In the realm of carbon dioxide emissions, there are some interesting new discoveries pertaining to global warming news. Geologists from a Texas Tech University have been studying an old Scandinavian Mountain chain that once was volcanic. They discovered that the magma mixed with carbon dioxide creates what they call a “soda pop eruption” this dispels the long held theory that magma could not be dissolved by carbon dioxide. These scientists have noted that today’s volcanic eruptions are more intense then volcanic eruptions of the past and can cause dire consequences for habitants closest to them.

Similarly, concerning volcanic rock, a team of scientists have studied underwater volcanic rock on the west coast of California and determined that as much as a 150 years of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is trapped inside. However, rather than harm the environment many scientists believe that burying carbon dioxide emissions and preventing them from entering the atmosphere above the earth might prove to be a viable global warming solution. It is believed that dumping carbon dioxide into the oceans may be a better plan for large fossil fuel producing companies than to find overland burial sites. The Basalt lining of the ocean (hardened lava from volcano eruptions) mixed with carbon dioxide will transform into a mineral solid. The United States spends billions of dollars each year studying “carbon sequestration”, and a new study will now be underway to study the economic feasible of underwater carbon sequestration as opposed to the traditional land sequestration.

On land, the global warming news surfacing of late pertains to the methane gas expelled by cows. Methane gas is produced in cattle in one of their four stomachs known as the rumen, and then leaves the lungs through the process of breathing and belching. Scientists hope to patent a feed formula that will reduce the methane emissions from livestock and in turn cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.

The reason to look at methane gas emissions is that this gas is known to stay in the earth’s atmosphere for a period of 10 to 12 years while carbon dioxide is said to linger from 50 to 200 years. Quicker solutions to greenhouse gas emissions are considered necessary to help reverse the frightening trend of global warming.

Also in global warming news of late, is the rush to switch fuel for automobiles and other transportation into corn-based ethanol. It is considered a more cost efficient approach by releasing U.S. dependency on foreign oil supplies and will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the long run. Ethanol is biodegradable. It is also a renewable fuel, and adding ethanol to fuel will result in a cleaner fuel that has been oxygenated and has less carbon dioxide substances. This new compound will completely burn away while providing less environmental pollution.

The reality of the situation is that more research and technology is required before ethanol use will truly be cost effective. The factories needed to convert ethanol into a fuel source will be giving off carbon dioxide emissions. Forests are being destroyed to make way for farmland. Meanwhile, farmlands are being diverted from producing food for the global economy to producing corn for fuel. We are already seeing the increase of food prices, and threats of famine are inevitable as food crops are dwindling.

With so much information floating around about global warming and from so many sources it is hard for the layperson to truly tease out what is real and what is not. Some tabloids and conspiracy theorists will try to persuade you to believe that the whole global warming topic is some kind of elaborate theory to scare people into believing they are perpetrating a major meltdown of the earth. These wild allegations are not substantiated and the only true theory coming out of that lot is that the earth does go through cycles of warming and cooling. Thus these disbelievers will tell you that there is no such thing as global warming, or that the research out there supporting such a theory is flimsy at best.

Although negating the phenomenon of global warming is both encouraging and a rationale to deny our part as the people of the world to act responsibly to save our planet, all scientists, the true specialists on this topic do agree upon the overwhelming facts about global warming.

Facts about global warming have come through from various scientific investigations and the biggest contributing factor is human intervention stemming from the way we live. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have been releasing fossil fuels within the atmosphere as we rush to create diesel engines for trains, gas and oil for automobiles, electricity power plants, machines operated by fuel, machines operated by electricity, electronics, and telephone and satellite equipments. The rush for modernization from industrial to the information highway has lead us to releasing tons of fossil fuels also known as greenhouse gases within the atmosphere.

The facts about global warming stare us in the face. These fossil fuels, like oil, gas, coal, wood burning for heating or a nice little bond fire for our camping enjoyment is warming our environment as well as our homes. Carbon dioxide is being released and trapped in the earth’s atmosphere warming up our entire planet.

The forests are being cut down to make way for modernization, but these trees also sheltered us from carbon dioxide as they absorbed the earth’s natural supply, now we are losing them as well as we build more homes, and golf courses etc.

We burn our garbage in giant quarries and landfills, and each time we do, we release methane into the air, another greenhouse gas.

In 2005, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, along with 10 other supporting scientific bodies released a document clearly stating, “The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions.” (Joint Statement of Science Academies: Global Response to Climate Change [PDF], 2005).

Some people are worried that we as consumer society have become to dependant upon our way of life and that we are not able to give up our gains. They fear that shutting down factories and buying fewer automobiles we lead to mass unemployment and malcontent. This myth could not be farther from the truth. Yes consumers must change their current way of life to secure a better future for our children, but programs are being developed to change our current habits and implement sustainable programs to better our world.

Such programs already in operation such as The Acid Rain program in the United States, reduced the sulfur dioxide emissions by over 30 percent in the 1990’s, not only cleaning the air, but costing the government much less than was anticipated

Restricting other areas of industry to limit their gas emissions would encourage new technological developments in existing and new products on the market. It would also create new jobs and new wealth for the economy.

Another myth circulating is that evolution has provided us with the ability to adapt to planet changes. The facts about global warming tell us otherwise. Many cultures and societies in the past have been wiped out completely because of climate changes. Coastal nations will loss much of their homes and land due to flooding, many cases of new and existing diseases such as skin cancer will surface, and famine will wipe out thousands upon thousands of people because the vegetation and wild life could no longer life in the new climatic conditions.

Another myth widely accepted is that a local weatherperson is rarely accurate on a day-to-day basis, so how can scientists be accurate about the entirely climatic change of the globe? The facts about global warming is based on measured results, as well as future predictions, climate change is reflected over time and is different from weather which can fluctuate from day to day.

When you google the question what is global warming you will get a host of web definitions to explain what is global warming. Each definition will pretty much tell you the same thing, global warming is the earth’s temperature rising a few degrees each year; thus causing the earth to warm up.

From this definition given for what is global warming, inquiring minds would also want to know what effects global warming will have on our environment, assuming the earth is designed to remain at fairly the same temperature throughout time. However, the truth is the earth’s climate has been in constant flux for 5 billion years.

We do know that there was an ice age and there exists a theory that the ice age was responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, so we do know that climate changes affect both flora and fauna.

However since the ice age, the earth warmed up, and it has maintained a fairly regular global temperature since that time. New plant and animal life, including human being surfaced after the earth warmed up. At the current temperatures the earth is equipped to sustain life.

However the earth is off its natural course and is warming up much faster than it should; causing many scientists and environmentalists alarm. Global warming is a cause for concern because it can and will destroy the quality of life that humans, animals, insects, and plant life have known for centuries. Global warming if not eradicated can alter our genetic or physical make up or, in the worse cause scenario render our planet totally inhabitable.

Cases of animals losing their natural habitants, such as the artic polar bears, whose ice capped domains, are now dissolving into water, or sheep in Argentina becoming blind from the intense heat of the sun are being documented as we speak. Scientists are predicting that animals species will disappear along with the many insects that we know today, giving rise to whole new species of insects adaptable to the warmer conditions.

The danger does not stop there, more and more cases of skin cancer in humans is being reported and is believed to be a result of exposure to the sun’s intense rays. The situation is alarming but not irreparable at this point.

Thus when we ask the questions what is global warming, and what are the effects of global warming, we must also ask what caused global warming. When we know what caused the earth to warm up, we must also be prepared to reverse or at least slow down this deadly phenomenon.

According to a broader web definition that answers the question what is global warming, “ Global warming is the gradual increase in global temperatures caused by the emission of gases that trap the sun’s heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. …”
www.planningforpeople.ca/terms_and_definitions.asp”

Now that we know that gases cause it, we have investigated the type of gases and scientists have found that it is greenhouse gases that humans have released into the air. It goes without saying if we are the cause of the earth warming up, we must also provide the solution to fix or mend that damage as well.

The site also provides videos and documentation from world experts who testify that the global warming hoax about anthropogenic activity contributing to greenhouse gas emissions is unfounded, the earth is merely warming up due to natural cycle changes that have been consistant throughout time. Human beings have very little to do with it. Australian geologists, Professor Bob Carter maintains that it isn’t man’s fault.

There are videos debunking the reports that the Artic is melting in epic proportion. These reports reveal that statistics are largely exaggerated. The loss of ice is less than 10% in 28 years.

Dr. Don J. Easterbrook, Professor Emeritus Geology, Western Washington University, whose specialty is artic glaciers, presents an excellent paper in favor of natural causes being linked to diminishing glaciers.

Tom Knutson, NOAA Research meteorologist, defends that the increasing number of hurricanes are not a result of global warming.

Other sites also allude to a global warming hoax.

Many of us have heard of the highly publicized global footprints. The United States is said to have the largest footprint on the planet, resulting in more greenhouse gas emissions than any other country on the face of this earth. The picture evokes images of a big black sooty footprint that has polluted the world with carbon dioxide emissions from coal, wood, oil, and gas consumptions. The picture makes you think of black soot and dirt polluting the air. The truth of the matter is that carbon dioxide is not visible. Humans exhale carbon dioxide and you will find much higher levels of carbon dioxide concentrations in any crowded lecture hall or busy convention center than you will find present in the earth’s atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is vital to plant life, trees breathe in carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide is necessary for plant growth. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions will lead to plant death. If carbon dioxide is so vital to life on earth, then how can it be considered a pollutant?

Various reports from NASA and other sources maintain that the earth is entering a natural cooling stage that will last for decades, if that is so, how can carbon dioxide be warming up the earth at the same time?

There is much evidence supporting the global warming hoax just as there is much evidence supporting the global warming claim, become an informed citizen and research both sides before forming your own opinion.

Scientists have been recording temperatures since 1850 and eight of the warmest temperature readings recorded in all this time was documented since 1998. The warmest year recorded in history was 2005. Scientists expect that even though the average temperature has increased at a rate of 1 percent per 100 years it can accelerate to 2 to 6 percent over the next 100 hundred years. Though this percentage increase may seem minimal, keep in mind that the during the last ice age, when most of North America was covered in glaciers, the earth was only 7 degrees colder than it is today. Any global warming climate change can cause drastic consequences that we are yet to become aware of.

Global warming facts reveal that the Artic is feeling the most climatic changes. Polar ice caps are melting at an accelerating rate. If these glaciers continue to meltdown, the Artic might become devoid of ice during its summers in as early as 2040.

According to the multinational Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report (2000 – 2004) the rise in temperature in Alaska, Western Canada, and Eastern Russia is equal to twice the rate of any other location on the globe. It does not stop there; glaciers and ice-capped mountains are melting all over the globe. According to the global warming facts, in 1910, Glazier National Park in Montana boasted a total of 150 glaciers, now they are left with only 27.

The documented reports on global warming facts have also concluded that the spring thaw comes one week early and the colder weather a week later in the Northern Hemisphere, indicative of a seasonal shift and ultimate climate change.

Sea temperatures are rising, and coral reefs are very sensitive to even the smallest water changes. Coral Reefs are becoming bleached or dying out completely because of stress due to the warmer waters. The situation is expected to get worse.

The increasing reports of heat waves, forest fires, and tropical storms are being attributed to global warming.

Some evidence within the annuals of global warming facts point to the earth’s natural cycles with regard to the earth’s axis shifts, rotations, and tilt towards the sun, however most scientists concur that blaming the natural cycles are minimal at best.

Global warming facts gathered by over 2,500 scientist in over 120 countries all point to anthropogenic (human activities) causes for these climate changes. The shift from an agricultural to industrial society began the phenomena that we are now experiencing. The greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, (oil, gas, coal etc) releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from mining, big power plants, automobiles deforestation and more is directly responsible. Other greenhouse gases such as Methane largely due to burning garbage in landfills, and even nitrous oxide and water vapor manipulated by anthropogenic means has left us with this dire legacy.

People are generating this increase in greenhouse gases faster than the earth, plant, and animal live can absorb it. These gases are poured into the atmosphere causing a blanket of heat hovering above the earth, keeping the heat within the earth’s atmosphere unable to escape into outer space. The present emissions will remain in the atmosphere for many years to come.

Accumulated global warming facts point to the rapid changing of the face of the earth. The Artic is disappearing. Land area is converting into water areas because of the melting glaciers. Earlier springtime and rising sea levels, tsunamis and tropical storms, are disrupting human, plant and wild life. Deserts will continue to prop up as the earth dries out in some parts of the earth and food will become scarce resulting in more worldwide famines.

Thanks to documentaries shown on the National Geographic Channel, news of the polar bears and global warming is common knowledge and we must act now before it is too late.

No discussion about the far north and melting ice caps is complete without and investigation of the conditions facing polar bears and global warming. Greenhouse gas emission is the culprit of global warming and is the result of polar bears losing their natural habitats. Polar bears live on the ice above the water. They prosper in the very cold artic temperatures.

Since the temperatures have warmed up, the polar bear population has diminished by a quarter of what they once were; in other words they are down by about 25,000 just in the last twenty years. Furthermore, polar bears are recorded as weighing as much as 1,700 pounds to support their stature of up to 10 feet tall. Scientists are seeing their weight rapidly decline. The females are particularly thinning down. This weight loss is affecting their ability to produce offspring. Instead of producing their usual three cubs per litter, they are now only producing one. Future generations of polar bears are clearly at risk of extinction.

A cruel death from starvation is facing polar bears and global warming once again is the reason for it. Polar bears are unable to find the foods that they normally eat. Polar bears are known to travel more than 20,000 miles looking for food in order to survive. Seals are their main food source. However ribbon seals, bearded, spotted, and ringed seals, all inhabiting the ice and waters off of Alaska’s shores are also diminishing in numbers. U.S. reviews are going on to determine their status as an endangered species.

Polar bears are used to swimming more than a 100 miles to look for food but, because of their weakened physique and the fact that ice is melting much of the land surface, they cannot swim the extended distance from one ice surface to another. Polar bears are becoming more and more isolated on small ice surfaces surrounded entirely by water. They are slowing starving to death; too weak to swim to safety and to find food.

The evidence regarding polar bears and global warming is so persuasive that the U.S. Department of The Interior has added them to the endangered species list with the mention of “threatened species,” This status refers to a species whose existence will likely die out in the future if their habitat continues to fail to sustain their needs. What makes this event incredible is that this is the first animal to be added to the endangered species list because of global warming.

At home simple ways to prevent global warming like reducing your thermostat in the winter by two degrees, is hardly noticeable and will make a big impact in a collaborative effort to reduce electricity and carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. If your home is drafty you are using much more energy to heat your home than is needed. Make your home warmer by sealing off all drafts coming from windows and doors with plastic and or weather stripping. Turn down the thermostat when you leave the house for long periods of time, and close off rooms that are not being used to save on fuel costs and electricity bills.

Ways of saving money is foremost on the minds of most residents these days, and simply turning down the thermostat on your water heater will help you do it. Most people tend to keep the water heater too high, but by setting the thermostat to 110 – 120 Fahrenheit will save the average consumer up to 3 to 5 percent on their energy consumption.

One of the easiest ways to prevent global warming and save on electricity is to change the type of light bulbs that you use. According to The Union of Concerned Scientists, changing from incandescent to florescent light bulbs will stop 90 billion future pounds of carbon dioxide emissions released into the earth’s atmosphere.

You would be surprised to know that much energy consumption is due to what is known as “phantom loads.” Phantom loads are the electricity absorbed by different appliances, electrical and electronic products even when not being used. For example your common DVD player has a built in light that will remain on even if your DVD player is not in use. Simply having machines plugged in will keep the current running. These phantom loads from various sources account for about 11 percent of residential consumption. Unplug as many things that you can think of, that do not need to be constantly in use such as your toaster, computer and peripherals (printer, scanner, photo copying machine), even the power surge protectors, DVD recorder, air conditioners, and more.

Your local electric company, government office or even the Internet will provide you with many other ways to prevent global warming and save money in the process.

The single most common cause of global warming perpetrated by human kind is the rise of greenhouse gas emissions. The three gases commonly cited as a cause of global warming are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

The earth actually releases its own carbon dioxide emissions back into the atmosphere, the atmosphere is a layer of gases designed to keep in heat to warm the earth but over and above these natural greenhouse gases, of which carbon dioxide is one of them, anthropogenic levels of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere representing about 2 percent of the total emissions. Scientists are seeing even these small levels of carbon dioxide is disturbing the natural balance of the earth to regulate its own climate and temperatures.

Carbon Dioxide

The biggest anthropogenic carbon dioxide source comes from fossil fuel pollution. Fossil Fuel pollutions comes from stationary structures like coal burning plants, and mobile sources as well, such as pollution and exhaust from cars, buses and other forms of transportation. Electrical plants also release carbon dioxide and industrial processes, such as making cement do as well.

A second source of carbon dioxide emission comes from the process of deforestation. Deforestation is accountable for between 25 to 30 percent of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. This amount translates to 1.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Trees are comprised of 50 percent carbon dioxide, when trees are cut down or burned they expel this carbon dioxide within the atmosphere. Thirteen Million hectares (HA) in forests are destroyed each year primarily in the tropics, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Much of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere will also mix with the soil in a process of oxidation.

Humans require oxygen to breath while healthy trees breathe in carbon dioxide, and release oxygen, rotten or dead trees can no longer protect the atmosphere from too much carbon dioxide. Other decaying matter such as volcanoes, animal, plant life, and burned grass will emit carbon dioxide as well.

Methane

Methane gas is another greenhouse gas is a cause of global warming. Methane is naturally found in soil. Digging up the ground for coal, gas, biomass, and oil will release methane into the atmosphere. Landfills where garbage is burned are notorious for releasing methane gas but simply disturbing the ground for rice cultivation or farming livestock (manure) also facilitates the release of methane gas.

Nitrous Oxide is the fourth leading greenhouse gas known as a cause of global warming

Nitrous Oxide is found in soil and in the ocean naturally, but is released by the cultivation of soil for farming especially when nitrogenous fertilizers are added to the soil. Animals waste (from chickens, pigs, and cows) and left to ferment in the ground is responsible for bacteria in the soil and results in another source of nitrous oxide and green house gas emissions.

Hydrofluorocarbons, perflourocarbons, and chlorofluorocarbons

These artificially produced compounds found in industrial processes in factories or over the counter products such as products in aerosol cans are linked to the depletion of the ozone layer.

The earth has gone through several climate changes and each time the face of the earth and its inhabitants have changed along with it. The onset of the ice age is believed to have killed off the dinosaurs while it also facilitated new types of animals and plant life, but when the ice age ended, such creatures such as Mastodons (animals that resembled modern day elephants), became extinct. They could not survive the warmer climate.

Then again in the middle ages Europe went through what has been called the little ice age. Around the 14th century much of Europe was covered in ice and glaciers, food was scarce and many people died of exposure and famine.

In recent history, we know that the earth has warmed up by one degree within the last century. Even though this could be a natural phenomenon, humans have also added to the causes of global warming through modern intervention and technology.

The Industrial Revolution has been cited as one of the major causes of global warming. It also was the beginning of the last 200 years of manipulating the environment through machines, technology, and pollution. Since the Industrial Revolution, factories have been releasing fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and tar sands into the environment trapping the gases in the earth’s atmosphere.

Today power plants, which produce coal and coal by products in the USA, account for the most carbon dioxide emission in the nation; they release 2.5 billion tons of toxins into the atmosphere each year.

However, we cannot only blame factories for greenhouse gases emissions. We as consumers, in our quest to constantly make our lives easier, are in fact polluting our environment as well. Carbon dioxide exhaust from our automobiles produces over 1.5 billion tons of pollution released in the atmosphere annually by citizens of the United States.

Simple activities we take for granted in life are causes of global warming. Whether we are watching TV, playing video games, using the computer, listening to music on the stereo, microwaving a meal, using our clothes dryer or hairdryer, washing our clothes in a machine, cleaning our homes with chemicals, using an air conditioner, plastic products or even turning a light on, we are releasing carbon dioxide and hazardous gases within our environment.