All Entries Tagged With: "carbon dioxide"
A Breakthrough For Cutting CO2 Emissions
Like it or not, finding ways to cut CO2 emissions is the focal point in debates over what course of action we should take in combating climate change. Even if you reject the human influence, the fact is that fossil fuels are limited and they will get more expensive because they’re becoming harder to get to. Well, get ready for some really good news.
The Oceans and Global Warming
Likely the biggest threats that global warming will face humanity with are regional droughts and ocean acidification. I want to begin a discussion on the latter, by offering an introduction to the process of ocean acidification and its role in global warming.
Imagine that you’ve taken a drive across the farm in your pickup truck. A CO2 molecule is emitted from the truck. That molecule lingers on some oak tree leaves overnight. When the sun comes out the next morning, as part of the process of photosynthesis, that carbon dioxide molecule is absorbed by the tree. The molecule is now part of the carbon in the oak tree.
Later that night when it’s cold, that molecule is released back into the atmosphere as part of plant respiration. The molecule makes its way through the air to the surface of the ocean. It dissolves and reacts to all the salts in the ocean waters. Here a diatom phytoplankton ingests the CO2 making the molecule part of the ocean’s plant-life through the process of marine photosynthesis.
Making the most of the Copenhagen Conference
At long last, the Copenhagen Conference officially opened today. It potentially marks the beginning of a new international effort to halt the growth of harmful emissions in our atmosphere. As the problems are many, it is without doubt going to take a tremendous amount of collective will-power to address the problems of climate change. Here are a few general guidelines I have picked up through various readings that I believe will lead to a successful conference.
Changing the United States role
There is a general level of mistrust toward the United States making climate change policy. This is largely due to the fact the U.S. did not sign the Kyoto protocol and denied global warming as a scientific fact during most of the Bush administration. While the Obama administration has taken significant strides in the opposite direction, many countries are still wary of Obama’s ability to bring the rest of Washington behind his views. A strong presence at Copenhagen can bring the United States to the forefront of the debate and create trust. For an excellent overview of the United State effort thus far, go here.
Providing financial aid to less developed nations
Natural World Under Pressure
Our natural world has been for the most part a never ending supply of land and fresh water, resources for us to exploit and use up with no concern for the consequence. Granted, for the majority of man’s existence there was no need to worry about how many trees you cut down to build your family home and the land you cleared for crops or even for the animals you slaughtered to feed your family. Those days, however, disappeared as the industrial revolution boomed across the globe. We have outsmarted ourselves and I think that means we have created our own demise.
If you were to consider the industrial revolution and the amazing leaps in technology that came with our ability to harness the power found in steam, water, wind and fuels, it is an unparalleled feet. Without a doubt, our ability to control power and fuel has lead to the modern world we enjoy and saturate ourselves in today. Some 200+ years ago, we didn’t know all that much about our ozone or carbon dioxide and the devastating effects our t-shirt factories and the booming sneaker business would have on the planet, or at least its people.
