Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change over long periods. Human activities like burning fossil fuels have increased greenhouse gas levels, enhancing the greenhouse effect and warming the planet. This is evidenced by rising temperatures, shrinking Arctic ice, and more extreme weather. If unchecked, climate change poses serious threats to societies and ecosystems through impacts like rising seas, stronger storms, worsening droughts and wildfires, and food shortages.

1. Climate Change and Global WarmingBy Kerry and Lauren

2. Green House Effect- The heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere from solar radiation being absorbed and emitted by the atmosphere mainly by water vapor and carbon dioxide Global Warming- The increase in average temperatures of Earth and the atmosphere due in part to increased carbon dioxide levels Climate Change- The overall transformation of Earth’s climate over a long period of time, due to plate tectonics, Earth’s orbital motions, solar activity, and volcanic eruptionsDefinitions

3. The fossil fuels we are burning contribute to higher concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous dioxide. These gases are called greenhouse gases. They create a thick blanket around our globe and trap lots of heat, causing global warming. This turns the Earth into something like a greenhouse. *Not that it is important to remember both that the greenhouse effects occurs naturally, but that it has been a bigger issue because of mankind’s emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphereConnecting It All Together

4. Green house gases are the main cause.

5. Research from the past and present shows that carbon dioxide levels have increased tremendously due to the emission of more carbon dioxide levels

6. Emissions come from coal and oil that we burn for energy

7. Humans are the main cause for global warmingCauses of Global Warming

8. ConsequencesThreats to People and Health

9. Very strong heat waves

10. Spread of disease

11. Worsening air quality

12. Extreme/ more dangerous weather

13. More wildfires and flooding

14. Draught

15. Stronger Hurricanes

16. Thinning Ice/ Rising Seas

17. Arctic ice is shrinking

18. Rise in sea level

19. Glaciers melting

20. Biodiversity Loss

21. Decrease in Polar Bear population

22. Acidifying Oceans

23. Coral Bleaching

24. Moving habitats

25. Threats to Western Forests If there are food shortages due to dying crops from the rising temperature, price of food will raise and more will go without

26. Some governments, like ours, our trying to go “Green” but they don’t know how much it is going to cost

27. It could be worse to do nothing in which the economy could fail us completely Impacts on Economy

28. Write letters to local government asking for a more eco-friendly town

29. Replace regular light bulbs with fluorescent lights

30. Unplug unused appliances

31. Recycle and Reuse

32. Cut back on Paper

33. Educate yourself and others

34. Plant Trees

35. CarpoolFighting Back

36. Some scientists believe that human activities don’t disrupt Earth’s climate

37. Some say our most reliable sources do not show a trend of global warming since they began taking readings 23 years ago

38. All predictions are based on computer models, not real life. Some think this does not give an accurate reading

39. Some think a small amount of global warming could benefit the Earth and civilization as a whole.

40. It would be extremely expensive to quickly fix global warming and would not be very effectiveArguments

41. We believe that global warming is a serious issue and does need to be addressed.

42. The reason for this is due to the serve consequences that we will and already are facing. For example, the poles are shrinking, sending huge chunks of melting ice into the oceans. Arctic animals like the polar bears are dying out because this change. Coral Reefs are being bleached and drained of their color

43. Also, raising temperatures are causing crops to wither and die, depleting the food storage of the world. If it got too bad we may face food shortages and more hungerPersonal Opinion

44. Works Cited http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/may2007/pi20070514_179649.htmhttp://www.stopglobalwarming.org/classroom/http://www.edf.org/climate/basics-global-warming?gclid=CMT346XJz6sCFSZ35Qodt3JUXAhttp://www.edf.org/climate/human-activity-causes-warminghttp://www.climatepath.org/aboutus/sciencehttp://www.edf.org/climate/climate-change-impacts\http://www.edf.org/climate/human-activity-causes-warminghttp://www.aproundtable.org/tps30info/globalwarmup.htmlhttp://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/climate-change-questions-and-answers.htmlBook