We need to stop global warming! Polar Bears are are losing theier homes! Any ideas how to? Hurry!?

Question

Polar bears are losing their homes! The ice is melting! We need to act now, and I need ideas of how to! How do I stop it and spread the message??

Answer 1

Take a deep breath. It's winter. The ice isn't melting. It's growing at a rapid pace right now.

Answer 2

The best census/estimates of polar bears in the 1970s, reported populations totalling about 5,000 polar bears. With global warming really "heating up" in the thirty years since, polar bear populations have increased to at least 25,000 animals(some counts allow for nearly 40,000). Some could"scientifically extrapolate" that with increased global warming, polar bears might take over the world, lol. My point is, before you "spread the message", do some complete research first. Oh yeah, polar bears survived the last time that the ice caps totally melted...........why wont they survive this time?(if its happening at all)

Answer 3

Do not worry. The polar bears are not dying. This is what an expert on polar bears had to say:

"Our information is that seven of 13 populations of polar bears in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (more than half the world's estimated total) are either stable or increasing..... Of the three that appear to be declining, only one has been shown to be affected by climate change. No one can say with certainty that climate change has not affected these other populations, but it is also true that we have no information to suggest that it has." -- Dr. Mitchell Taylor, manager, wildlife research section, Department of Environment, Igloolik, Nunavut.

Answer 4

Deffently the gas in cars is damanging the air, hopefully they with come up with cars that run on full eletric motors. I notice it's November and it's still warm outside. I think that is a big sign of global warming!

Answer 5

Global warming is natural, humans have had basically no effect on it at all... Look up some work from Dr. William Gray

Answer 6

check out the force of the Paulonia megafolia select number 2.
we have done the calculations -- approx. 2000 - 5000 tonnes co2 per acre per year fixed mostly into soil.
check planitplantitplanet.org

haste makes less waste in this case!
blessings

Answer 7

humans us!
were not careing!
gas from cars!
stop gas the need a car run by batterie!

Answer 8

Don't idle too long in your car.

Answer 9

A very long answer summarised from something I wrote a few months ago...

The primary cause of manmade global warming is heat from the sun being trapped by greenhouse gases. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, the largest contributor is CO2. It's this gas that many people are taking steps to reduce emissions of. Here are some practical steps you can take to combat global warming.


● BUY ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES. Appliances usually state how energy efficient they are, look for the Energy Star label or efficiency rating, compare different models and opt for ones with a lower Wattage.

● DON’T USE STANDBY. A device such as a TV or computer still consumed power when put into standby mode, as it’s usually in standby for many hours it consumes a lot of power over time.

● SWITCH OFF WHEN NOT IN USE. If you’re not using something then switch it off, most people probably have far more lights on at any one time then are actually being used.

● USE ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTBULBS. Conventional bulbs use considerably more electricity than compact fluorescent lighbulbs (CFLs) or halogen bulbs, they last a lot longer as well. Some local authorities provide them for free or heavily subsidised,

● LOWER YOUR THERMOSTAT. Turning your thermostat down by one or two degrees can significantly reduce power consumption and you’ll hardly notice the difference.

● HEAT ONLY WHAT’S NEEDED. Turn heaters and radiators off in rooms that aren’t used and fit individual thermostats to radiators.

● TURN DOWN THE WATER HEATER. Many people have their water heating turned up too high with the result they need to add cold water to the sink or bath, turn the water heater down so the water temp isn’t too hot.

● INSULATE YOUR PROPERTY. Much heat is lost through insufficient or lack of insulation. Make sure pipes, walls, lofts, hot water tanks are well insulated. It’s cheap and effective, check out the availability of grants.

● TURN THE AIR CON DOWN. As with turning the heating down, large savings on your energy use can be achieved by turning the air conditioning down a bit. Saves on your electricity bill as well.

● SGN UP TO A GREEN ENERGY SUPPLIER. Most power is generated by burning fossil fuels, one of the biggest contributors to global warming. Switch your supply to a provider that generates their electricity from renewable energy sources.

● DRESS APPROPRIATELY. When it’s cold put on a jumper rather than turn up the heating, when it’s warm take it off again rather than use the air con.

● WASH FULL LOADS. When you’re doing the washing wait until you’ve got a full load before running the machine.

● WASH AT LOWER TEMPS. Most detergents these days are just as effective at lower temps – often just 30°C, check the packaging.

● DRY WASHING OUTSIDE. If the weather’s nice dry your clothes outside rather than in a tumble drier. If drying inside then don’t turn heating on just to dry your clothes.

● WHEN THE HOUSE IS UNOCCUPIED. If you’re on holiday then turn off everything apart from the essentials like the fridge and freezer, just have one or two lights come on in the evening by using timer switches.

● WHEN THE WORKPLACE IS UNOCCUPIED. The last person to leave should go round and switch everything off and turn out the lights before leaving.

● AVOID DISHWASHERS. Wash pots and pans by hand, it uses much less water and energy. If you do use a dishwasher then wait until it’s full before running it.

● REDUCE DRAUGHTS. Fit draught excluders round doors and windows, this service may be available for free – check with the local authority.

● GENERATE YOUR OWN POWER. Consider fitting solar panels or a wind turbine to your house. The initial cost can be recouped in time and there’s no greenhouse gas emissions generated (unlike conventional power supplies).

● USE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES. Batteries are a very poor source of energy, they require much more energy to produce than they provide.

● DON’T OVERCHARGE DEVICES. Don’t leave (re)chargers on for longer than is needed, most devices have an indicator to show when fully charged, leaving the charger on for longer than is needed doesn’t help the device and it wastes power.

● ONLY BOIL THE WATER YOU NEED. When boiling the kettle only fill it with the amount of water you need (ensure the water in the kettle reaches the minimum level), not only is it quicker but it avoids wasting electricity and reduces your bill.

● BUY LOCAL PRODUCE. There's less transportation and the farming methods are more environmentally friendly. Similarly, look where goods were manufactured, avoid buying those that have been shipped long distances.

● RECYLE AND REUSE. Recycling products uses much less energy and natural resources then manufacturing them in the first place.

● REDUCE PAPER CONSUMPTION. Sign up with mail preferential services to stop junk mail. Get your news from the internet rather than buying a newspaper. Opt for paperless billing from utility companies.

● MINIMUM PACKAGING. Avoid products with excessive packaging, especially expanded polystyrene (styrofoam) and plastic wrapping.

● FRIDGES AND FREEZERS. Modern appliances are more efficient than older ones, it may be economically viable to replace old models (check with local authority regarding disposal of old one). Don’t have them set to a lower temp than is recommended, regularly defrost, don’t leave the door open and avoid putting hot food into them.

● WORK FROM HOME. If possible work from home, it saves time and fuel travelling.

● EAT LESS MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. Modern farming methods produce large quantities of greenhouse gases.

● SHOWER INSTEAD OF BATH. A shower uses a lot less water so there’s less heating involved, if you do bath then don’t fill it so much.

● CONSERVE WATER. The less water you use the less energy is needed to pump it to your home or office and to deal with the waste at a sewerage treatment works.


ENERGY EFFICIENT TRAVELLING
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For many people a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved by driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Each gallon of gasoline burned produces 10kg (20 pounds) of carbon dioxide.

● Drive a fuel efficient vehicle, if you have more than one vehicle use the most economical one more often.

● Walk or cycle to work or when taking the kids to schools, if you have to drive consider car sharing.

● Use public transport where possible

● Take a coach or train instead of using domestic flights.

● When replacing your vehicle look at diesel and liquid petroleum gas models.

● Combine multiple journeys into one and do your weekly shopping in a single trip.

● Stagger journeys where possible to avoid rush hour traffic and hold ups.


FUEL SAVING TIPS FOR DRIVERS
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By driving carefully and keeping your vehicle in good condition you can save up to 30% on your fuel bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. Below are some tips for increasing fuel efficiency, there's more information on the Eartheasy Website - http://eartheasy.com/live_fuel_efficient_driving.htm

● Avoid harsh braking, accelerate gently, drive at a steady speed.

● Keep tyres properly inflated.

● Remove bike and ski and roof racks when not in use.

● Carrying unnecessary weight wastes fuel, declutter your vehicle.

● Use the correct gear, use cruise control if your vehicle has it.

● Keep your vehicle regularly serviced.

● Turn the engine off when stopped or waiting.


CARBON OFFSETTING
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Carbon Offsetting is one way to reduce or eliminate your carbon footprint, in most cases this involves calculating your greenhouse gas emissions and planting trees so as to absorb an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. Some websites where you can calculate your carbon footprint and purchase offsetting are...

The Woodland Trust
http://www.carbonbalanced.org/

Carbon Footprint - http://www.carbonfootprint.com/USA/calculator.html

The Carbon Neutral Company - http://www.carbonneutral.com/pinfo/carbonoffsetting.asp

My Climate
http://www.myclimate.org/index.php?lang=en

Atmosfair
http://www.atmosfair.de/index.php?id=9&L=3


FURTHER INFORMATION
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Natural Resource Defense Council
http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/genergy.asp

Energy Saving Trust
http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/

Carbon Trust
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy

Energy Quest
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy

US Government
http://www.energy.gov/energyefficiency/index.htm

Alliance to Save Energy
http://www.ase.org/

UK Government
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Energyandwatersaving/DG_064371

Rough Guides
http://www.roughguides.com/savingenergy/

Salt River Project
http://www.srpnet.com/menu/energy.aspx


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GEOENGINEERING (CLIMATE ENGINEERING)
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Ambitious schemes have been proposed that would manipulate our climate through geoengineering. These contentious schemes include constructing a giant sunscreen to block out some of the sun’s heat and artificial trees to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. If these schemes are successful they could prevent global warming from getting worse and may be reverse the warming trend.

● Human Volcano
Volcanic eruptions emit large quantities of sulphur dioxide that blocks out some of the heat from the sun. Following the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 the average global temperature fell by 0.5°C. One proposal is to simulate natural volcanoes by firing pellets of sulphur into the upper atmosphere where the particles of sulphur will reflect back some of the solar radiation.

● Sulphur Blanket
Nobel Prize winner Professor Paul Crutzen has put forward a scheme which, like the Human Volcano, uses the principle of sulphur to block out some of the suns rays. Professor Crutzen's idea is to launch rockets into the stratosphere (10 to 50km above Earth's surface) and release one million tons of sulphur. This radical plan could have drawbacks including an increase in acid rain and damage to the ozone layer. At low levels sulphur dioxide is a toxic gas and in the past was emitted in large quantities from factories; ironically the Clean Air Acts, which reduced industrial pollution, removed much of the cooling sulphur dioxide from out atmosphere.

● Solar Mirrors
The US National Academy of Sciences has proposed a scheme that would involve positioning 55,000 gigantic mirrors in space. Each mirror would be 100 square kilometres in area and the effect would be to reflect some of the sun's heat energy back into space. For the time being neither the technology nor financial resources exist to enable such a scheme to go ahead.

● Global Sunshade
A similar scheme to the space mirrors idea involves placing a giant sunshade in orbit between the sun and Earth. British astronomer Roger Angel has proposed creating such a shade some 1.5 million miles from earth, at the point where gravity from the sun and the earth balance. His sunshade would consist of 16 trillion individual glass discs, each one microscopically thin and weighing just one gram. On board each disc would be a tiny camera, computer and solar sails allowing each disc to align itself so as to refract light from the sun just enough so it misses Earth. Angel proposes using electro magnetically propelled launches, each one delivering a million discs into space.

● Moving Earth
Perhaps the most ambitious of all schemes so far proposed is one to actually move planet Earth into a different orbit. It has been estimated that if Earth were 1.5 million miles further from the sun then the reduced heat energy received from the sun would compensate for anthropogenic global warming. Dr Ken Caldiera of Stanford University, an opponent of geoengineering, has calculated that the energy required to move the Earth this far would be the equivalent of 5 quadrillion hydrogen bombs (5,000,000,000,000,000).

● Cloud Seeding
Cloud seeding isn't a new concept and is one that has been tried with some success as a way of bringing rainfall to dry areas. One variation on this theme is to launch a fleet of self-propelled vessels to sail the world's oceans and spray a fine mist of seawater particles into the atmosphere. Marine Stratocumuli clouds form over much of the world's oceans and they're particularly effective at reflecting sunlight back into space. Professors John Latham and Stephen Salter from the UK believe that by increasing the number of such clouds, enough heat from the sun can be reflected back into space to offset global warming.

● Artificial Trees
A school science project provided the inspiration for Professor Klaus Lackner's concept of using artificial trees to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Air passes through the device and hydrogen sulphide absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, each 'tree' could remove 90,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year. The carbon dioxide would need to be permanently stored and the professor believes this could be achieved by drilling holes thousands of metres deep into porous rock beneath the oceans; the CO2 would be injected into the holes where it would permeate the surrounding rock.

● Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are microscopic marine plants, invisible to the naked eye but visible from space as blooms of green ocean. Like all plants they photosynthesise - taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Increasing the quantity of phytoplankton will result in more carbon dioxide being absorbed and when the plants die they sink to the ocean floor taking the carbon with them. Professor Ian Jones of Sydney University advocates that by using nitrogen rich urea to enrich parts of the oceans low in phytoplankton their numbers can be significantly increased.

● More About These Schemes
Some of these ideas formed part of a BBC documentary 'Five Ways To Save The World' you can read more about them on the BBC Website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/6298507.stm watch the programme trailer http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6360000/newsid_6364700/6364731.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm or watch the programme in full from Google Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=286000425078890061