Friday, October 14, 2016

35 Easy Ways To Stop Global Warming

While the movie Interstellar doesn’t exactly state the world is ruined by global warming, it is eye-opening to see that the planet and atmosphere we call home could one day turn against us. Global warming has increased in vast increments in the last decade. In fact, in the last 50 years, the earth’s global temperature has increased by 3%. Pollution caused by the release of carbon dioxide into the air creates a blanket over the atmosphere. Global warming can cause a whole chain of events to rupture ecosystems, weather patterns, and a variety of other factors. We all play a part in our future.
More from global warming:

Here are 35 common sense, yet practical and easy ways to stop or prevent global warming and not have to seek colonization on another planet.

1. Replace Regular Incandescent Light bulb: Replace regular incandescent light bulb with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. They consume 70% less energy then ordinary bulbs and have longer lifetime.
2. Drive Less or Carpool: By driving less you are not only saving fuel but also helping in reducing global warming. Also, look out for other possibilities, for e.g.: car pooling. If you have colleagues who live in the same area then you can combine trips. If you need to go to a local market then either walk or go by cycle. Both of them are great form of exercise. The biggest pollution emitting fumes are caused by oil and gasoline. Cutting down consumption, is a huge step to reducing energy wastes.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Reduce your need to buy new products or use less, resulting in a smaller amount of waste. Even if you need to buy, consider buying eco-friendly products. It is most effective of the three R’s. It simply says cut back from where are you now.
Reuse bottles, plastic containers, and other items bought at the grocery store. Reusing water bottles, yogurt cups, bread ties, and other items is being conscious about what is already out there. It will lessen having to purchase other items that would fulfill the same function. Try to use the disposable products into some other form. Just don’t throw them away.
Recycling unwanted paper, bottles, etc…is a great earth saving tip. If possible, upcycle tables, furniture, and other outdated items to keep landfills clean. You can recycle almost anything for e.g.: paper, aluminum foils, cans, newspapers. By recycling you can help in reducing landfills .
4. Go Solar: Many people have caught the energy efficient band wagon of solar energy. Having solar panels installed is something readily possible and available. Incentives and discounts given by government agencies and energy companies make solar energy something to look into.
5. Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances: Always buy products that are energy efficient as they can help you save good amount of money on your energy bill. Energy-efficient products can help you to save energy, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
6. Reduce Waste: Landfills are the major contributor of methane and other greenhouse gases. When the waste is burnt, it release toxic gases in the atmosphere which result in global warming. Reusing and recycling old items can significantly reduce your carbon footprint as it takes far less energy to recycle old items than to produce items from scratch.
7. Use Less Hot Water: Buy energy saving geysers and dishwasher for your home. Avoid washing clothes in hot water. Just wash them in cold or warm water. Avoid taking frequent showers and use less hot water. It will help in saving energy require to produce that energy.
8. Avoid Products With Lot of Packaging: Just don’t buy products with lot of packaging. When you buy such products you will end up in throwing the waste material in the garbage, which then will help in filling landfill sites and pollute the environment. Also, discourage others from buying such products.
9. Install a Programmable Thermostat: A programmable thermostat doesn’t cost much and its cost can be recovered from the amount that you save by reducing energy. The easiest and most cost effective advice is simply adjusting your thermostat up 1 degree down in the winter and up by 1 degree in the summer. Lower your thermostat 2 degrees in the winter. Instead of making your home a burning furnace, try putting on extra layers.
10. Turn Off the Lights: Duh! If you’re not using a room, there’s no need for the light to be on.
11. Turn off Electronic Devices: Turn off electronic devices when you are moving out for a couple of days or more. Unnecessary usage of electronic appliances will not only save fuel i.e. coal by which we get electricity but also increase the lifetime of your gadgets.
12. Plant a Tree: Planting trees can help much in reducing global warming then any other method. They not only give oxygen but also take in carbon dioxide, during the process of photosynthesis, which is the main source of global warming.
13. Use Clean Fuel: Electric, smart cars, cars run on vegetable oil, etc…are great examples for using renewable energy. Supporting companies that provide these products will help the rest of the mainstream manufacturing companies convert over.
14. Look for Renewable Fuel Options: If you can’t afford an electric car, buy the cleanest gasoline as possible. When car shopping, look at the benefits of options that provide renewable fuel. Although it may be a pretty penny now, you’re on the ground level of forward thinking.
15. Save Energy: When you consume less, the less carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Setting your thermostat using your smart phone or changing the type of light bulb you use is a great start.
16. Replace Filters on Air Conditioner and Furnace: If you haven’t, not only are you wasting energy, but breathing in dirty air. Cleaning a dirty air filter can save several pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
17. Go Green: Using energy star appliances will not only save money, but also the amount of energy wasted in your home. Have a look at various ways to go green.
18. Tune Your Car Regularly: Regular maintenance will help your car function properly and emit less carbon dioxide.
19. Download Earth Saving Apps: Apps like Kil-Ur-Watts and Wiser EMS not only help calculate your energy costs, but provide tools and ways to save energy and money.
20. Conserve Water: This is a tired tip, but ever so important. If we added up the water wasted by the millions of Americans brushing their teeth, we could provide water to more than 23 nations with unclean, drinking water. Remember, it takes energy to draw and filter water from underground.Taking a quick 5 minute shower will greatly conserve energy. The type of shower head used, will also aid in combating global warming. Take showers instead of baths. Showers use less water than baths by 25%. Over the course of a year that’s hundreds of gallons saved.
21. Stop Idling Your Car: It might be freezing outside, but unless your car is buried in snow, start your car as usual. It may take longer to warm up, but the world isn’t just about you.
22. Eat Less Hamburger: Besides carbon dioxide, methane introduced into the air contributes to global warning. With meat consumed by the seconds, the amount of cows breathing out methane is a huge contributor, thanks to our carnivorous diet and the billion-dollar meat industry.

23. Use Clothesline to Dry Your Clothes: Think of your grandmother when you do this. Most clothes shouldn’t be put in the dryer anyway.
24. Eat Naturally: Not only do the health benefits speak wonders for those who eat naturally, but it cuts down the energy costs used by factories who produce processed food.
25. Ride Your Bike: Not only is bike riding, healthy it reduces the amount of CO2 released into the air. Walking is another easy way to reduce global warming.
26. Use a Kitchen Cloth Instead of Paper Towels: Paper towels produce nothing but wasted energy. Think of the factory pollution, as well as the tree consumption.
27. Reuse Towels: Hang towels to dry, instead of popping them back in the wash after a few uses.
28. Check Your Tires: When you drive make sure your tires are inflated properly. If not, then your vehicle might consume more fuel which in turn release more CO2 in the atmosphere. Keep your engine properly tuned and drive less aggressively. Aggressive driving and frequent applying of brakes hampers the engine and can even lower the mileage of your car.
29. Take Lunch in a Tupperware: Each time you throw away that brown paper sack, more brown paper sacks are being produced in a factory as we speak.
30. Wrap your water heater in insulation: By keeping the energy in the water heater condensed, less energy is emitted into the air. This not only helps the earth, but your pocketbook.
31. Get Home Energy Audit Done: Call a home energy audit company and get an audit done for your home that will help you to identify areas that consume lot of energy and are not energy efficient at all.
32. Become Part of the Global Warming Community: Connecting with others will help you become more conscious of the impact we all have. The Climate Change National Forum and Global Humanitarian Forum are great avenues to know the latest facts, statistics, and efforts in making a difference.
33. Actually celebrate Arbor Day and Earth day: Although most of us hear about these days in passing, see what the buzz is all about. Plant a tree, pick up trash, or join a forum.
34. Become Aware of Your Contribution: With technology within your fingertips, finding information about protecting the environment is everywhere. To help emit less CO2, the first step is being aware of how much you contribute.
35. Spread the Awareness: Always try your best to educate people about global warming and it’s causes and after affects. Tell them how they can contribute their part by saving energy that will be good for the environment. Gather opportunities and establish programs that will help you to share information with friends, relatives and neighbors.

By being just a little more mindful, we all can play our part in combating global warming. These easy tips will help preserve the planet for future generations. Scientists won’t have to defy the space time continuum to keep life on planet earth from continuing.

Source: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/StopGlobalWarming.php

Top 12 Main Causes of Global Warming List

1 year ago

mousam mahala

Education, Facts, Miscellaneous

1 Comment

Global warming is a big issue for concern which has found it’s place in big discussion rooms and is an alarm with no snooze button for the human beings which wakes them up from deep slumber where they dreamt of acquiring profits for their means and in the long run forgot to look after their guardians our nature,which is the source of everything we live on, from food,water and even the air we take into respire.But we are polluting the same water we will drink,polluting the same air we will need to respire and extensive use of strong chemical fertilizer which is ruining our crops instead of making them healthy
We as human expect a lot from others, but are we giving our nature back the same thing? The answer is yes, but we are giving our nature the return gift for the favour of the nature, protecting us as pollution of water and air,destruction of forests and exploitation in the form of a mining of our mother earth

In order to make our own world we are destroying world’s of millions who have their home on earth, which includes the animals,birds and the insects as well who have supported and protected every time we were in trouble.Not,only this the contribution and sacrifice of these animals,trees and the whole ecosystem around us are the elements which have helped us in evolution from a nescient to an effective thinker.Is this that they deserve? Our heart pumps and our mind throttles back saying, of course not at all .

We have to nurture the nature, love it and to do that first we will have to understand what constant troubles we the social animals are creating for mother earth,and the trouble which forces us each of us to ponder and analyse before it is too late.
Before leading towards the causes, it is very much important to know what is global warming.
Global warming, can be defined as an increase in the earth’s atmospheric, oceanic temperatures and an overall change in earth’s atmosphere including a rise in sea levels and variability of snow falls. Climate change and associated impacts vary from region to region around the globe. Due to increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution and other activities such as, greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activities mainly industrial processes and transportation.

“GLOBAL WARMING” = “CLIMATE CHANGE.”

What is the greenhouse effect?
According to, IPCC(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change) “Greenhouse gases effectively absorb thermal infra-red radiation, emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself due to the same gases, and by clouds. Atmospheric radiation is emitted to all sides. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat within the surface-troposphere system. This is called the Greenhouse effect”
[Note: In 1998, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), to cope with the threat that global warming presents to the world.] The Main causes of Global warming are:

12. Increase in co2 concentration

The CO2 concentration in the atmosphere by about thirty percent, due to Human beings have increased, the increase is proportional to increases in fossil fuel combustion ,for electricity generation, transportation, and heating, and also the manufacture of cement , (human caused) emissions. It is predicted that we’ll soon reach carbon dioxide concentrations that haven’t been seen on Earth in the last 50 million years, which is eventually leading to changes in the Earth’s average surface temperature, which is really proving fatal to human lives.

11. Ozone Depletion

Increase in ozone levels in the stratosphere over Antarctica, are the result of complex chemical processes. The return of the Sun at the end of winter triggers photochemical reactions that lead to the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere. As reported Over the Arctic the gradual development of an annual decline during the 1990s, has been observed. The Protection of the Ozone Layer amendments has been issued to eliminate certain CFCs from industrial production, the substantial destruction of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica, has not seen any improvement till date.

10. Deforestation

The use of forests for fuel (both wood, for charcoal and other necessary lifestyle products) is one cause of deforestation. In order satiate ourselves, for wood and other products, mainly habitat and to build farms we are chopping forests which is not a good sign and has also leads to decrease in rainfalls. Forests are very human friendly, they clean the air as they act as natural filters remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and this deforestation releases large amounts of carbon, as well as reducing the amount of carbon gas capture on the earth.

9. Methane and Nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture, Arctic sea beds and factories

Methane is one of the greenhouse gases, which causes global warming. When organic matter is broken down by bacteria under oxygen-starved conditions as in agricultural fields, methane is produced. The process also takes place in the intestines of herbivorous animals, and with the increase in the amount of concentrated livestock production, the levels of methane released into the atmosphere is increasing. Another source of methane is methane clathrate, a compound in large amounts of methane trapped in the crystal structure of ice. As methane escapes from the Arctic seabed, the rate of global warming increases, accordingly.

8. Aerosols present in the Atmosphere

Atmospheric aerosols is able to alter the climate in two important ways.

They scatter and absorb solar and infra-red radiation
They may change the micro-physical and chemical properties of clouds and possibly their lifetime and extent.

This can be explained as, scattering of solar radiation acts to cool the planet, while the absorption of solar radiation by aerosols warms the air directly instead of absorption of sunlight from the surface of the Earth.
The human contribution to the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere takes many forms, such as:

Biomass burning produces a combination of organic droplets.
Exhaust emissions from transport generate pollutants that are either aerosols from the outset, or are converted by chemical reactions in the atmosphere to form aerosols.

The concentrations of condensation nuclei are about three times higher in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. This higher concentration is estimated to result in radiation forcing that is only about 50 percent higher in the Northern Hemisphere as reported.

7. Rise in sea levels

Increase in sea levels is the result of melting of two massive ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland as researched by scientists. However, many nations around the world will experience the effects of rising sea levels, which could displace millions of people. The Maldives a country is already looking for a new home due to rising sea levels. Majority of Americans living in coastal states, are facing large impacts due to global warming. Seawater expands, takes more space in the ocean and causes a surplus rise in water level and also the melting of ice over land, which then adds water to the ocean.

6. Plankton boom due to warming seas

Some of the sea lions, sea urchins, kelp beds, and fish populations, appears to have extinct due to loss of plankton, decrease in population of sea lions, leading orcas to eat too many sea otters, leading to urchin explosions, leading to loss of various fish populations.

5. Water Vapour

Water vapour is increasing in the atmosphere due to carbon dioxide-induced warming. Two-thirds of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases is contained in water vapor, and as the average temperature on the planet to raises, the amount of water vapour rises in turn, leading to untimely rainfall which may further cause other natural calamities such as floods.

4. Sunspots

Sunspots are dark patches on the sun’s surface that block hot solar plasma. Increase in solar activities changes the Earth’s solar radiation levels, thereby causing short-term warming cycles. Surrounding sunspots are bright patches known as faculae. These patches give off greater than normal radiation, and they are more powerful than the darker, cooler patches. This means that the total average energy over a 30-day solar rotation increases, which gives way to many other after effects

3. Burning of Fossil Fuels

Each time a fossil fuel burn, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increase. As we know carbon dioxide absorbs infra-red energy emitted from the earth’s surface, preventing it from returning to space. Auto mobiles, Carbon emissions from the burning of gasoline to power cars, trucks, and other methods of transportation. Electricity generation requires, coal is the largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions, Therefore countries across the world want to switch to nuclear power plants.

2. Mining activities

Mining oil, coal and other mineral products underlying in deep beds allow methane, a greenhouse gas, to escape from the earth. Disturbing the soil, stored gases make their way into the environment.

1. Population Increase

As the population on Earth increases, food and housing demands along with other basic necessities also increase. Manure from cattle, contributes to methane gas levels. The cutting down of forests to make space for housing and other buildings accounts for close to 11-12 % of carbon emissions.
So love your planet to live your life with no hap hazards and become more eco friendly.

Source: http://listovative.com/top-12-main-causes-reasons-of-global-warming/

How are humans responsible for global warming?

Deforestation and burning fossil fuels are chief culprits

Scientists have closed the case: Human activity is causing the Earth to get hotter.

How? Primarily by two actions: Burning fossil fuels, with a smaller contribution from clear cutting forests, known as deforestation.

Greenhouse gases trap heat

When we extract and burn fossil fuels such as coal or petroleum, we cause the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere.
Though natural amounts of carbon dioxide have varied from 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm), today’s levels are around 400 ppm. That’s 40% more than the highest natural levels over the past 800,000 years.
We also can tell that the additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere comes mainly from coal and oil because the chemical composition of the carbon dioxide contains a unique fingerprint.

Losing forests makes it worse

Clearing forests also releases large amounts of carbon dioxide. On top of that, plants and trees use it to grow. Worldwide deforestation means we don’t have as many trees to absorb the extra carbon dioxide.
This means more of it stays in the atmosphere, trapping more heat.

Source: https://www.edf.org/climate/human-activity-is-causing-global-warming

The main cause of global warming

It took more than 20 years to broadly accept that mankind is causing global warming with the emission of greenhouse gases. The drastic increase in the emission of CO2 (carbon dioxide) within the last 30 years caused by burning fossil fuels has been identified as the major reason for the change of temperature in the atmosphere (click the following link for a summary and graphs about the cause and effects of global warming ). More than 80% of the world-wide energy demand is currently supplied by the fossil fuels coal, oil or gas. It will be impossible to find alternative sources, which could replace fossil fuels in the short or medium term. The energy demand is simply too high.
Another issue is the non-renewable characteristic of fossil fuels: It took nature millions of years to generate these resources, however we will have used them up within the next decades. Alone the shrinking supply will not make it possible to continue as usual for a longer time.

The main cause of global warming is our treatment of Nature

Why have warnings about climate change been ignored for more than 20 years?

Why were ever more scientific evidence demanded to find the coherence of man-made CO2 emissions as cause of global warming? Why wasn't common sense reason enough to act?

The true cause of global warming is our thoughtless attitude to Nature.

Why can one still today find people who stick their head in the sand and don't want to understand what's going on in the earth's atmosphere?

Why do most people refuse to change their personal behavior voluntary in order to reduce CO2 emissions caused by their activities?

The answer to all these questions is a rather simple one:

In our technology and scientific minded world, we seem to have forgotten that mankind is only a relatively minor part of Nature. We ignore being part of a larger whole.

We believe to be able to control Nature instead of trying to arrange ourselves with Nature. This haughtiness is the true main cause of global warming. As a matter of fact, some people still believe that technical solutions alone would be sufficient to fight global warming.
Although we are guests on Earth, we behave as if no further visitors would arrive after us. It's like having a wild party where we destroy beds, the kitchen as well as the living room of a hotel without ever thinking about our future staying in the hotel nor about other guests arriving later.

The lesson from global warming is to base all decisions on deep respect and consideration for Nature.

In addition, our unit of measure is more and more often money only. What has no price tag, seems to have no value to us any more. In doing so we mix up economic growth with general well-being and financial income with personal happiness, respectively. There is a loss of value behind this attitudes. We got blind for the true reason of our incarnation on earth:

We live here to train those traits , which will finally lead to perpetual harmony with ourselves and with our environment as well as to inner calm and peace.

The ultimate global warming solutions is to behave as part of a larger whole

Many people between 20 and 65 years seem to live for the one and only purpose of earning as much money as possible in order to be able to buy as many things as possible. In this light, it is not surprising that discussions about potential solutions to fight global warming concentrate on technical measures instead of a fundamental change of our attitude to life in general and to Nature in particular.
Someone who respects Nature and regards mankind as a part of a larger whole would never dream about using up non-renewable resources in a short time nor would this person contaminate the environment with gigantic amounts of pollution. By contrary, someone who respects Nature and regards mankind as a part of a larger whole would in all decisions carefully evaluate any effects on Nature. The preservation of Nature would be given a very high priority. On this base, it wouldn't have been possible to deny and ignore global warming for more than 20 years!

It's your personal decision whether you want to be the cause of global warming

In this context the question is whether global warming and its effects will eventually wake up mankind and spark off a change of paradigm. Will we understand this hint of Nature to follow the true meaning of life or will we continue to let us manipulate by media and advertisement as sheer and willing consumers in the economic cycle? Will we continue to strive for power, prestige and possessions following the concept „the more the better "? Shall economic growth and an ever increasing personal income continue to be the reason for being here, beyond everything else?
These questions can and must be answered by everyone. It is not primarily a decision of politicians or of the government. Everyone has to make a personal decision.
It is in our very own interest to induce fundamental changes in our attitude and behavior towards Nature: Modesty and humility, admiration and respect for all life on Earth instead of arrogance and haughtiness.
Let's emphasize it again: Not the others need to change, we must change ourselves. There are no international treaties or additional national laws required to start changing. We can start to change our consciousness immediately. It is really only about our personal behaviour - independent of what others do or don't do.
It's time for change!

Source: http://timeforchange.org/main-cause-of-global-warming-solutions

Is the sun to blame?

The sun as seen from NASA's STEREO-B mission. Credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio.

How do we know that changes in the sun aren’t to blame for current global warming trends?
Since 1978, a series of satellite instruments have measured the energy output of the sun directly. The satellite data show a very slight drop in solar irradiance (which is a measure of the amount of energy the sun gives off) over this time period. So the sun doesn't appear to be responsible for the warming trend observed over the past several decades.

Longer-term estimates of solar irradiance have been made using sunspot records and other so-called “proxy indicators,” such as the amount of carbon in tree rings. The most recent analyses of these proxies indicate that solar irradiance changes cannot plausibly account for more than 10 percent of the 20th century’s warming.

Source: http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

A blanket around the Earth

A layer of greenhouse gases – primarily water vapor, and including much smaller amounts
of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – acts as a thermal blanket for the Earth, absorbing heat and warming the surface to a life-supporting average of 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius). — A layer of greenhouse gases – primarily water vapor, and including much smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – acts as a thermal blanket for the Earth, absorbing heat and warming the surface to a life-supporting average of 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).

Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect"¹ — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.
Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are described as "forcing" climate change. Gases, such as water vapor, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as "feedbacks."
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:

Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂). A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO₂ concentration by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived "forcing" of climate change.

Methane. A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities, including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule-for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.

Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now largely regulated in production and release to the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gases.

Not enough greenhouse effect: The planet Mars has a very thin atmosphere, nearly all carbon dioxide. Because of the low atmospheric pressure, and with little to no methane or water vapor to reinforce the weak greenhouse effect, Mars has a largely frozen surface that shows no evidence of life. — **Not enough greenhouse effect:** The planet Mars has a very thin atmosphere, nearly all carbon dioxide. Because of the low atmospheric pressure, and with little to no methane or water vapor to reinforce the weak greenhouse effect, Mars has a largely frozen surface that shows no evidence of life.

Too much greenhouse effect: The atmosphere of Venus, like Mars, is nearly all carbon dioxide. But Venus has about 300 times as much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere as Earth and Mars do, producing a runaway greenhouse effect and a surface temperature hot enough to melt lead. — **Too much greenhouse effect:** The atmosphere of Venus, like Mars, is nearly all carbon dioxide. But Venus has about 300 times as much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere as Earth and Mars do, producing a runaway greenhouse effect and a surface temperature hot enough to melt lead.

On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO₂. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases.
The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict, but certain effects seem likely:

On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but others may not.

Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.

A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice, increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level rise.

Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO₂, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher temperatures and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and affect the makeup of natural plant communities.

The role of human activity

In its Fourth Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under the auspices of the United Nations, concluded there's a more than 90 percent probability that human activities over the past 50 years have warmed our planet.
The industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million in the last 150 years. The panel also concluded there's a better than 90 percent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth's temperatures over the past 50 years.
They said the rate of increase in global warming due to these gases is very likely to be unprecedented within the past 10,000 years or more. The panel's full Summary for Policymakers report is online at http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf.

Solar irradiance

It's reasonable to assume that changes in the sun's energy output would cause the climate to change, since the sun is the fundamental source of energy that drives our climate system.
Indeed, studies show that solar variability has played a role in past climate changes. For example, a decrease in solar activity is thought to have triggered the Little Ice Age between approximately 1650 and 1850, when Greenland was largely cut off by ice from 1410 to the 1720s and glaciers advanced in the Alps.
But several lines of evidence show that current global warming cannot be explained by changes in energy from the sun:

Since 1750, the average amount of energy coming from the sun either remained constant or increased slightly.

If the warming were caused by a more active sun, then scientists would expect to see warmer temperatures in all layers of the atmosphere. Instead, they have observed a cooling in the upper atmosphere, and a warming at the surface and in the lower parts of the atmosphere. That's because greenhouse gases are trapping heat in the lower atmosphere.

Climate models that include solar irradiance changes can’t reproduce the observed temperature trend over the past century or more without including a rise in greenhouse gases.

Source: http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

Global warming

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Global mean surface temperature change from 1880 to 2015, relative to the 1951–1980 mean. The black line is the annual mean and the red line is the 5-year running mean. Source: NASA GISS.

World map showing surface temperature trends (°C per decade) between 1950 and 2014. Source: NASA GISS.^[1]

Fossil fuel related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions compared to five of the IPCC's "SRES" emissions scenarios, published in 2000. The dips are related to global recessions. Image source: Skeptical Science.

Fossil fuel related carbon dioxide emissions over the 20th century. Image source: EPA.

Global warming and climate change are terms for the observed century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate system and its related effects. Multiple lines of scientific evidence show that the climate system is warming.Although the increase of near-surface atmospheric temperature is the measure of global warming often reported in the popular press, most of the additional energy stored in the climate system since 1970 has gone into the oceans. The rest has melted ice and warmed the continents and atmosphere.Many of the observed changes since the 1950s are unprecedented over tens to thousands of years.
Scientific understanding of global warming is increasing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2014 that scientists were more than 95% certain that global warming is mostly being caused by human (anthropogenic) activities, mainly increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂).Human-made carbon dioxide continues to increase above levels not seen in hundreds of thousands of years. Currently, about half of the carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels remains in the atmosphere. The rest is absorbed by vegetation and the oceans.Climate model projections summarized in the report indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 0.3 to 1.7 °C (0.5 to 3.1 °F) for their lowest emissions scenario and 2.6 to 4.8 °C (4.7 to 8.6 °F) for the highest emissions scenario. These findings have been recognized by the national science academies of the major industrialized nations and are not disputed by any scientific body of national or international standing.
Future climate change and associated impacts will differ from region to region around the globe.Anticipated effects include warming global temperature, rising sea levels, changing precipitation, and expansion of deserts in the subtropics. Warming is expected to be greater over land than over the oceans and greatest in the Arctic, with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely changes include more frequent extreme weather events including heat waves, droughts, heavy rainfall with floods and heavy snowfall; ocean acidification; and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes. Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the abandonment of populated areas due to rising sea levels. Because the climate system has a large "inertia" and CO₂ will stay in the atmosphere for a long time, many of these effects will not only exist for decades or centuries, but will persist for tens of thousands of years^.
Possible societal responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction, adaptation to its effects, building systems resilient to its effects, and possible future climate engineering. Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change. Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are requiredand that global warming should be limited to well below 2.0 °C (3.6 °F) relative to pre-industrial levels, with efforts made to limit warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F).
Public reactions to global warming and concern about its effects are also increasing. A global 2015 Pew Research Center report showed a median of 54% consider it "a very serious problem". There are significant regional differences, with Americans and Chinese (whose economies are responsible for the greatest annual CO2 emissions) among the least concerned.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

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