...Essay: Climate Change ‘Up and down, up and down- that is how temperature and climate have always gone in the past and there is no proof they are not still doing exactly the same thing now. In other words, climate change is an entirely natural phenomenon, nothing to do with the burning of fossil fuels.’ (David Bellamy). Discuss the extent to which you agree with this statement. Climate can be described as the long term prevailing weather conditions of an area, the key words being ‘long term’. David Bellamy’s statement, suggests that those who disregard the ‘natural’ theory should study the data from thousands of years ago to see that a continuous pattern is shown. However, perhaps Bellamy needed to study the most recent cycle in the past 40 years in more detail to see that global temperature change is not following its usual course but has in fact been increasing at nearly four times the pace. Whether anthropogenic or natural, some factors must have changed in order to cause such a large difference. It would be foolish to believe climate change is one hundred percent natural or totally anthropogenic as it is evident that climate fluctuations have always been present, but have been amplified by recent anthropogenic changes. A natural theory is based on the amount of solar energy emitted to earth. In past cycles, the amount of solar input has fluctuated and was the cause of the Little Ice Age between 1600 and 1800 and glacial advancement in the Alps. However, since 1800, there...
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...constituents found in the local ecosystem include; water, minerals, soil and other nonliving constituents such as sunlight and climate. The living part of the ecosystem is referred to as biotic. Biotic and abiotic constituents are linked together by nutrients cycling and energy flow. (Integrated Science, 2009) Sun is the main source of energy in an ecosystem which is transferred through an ecosystem through the food chain. The main components of an ecosystem include animals, plants and microorganisms but they are also comprised of non-living materials such as water, minerals, soil and rocks. My local surrounding environment is farm land. I live in the country with fields of hay and cattle surrounding me. •List the specific factors that distinguish your local ecology and environment. The specific factors that distinguish my local ecology and the environment are climate, soil, rocks, minerals, plants and animals. Climate is a vital factor in my local ecology since it determines the kind of animals and plants to be found in the ecosystem. Different animals and plants are only found in certain places in the globe defined by the climate of the place. Soil is another factor which affects the kind of plants and animals to be found in an ecosystem. •Discuss how human activities have affected your local ecosystems. The local ecosystem is adversely affected by human activities. Some of which include agricultural practices and settlements. Human being destroys forests in order to obtain...
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...Outline for Climate Change Introduction: Why does climate change matter? Biochemically speaking, why is temperature so important? Temperature is critical to biochemical reactions, because it determines the effectiveness of the enzymes controlling the reactions. What is an ectotherm? ectotherms, organisms whose body temperature depends on the surrounding environment. What is the connection between performance and temperature in ectotherms? For these organisms, how fast they grow,1 how quickly they move,2,3 and almost everything else about their behavior and functioning is affected by external temperatures. What is the Goldilocks principle? And to what can it be applied when it comes to temperature? Goldilocks principle when the temperature is just right, enzyme activity is maximized. It is the optimum temperature, where an enzyme or things work at its best. Can be applied to enzymes, performance, population growth rates. How does temperature relate to species richness? As temperature increases the species richness (the number of species in a given area) increases So, what’s the big deal? many biological processes exhibit the same basic hump-shaped relationship with temperature, in which temperatures that are too low or too high impair or sometimes even terminate critical biological processes.1This is why climate change is the focus of so much scientific research. Part 1: Detecting climate change What is the difference between weather and climate? How is this difference...
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...a variety of methods and innovative ideas that are present to further better the environment that surrounds us. In Hack The Planet by Eli Kintisch, Kintisch outlines four circumstances: collapsing ice sheets, megadroughts, a catastrophic methane release, and slowing of the global ocean conveyor belt. Geoengineering is the main focus the author elaborates on and how it has, and continues, to impact the world today. Geoengineering is the artificial modification of Earth’s climate systems through two primary ideologies, Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). Climate change is imminent but with man made altering, the process is becoming even more deadlier. In reading this book, it's obvious Kintisch is very...
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...Resource Depletion and Peak Oil Peak oil and resource depletion are two very real issues that our world is facing. These issues are controversial topics and this report is going to critically analyse these concerns. Firstly, we will look at what the peak oil and climate change theories are and then discuss the on-going debate from opposing sides of the arguments for and against the peak oil theory. We will examine how these two issues are intertwined and identify the key consequences facing society. Then the current evidence that is proof of the early stages of both issues. The second part of this report will be based on a post peak oil paradigm and how the effects of peak oil, climate change and economic contraction will have on the direct investment in low density suburban property market. Firstly we will look at the concept of peak oil. The peak oil theory arose in 1956, when M. King Hubbert addressed the United States Oil Convention. His theory observed the production rates of individual oil reserves and how the production rate would increase at an exponential growth, reach a point and then decline rapidly, producing a bell shaped curve, now referred to as Hubbert’s curve. His prediction was that the United States oil reserves will reach its peak in 1970, and then decline rapidly as the demand increased and then become totally depleted. His theory was met with ridicule, however in the 1970’s the US reached its peak of 10 million barrels per day, and has been in decline...
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...infrared energy which would cause our planet to freeze. Greenhouse gases actually occur naturally and they are good for us and the planet because they are responsible for keeping the Earth warm enough to sustain life. 2. (8pts) Draw the atmosphere’s vertical temperature profile from the surface to about 75 miles high. Clearly label the different layers and the boundaries between the layers. (Be sure to properly label the axes of your graph). 3. (9pts) Discuss three different types of “apparent temperature”. (Do not give three examples of the same type of apparent temperature). For each type, explain why the “how-it-feels” temperature differs from the actual air temperature. 1. Due to the serious effects on your health that weather can have on a person, the Heat Index was developed. The heat index takes into account air temperature and relative humidity to determine the apparent temperature of what it feels like outside. This differs from the actual air temperature as it can feel hotter outside when there is less humidity in the air. 2. How the wind makes us feel can be explained by the wind chill index. When the wind blows, it moves the warm insulating air away from you and heat is rapidly lost. When the wind blows faster, we lose heat even faster...
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...2015 Tewana earth under 2015 Tewana earth under Social Studies Digital Workbook Social Studies Digital Workbook 1 1 4 4 3 3 2 2 Check out this playlist on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9F4LsPUNU8&list=PLBjWhwJHOQvFspoTVjfg24EZOz9-vJs8a Can you think of other songs that need to be added? Check out this playlist on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9F4LsPUNU8&list=PLBjWhwJHOQvFspoTVjfg24EZOz9-vJs8a Can you think of other songs that need to be added? April 22nd is Earth Day 2014 Below is a list of songs that relate to our earth and what we need to be aware of April 22nd is Earth Day 2014 Below is a list of songs that relate to our earth and what we need to be aware of April 22nd marks Earth Day, which globally celebrates the planet you're currently living on (it gives us air, water, food, Internet: what else could you want?). For as long as popular music has been around, musicians and artists have been writing odes for Mother Earth, asking listeners to respect this planet as best you can -- either as literally or metaphorically in their lyrics as they can. You all know some of the big Earth anthems, like Michael Jackson's "Earth Song" and Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me", so we're adding 13 more infamous songs dedicated to the world and keeping it sustainable to this special Earth Day playlist. #GoGreen! No. | Learning Intention | Success Criteria | √ or x | 1 | Understand the relevance of the...
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...towards Climate Change A group paper is presented to the faculty of Mindanao University of Science and Technology – Jasaan Campus presented by Steven Castino, Geneth Caturan, Marjohn Deleon, John Henry Mercado, Julan Aricayos, Kimbert Pacana, Joseph Sumayang, June Rey Tarpin, Richard Nacua, Joel Cabelto, and Rey Carlou Cailing. I. Introduction Climate Change or Global warming is the increase of the average temperature of earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses. Scientists believe earth is currently facing a period of rapid warming brought on by rising levels of heat-trapping gases, known as greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere (Harvey, 2012). Ironically, “It is not climate change that is our problem, but the attitude of people that should be addressing the problem” (Fernandez, 2012). Most previous studies evaluating the cause of awareness to the people towards the climate change is the effects of people’s attitude towards climate change (Gallup, 2008; Barret & Dannenberg, 2012). Most of the studies confirm the explicit and implicit attitudes towards climate change suggest targeting hidden thoughts a better way to change people’s behavior (Corner, 2010; Kormos & McIntyre, 2011). There are also findings that proved the countries to firm one another to build human activities towards climate change. This paper is intended to transport cognizance on the necessary ideas on what are the people’s perception towards climate change that have been affected the existence...
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...potential effects to humans, Plants, animal communities and natural resources. Discuss with illustrations. INTRODUCTION There's a delicate balancing act occurring every day all across the Earth, involving radiation the planet receives from space and the radiation that's reflected back out to space. Enormous amounts of radiation, primarily from the sun strikes the Earth's atmosphere in the form of visible light, ultraviolet, infrared and other types of radiation that are invisible to the human eye. About 30 percent of the radiation striking Earth's atmosphere is immediately reflected back out to space by clouds, ice, snow, sand and other reflective surfaces, according to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). The remaining 70 percent of incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the oceans, the land and the atmosphere. As they heat up, the oceans, land and atmosphere release heat in the form of infrared thermal radiation, which passes out of the atmosphere and into space. It is this equilibrium of incoming and outgoing radiation that makes the Earth habitable. Without this balance, the greenhouse effect sets in. Definition Greenhouse Effect: The warming of the atmosphere due to the increased amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides and methane. These gases form a blanket over the Earth, trapping the energy or heat from the sun and preventing it from leaving the atmosphere. A greenhouse works in much the same way-Incoming UV radiation easily passes...
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...Global Warming The atmosphere is something that is around us everyday, but do we really think about the changes that occur in it. It isn't that we just aren't paying attention, but more of the fact that it is hard to notice slight changes over long periods of time. Everyday gases are released into the air by all living material. The gases in the air are used for many important things. For example, hydrogen is released by volcanoes, which can give energy to the cell; photosynthesis has evolved to take the gas carbon dioxide and create food and release oxygen; nitrogen is a gas used in our air, oceans, and solid earth, as an essential part of living things. Carbon dioxide is also involved in processes where it is stored as limestone and marble, as gas and oil and coal, and is in organic material in the soil. Not only do these gases make up our atmosphere, but they also keep the temperature of the earth stable. Carbon dioxide absorbs the radiation that would otherwise escape the earth. By adding oxygen and taking away carbon dioxide this causes the earth to be cooler than it would otherwise be. These are just two of the many gases that make up the atmosphere we live in today. The temperature in our earth is directly determined by these five gases. If not enough are in the air, then the earth is too cold, but if too many gases are released into the air, then we have the problem of things heating up. Even though the causes of global warming are known, the exact...
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...The Changing Climate 1. “Earth’s climate has always been changing; it is the rate of change that is of current concern to scientists.” With reference to Figure 1, and other evidence which you have come across, discuss the validity of this statement. Firstly, global climate change is defined as “a change in the long-term weather patterns that characterize the regions of the world.” From Figure 1, we can see that the Earth’s climate has always been changing (at least temperature-wise), as evidenced by the large fluctuations in temperature as shown in the graph, starting from 150000 years ago. Figure 1 [IMAGE]As shown in the graph, the average global temperature dropped for around 15000 years, and then started to increase sharply for around 10000 years, after which it dropped at remained relatively constant, although it continued to fluctuate by around 1-2oC. The average temperature then dropped sharply around 80000 years ago, and then rose again, followed by another 35000 years or so of relative constant temperature. After that, the temperature dropped steadily until around 15000 years ago, after which it began to rise sharply, with only a small decrease in the rate of increase in the past 2000 years. Hence, from figure 1 alone, we can see that the rate of change in the Earth’s global average temperature has been increasing over the past 15000 years, and even though the rate of change decreased somewhat during the past 5000 years or so, the worldwide...
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...This paper will discuss deforestation across the globe and how it affects the world’s ecosystems. Everyday, a piece of Earth’s ecosystem is demolished by human hands for the conquest for timber, minerals, and other resources. Forests cover 2% of the Earth’s surface, 6% of the landmass, and yet they house half the animal and plant species while rainforests cover twice that area. Deforestation is occurring across the globe on a scale that if it were continue at its present rate the forests could disappear within the next one to two hundred years. This raises concerns and questions. First, why should we be concerned? Second, what kind of damage could deforestation lead to animal and plant species, human existence, and to mother Earth and its atmosphere? Third, how and why the rainforests benefit the human race. To answer these questions, this paper will discuss where the most deforestation is occurring and the consequences of deforestation. Tropical rainforests are defined by two primary factors: location and amount of rainfall they receive. Rainforests receive from 4 to 8 meters of rain a year. Most of the rainfall is blocked by heavy vegetation, and water reaches the forest floor by rolling down branches and trunks. A distinctive characteristic is that the rainforests have no seasonality or no dry or cold season of slower growth. In addition, they are the Earth’s oldest living ecosystems. The rainforests are a priceless part of mother earth and their removal through deforestation...
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...1) Norgaard discusses “ways of knowing, forms of social organizations and types of technologies.” What changes have occurred in society, the US and globally, in the last century that have causes society to begin to be concerned with environmental issues? Why might these be thought of as new challenges to human society? Response: Many changes have occurred in the United States of America over the last century that has led to the concern of environmental issues. First is the issue of industrialization and creation of wealth. Research shows that as a result of more industries being built and operated, there was a large emission of carbon monoxide gas (and other effluents of factory) into the atmosphere. The emission affected the environment in a number of ways. The emission of industrial gases into the atmosphere will lead to the destruction of ozone layer. Due to9 this, the life in the planet will be endangered because there will be excessive heat. Such changes have occurred and it has forced the society to think about how they will react to avert such negative changes from harming the life. Many nations across the world has come together to address the plight of Environmental issues. 2) Discuss the seeming duality between the concepts of “extraction” and “preservation.” Focusing on Norgaard’s coevolution theory, explain that a middle ground may actually be more beneficial for both humans and ecosystems. Response Economically, extraction of natural resources...
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...widespread, invariably contributing to the changes in global climate, which are consequently having a negative effect on weather patterns and the frequency and severity of weather related natural disasters. Global warming has become alarming recently. Over the past decades, research has been conducted on climate change and its impact and how it directly or indirectly influences the health and well being of the planet and its inhabitants. This essay will cover the risk and impacts of climate (weather) – related natural disasters such as storms, floods, droughts, rainfall and extreme temperature. Research over the past few decades has done much to clarify the evidence that global climate is changing and these changes are largely due to human influence. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC),(2014) linked the risks of climate change to the increase in emission of greenhouse gas through human activities resulting from increased in population and economic growth. According to World Health Organization (WHO), (2014) the increase in human activities has impose dextra force on the climate system, most especially the burning of fossil fuels result in the emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide. They accumulate and cause extra heat on the surface temperature, increasing the climate variability and influencing climate change.As the atmosphere accumulates energy, it yields to the increasing greenhouse gas concentration causing climate change and extreme weather that may lead to...
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...Faraday Discussions Cite this: Faraday Discuss., 2015, 183, 327 Open Access Article. Published on 11 June 2015. Downloaded on 15/12/2015 18:00:51. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. PAPER View Article Online View Journal | View Issue Investigating public perceptions of carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) technology: a mixed methods study† C. R. Jones,*ac D. Kaklamanou,b W. M. Stuttard,a R. L. Radforda and J. Burleya Received 5th May 2015, Accepted 10th June 2015 DOI: 10.1039/c5fd00063g Carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) technologies hold promise for helping to limit atmospheric releases of CO2 while generating saleable products. However, while there is growing investment in the research and development required to bring CDU to the market, to date there has been very little systematic research into public perceptions of the technology. The current research reports upon the findings of a series of six qualitative focus groups (and an associated questionnaire) held with members of the UK public in order to discuss the perceived benefits and risks of CDU technology. The findings reveal that public awareness of CDU is currently very low and that there is a desire to learn more about the technology. While our participants did, on average, appear to develop an overall positive attitude towards CDU, this attitude was tentative and was associated with a number of caveats. The implications for the findings in terms ...
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