The document discusses global warming and its effects. It defines global warming as a rise in average temperatures since the late 19th century primarily due to human greenhouse gas emissions. Effects include rising sea levels, more extreme weather like hurricanes and droughts, and threats to wildlife. The document notes several extreme weather events in recent years and cites data showing declines in Arctic sea ice and polar bear populations that some attribute to climate change. It concludes by considering debates around global warming and the impacts of carbon emissions on the environment and future generations.

1. Global Warming
Is this a major international problem and issue that
requires immediate action?

2. Wikipedia Definition
 Global warming refers to the rising average temperature
of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, which started to increase
in the late 19th century and is projected to keep going up.
Since the early 20th century, Earth's average surface
temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with
about two thirds of the increase occurring since 1980.
Warming of the climate system is clear, and scientists are
more than 90% certain that most of it is caused by increasing
concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human
activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels.[1]

3. Concern
 An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise
and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, and
a probable expansion of subtropical deserts.Warming is
expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be
associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and
sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include more
frequent occurrence of extreme-weather events including
heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall, species extinctions
due to shifting temperature regimes, and changes in crop
yields.

4. Extreme Weather
 National Hurricane Center
failed to predict the
number of storms in 2005.
Even though18-21 storms
were forecasted, the
alphabetical naming of the
storms exceeded the
Roman alphabetic and
moved into Greek letters.
 In the North, experiencing
500,000 square miles less
of Artic sea ice.
[2]
 Warmer Caribbean waters
causing bleaching from
Colombia to the Florida
Keys
 CBS News reported
information gathered from
Canada’s Inuit’s stated
thinning ice, eroding
shorelines and declining
population of hunting polar
bears were affecting their
livelihood.

5. Hurricane
Katrina 2005

6. According to the NOAA, April most active month on record with 753
tornados with an estimated 364 fatalities and 5.5 billion in damages.
During a four day span, April 25th-28th 2011, 321 people killed

7. Birmingham, AL
Birmingham AL
Pratt City AL
Joplin, MO - May
Tuscaloosa, AL

8. NASA studies showing the Arctic polar sea ice is declining at the rate of 9% per decade.
1979
2003
According to the National Wildlife Federation, a female polar bear reportedly swam for nine
days - nonstop-across the Beaufort Sea before reaching an ice float, costing her 22 percent of
her weight and her cub.

10. U.S. Department of Energy each gallon of gas we burn creates 20 pounds
of CO2. That’s 6 to 9 tons of CO2 of year for a typical vehicle.

11. Study this picture of Times Square in NY for just a second…

12. Electric Vehicles
 To help the environment and aid in global warming, several major
car companies have developed electric vehicles. I’ve noted some of
the benefits of an EV below:
 No tailpipe therefore no air pollutants
 Reduce dependency on oil
 Cheaper to operate
 Some known brands:




BMW Megacity
Chevy Volt
Ford Focus
Nissan LEAF (Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family
car)

13. Summary
 Global warming is a much discussed topic with varying
opinions. No matter where you stand on the issue, one would
still wonder why the change of weather patterns has been so
extreme in the last decade.
 And taking into account more gas and diesel vehicles on the
road than ever before, CO2 emissions are at a all time high
begging the question, what cause is this going to have on our
environment for our children and grandchildren?