Global Warming

•  The earth is estimated to heat up between 2^oF and 9^oF by the year 2050.[1]

What Causes Global Warming?

Air pollution and carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere and is becoming trapped heat.  Since this trapped heat is unable to escape into space, it is resulting in severe climate changes.                                        

• The greatest amount of carbon dioxide is coming from coal-burning power plants.  These power plants are creating 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.
• Automobiles are also another leading producer of carbon dioxide pollution, generating 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year.[2]

What Kind of Damage Is Global Warming Causing?

When the Earth’s average temperature permanently rises, the damage that results is vast and varied.  Almost every aspect of human life is affected in one way or another.  The level of severity will depend on whether global warming continues at its current rate or if it is halted.  If global warming is not halted, the damage will be irreversible and completely devastating to the planet. 

Possible damage includes the following:

• Rising sea levels à  Sea levels have already risen an approximate 4 to 8 inches, and if they continue to rise at their current rate various cities like London and Los Angeles will be completely immersed in water. [3]
• Forest fires, floods and droughts
• Extinction of animals and plants à 112 amphibians alone have become extinct since 1980[4] and polar bears and seals are among the thousands of animals that will become extinct due to the disappearing of their habitat.[5]  In addition, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that 20 to 30 percent of all known species are at risk of extinction.[6]
• Air and water pollution
• Intense storms like hurricanes, and heat waves

What can people do to decrease global warming?[7]

• Decrease use of electricity à Turn off the lights!  By turning off the lights in empty rooms, or using natural light, you’ll save energy.  Turning down air-conditioning can also help.
• Reduce greenhouse gases by cutting down on driving, or buy a more fuel-efficient car
• Recycle à Saves energy
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs à Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 60% less energy than traditional light bulbs.
•  Buy locally grown and produced food à The average meal in the U.S is shipped 1,200 miles.  By buying local food you’ll save fuel.
• Fill dishwasher with a full load à Saves energy

“Climate change is the most serious environmental threat that the world has ever faced… The dangers can hardly be exaggerated.”

–Mayer Hillman, Author of The Suicidal Planet 

What is Global Warming and Why Does It Occur?

Global warming has recently been brought into the public eye, inspiring documentaries and numerous news stories.  However, global warming is still a fuzzy topic for most people, as the majority of people only have a vague understanding of it.  This is a significant issue because without knowledge of a problem, a problem can never be fixed.  Global warming, in simplest terms, is the increase in the earth’s average temperature.  Already the Earth’s average temperature has increased 1^oF over the last century.  As well, most scientists agree that the Earth’s temperature will rise an additional 2^oF to 9^oF by the year 2050, causing disastrous results (”The Effects of Global Warming”).  The Earth’s temperature is controlled by the balance of the input and output of the sun’s energy.  The gases that are imperative to the balancing of the Earth’s temperature are called greenhouse gases.  Greenhouse gases occur naturally as a byproduct of manmade technologies, and include carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, fluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide (Haggis 3).  These gases warm our Earth, but when too many are in the atmosphere, global warming occurs (Maslin 4).  An increase in greenhouse gases can be attributed to air pollution like excess carbon dioxide.  Carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere and becomes trapped heat (“Global Warming Basics”).   Since this trapped heat is unable to escape into space, it results in severe climate changes, such as the melting of ice sheets.  This climate change has already had devastating effects on our environment, which is apparent in several different ecosystems.  Not only has global warming destroyed forests and homes, but it is beginning to kill off species.   

What Species Are Being Killed Off?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, created by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, reports that the following animals are most threatened by extinction due to global warming: the mountain gorilla in Africa, the spectacled bear of the Andes, amphibians that live in the cloud forests of the neotropics, forest birds of Tanzania, the Bengal tiger, the Resplendent Quetzal in Central America, polar bears, penguins, various species in the Sundarban wetlands, and rainfall sensitive plants in the Cape Floral Kingdom of South Africa (Maslin 97-98).  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change also states that, “global warming is occurring, is caused by human activities, and puts 20 to 30 percent of known species at risk of extinction,” and concludes that, “extinction will soar up in some places…up to 60 percent in mountainous European regions and entire ecosystems in the polar regions” (Nasso 65).                                         

        What are the Possible Effects of Global Warming?

When the earth’s average temperature rises, the results are numerous catastrophic consequences.  Sea levels will rise dramatically, and they already have risen an approximate four to eight inches (^“Warming to Cause Catastrophic Rise in Sea Level?”).  However, the most dangerous threat is thermal expansion.  Thermal expansion is when ice melts and sea levels rise.  The most serious example is Greenland’s ice sheet because it is so large.  If global warming continues at its current rate, within the next thousand years Greenland’s entire ice sheet will melt and raise sea levels by twenty-three feet, immersing various cities such as London and Los Angeles in water (“Greenland Melt May Swamp LA, Other Cities, Study Says”).  Yet, we won’t have to wait for Greenland’s entire ice sheet to melt to see dire effects.  If just a small section of the ice sheet melts and sea levels rise three feet, then a large portion of Bangladesh will be submerged in water, and millions of people living near sea level will be forced out of their homes.  Furthermore, once Greenland’s ice sheet begins to melt, it will be unable to return to its original frozen state, thus creating permanent damage.In addition to rising sea levels, global warming has caused forest fires, floods, and droughts.  There is a strong correlation between the premature melting of snow and wildfires.  Dan Cayan, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Climate Research Division, and his researchers found “that 56 percent of the wildfires and 72 percent of the total burnt area occurred during the years when the snow melted early.  When the snowmelt season occurred later than average, only 11 percent of wildfires occurred” (“Global Warming Fuels U.S. Forest Fires”).  Floods, droughts, and forest fires have all contributed to the extensive damage of ecosystems.  If global warming is not stopped, its future impacts will be even more devastating, significantly affecting various aspects of our civilization ranging from coastlines and water resources to agriculture and biodiversity.  Continuing at the current rate, thermal expansion will result in sea levels rising from twenty to eighty eight centimeters in the next hundred years.  This sort of increase would severely damage coastal defenses against storms and floods.  To place this into perspective, if sea levels rise one meter, seventy-five percent of the Maldive Islands and the Marshall Islands will be flooded, submerging enough of the landmass to make the islands uninhabitable (Maslin 85).  If temperatures rise, the death rate will increase, as fresh water supplies decrease (Maslin 95).  More people will die from malnutrition, stroke, influenza, hypothermia, and heat-stroke as crops are destroyed and temperatures fluctuate rapidly (Kingsnorth 121).

Agriculture will also be affected.  Take for instance coffee beans in Uganda.  With just a two degrees Celsius increase, ten percent of coffee crops will be destroyed.  Numerous ecosystems will also be impacted by global warming.  One specific example is the coral reefs, which have the greatest marine diversity.  With more carbon dioxide in the air, the reefs will die, which will result in the loss of hundreds of billions of dollars per year (Kingsnorth 98).                     

The damage does not stop there though.  Already global warming has begun to kill off entire species of animals.  One-hundred and twelve amphibians alone have become extinct since 1980 (“Warming Tied to Extinction of Frog Species”).  By increasing tropical temperatures; a deadly chytrid fungus has been able to spread at an alarming rate, attacking the frogs’.  J. Alan Punds, the resident scientist at the Tropical Science Center’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica, studied the amphibians to find a link between global warming and the spreading of the chytrid fungus.  “Disease is the bullet killing frogs, but climate change is pulling the trigger,” Pounds says, “global warming is wreaking havoc on amphibians and will cause staggering losses of biodiversity if we don’t do something first.”Since global warming is increasing the Earth’s average temperature, areas with snow are beginning to melt.  This causes a multitude of problems because snowpack is the world’s largest storage for water.  As snowpack diminishes, less water will circulate, jeopardizing hydropower, irrigation, water supply, and flood control (Hon. Jeff Bingaman).                        

Is Anything Being Done Now?

We need to acknowledge that global warming is in fact a grave problem.  Ever since the Industrial Revolution, America has seen a thirty percent increase in the amount of carbon dioxide produced.  With more carbon dioxide being produced, the atmosphere traps more heat.  Climate Change Impacts on the U.S. is a report compiled by hundreds of scientists that states that we must prepare for the changes that global warming will be bringing about.  The government has already begun to take action.  In 2002 the government created a plan to reduce greenhouse gases (Hillman 128).  In addition to this, officials in the House of Representatives and Senate are currently trying to pass the Global Warming Legislation and Energy Legislation (“Confronting Global Warming through Federal Legislation”).  The Global Warming Legislation will call for power plants and other carbon emission producing companies to reduce the amount of carbon emissions, and the Energy Legislation will cut pollution by creating fuel economy standards for automobiles.  Some acts have already been passed in the Senate, such as the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which reduces pollution by two percent per year while supplying funding for wildlife.  However, these acts are only putting a dent in the problem.  Much more needs to be done, especially to raise awareness of the risks associated with the actual problem.  My organization and I are working to raise awareness so that individuals can take steps to reduce the effects of global warming.  The more people working towards a solution: the greater the chance of a solution being reached. 

Who Is My Audience?

The audience my organization and I are attempting to reach is middle-aged Americans.  Even though younger and future generations will experience the more devastating effects of global warming, and are thus the stakeholders, middle-aged Americans can do things now to fight global warming and protect future generations.  We also choose to target Americans because America is one of the top producers of carbon dioxide.

How Will I Reach My Audience?

My organization and I will communicate the risk of global warming through the mainstream media.  We are currently working on airing a brief ten minute movie on CNN that will inform the audience of what global warming is and how it is impacting the earth.  In addition, within the next week we will be launching a website that will answer popular questions about global warming, supply printable handouts of tips to reduce global warming pollution, and give contact information for further questions.  Through the use of mainstream media, my organization and I will be able to reach a greater audience than the government has in the past and thus will significantly raise awareness of the problem.          

What Can Everyone Do To Reduce Global Warming?

There are numerous steps that the average person can take to reduce global warming.  Simple reductions in electricity usage, reasonably limited automobile travel, and recycling are all individual actions that produce a collectively significant impact.  Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 60% less energy than traditional bulbs, so individuals can replace their light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs and decrease the global warming pollution.  In addition to this, turn off the lights in empty rooms or simply use natural light instead to save energy.  Turning down the air conditioning can also save energy.  The average household emits roughly four tons of global warming pollution a year and one household can save almost 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year simply by turning their thermostat down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer.  You can also reduce the amount of miles you drive each day by carpooling, biking, or taking a bus.  Because the average care produces 35 pounds of carbon dioxide a day, cutting the number of miles you drive will reduce that pollution.               

Works Cited 

“Confronting Global Warming Through Federal Legislation.”  National Wildlife Federation.  10 February 2008.  http://online.nwf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Congress_and_Global_Warming_homepage 

“Global Warming Basics.”  The Natural Resources Defense Council.  9 February 2008. http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp

“Global Warming Fuels U.S. Forest Fires.”  Live Science. February 9 2008.  http://www.livescience.com/environment/060706_globalwarming_fire.html 

“Global Warming Will Severely Harm Human Health.”  Ecologist.  Paul Kingsnorth.  

“Greenland Melt May Swamp LA, Other Cities, Study Says.”  National Geographic News.  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0408_040408_greenlandicemelt.html

Haggis, Geoffrey.  The Energy Challenge: Finding Solutions to the Problems of Global Warming and Future Energy Supply.  Leicester:  Troubador Publishing Ltd., 2006.

Hillman, Mayer, Tina Fawcett, and Sudhir Chella Rajan.  The Suicidal Planet.  New York:  St. Martin’s Press, 2007.

Maslin, Mark.  Global Warming: A Very Short Introduction.  New York:  Oxford University Press Inc., 2004.

Nasso, Christine.  Endangered Species: Opposing Viewpoints.  Detroit:  Greenhaven Press, 2008.

Statement of Hon. Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senator from New Mexico

”The Effects of Global Warming.”  Effects of Global Warming.  2007.  20 February 2008.  http://www.effectofglobalwarming.com/ 

^“Warming to Cause Catastrophic Rise in Sea Level?”  National Geographic News.  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0420_040420_earthday.html. 

“Warming Tied to Extinction of Frog Species.”  The Washington Post. 9 February 2008.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2006/01/11/AR2006011102121.html

NEW WEBSITE SPREADS WORD ABOUT EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Globalwarming.uniblogs.org is opened to educate the public about the effects of global warming

Pittsburgh, PA—March 3, 2008— A non-profit organization called Environmental Panel on Global Warming, EPGW, launched their first website this Tuesday.  The website provides readers with basic information on the threat of global warming as well as offers a chance to donate to the organization, and aid in their upcoming documentary on the issue.  In addition the site posts links to other websites that encourage educating the public about the cause of global warming as posts topics for the public to discuss. 

Globalwarming.uniblogs.org highlights the major cause of global warming being the excess emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  It explains that carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere and is becoming trapped heat.  Since this trapped heat is unable to escape into space, it results in severe climate changes, such as the melting of ice sheets.  These climate changes will become more and more devastating as time passing, eventually possibly resulting in the melting of Greenland’s massive ice sheet.  If Greenland’s ice sheet melts sea levels will rise twenty-three feet, and immerse various cities such as London and Los Angeles in tons of water.  The website also emphasizes that global warming can be fought, and severe climate changes can be prevented.  The website offers several tips that people can do every day to fight global warming, and also supplies printable pamphlets of the tips that can be handed out to the public.

The Environment Panel on Global Warming is a non-profit organization that seeks to educate the public on the effects of global warming.  Any donations will go directly into creation of their upcoming documentary.  The documentary will focus on the future effects of global warming and what the earth will look like if global warming is not stopped.  For additional information on Globalwarming.uniblogs.org or how you can donate to the upcoming documentary visit http://www.Globalwarming.uniblogs.org or call (724) 555-4444 

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Contact Angela Byrnes                       To be released to print media

Tel. 724-555-4444

Cell Phone: 724-995-4455

Email: adb61atpitt.edu

NEW UNEP REPORT ON IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON OCEAN

SReport suggests key fishing grounds will be negatively affected by climate change

Boston, MA—March 5, 2008— A new report, “In Dead Water,” filed by the United Nations Environment Programme proposes that global warming is the cause of decreasing fish stocks.  The UNEP states that ¾ of the world’s fishing grounds will be affected by the climate change, and the results will be devastating. 

When the climate changes the ocean’s natural circulation system, which distributes nutrients and wash out pollution in the fishing grounds, is thrown off.  In addition to the failing circulation system, increased sea temperatures will destroy up to 80 percents of coral reefs, which serve as nurseries for fish as well as tourist attractions.  Some of the UNEP’s statements include the following:       

• 80 to 100 percent of the world’s coral reefs may suffer annual bleaching events by 2080 under global warming scenarios.
• Those at particular risk are in the Western Pacific; the Indian Ocean; the Persian Gulf; the Middle East and in the Caribbean
• Over 90 per cent of the world’s temperate and tropical coasts will be heavily impacted by 2050. Over 80 per cent of marine pollution comes from the land. Marine areas at particular risk of increased pollution are Southeast and East Asia.
• Over the next 100 years, climate change may slow down the ocean thermohaline circulation and thus the continental shelf “flushing and cleaning” mechanisms, known as dense shelf water cascading, crucial to water quality and nutrient cycling and deep water production in at least 75 per cent of the world’s major fishing grounds.
• Up to 80 per cent of the world’s primary fish catch species are exploited beyond or close to their harvesting capacity.

The findings in “In Dead Water” clearly verify that global warming is the cause of decreasing fish stocks.  More importantly, this report serves as a warning of things to come.  The Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, Middle East, and the Caribbean are all in a high risk area and their fish stocks will greatly diminish within a few decades if global warming is not stopped.

The United Nations Environment Programme is a program created by the United Nations.  The United Nations Environment Programme dedicated to investigating the effects of global warming.  For more information on “In Dead Water” or the United Nations Environment Programme visit www.unep.org or contact Angela Byrnes at adb61atpitt.edu.   

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 Contact Angela Byrnes                                               To be released to print media

Tel. 724-555-4444

Cell Phone: 724-995-4455

Email: adb61atpitt.edu

PLANS TO CREATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND GLOBAL WARMING

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi announces that the U.S. House of Representatives plans to create a Select Committee that will aid in stopping global warming

Washington, DC—January 18, 2007— The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will raise awareness as well as research solutions on global warming and energy dependence.  Although the Select Committee won’t have legislative jurisdiction, Pelosi remarks that it will “help us give these issues the legislative priority they demand.”  The House is aiming to have legislation through the committees by July 4^th, deeming the new nickname “Energy Independence Day” instead of Independence Day.

Pelosi also stated that the Select Committee will “confront this most serious challenge,” and warned that “now is time to act; the future of our country, indeed our entire planet, is at stake.”  She hopes that the Select Committee will be the first of many steps that the government will take to break the United States’ dependence on energy and halt companies’ contribution to global warming. 

A possible solution the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has begun to research is the lowering of excess emission of carbon dioxide from large companies.  If the Select Committee gains legislative jurisdiction it will work on passing laws to prohibit companies from producing such large amounts of carbon dioxide.  If this law is passed, global warming would be greatly reduced.  Until the Select Committee receives legislative jurisdiction, it will continue to raise awareness of energy dependence by creating commercials to be aired on CNN and ABC that highlight the effects of global warming. 

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming’s mission is to raise public awareness of these problem and research possible solutions.  It will do this by creating commercials on the effects of global warming and pushing for legislative jurisdiction.  If the Select Committee gains legislative jurisdiction, it will be able to pass laws prohibiting large companies from emitting devastating amounts of carbon dioxide.  For more information on the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, please call 845-865-8995, or email Angela Byrnes at adb61atpitt.edu.   

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 Contact Angela Byrnes, President of EPGW               To be released to television media

Tel. 724-555-4444

Cell Phone: 724-995-4455

Email: adb61atpitt.edu

GLOBAL WARMING DOCUMENTARY SPREADS THE WORD

Environmental Panel on Global Warming releases first documentary aimed at raising the awareness of the serious threat that is global warming

Pittsburgh, PA—March 3, 2008—The recently released documentary on global warming entitled 100 Years, reveals to audiences everywhere the tragic effects of ignoring global warming.  It focuses on what the world will be like in one hundred years if global warming continues at its current rate.  The director of the documentary, Amelia Estavez, said that she hopes the film will encourage people to take action against global warming so that 100 Years does not become a reality. 

In addition, all profits from 100 Years will go to the Environmental Programme, which consists of numerous scientists dedicated to the research of solutions to global warming.

Created by the non-profit organization Environmental Panel on Global Warming, EPGW, the documentary serves as a frightening awakening to the ever approaching threats of global warming.  The documentary features a glimpse into the dark and bleak future that is just a mere 100 years away.  Areas like the Marshall Islands and Maldive Islands are submerged in water and are completely uninhabitable, the death rate has sky-rocketed as more people are dying from malnutrition, stroke, influenza, hypothermia, and fresh water supplies are at an all-time low, creating chaos in third-world countries.  The world is a panic as crops diminish, species become extinct, and floods, droughts, and forest fires cause extensive damage to ecosystems. 

The Environmental Panel on Global Warming hopesthat the documentary will inspire the mass public to take action against global warming, whether it be by contacting a local politician and encouraging him to voice the threat of global warming, or just taking the bus instead of driving to work every day.The Environmental Panel on Global Warming is a non-profit organization that was created to help fight global warming.  The Environmental Panel on Global Warming that seeks to educate the public on the threats of global warming.  For more information on the Environmental Panel on Global Warming or 100 Years, visit their website at globalwarming.uniblogs.org or contact adb61atpitt.edu.

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Contact Angela Byrnes, President of EPGW               To be released to newspapers in Maryland

Tel.  724-555-4444

Cell Phone: 724-899-6568

Email: adb61atpitt.edu

MARYLAND VOTES ON BILL TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE EMMISSONS

A new bill known as The Global Warming Solutions Act is debated in Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland—March 2, 2008— The Global Warming Solutions Act will require businesses in Maryland to reduce their average greenhouse emissions, which cause global warming, by 25 percent by 2020 and by 90 percent by 2050.  This sort of reduction is realistic with new technologies like solar and wind power, and would aid in the fight against global warming. 

However, some feel that The Global Warming Solutions Act is unrealistic because companies do not currently have the technology to reduce emissions by that much and it would be far too expensive to buy the appropriate equipment to do so.   Vice President of RioX, Sam Johnson remarked that, “RioX does not currently have the means to reduce greenhouse emissions by 25 percent by 2020, and the funding put into buying this equipment would greatly cripple the company.”  Yet, this sort of reduction in greenhouse emissions would significantly halt global warming, and companies need to start somewhere.

Please contact your local politician urging him to take a strong stance against global warming.  In addition, become informed on candidates view on global warming before voting.  If you don’t feel they are willing to stop global warming, change your vote.  The passing of this bill is in your hands, so please take a stand.  Global warming can be stopped, but action must be taken now to prevent future damage.  If businesses continue to produce the current amount of greenhouse emissions each year, global warming will severely damage the planet.

The Global Warming Solutions Act was created to reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions produced by businesses in Maryland.  If the Global Warming Solutions Act is passed, global warming will be halted.  For more information on The Global Warming Solutions Act contact Angela Byrnes, the President of the Environmental Panel on Global Warming, at adb61atpitt.edu. 

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