Download Climate Change - cloudfront.net

Climate Change
• Climate change is a significant shift in
temperature and weather patterns around
the world. While some changes are
normal, the vast majority of scientists
agree that our activities are causing
dramatic changes to the Earth’s climate.
Over the last three hundred years we have radically increased our use of energy
sources like oil, coal and natural gas. Burning these fuels releases carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere.
A little bit of carbon dioxide
is a good thing – it keeps the
planet warm and habitable.
Now, however, we are
putting so much carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere
that the planet is getting too
warm. This problem is also
called the greenhouse effect
.
Effects
The effects of climate change are already visible
– melting glaciers, the migration of plant and
animal species, and an increase in severe
storms, to name a few.
What will happen next? No one can say for sure,
but here are some possibilities:
•
•
•
•
•
Rising sea levels destroy coastal areas
Frequent and intense heat waves
More droughts and wildfires
Extinction of millions of species
Spreading of weather-sensitive disease
Carbon Calculator
• Estimate your personal carbon usage!!
• Here's a different sort of calculator
• Low Impact Living
• My footprint
Convert your average CO2
consumption into grams
• There are 2000 lb/ton
• There are 454 g/lb
An average tree fixes about 25 kg
of carbon (a greenhouse gas) per
annum over its lifetime.
• How many trees do you need to plant to
compensate for your carbon dioxide
output?
How much water do you use?
• Bath: 50 gallons
Shower: 2 gallons per minute
Teeth brushing: 1 gallon
Hands/face washing: 1 gallon
Face/leg shaving: 1 gallon
Dishwasher: 20 gallons/load
Dishwashing by hand: 5 gallons/load
Clothes washing (machine): : 10 gallons/load
Toilet flush: 3 gallons
Glasses of water drunk: 8 oz. per glass (1/16th of
a gallon)