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=__ Global Warming: We Started it but We Can Help Fix it __= ** The Greenhouse Effect ** The Greenhouse effect is an effect where solar radiation from our sun hit the atmosphere and some solar radaition reflects back into space but some solar radiation gets by our atmosphere. The solar radiaiton reaches our earth and heats up our land and oceans. When the solar radiation hits the earth it hits the earth as visible and ultraviolet light. The earth and people then emits heat waves in larger wavelengths called infa- red. Some heat waves get sent out into space, but most get trapped by the particles in our atmosphere. The natural gasses that trap the heat waves are water vapor carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. This effect is necessary for our survival because the gasses trap the heat in our atmosphere. If this heat wasn’t trapped in our atmosphere we would freeze to death because at night time it gets really cold. The trapped heat keeps temperatures from going so cold that humans couldn't survive. Also, if the Greenhouse Effect didn't exist we would fry to death during the day because the greenhouse effect protects us from harmful UV from the sun and could fry us.

This is a diagram that represents the Greenhouse Effect which I explain in the above section. Picture URL: []

GLOBAL WARMING: THE BIG PICTURE
Global Warming is a result of humans putting man made gases including carbon- dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. This makes the average temperature increase by about a degree a year. Even though the average temperature is increasing in a very small fraction each year, in a hundred years it will become an immense increase in temperature. This big temperature increase will have the capability of melting the polar ice caps and all of Antarctica. Since all of the polar ice caps and Antarctica are made of frozen water, when they melt the sea level will increase in a very large amount all over the world. This will cause flooding of many parts of the earth that are near or at sea level. Global Warming will also cause the earth to heat up so much that animals living in a colder climate will have to adapt to a warmer climate. Some animals will die, some animals will adapt, and some animals will migrate. When animals migrate to another place they will mess up the food chain there. The warmer temperature of the oceans will cause more hurricanes because hurricanes occur in warmer waters. This a picture that shows both the anual temperature anomaly (degrees C) and five year average temperature anomaly (degrees C) from 1860 to 2000. Picture URL: []

**GLOBAL WARMING: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS** There are many things that contribute to Global Warming. The three major man made greenhouse gases that contribute to Global Warming are carbon dioxide- 78%, methane- 18%, and nitrous oxide- 9%. These gases contribute to Global Warming because these types of gas molecules absorb heat waves emitted by earth and an extra amount of these gases will absorb even more heat causing the earth to heat up even more. Cars contribute to Global Warming because they burn gasoline which is a fossil fuel and emit carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Idling even emits more carbon dioxide into the air because if you aren't moving and you have your car on when you could have it off you are emitting extra carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Light bulbs contribute to Global Warming because the electrical factories burn fossil fuels to make the electricity. The burning of the fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Land fills contribute to Global Warming because when all of the waste is put together it emits methane into the atmosphere and methane also contributes to Global Warming. Aerosols also contribute to Global Warming because CFCs are sprayed out of Aerosols and cut down the ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect us from the sun’s UV rays. The cutting down of trees contributes to Global Warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide through a p rocess called photosynthesis and turn it into carbon based compounds that help the tree grow. With less trees there will be less carbon dioxide absorbed and more infa- red waves will get emitted in our atmosphere making Global Warming worse. Combustion engines and industrial processes and fertilizers contribute to Global Warming because they emit nitrous Oxide into the atmosphere which is a hundred times more effective at heating things up than carbon dioxide and methane. Idling is when you are not moving your car but it is turned on and emiting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and making Global Warming worse. We already do enough damage to our envoirnment using cars so don't add extra pollution when yyou aren't eve using it! Picture URL: [] One way Global Warming can impact us locally is if the ice caps of the Arctic and Antarctica melt, the whole city of Boston would be under water. If all of Boston was flooded there would no longer be manufacturing factories for important products that are produced. There would also be a big loss of jobs for people in New England because Boston is a very urban area with a lot of jobs and factories. People living on the coast of New England and on Cape Cod would be completely flooded. The temperatures will soon become so high that people won’t be able to do things for entertainment including skiing and sledding. On skiing mountains they make snow in the winter from snow makers by spraying water out into the air and the water freezes in mid air and makes snow. If winters are too warm, than the water they spray out of snow makers won't freeze. Also, with earlier springs there will be less time for entertainment in the winter. Finally, because of Global Warming the oceans will heat up more in areas where oceans are less tropical like New England. The heating up of the oceans will cause more hurricanes to happen because hurricanes occur in warmer waters. With more hurricanes near New England more things will be destroyed and flooded near the coast. This is a picture that represnts what could happen to coastal cities if both Antarctica and the Arctic ice caps melt. Picture URL: []
 * GLOBAL WARMING: LOCAL EFFECTS **

One thing that people can do that live in homes and use light bulbs daily to help the environment is to switch five conventional light bulbs in your five most frequently used light fixtures to Energy Star light bulbs. These light bulbs are known as CFL's which stands forcompact flourescent. Conventional light bulbs us a lot more electricity which means more fossil fuels are burned in electricity factories that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and increase Global Warming. Energy Star Light Bulbs use less electricity making electricity factories burn less fossil fuel and emit less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Not only do Energy Star light bulbs protect the environment but they also help you save money by lowering your electricity bill. If every household in the U.S. did this simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the amount greenhouse gases emitted by 10 million cars. This is an enrgy efficient light bulb that uses less energy and makes your electrical bill less. Picture URL: []
 * WHAT YOUR AUDIENCE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY: One specific area of focus **

The greenhouse effect is caused by natural greenhouse gases and water vapor. It is vital for our survival because it traps heat within our atmosphere and keeps us from freezing and frying to death. Global Warming is when humans emit extra man made greengouse gases into the atmosphere and makes the earth warm up more than it naturally does. Man made gases that contribute to Global Warming incluude carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Global Warming can have many effects on the earth including flooding on coastal communities and earlier springs. You contribute to Global Warming and so do all other humans, but there are ways you can help save our planet. One thing you can do is switch your five most used light bulbs in your house and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to ten million cars. If every person in the world made one enviornmental friendly change to their lifestyle that cuts the emission of extra greenhouse gases then over a long period of time Global Warming would be reduced immensle y.
 * A SUMMARY OF YOUR RESEARCH **

** Bibliography ** "Global Warming signs and sources." __Discovery Channel.__ 2009. 6/4/09< __[]__ >
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"At Home."__Climate Change- What can You Do__. Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Date viewed [] Global Warming Song: media type="google" key="-5831302199659848020&hl=en&fs=true" width="400" height="326"
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