Transcript Global Warming - Fr.Agnel College Library

Global Warming
Earth on fire
Heated earth
Alaska ice melting
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Climate change is the biggest
environmental threat today. The
impact of climate change is being
visible through rise in temperature,
changing monsoon pattern, melting
of the glaciers, sea level rise,
floods, droughts etc.
Melt zone
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. It has therefore become extremely
important for us to take on the challenge
of restoring the vitality of our mother
earth through extensive and realistic
strategies. Unfortunately, the US
Government cannot see the light.
Americans account for 35% of the entire
global warming. The next major chunk
goes to Europe. The latest culprit is
China.
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India has been identified as one amongst
27 countries which are most vulnerable to
the impacts of global warming –
accelerated sea level. (UNEP, 1989). India
is taking a stand but feels that our efforts
may not be sufficient unless the big three
react positively and fast. As reported in
Times of India issue of 6th May, 2007, we
have only eight years for reversing the
process of self destruction
causes
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Global warming is caused mainly
due to the increased emission of
carbon dioxide gas into the
atmosphere. It is emitted primarily
from burning fuel like wood and
fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and
gas. Co2 gas prevents the heat
from escaping back into the outer
atmosphere. As a result the earth
becomes warmer
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However, there are other
greenhouse gases that contribute to
global warming. These gases are
methane, nitrous oxide, CFC’s.
What can we do
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As ordinary citizens of the country
each of us can contribute in our
own little way to combat global
warming and reduce the impact of
climate change. It is never too late
to begin

1. Plant and nurture a tree until it
grows up. A single tree will absorb
one ton of CO2 over its lifetime
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2. Turn off Electric Devices. Simply
turning off your lights, fans,
computer, AC, TV, DVD player etc
when you’re not using them will
save you thousands of kilos of CO2
a year. Now a days, consumer
electronics come with energy
efficiency ratings (EER). We can
purchase products which have the
highest EER
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3. Switch over to CFL (compact
fluorescent lamps) bulbs as they consume
1/4th electricity of the normal ones. CFL
lasts 10 times longer. By replacing all
ordinary light bulbs with CFL’s, we can
reduce India’s CO2 emission by 55 million
tones annually.
4. For irrigation of your garden lawn, farm
etc., use sprinklers or drip irrigation
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5. Turn the tap off when you soap
or shave.
6. Switch over to solar heaters.
Solar energy does not release CO2
and is free of cost barring the initial
expenses which get paid out in less
than three years.
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7. Reduce the use of paper and paper
products. When forests are burned or cut
down, their stored carbon is released into
the atmosphere – deforestation now
accounts for about 20% of CO2 emissions
each year.
8. Buy recycled paper products. It takes
less energy to make recycled paper and it
prevents loss of forests worldwide
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9. Drive less. Walk, bike, carpool or use
public transport more often. You’ll save
0.45 kgs of CO2 for every mile you don’t
drive. Avoiding 16 kms of driving every
week would eliminate about 225 kgs of
CO2 emissions a year.
10. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen.
Frozen foods use 10 times more energy to
produce and maintain in the frozen state
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11. Avoid heavily packaged products. You
can save 540 kgs of CO2 if you cut down
your garbage by 10%.
12. Create awareness. We need to inform
and educate whoever we come in contact
with on the seriousness of climate change
and exchange best practices on mitigating
it.
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13. The wide usage of plastic bags needs
to be controlled. They can never be got
rid off, except burning, which itself
releases toxic fumes.
14. Promote organic farming. Nitrogenous
fertilizers play an important role in
increasing crop yields, but also release
nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere as
a result of microbial action in the soil thus
contributing to emission of greenhouse
gas.
Conclusion

Global warming can be slowed and
stopped with practical actions that yield a
cleaner, healthier atmosphere. The
question is: will we act soon enough. It is
a matter of time. Ultimately it is up to us
to take action to slow down and
eventually reverse global warming
through everyday awareness of our
energy use and attention to ways we can
conserve electricity and minimize fossil
fuel usage. Lets do it for our earth and for
our future generation.
Important world summits
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The Helsinki conference 1989, London conference
1990, and Copenhegen conference 1992 – to
protect ozone layer and phase out CFCs.
The Rio Summit 1992 – GHG emission
The Kyoto Protocol – reduce greenhouse gases
that cause climate change. Signed in 1997 and
entered into force I 2005. 174 countries accepted.
Dec. 2007, at Bali in Indonesia. 180 countries
participated. Discussed road map beyond Kyoto
protocol till 2012. Developed countries to reduce
GHG emission by 25-40% by 2020.
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2009 – climate conference at
Copenhagen, Denmark. 170
countries participated.