Transcript Global Warming?

Global Warming?
FIB Spring 2008
What is all the hype about?
I don’t feel that hot!
Global Warming
• refers to
• the increase in the average temperature
of the Earth's near-surface air and
oceans
• in recent decades
• and its projected continuation.
Says who?
• On Feb. 2, 2007
• the United Nations scientific panel studying
climate change
• declared that the evidence of a warming
trend is "unequivocal," and that human
activity has "very likely" been the driving
force in that change over the last 50 years.
– The last report by the group, the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
in 2001, had found that humanity had "likely"
played a role.
But the guy on the radio says
its all poppycock!
• There are naturally voices (scientists,
observers, commentators, and politicians)
which say that the reason the Earth is seeing
an increase in temperature is due to:
– Natural cyclic fluctuations in its temperature
• They tell us that ‘Mother Nature’ will
compensate
• And sometimes, they tell us that it is a liberal
left-wing conspiracy
Rush Limbaugh
• “We exhale it. It's now being called a
pollutant.”
• Liberal conspiracy to defraud the American
people by making CO2 as valuable as gold.
• “It's made to order for the gullible and for the
well-intentioned, the do-gooders and so forth
out there who also have been convinced after
20 years of this campaign that they are the
culprits, that they are responsible for it.”
Sean Hannity
• Does not believe it is happening.
• Natural cycles
Best way to learn is from the
evidence
• As always, past history can educate us
as to what may be going on.
• It is no different in this case…
• The video shall explore the evidence,
– both current and past
– pros and cons
– trends and causes
– and the reasons behind any increases…
FACTS…Not made up
• There are 500 million cars on Earth
• They release 4 billion tons of CO2 each
year into the air!
FACTS…Not made up
• Of all man-made
CO2 - 20% comes
from car exhausts!
FACTS…Not made up
• Since the industrial
revolution CO2 levels
are today 35%
higher!
FACTS…Not made up
• The U.S. produces
about 25% of all CO2
emissions from
burning fossil fuels
FACTS…Not made up
• CO2 levels expected
to increase each
year from 2001 to
2025 by 2%
FACTS…Not made up
• Number of Category
4 and 5 hurricanes
has almost doubled
in the last 30 years!
FACTS…Not made up
• Deaths directly related
to global warming will
double in 25 years to
300,000 people a year!
FACTS…Not made up
• More than a million
species could be driven
to extinction by 2050!
Questions on video
1. What do coral growth bands tell us?
2. What was the ‘snowball’ earth?
3. Which gases are more troublesome than
carbon dioxide as greenhouse gases?
4. What type of ice melt can cause sea
levels to rise?
5. The planet changes its orbital path every
how many years?
6. According to the video, the Earth should
be getting colder right now, but it is getting
warmer. Why?
Questions on video - 2
A. Name at least two ‘Mega Mammals’?
B. What significance did caves how in this video?
C. Why are sunspots significant to Earths’
climate?
D. Are human activities contributing to the
cause?
E. What rate of change in temperatures are we
seeing at this time?
Group discussion questions
1. What was your view and understanding of
global warming before the video? What is it
now?
2. What changes are you aware of due to
warming related factors?
3. What 5 things can you do today to help
offset global warming?
4. How can humans survive the upcoming
challenges as a result of global warming?