Global Climate Change

Dr. Eban Goodstein, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon Global Warming Solutions for America Presentation materials supplemented by Jennifer Edmonds, PhD

The “Carbon Blanket”: Getting Thicker Every Year Pre-industrial: 280 PPM ≈ 1950 Today: 384 PPM 2050: ?? Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. ( URL )

The “Carbon Blanket”: Getting Thicker Every Year Pre-industrial: 280 PPM ≈ 1950 Today: 384 PPM 2050: ?? Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. ( URL ) Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year.. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually.

Clear Impacts: 1º F degree warming Pasterze Glacier, Austria - 1875 Pasterze Glacier, Austria – 2004

Q A Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years… Is the earth really getting hotter?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Instrumental_Temperature_Record.png

Q A http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 º F (0.8 º C) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades ( according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years… Is the earth really getting hotter?

Temperate glacier retreat is global Portage Glacier, Alaska - 1914 Portage Glacier, Alaska – 2004

Global warming is already causing damage in many parts of the World. In 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota. Since the early 1950s, snow accumulation has declined 60 percent and winter seasons have shortened in some areas of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington. In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than 20,000 deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths in India. Q A http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp Are warmer temperatures causing bad things to happen?

Global Impacts The BAD: (worse as it warms more) Water shortages from snowpack loss

Global Impacts The BAD: (worse as it warms more) Water shortages from snowpack loss Increased floods and droughts

Global Impacts The BAD: (worse as it warms more) Water shortages from snowpack loss Increased floods and droughts Extinction of many species & ecosystems …

Global Impacts The BAD: (worse as it warms more) Water shortages from snowpack loss Increased floods and droughts Extinction of many species & ecosystems… More heat related illnesses and deaths…

Global Impacts The BAD: (worse as it warms more) Water shortages from snowpack loss Increased floods and droughts Extinction of many species & ecosystems… More heat related illnesses and deaths… More intense hurricanes and typhoons

Q A http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Because the ocean is getting warmer, tropical storms can pick up more energy and become more powerful. So global warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased along with ocean temperature over the past 35 years. Is global warming making hurricanes worse?

Global Impacts The SCARY Ocean acidification: potential collapse of marine foodchains

Dire warming scenarios for world’s reefs Experts predict ’crumbling frameworks’ if CO2 emissions continue to grow Ove Hoegh-Guldberg These images published with a coral acidification study in the journal Science reflect scenarios of carbon dioxide's impact on reef ecosystems. The left image represents an intact system at current CO2 levels; the center image shows coral decay with increased CO2; and the right image shows a devastated system with even higher CO2 emissions. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22185971/

Global Impacts The SCARY Ocean acidification: potential collapse of marine foodchains Fire-driven deforestation of Amazon: accelerated warming

Global Impacts The SCARY Ocean acidification: potential collapse of marine foodchains Fire-driven deforestation of Amazon: accelerated warming Methane release from tundra: accelerated warming

Global Impacts The SCARY Ocean acidification: potential collapse of marine foodchains Fire-driven deforestation of Amazon: accelerated warming Methane release from tundra: accelerated warming Continental Ice Sheet Collapse : sea level rise of 35-40 feet, 2

What can be done? WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING ?

GO GREEN! WHAT? Consumers What is ‘going green?’

GO GREEN! WHAT? Consumers Businesses What is ‘going green?’

For a small company, going green might mean using recycled paper products, installing solar panels and using organically grown materials. For a large company, it might mean investing millions of dollars in renewable energy research, slashing carbon dioxide emissions and drastically reducing energy consumption.

GO GREEN! WHAT? WHY go green? Consumers WHY go green?

GO GREEN! WHAT? WHY go green? Consumers Businesses WHY go green?

… companies are increasingly learning that green initiatives are not just good P.R., they're good business. “ They're not just doing this to try to save the planet…They're seeing the huge economic potential. Instead of simply growing the bottom line by reducing costs, they're growing the top line by increasing revenue. This is creating new products and new markets and in some cases new companies.”

GO GREEN! WHAT? WHY WHO’s going green? WHY go green?

Entertainment Restaurants Auto Industry Careers Education Real Estate

Entertainment/Communication Industries go GREEN Movies/Documentaries A 1997 PBS documentary about consumerism, emphasising how much of the world’s fossil fuel supply is consumed by the United States. Explains why America’s transit system is the worst in the industrialised world. Two generations ago, Americans depended on thriving privately owned streetcar lines across the nation, but then the auto and oil industry, led by General Motors, bought and dismantled the streetcar lines. The private auto stopped being a luxury and became a necessity. Connects asthma and other respiratory diseases with air pollution and suburban sprawl Shows that global warming is already hurting the Pacific Islands

Entertainment/Communication Industries go GREEN Movies Music Live Earth was a series of worldwide concerts held on July 7, 2007, that initiated a three-year campaign to combat climate change. The concerts brought together more than 150 musical acts in eleven locations around the world and were broadcast to a mass global audience through televisions, radio, and streamed via the Internet

Artists clearly appear to be backing green innovations. For instance, [a] new album … was issued in a recycled-paper Digipak; the carbon dioxide used to make and ship the disc is being offset with contributions to renewable energy projects Virgin Entertainment Group North America VP of marketing … revealed at NARM that the chain is converting all its shopping bags and point-of-purchase material to recycled stock Warner Music Group, which has launched a companywide initiative to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions, reported at NARM that it has also been using ecologically enhanced paper for the last month Universal Music Group has reissued its Millennium greatest-hits series in eco-friendly packages that replace the CD booklet with a single card, featuring only the cover of the album on the front

Entertainment/Communication Industries go GREEN Movies Music Consumer Electronics How to GREEN your electronics

Consumer electronics aren't exactly easy on the environment -- they consume electricity that contributes to global warming, and toxins leach out of them when they end up in landfills. … smart power adapters that don't waste as much electricity, batteries that are easier to recycle, and components made from plants … a laptop with a plastic case made from corn rather than petroleum products … the EPA will be announcing a campaign to provide consumers with more places to turn in cell phones for recycling.

Auto Industry Hybrids - http://hybridcars.com/ … high prices at the gas pump, concerns about global warming and an increase in production sent hybrid car sales soaring from around 9,000 in 2002 to above 200,000 in 2005, according to Hybridcars.com Hybrid cars are projected to make up 5 percent of the U.S. market by 2013, according to J.D. Power and Associates, a market research firm, up from 1.2 percent in 2005

Auto Industry Hybrids - http://hybridcars.com/ New Efficiency Standards

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building [could] include: modular gas-fired boilers, water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems.

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency Waste Handling The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted The building will recycle much of the solid waste it generates

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency Waste Handling Solar Power The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted The building will recycle much of the solid waste it generates Photovoltaic (solar energy producing cells) awnings shade the office windows on the outside and reduce glare and heat gain, thus reducing the amount of cooling needed.

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency Waste Handling Solar Power Indoor Air Quality The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted The building will recycle much of the solid waste it generates Photovoltaic (solar energy producing cells) awnings shade the office windows on the outside and reduce glare and heat gain, thus reducing the amount of cooling needed. A healthy indoor environment is a critical safety concern in a laboratory setting. Measures taken to ensure indoor air quality at the lab included: volatile organic compound (VOC), strict control of formaldehyde construction materials; off-gassing materials before installation, cleaning of all duct work; replace filters before occupancy, use of environmentally preferable cleaning materials.

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency Waste Handling Solar Power Indoor Air Quality Green Power The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted The building will recycle much of the solid waste it generates Photovoltaic (solar energy producing cells) awnings shade the office windows on the outside and reduce glare and heat gain, thus reducing the amount of cooling needed. A healthy indoor environment is a critical safety concern in a laboratory setting. Measures taken to ensure indoor air quality at the lab included: volatile organic compound (VOC), strict control of formaldehyde construction materials; off-gassing materials before installation, cleaning of all duct work; replace filters before occupancy, use of environmentally preferable cleaning materials. generate or purchase wind-powered electricity which matches the electrical consumption ...achieve environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gases that would have been emitted from conventional power sources

Real Estate goes GREEN Green Building Features Energy Efficiency Landscape Design Water Efficiency Waste Handling Solar Power Indoor Air Quality Green Power Environmentally Preferable Materials The building and it’s components have been designed to minimize energy consumption. The energy efficient systems in the building include: six modular gas-fired boilers, two water-cooled chillers, daylight dimmers, occupancy sensors, skylights, energy-efficient lights, high-efficiency motors and variable flow pumping systems, variable air volume heating and cooling systems with night and low occupancy system setbacks, insulated windows, highly rated insulation, and automated building management and monitoring systems. Natural landscaping incorporates many environmental factors into the property’s design, including soil type, use of native plants, minimal turf area, minimal need for irrigation, mulches, and appropriate maintenance schedules. By using native plants that require little watering, are well-suited to the climate and resist pests, we reduce the need for irrigation and pesticides Water in the building will be conserved with the use of electronic sensors on plumbing fixtures in restrooms. Outside, native trees and shrubs requiring little water have been planted The building will recycle much of the solid waste it generates Photovoltaic (solar energy producing cells) awnings shade the office windows on the outside and reduce glare and heat gain, thus reducing the amount of cooling needed. A healthy indoor environment is a critical safety concern in a laboratory setting. Measures taken to ensure indoor air quality at the lab included: volatile organic compound (VOC), strict control of formaldehyde construction materials; off-gassing materials before installation, cleaning of all duct work; replace filters before occupancy, use of environmentally preferable cleaning materials. generate or purchase wind-powered electricity which matches the electrical consumption ...achieve environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gases that would have been emitted from conventional power sources … avoid generating unnecessary debris and to minimize site demolition. Reuse of materials avoided disposal costs and was sufficient to complete the landscaping and fill work Materials used in construction contained the highest recycled content available.

GREEN Careers http://www.greenjobs.com/public/index.aspx http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/ http://jobs.treehugger.com/ "Green" careers are no longer just the realm of environmental biologists and conservationists. Many new green jobs are built around investment in clean technologies and the business community's focus on environmental sustainability. Why? Money. Corporations want to cut costs and find new income streams. The green revolution has put new twists on existing careers (like architecture), but jobs in engineering, design and corporate social responsibility are booming.

Emissions Trader In a market economy, brokers can trade just about anything on an exchange, including greenhouse gas emissions. Companies have been able to voluntarily trade emissions credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange since 2003. If the U.S. ever adopts a mandatory emissions credit trading system (like Europe's) expect this field to pop.

Environmental Architect With new building codes promoting energy efficiency, "green" architecture is booming. In 1994, the U.S. Green Building Council developed a set of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. In the decade that followed, many architects and developers sought accreditation.

Sustainability Analyst Just as corporations are hiring managers to ensure that they are engaging in sustainable business practices, many financial firms are examining sustainability industry-wide. Even Dow Jones has gotten in on the game: In 1999, they launched several indexes to track the performances of companies with a focus here.

Lobbyist As business faces increased environmental legislation in Washington, corporations will seek help from lawmakers in the form of tax breaks and grants to pursue clean technology investments. Expect a greater presence on Capitol Hill from lobbyists working in the energy and environmental fields.

Renewable Fuels Engineer/Biologist The financial rewards associated with the development of renewable fuels are driving much of the business community's investment in the environment. As long as this money keeps coming in, there will be a need for engineers who can develop more efficient wind turbines and solar panels, and biologists who can develop cleaner--and cheaper--biofuels

Climate Risk Analyst The insurance industry stands to be greatly affected by climate change, and many companies are now offering policies to promote energy efficiency and help reduce global warming. Climate analysts provide the industry with information to determine the risks associated with extreme flooding, storms or temperature changes.

Sustainability Coordinator Dozens of multinational corporations have pledged to help the environment through their business practices. For example, Coca-Cola asked the World Wildlife Fund to help them conserve water. More companies are looking for a single manager to oversee these efforts

Ecological Economist Who puts a price tag on the ecosystem? Economists, of course. They determine, for example, what a ton of carbon dioxide pollution costs, or the economic value of keeping a rainforest intact. Outside of academia, non-governmental organizations and the federal government are major employers of ecological economists

GREEN Careers http://www.greenjobs.com/public/index.aspx http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/ http://jobs.treehugger.com/

Restaurants go GREEN Cooking Oils … certified GREEN Restaurants Organic food sales jumped from $3.59 billion eight years ago to $13.8 billion in 2005. Founded in 1980, Whole Foods has grown to 180 stores in the U.S., Canada and Britain.

Education goes GREEN EPA Colleges & Universities http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/01/bachelors_degre.php http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_1797.cfm

GREEN Legislation Paper vs. Plastic

Global Climate Change

More Related Content

What's hot

Viewers also liked

Similar to Global Climate Change

More from Georgian Court University

Global Climate Change

Editor's Notes