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=Keeping Your Cool in a Warming World = =The Greenhouse Effect = = = = = =The greenhouse effect is the natural process that helps the Earth retain heat. This effect is caused by gasses in the Earth’s atmosphere, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor. These gasses trap the energy from the sun that would otherwise be lost into space. Without the trapped heat the earth would be freezing at night, making life on Earth absolutely impossible. =

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**Now that we understand the greenhouse effect, what’s global warming? Global warming is the unnatural intensification of the greenhouse effect because of human actions, which is causing the Earth to warm. You may think, “Warmer earth that sounds great,” but in reality as the average global temperature increases there are many concerning aspects. To start, if the temperature rises that means less sea ice, smaller Arctic and Antarctic ice caps, more water in the ocean, higher sea levels, finally coastal land being flooded. Though sea level rise is not great the thing that is the worst about Global warming is the speed that it's going at. Our sea level has risen before but never this quickly, which is why it is the most concerning aspect of Global warming. To sum it up if humans continue to emit carbon dioxide and methane in the vast quantities they are today, Earth’s sea level will rise and destroy coastal communities around the world.**

**GLOBAL WARMING: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS** 
 * So, now we have this issue of Global Warming and we know that carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gasses are causing it but we need to know what we are doing to produce these gasses. Anything that uses fossil fuels to power it is a contributor to the increase in carbon dioxide. What uses fossil fuels? Automobiles, heating houses, air conditioning, factories, devices that use electricity (clothes driers, dishwashers, etc.) aerosols, refrigerators, water heaters, gas stoves, lights, trash disposal, and many more things.** **Another Greenhouse gas, methane, is produced in huge amounts by cows that are raised for beef and milk. Also, methane is produced by the decomposition of trash in land fills.**



**GLOBAL WARMING: LOCAL EFFECTS ** 
 * As global warming continues there will be many effects both local and world wide. In New England rising sea levels will destroy many beaches as well as coastal cities and towns. Massachusetts is currently losing 65 acres of beach a year. Residents will also loes many of our luxuries such as Tropical Island and skiing vacations. Other effects in New England due to warmer temperatures will include more deaths due to heat, an increase in smog because of an increase in ground level ozone, many more mosquitoes which could carry diseases such as malaria, and an increase in precipitation. Also, some flora and fauna may not be able to adapt to the warmer temperatures. Scientists think that lobster and cod may disappear from the ocean south of Cape Cod as well as the spruce and fir trees from the Berkshires.**

** WHAT YOU CAN DO DIFFERENTLY: Solar Thermal Heating ** ** Today, the U.S. spends about 13 billion dollars a year on home water heating which translates into 11.4 gallons of oil per household! Wouldn’t it be nice to stop using all that oil and spending all that money to simply heat our water? With solar thermal we can. Systems that use solar thermal use the suns energy to heat water for showers, pools, dish washers, clothes washers, and other devices that need hot water. Solar thermal is a much more efficient method of heating a pool or home devices then a gas or electric heater. There are currently 1.5 million Americans that have solar thermal heating systems. Between these 1.5 million Americans they save 9 megawatts of energy a year. Solar heater cost varies from 2,000 to 6,000 dollars, including installation. This may cost more then an electric or gas heater but you don't have to pay any extra gas or electric bills, instead your energy is given to you free by the sun! While the cost of buying a solar panel seems expensive it will pay for itself within two to twenty years, depending on your climate and the amount of hot water your family uses. Other benefits include an extended swimming season without extra costs and repairs for the entire life of a solar water heater are at least 20% less then an electric or gas powered heater. In the end solar thermal heating is a much more efficient and safe way of heating your water. **



A SUMMARY OF YOUR RESEARCH

To sum things up, the greenhouse effect is a necessary process that heats the atmosphere with gasses like carbon dioxide and methane, which emit infa red radiation. Though the greenhouse effect is a good thing the intensification of it by man, called Global warming is not. Each and every person contributes to global warming by using electricity or burnig fossil fuels which give off extra greenhouse gasses. As global warming continues sea level will rise destroying beaches and coastal cities, there will be many more mosquitos which carry diseases, and more people will die from heat related reasons. One thing that you can do to decrease your emissions is install a solar thermal heating system which, using the suns energy, heats your water for pools, washing machines, dish washers, and showers.

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