Global Warming the man made disaster ..ppt

Global Warming

1. GLOBAL WARMINGGLOBAL WARMING
((THE MAN-MADE THE MAN-MADE
NATURAL DISASTERNATURAL DISASTER))
Our Responsibility Toward Our Responsibility Toward
Climate ChangeClimate Change

2. Outline and Objectives
•Global WarmingGlobal Warming
–The scientific researchThe scientific research
–Effects of global warmingEffects of global warming
–Examples of global warmingExamples of global warming
•Helping the problemHelping the problem
–Ways to contribute to solving the problemWays to contribute to solving the problem

3. Global Warming
•Global warming refers to an average increase in
the Earth's temperature
•A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall
patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of
impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.
•The main cause of global warming is human
activities.

4. Global Warming
The earth is getting warmer. The average temperature has
risen about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the last century and the
rate at which the temperature is rising is accelerating.

5. The Green House Effect
•Greenhouse gases:
–prevent some heat from escaping
the atmosphere
–allow incoming radiation to pass
through the Earth’s atmosphere.
•This is a natural process
and has kept the Earth's
temperature about 60 F°
warmer than it would
otherwise be.
•Current life on Earth could not
be sustained without the
natural greenhouse effect.

6. Lets think about it…
•A green house is used to grow
plants and help in the winter.
•Greenhouses trap heat from the
sun, and the glass panels keep
heat from escaping.
•Thus, the greenhouse can keep
plants warm during the winter.
•Greenhouse gases trapped in
the Earth’s atmosphere have
the same effect.

7. Greenhouse Gases
Earth’s greenhouse gases:
•Water vapor (most abundant)
•Carbon dioxide
•Methane
•Nitrous oxide
•Ozone
•CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)(least abundant)

8. Diagram representing the green house effectDiagram representing the green house effect

9. Goldilocks Principle
•It is used to state that a planet must neither be
too far away nor too close to the sun to support
life.
Venus is too hot,
Mars is too cold,
but Earth is just right.

10. Chemical Composition of the Atmospheres

11. Climate Change
•Climate change is the
LONG term average of the
weather patterns in a
specific region.
•Climate can either get
warmer or cooler.

12. People’s Effect on the Climate
People began altering the climate during the Industrial Revolution
in the late 18
th
and early 19
th
century.
Now through population growth, fossil fuel burning, and
deforestation, we are affecting the mixture of gases in the
atmosphere.

13. Carbon Dioxide
•Carbon Dioxide is one of the most abundant greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere.
•The main source of CO2 is the burning of fossil fuels
Deforestation in Brazil has earned it a
spot as one of the leading carbon dioxide
emitting countries.

14. Methane Gas
Trash in landfills, animals, and deforestation all
produce methane gas.
60% of global methane emissions are related to human-
related activities

15. Nitrous Oxide
Sources include:
•Nitric acid in fertilizers
•Animal manure management
•Sewage treatment
•Adipic acid for the production of nylon

16. Ozone
Fuel combustion is the main source of Ozone

17. CFCs
CFC’s were once widely used
in aerosols and refrigerators
The use of CFC’s as a coolant
has been discontinued, but
the effects of the damage
done will persist for
thousands of years

19. Effects of Global Warming
Argentina's Upsala Glacier was once the biggest in South America, but
it is now disappearing at a rate of 200 meters per year.

20. Effects of Global Warming
The common lawn weed
deadnettle, photographed
at the National
Arboretum, is blooming
an average of 39 days
earlier than in 1970.

21. Effects of Global Warming
A study showed the egg
laying date of North
American tree swallows
advanced by up to nine days
during the period from 1959
to 1991.
Tree swallows across North
America are breeding earlier,
the most likely cause is a
long term increase in spring
temperature.
 

22. Effects of Global Warming
–Rising sea levelsRising sea levels
–An increase in extreme weather occurrences An increase in extreme weather occurrences
(hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods, (hurricanes, tornadoes, flash floods,
tsunamis etc.)tsunamis etc.)
–An increase in the occurrence of firesAn increase in the occurrence of fires
–An increase in droughtsAn increase in droughts
–Melting of the polar ice capsMelting of the polar ice caps
–Greater variation in the fluctuation of Greater variation in the fluctuation of
temperaturetemperature
–The list goes on and on…The list goes on and on…

23. Effects of Global Warming
•Environmental changes can lead to
–Appearance of new diseases
–Old diseases in new places
•Diseases carried by insects (or other vectors) are
especially likely to be affected
–Some affected diseases are:
•Malaria
•Plague
•Dengue
•Flu

24. Help Prevent Climate Change
Be energy efficient.
•Use fluorescent light
bulbs.
•Drive less: walk, carpool
•Recycle and buy recycled
products
•Turn off electronic
devices when not in use
•Plant a tree

25. International Responsibility
Climate change is a global
problem.
•The United Nations is taking an
increasing role in its involvement
in climate change.
•The United Nations Environment
Program provides governments
with tools to promote climate
change awareness.

26. National ResponsibilityNational Responsibility
Congress has passed:
•Clean Air Act in 1963
•Air Quality Act in 1967
•Clean Air Act Extension of 1970
•Clean Air Act Amendments in
1977 and 1990.
Numerous state and local
governments have enacted
similar legislation, either
implementing federal programs
or filling in locally important
gaps in federal programs.
President Bush signs the Clean
Air Act Amendments - Nov. 15,
1990 (Source: White House,
photo by Carol T. Powers)

27. References
•http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/cc.html
•http://www.darlington.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2091F156-
0B6A-456B-B5FA-24579F372F36/0/greenhouseeffect.jpg
•http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/sc
i_nat_how_the_world_is_changing/html/1.stm
•http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/caus
es01.jsp
•http://www.edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/climate/causes.htm
•http://www.unfoundation.org/SEG/