Transcript Melinda_Fish[1] - UpWardBoundEnvironmental

GLOBAL
WARMING
By: Melinda Fish
What is global warming?
Global warming is when the earth heats up
(the temperature rises). It happens when
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water
vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap
heat and light from the sun in the earth’s
atmosphere, which increases the
temperature. This hurts many people,
animals, and plants.
Animals
Polar Bears :They need ice for survival. As the ice
melts, it leaves fewer places for polar bears to
hunt and raise their young. Less food to hunt and
interruptions in reproduction is not good for
polar bears.
Penguins :Melting ice presents problems for penguins. Penguins
feed on tiny organisms such as krill shrimp. These tiny
organisms survive on algae, but the melting ice and rising
temperatures are creating a decrease in algae. Global warming
also affects the breeding habits of penguins, which will lead to
an eventual decrease in population.
Trout :Trout and other cold-water fish are suffering from a
loss of habitat due to global warming. These fish need glacial
temperatures to survive. The rising temperatures may mean
doom for trout and other cold-water fish.
What causes global warming?
Natural Causes :
Natural causes are causes created by nature. One natural cause is a release of
methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A
greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the earth's atmosphere. Another
natural cause is that the earth goes through a cycle of climate change. This
climate change usually lasts about 40,000 years.
Man-made Causes :
Man-made causes probably do the most damage. There are many man-made
causes. Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in
many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution.
Fossil fuels are fuels made of organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil
fuels are burned they give off a green house gas called CO2. Also mining coal
and oil allows methane to escape. How does it escape? Methane is naturally in
the ground. When coal or oil is mined you have to dig up the earth a little.
When you dig up the fossil fuels you dig up the methane as well.
Is the hydrological cycle changing?
Global Warming….a bad thing?
Examples of using energy and polluting the air:
Turning on a light
Watching T.V.
Listening to a stereo
Washing or drying clothes
Using a hair dryer
Riding in a car
Heating a meal in the
microwave
• Using an air conditioner
• Playing a video game
• Using a dish washer
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What are people doing to stop global warming?
People are doing many things to try to stop global warming. One thing people
are doing is carpooling. Carpooling is driving with someone to a place that
you are both going to. This minimizes the amount of greenhouse gases put
into the air by a car.
Another thing that people are doing is being more careful about leaving
things turned on like the television, computer, and the lights. A lot of people
are taking time away from the television, and instead, they are spending more
time outdoors. This helps our planet out a lot. Now, more people are even
riding busses, walking to school, and riding their bikes to lower the amount
of greenhouse gases in the air. Planting trees and recycling also helps. If you
recycle, less trash goes to the dump, and less trash gets burned. As a result,
there are fewer greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere.
Kids can help too!
GLOBAL WARMING COMIC!
Sooooo……..
VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J3l23foaOI
Websites!
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215471/global_warmin
g.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_0
41206_global_warming.html