Download Global Warming

Global Warming
Lauren Pollock
SCI 210
Dr. Sandy
November 18, 2003
"An increasing body of observations gives
a collective picture of a warming world
and other changes in the climate system."
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2001
What is global warming??

An increase in the
average temperature
of the earth’s surface,
especially a sustained
increase sufficient to
cause climatic
change.
-American Heritage Dic. of the
English Language, 4th Ed.
Evidence that Global Warming
Exists


Increase in emissions of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere
-cars, power plants, etc.
Global average temperatures increasing- 2002 was
the second warmest year on record.
Effects on U.S. Climate
NRDC.com

There are several predicted climate pattern
changes
-warmer temperatures
-drought and wildfire
-more intense rainstorms
-changing weather patterns
 Predictions are made based on warning signs
today
Global Effects

Some of the global effects tend to have a domino effect
-for example, rising temperatures causes warming
waters, which leads to thinning and melting ice.
-The melting of glaciers contributes to another problem,
the rise of sea level.
NRDC.com
Time.com
Increased melting season in
Antarctica, which affects the
Adelie penguins who live there.
An ice shelf melting away over
several months.
More Global Effects


Health
-heat waves
-increase in spread of disease via
mosquitoes
Ecosystem
-possible extinction of species
279 species of plants and animals are
already reacting to global warming,
including these Pacific Salmon, who
experienced a sharp decline in
population in 1997 and 1998.
Time.com
Consequences of Global Warming
Climatehotmap.org

Orange-indicates direct manifestations of a widespread and long-term

trend toward warmer global temperatures,such as heat waves, ocean
warming, glacier melting, and Arctic and Anarctic warming.
Red- indicates foreshadowed likely impacts with continued warming,
such as spreading disease, earlier spring arrival, population changes,
etc.
What can you do?
 This
is a really cool site about common
ways to reduce emissions of CO2 and
other harmful gases!
 What
can you do??