An Inconvenient Truth

Has anybody seen the Al Gore movie about global warming and the environment? If you don't know who Al Gore is, he was the Vice President of the United States, serving while Bill Clinton was President. And yes, the movie I'm referring to is An Inconvenient Truth. Well, the Bush administration has seen it and they're very annoyed about the whole thing. As a matter of fact, earlier today, Dick Cheney (the current Vice President of the United States) shot a projectionist... hahaha... I'm kidding, of course... =P One very dramatic scene in the Al Gore global warming movie is when a glacier melts and they find more Al Gore ballots from the election... hahaha... whoops... =X I have a dry sense of humor, I know.

Okay, let's get serious here.

So what really causes global warming?

Scientists have determined that a number of human activities are contributing to global warming by adding excessive amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide accummulate in the atmosphere and trap heat that normally would exit into outer space.

While many greenhouse gases occur naturally and are needed to create the greenhouse effect that keeps the Earth warm enough to support life, human use of fossil fuels is the main source of excess greenhouse gases.

By driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. Deforestation is another significant source of greenhouse gases, because fewer trees means less carbon dioxide conversion to oxygen.

During the 150 years of the industrial age, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 31%. Over the same period, the level of atmospheric methane has risen by 151%, mostly from agricultural activities such as raising cattle and growing rice.

Now the SCARY truth is:

Do you know that global temperatures are expected to increase 3.5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050, and there is a 1-in-10 chance that the increase could be far worse? It's a risk that many experts believe is too great to ignore.

Rising temperatures will alter global weather patterns that have a direct effect on water supplies and agriculture. Deserts will expand, the frequency and severity of droughts and deadly heat waves will increase, and snow will disappear in most areas... except on the very highest mountain peaks.

Sea levels worldwide are expected to rise between 7 and 23 inches by 2100, and will continue to rise for at least the next 1,000 years... @_@

Fierce storms, such as hurricanes, will become more frequent and more floods will occur, due to rising sea levels and heavier rainfall in some areas.

Continuing global warming will also lead to a rise in many diseases that are deadly to humans... =/ Flooding will contaminate water supplies in some areas, giving rise to infectious diseases. Rising temperatures will also increase the range and breeding grounds of mosquitoes and other disease-bearing insects, exposing more people to diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis.

Here's what we can do to fight global warming:

- Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Use fluorescent bulbs in your room.

- Turn off your computer or the TV when you're not using it. Unplug chargers when not in use.

- Wait until you have a lot of clothes to wash before using the washing machine. Don't use the machine for one item just because it's your favorite shirt.

- Take shorter showers. Heating water uses energy.

- Close the blinds on a hot day if the sun is shining in. Dress lightly instead of turning up the air-conditioning. Or use a fan.

- Dress warmly when it's cold, instead of turning up the heat.

- Keep the air filters on your air-con and furnace clean.

- Walk short distances instead of asking for a ride in a car.

- Plant a tree.

Make a difference today!