquito-borne diseases that also include dengue and elephantiasis.
Facing global warming
The balance of life and competition among species may also be disrupted, in more ways than are currently foreseen. In fact, with global warming, certain lifestyles and animal behavior that we have enjoyed so far may also disappear, unless we do something to try to correct and arrest the problem.
For more information now go to: http://www.solutionstoearthdestruction.com
http://www.stopearthdestruction.com/Effect-Global-Green-House-Warming.html
Electricity from Trash
Capturing methane from rotting garbage will help reduce climate change due to greenhouse gases.
Waste Management is creating electricity from rotting garbage at 100 of its landfills, and plans more such projects. This is a double win, as the methane gas produced by the garbage has a 21 times worse greenhouse gas effect than carbon dioxide. But now it can be captured to create energy rather than being emitted into the atmosphere.
Read more: Electricity from trash
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Astrologer Fails to Predict Cyclone
It wouldn't be important that an astrologer failed to predict the Myanmar cyclone if astrology weren't important there.
Continuing on the theme of what can and cannot be predicted, the weather is the next logical topic and evidently a noted Burmese astrologer has publicly apologized for his failure to predict Cyclone Nargis. But in a country like Myanmar where they take astrology seriously, evidently the citizenry depends on their astrologers for this kind of thing:
Read more: Astrologer is sorry for failure to predict cyclone
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Climate Analysis
From a post on calculating CO2 impacts correctly.
?m using this as an example of the kind of armchair analysis I would love to see more consumers and voters do on their own when faced with any buying or voting decision that has significant energy and/or environmental implications. Does this candidate?s claim make sense? How much money can I save by adjusting my thermostat a couple of degree or car pooling? How much CO2 can I avoid by signing up for 100% green electricity?
Read more: Analysis, done right
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Angelo's Is Back
Angelo's Restaurant in St. Marks was swept away by Hurricane Dennis.
Angelo?s was washed away by Hurricane Dennis in 2005 and just recently reopened this winter. It?s a beautiful place, lovely view and great food, but not the place to grab a quick and cheap bite to eat. We had enjoyable meal, though, sitting on the deck and watching the boats and birds over the bay.
Read more: Saint Marks Lighthouse
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Is Carbon Neutrality Actually Possible?
A look at whether products can achieve carbon neutrality.
The big question is where do you draw the line and say that this company is carbon neutral/negative and this one is not when they all rely heavily on carbon positive support?
Read more: Is Carbon Neutrality Actually Possible?
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Review: The End Of Suburbia
Will climate change force us to re-think suburban development?
Of course, no one knows what?ll happen to the suburbs we have now. Will they become the slums of the future? At least one expert in the film predicts a scarier scenario where we may not even have time to build new ?hoods with new urbanist design principles; we may just need to salvage what we have left in the face of global climate change.
Read more: Film review: The End of Suburbia
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Why Do They Hate Us?
A look at climate change and politics.
Yet another hot button topic these days is climate change and the environment. On the surface, you wouldn't think that this should be a conservative vs. liberal topic. After all, climate change is either happening or it isn't. And yet this is an issue that divides conservatives from liberals as much as any other.
Read more: Why do they hate us?
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The Perfectly Timed Vacation
Hurricane Ivan and other hurricanes have changed travel economics.
The best deals on lodging aren?t necessarily found in the hotels, but the low-rise condos. Thank Hurricane Ivan for that, she says. Many hotels were damaged by the 2004 storm, and have recently been repaired and reopened. So if you don?t mind staying in a condo, low season ? at least when it comes to saving money ? may last longer than a season. It could extend months, or longer.
Read more: 4 secrets for the perfectly timed vacation
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We Interrupt This Program
Has the federal government lost all credibility in natural disaster recovery?
Excuse me, while I open a space in the political discussion to point out something beyond the primaries on Tuesday - a powerful series of thunderstorms ripped through the Mid-South with tornadoes that killed at least 54 people and injured hundreds. They have been promised help by George W. Bush, which I can tell you as someone who lives in an area struck by hurricane Ivan in 2004 and knows what the Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas Gulf Coast still looks like after Katrina and Rita in 2005, is not going to happen any time soon.
Read more: We Interrupt This Program
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Anatomy Of A Local Breaking News Story
A great behind-the-scenes look at coverage of Hurricane Wilma from the local point-of-view.
Back in 2005, when Hurricane Wilma was about to smack the Naples area, our news organization made a commitment that when it came to real-time coverage, we were not going to get beat on this story by CNN or The Weather Channel or any other news organizations.
Read more: Anatomy of a local breaking news story
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Hurricane Felix Making Landfall
Is the quote machine broken:
The Nicaragua coast is experiencing powerful winds and surge at this time, as the wrath of a catastrophic monster category 5 hurricane Felix with winds of 160mph and gusts close to 190mph moves inland over Nicaragua very close to Punta Gorda and Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Felix is the second category 5 hurricane to make landfall this year, and before Hurricane Dean a week or so ago, there were no land falling hurricanes at category 5 status for 15 years.
Read more: Hurricane Felix Making Landfall In Nicaragua
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Save The World From Your Desktop
Seven good tips to reduce climate change from the comfort of your computer.
Use GoLoco to make carpooling a whole lot easier, and do your part to reduce CO2 emissions and lessen traffic congestion.
Read more: 7 Ways to Save the World Using Your Desktop
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Dean Update - Monday, Aug 20, 11 AM
Waiting for Hurricane Dean.
Everybody?s talking about the hurricane and now everyone?s saying that it looks like it?s going south. We?re continuing our preparations (and so is everyone else, apparently), but we?re less worried. We?re reminded that with both Hurricane Emily and Hurricane Wilma, it barely even rained in Merida. It?s good to keep in mind that what happens on one end of the Yucatan Peninsula, doesn?t necessarily effect the whole peninsula.
Read more: Dean Update - Monday, Aug 20, 11 AM
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600 Naked People On A Vanishing Glacier
Click through for pictures of the living sculpture atop the vanishing glacier.
Installation artist Spencer Tunick and Greenpeace Switzerland present a living sculpture: hundreds of naked people symbolise the vulnerability of the glaciers under climate change.
Read more: 600 naked people on a vanishing glacier
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Bad Climate Change News Was Too Optimistic
The news on iceberg meltdowns is bad.
However, China is preparing for climate change induced disasters and plans 24 hour response with food and water for any emergency. Too bad the US isn?t doing the same.
Read more: That bad news about climate change was too optimistic
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Additional Resources
Palm Oil & Deforestation: Truth Or Fiction?
By palm oil truth foundation
By Frank TateHave you ever noticed that a herd of lembu or cows, all tend to move together in the same direction? Have you often wondered why this phenomenon occurs?Imagine that you Read more...
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Additional Resources
Science, Healthy Lifestyles, Global Warming - Mandarins In Manhattan
By Derek Dashwood
Throughout the expansion of people around the earth the movements have generally spread east and west out of Africa, and most have stayed in the wide central middle climate zones between both poles Read more...
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