Global warming is the title given to a theory on why the earth's temperature has increased over the last 20 years. When you dirve your car or whenever fossil fuels are burned they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere will cling to each other and form a shield, if you will, that retains heat. This is the same process that occurs in the Upper atmosphere that creates and sustains our ozone layer, which blocks harmful Ultra-violet waves. It is a process called the Chapman reaction. So by releasing an excess of CO2 into the lower atmosphere you create an ozone layer that traps heat in rather than letting it escape. The bigger thing you need to realize is that our climate goes in cycles and we are noticing this "global warming" because the earth is in an upswing for the heat cycle. Back in the 70's scientists were forecasting a possible upcoming ice age because the global temperature had dropped 2 degrees. So now you have the opposite. We don't know how much of "global warming" is because of human civilization. We also don't know the feedback mechanisms that the earth's climate would do to respond to an increase of temperature. If you want to reduce the amount of CO2 you put in the atmosphere, use less fossil fuels. Use fuel efficient cars or no cars at all. Put in proper insulation into your home so it takes less energy to heat it.
2006-12-13 04:24:41
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent decades. The Earth's average near-surface atmospheric temperature rose 0.6 ± 0.2 °Celsius (1.1 ± 0.4 °Fahrenheit) in the 20th century .
The climate system varies both through natural, "internal" processes as well as in response to variations in external "forcing" from both human and non-human causes, including solar activity, volcanic emissions, and greenhouse gases. Climatologists agree that the earth has warmed recently. The detailed causes of this change remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus identifies greenhouse gases as the primary cause of the recent warming. Outside of the scientific community, however, this conclusion can be controversial.
Adding carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) to Earth's atmosphere, with no other changes, will make the planet's surface warmer; greenhouse gases create a natural greenhouse effect without which temperatures on Earth would be an estimated 30 °C (54 °F) lower, and the Earth uninhabitable. It is therefore not correct to say that there is a debate between those who "believe in" and "oppose" the theory that adding carbon dioxide or methane to the Earth's atmosphere will, absent any mitigating actions or effects, result in warmer surface temperatures on Earth. Rather, the debate is about what the net effect of the addition of carbon dioxide and methane will be, when allowing for compounding or mitigating factors.
One example of an important feedback process is ice-albedo feedback. The increased CO2 in the atmosphere warms the Earth's surface and leads to melting of ice near the poles. As the ice melts, land or open water takes its place. Both land and open water are less reflective than ice, and so absorb more solar radiation. This causes more warming, which in turn causes more melting, and the cycle continues.
Due to the thermal inertia of the earth's oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects, the Earth's current climate is not in equilibrium with the forcing imposed by increased greenhouse gases. Climate commitment studies indicate that, even if greenhouse gases were stabilized at present day levels, a further warming of perhaps 0.5 °C to 1.0 °C (0.9–1.8 °F) would still occur.
There are five categories of actions that can be taken to mitigate global warming:
1. Reduction of energy use (conservation)
2. Shifting from carbon-based fossil fuels to alternative energy sources
3. Carbon capture and storage
4. Carbon sequestration
5. Planetary engineering to cool the earth, including screening out sunlight or increasing albedo
2006-12-13 15:54:52
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answer #2
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answered by Geo06 5
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Hi. The climate change results from several things including human emission of carbon dioxide. We cannot prevent this. We just have to plan ahead.
2006-12-13 12:20:40
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answer #3
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answered by Cirric 7
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My name is Rafael Lomena. I write from Alicante (Spain). I am independent investigator on the Accelerated Global Heating and want to share with all something that can turn out from interest to fight this phenomenon.
My complete report is in: http://inicia.es/de/rlv/clim.htm
If they do not understand the Spanish they can use the automatic translator that will find in the main page of site:
http://inicia.es/de/rlv
Thanks to all.
(* This message has been translated with a translation software)
2006-12-15 06:11:33
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answer #4
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answered by ELPATRON 2
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