Climate Change should be a household name

By SherryZwetsloot

For millions of years, climate change and weather patterns have fascinated and influenced humans and scientist worldwide. Climate change is caused by factors such as oceanic circulation, biotic processes, solar radiation received by the Earth, plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, and human-induced alterations of the natural world which are currently causing global warming. Lets look at this on a broader, but more generalized scale. The rate of energy received by the sun in direct relation to the energy lost to space determines the equilibrium temperature and climate of the Earth. This same energy is distributed around the earth by winds, ocean currents, and other mechanisms that affect the climates of different regions. Climate Forcing or forcing mechanisms can be factors that shape our climate through radiation, forcing mountain building (the fault movement of the earths plates, referred to as plate tectonics), continental drift and changes of greenhouse gas concentration. Forcing mechanisms can be either internal or external, fast (sudden cooling due to volcanic ash) or slow (thermal expansion of warming ocean water), or a combination of various processes. http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a010600/a010630/ Ocean variability is a fundamental part of the climatic system even though they run on longer timescales than the atmospheric changes. The expansion of the El Nino fluctuations over the years and decades represent climate variability rather than climate change. However, the process of thermohaline circulation over longer time scales play a key role in redistributing heat through consistent and methodical movement of water in the ocean depths, redistributing heat throughout the worlds oceans.

Ocean Circulation Conveyor Belt - The ocean plays a major role in the distribution of the planet's heat through deep sea circulation. This simplified illustration shows this "conveyor belt" circulation, which is driven by the difference in heat and salinity. Records of past climate suggest that there is some chance that this circulation could be altered by the changes projected in many climate models. - wikimedia

Life has affected climate through its role in the carbon and water cycles. Examples of how life has affected past climate include glaciation triggered by the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis 2.3 billion years ago,[1][2] glaciation ushered in by long-term burial of decomposition-resistant detritus of vascular land plants (forming coal)[3][4] termination of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum 55 billion years ago by flourishing marine phytoplankton[5][6] reversal of global warming 49 million years ago by 800,000 years of arctic azolla blooms[7][8]and global cooling over the past 40 million years driven by the expansion of grassgrazer ecosystems.[9][10] So what is the solution to controlling climate change? The answer is to encompass actions being taken and those actions proposed to limit the magnitude of long term global warming induced by climate change. It is imperative, as a human race inhabiting the planet Earth, a keen focus is taken to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases on even most minute levels. Mitigation may also be achieved by increasing the capacity of carbon sinks, a natural or man-made reservoir used to accumulate and store carbon containing chemical compounds for indefinite periods. The process for which carbon sinks removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is referred to as carbon sequestration. Public awareness of CO 2 sinks has grown since the acknowledgement of the Kyoto Protocol, which promotes their use as a form of carbon dioxide offset, and in addition through projects like reforestation. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/science/canada-climate-change/canada-andkyoto/ That leads the average Canadian asking oneself, Well, what are the methods and means? The cost of reducing GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions in the electricity sector appears to be substantially lower than that of the transportation sector, leaving the electricity sector as one of the largest carbon reducers under and economically efficient climate policy[11] Another method of means would be to increase fuel economy in automobiles which include the use of electric hybrids and electrical cars. Charging plug-in hybrids and electric cars by low carbon electricity and making individual- lifestyle changes in both personal and business practices will be at the core of the reduction of GHG on our planet. With a projected population growth between 8.3 10 billion by the year 2050[12] and the planned economic growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on fossil fuel technologies is a major challenge. The use of Renewable Energy is being driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions. Upward of 85 countries have their own renewable energy and have enacted wide ranging public policies to promote renewable low-carbon energy.[13] This process replaces fuels in three main areas: power generation, hot water/space heating and transport fuels. Some countries with favourable geography, geology and weather get most of their electricity form renewable energy sources. Iceland uses 100% geothermal energy, and Brazil uses 85% hydroelectric power , Austria 62%, New Zealand 65% and Sweden 54%.[14] Renewable power generators are spread across many countries with many providing a significant share of electricity through wind-power. The U.S. state of Iowa uses 14%, Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany uses 40% and Denmark uses about 20%. Solar water heating makes an important contribution to China, which now uses 70% or 180 GWth. Worldwide a total of installed solar water heating systems meet upwards of over 70 million households. The biomass for heating continues to grow as well. In Sweden the biomass energy has surpassed that of oil and geothermal heating is also growing rapidly.[15] Each individual can have a huge impact on moving the planet into a greener future. We can choose to build greener homes to sustain our everyday needs. Schools, offices, gyms can all get on board and have a huge impact on reducing our carbon footprint. It takes initiative and policy to be implemented by shakers and movers who passion a better world and step up to the plate and take action. Keep in mind this could begin at home with the everyday awareness and making those small choices that are eco-friendly for our Mother Earth to build a better future for our childrens tomorrow.

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