The Earth
2004 - The more I
read about climate change, the more
alarmed I become. This is the most important thing affecting our lives
today - not war, not terrorism but climate change. It has the ability to
destroy everything we know within our lifetimes.
If you have children you
should be especially concerned - they are going to face challenges that you've
never thought about - and they're going to wonder why you didn't do anything!
My brother put this together -
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/davel/Environment.htm
What's happened already?
Did you notice what has happened? A subtle shift in
the media. Last year it was generally denying that climate change was
happening at all but now its been happening for ages. Are governments
manipulating public perceptions?
- In the UK - more heavy rain showers, more flooding,
wetter winters, more heatwaves, fewer frosts and cold spells in winter.
- August 2000 - there was no ice at all at the North
Pole. Ice in the northern hemisphere has decreased by an area the size
of the UK (250,000 sq km) EACH decade since I was born.
- Sea levels are rising rapidly - The Thames barrier,
completed in 1982, is now inadequate. It is designed to close a couple
of times a year, in 2000-2001, it closed twenty three times.
What's about to happen?
- It is thought that global average temperatures will
rise by around 6c before 2100 but land areas will warm by more than this.
Some reports say it will be more.
- The global temperature difference between the last
ice age and now was just 5-6C.
- An increase of 10c would create conditions in the
South of England comparable to the Sahara Desert.
- An increase of 6C, 250m years ago, was enough to wipe
out up to 95% of species alive.
- More infectious diseases, heading further north.
What am I doing wrong?
- Air Travel - huge amounts of carbon dioxide
emitted into the air where they can do most harm. A measure of CO2 from
an airplane is 3 times worse than an equal measure from a car. The
governments of the world need to come to an agreement to add tax on air fuel.
Air travel is killing the planet and therefore should only be done when
necessary and should be a luxury.
- Buying products which have travelled long
distances - same reasons as above! Local produce, bought locally is far
more environmentally friendly.
- Your house does not have to be toasty-warm in winter
and ice cold in summer!
Our ancestors knew to simply put more clothes on in winter!
- American? Be aware that your country does more
harm than any other, and appears to be doing little about changing this.
Each American creates far more CO2 than a person in any other country.
What can we do about it?
- Tell your MPs, Senators, MEPs whatever that you care
greatly about it and want to know what they're doing.
- Read about it and be aware of what you're
doing
- Recycle everything possible - especially
plastics
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