Entries Tagged 'Environment' ↓

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During the month of May, we usually puzzle over the perfect mother’s day gift. Isn’t it a coincidence we also call nature as “mother?” So why not look for something that celebrate both our nurturing mothers and mother nature? For those who are still at a loss on what to give these special persons on May 11, here are ten eco-friendly gift ideas.

1. Kindle.

Who doesn’t love reading books and magazines? They are quintessential favorites for mother’s day gifts but before setting off for the nearest bookstore or ordering a magazine subscription online, consider these facts:

–The world consumes 300 million tons of paper a day. The U.S., who only accounts for 5% of the world population, consumes 30% of all paper. Around 28% of trees cut in the U.S. is used to produce paper. (Ecology.com)

–Over 5 million tons of paper end up in landfills every year, where they rot and produce methane, a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming (digital-publishing.co.uk).

Doesn’t paperless reading sounds attractive? The Amazon Kindle might just be perfect for a mother bookworm. Sure it’s clunky and resembles a doorstop more than a paperback but it’s very user friendly, can survive a drop of 30 inches, and has an ever expanding selection of books, newspapers, and magazines for downloads. It can even be used to read and answer Email anywhere, anytime.

2. Handmade soap dish from recycled record albums.

Old record albums were given a second life as soap dishes with classical lines. Basic black only.

3. Baggu Reusable Shopping Tote.

Baggu totes are chic, washable, and fold right into their own pouches. Weighs only two ounces yet can hold up to 25 pounds. Make all moms discard those ubiquitous paper and plastic bags.

4. Genuine leather shopping tote.

We may want something more substantial than a rip-resistant nylon tote since it is mothers’ day after all. This Genuine leather tote can provide the same function as the Baggu, only classier. They also lasts. However, leather isn’t washable but it can be wiped clean.

5. A book on sewing terrific totes and carryalls.

Yep, another book for a sewing mom. Who knows, it might inspire here to recycle old pants and dresses into shopping totes and start an eco-friendly home business. It’s called Sewing Terrific Totes & Carryalls: 40 Bags for Shopping, Working, Hiking, Biking & More.

6. Stainless steel water bottle.

Have you received and email saying that reusing plastic bottles or leaving a bottled water in a car will leach carcinogens into the water? Breathe easier because both Cancer.org and Snoops says it is unlikely. But why takes chances? Besides, bottled water isn’t healthier than tap water, has a carbon footprint, and presents disposal problems.

A Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle with loop cap is a better and earth friendly rehydration solution. It will last for another 10 mother’s days and when it’s time to retire it, steel can be easily recycled.

7. Natural rubber yoga mat.

A yoga mat can serve as a hint and natural rubber is a renewable resource. It goes beyond a simple mat that help us get fit. In many Asian countries, rubber trees are planted in hilly regions where they grow up to 35 feet in length before they are cut-down for a new crop of trees (a cycle that takes 25-30 years). Rubber plantations are essentially man-made forests that helps prevent soil erosion and absorb carbon dioxide. SO when we buy rubber materials, we support those man-made forests. Please check for allergic reactions though.

The Harmony Natural Rubber Yoga Mat is PVC-free and comes in mother-friendly stylish colors.

Make it complete with an eco-friendly bamboo yoga block. Bamboo is a grass and grows rapidly, unlike a tree.

8. Gym bag made from recycled materials.

Another hint. Great for mothers’ and nature’s health. Recycled Gym Bags look likes ordinary ones except for the eco-friendly materials.

9. Handmade flaxen backpack.

A handmade back pack from natural and renewable materials makes a unique mother’s day gift. It’s made by an artisan in Thailand. Great style for summer. A gift for a mother to help another mother in need. Sold in association with National Geographic.

10. Organic T-shirt.

Not another T-shirt! Well, there are T-shirts and there are organic and eco-friendly T-shirts. BuddhiWear makes them from organically grown cotton and every shirt made means 1/3 pound of chemicals wasn’t used in growing them. So mothers get a super comfy shirt and we stop poisoning the Earth.

So what really is the perfect mother’s day gift? That would only be our love.

Technorati Tags: eco-friendly, mother's day, recycle

The different views on global warming are all based on facts. If that is so, why are there so many conflicting claims? Because of 2 reasons: (1) like what we discussed in our global warming is fake! article, our scientists were like the blind men of Hindustan groping an elephant, each with his own interpretation of what the creature was depending on the part he was holding and (2) people tend to twist facts to serve their purpose.

That’s why, as the ones that will be duped if global warming is a scam or suffer if it’s not, we should not swallow global warming movies hook, line, and sinker. Take the global warming movie An Inconvenient Truth, critics didn’t exactly took it sitting down. The movie was supposedly for the good of humanity, right?

In all honesty, Al Gore + Documentary are not exactly the perfect ingredients for a blockbuster and I found the video doc a total snore. But it was a box office hit and it got 4 stars from over a thousand viewers at Amazon, not bad. To round off our view of global warming and make sure we see the elephant for what it really is, here’s a few other global warming movies I’m waiting to rent at our local DVD shop. They are all available at Amazon right now.

1. The Great Global Warming Swindle

Dubbed as the anti inconvenient-truth, The Great Global Warming Swindle got 4.5 stars from 42 viewers. A few but passionate supporters. However, the movies doesn’t say that there is no global warming, only that the causes are different as alleged in An Inconvenient Truth.

2. Global Warming or Global Governance?

I may be a bit paranoid but I always get the feeling that either big brother or big business or, simply, big jerk-o is always behind propaganda-type materials. The movie Global Warming or Global Governance? (DVD) takes that point of view too. Here’s a production description from Amazon:

Is there an agenda that motivates supporters of catastrophic man-made global warming? Are the leaders and advocates really a benevolent confederation of concerned scientists and citizens who simply desire to protect the environment and care for the poor? Or are they being used by others who have a political goal in mind?

In this eye opening documentary, Global Warming or Global Governance (DVD) you will not only hear from leading scientist and climatologist who refute the current crop of alarmists cries; but also congressman, economist, newscasters and sociologist who believe that something more sinister is involved.

What is the objective of global warming alarmist? They want the United States to give up her sovereignty and her rights surrendering them to the socialistic mandates of the United Nations. A global problem, so the Kyoto protocol proclaims, requires a global solution. This new non-elected governing body would place global institutions, which are not accountable to the American people, in control of even the smallest aspect of the U.S. and World economies; controlling how much fuel is sent to a region and doling out citations for violators.

Every American, every citizen of the world, needs to hear the other side of the global warming story.

3. National Geographic: Six Degrees Could Change the World

A non-fiction counterpoint to the 2004 movie The Day after Tomorrow. I’m expecting National Geographic to show us in all their graphic splendor the effects of each degree increase in global temperature. Like a visual counterpart of the book Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet.

4. Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series

Produced in 2007, the series Planet Earth is an intimate look at nature and its denizens. This video will give us a good look of what is at stake in the great global warming debate.

5. The 11th Hour

Touted as the An Inconvenient Truth for the younger set, this one is narrated by Leonardo de Caprio. Will his Titanic presence make a difference in selling global warming to the youth? The product description says we will actually see less of De Caprio and more of sevral international big guns like former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and Physicist Stephen Hawking.

Here’s the full product description from Amazon:

Environmental documentary 11th HOUR resides at the polar opposite of escapist summer fare its mission to firmly confront viewers about the indelible human footprint that humans have left on this planet and the catastrophic effects of environmental neglect and abuse. Produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio and ably directed by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Peterson the documentary doesn’t get much fancier than talking heads news footage and the occasional animated illustration but its message is potent and delivered effectively.

The first hour of the film is essentially a horror story recounting the myriad sins perpetrated against the environment (pollution deforestation over-mining resources) the reasons behind it (corporate greed faulty public policy bad leadership ignorance) and what it means for the human race. Thankfully the last third of the movie tilts the mood upward with a spirited discussion of solutions offered by a crack team of scientists designers and thinkers.

Stirring visions of alternate energy sources diversified transportation enlightened governmental agendas sustainable homes and cities and most importantly more conscious consumer choices leave viewers with the palpable feeling that change is both necessary and possible. If the “eleventh hour” for our planet is drawing near this admirable film points confidently towards a new dawn.

Five global warming movies, that should be enough to turn-up the heat this summer.

Technorati Tags: Environment, Nature and Science

The Tubbataha reef is an atoll reef in the Sulu sea, Philippines. It is home to an amazing number of sea life. It was declared by UNESCO as a world heritage park to protect the area from exploitation. Here’s their brief description of the reef:

The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 33,200 hectares, including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100-m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

That description, of course, does not do justice to its underwater beauty. Visit the reef’s official site here for a photo gallery. The thing is, it is ecosystems like the Tubbataha’s that are threatened by the increase in the ocean’s acidity and temperature brought about by run-away greenhouse gas emission and global warming.

We can help make people aware of this impending disaster by voting for Tubbataha as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. If not for us, then for our kids, the future.

Get your votes counted here.

Technorati Tags: Environment, Women

Concept cars are offering exciting peeks at eco-friendly future technologies. However, we don’t have to wait for future developments since a few low-emission and fuel-efficient cars already sped past the drawing board and the traditional green cars into production, if not this year then in the very near future.

Now, there are personal observations only, not based on technical research and specifications. We came up with the list based on mileage, mass appeal, and availability. Mileage, obviously, the less gas burned per mile, the less greenhouse gases produced. Mass appeal, efficient and clean burning cars with a hefty price-tag won’t make mush of a dent in greenhouse gas emission. Availability, prototype and concept cars might be the future but we already need green cars now.

Let’s take a look at three (3): The Nano, The Air Car, and The Hybrid Humvee.

The Nano

Tata’s Nano was tagged as a disaster waiting to happen by environmental experts. However, most of the mudslinging focused on the vehicle’s price, which makes it accessible to previously non-greenhouse gas producing segments of the Earth’s population. Even Time magazine has been criticized for including it in the list of dozen most important cars from 1908 to the present. If Tata has marketed it as an alternative green car instead of as the cheapest car, they might not have received as much flak.

Under the back door (that’s where the engine is) and body, the Nano has many firsts and patents, the drivetrain alone has 34. Tata says it complies with Euro-IV emission standards (requirements defining the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in European Union member states). All that for a car that can pack 4 adults, sips fuel at 47 mpg, and can zip along at 56 mph.

Tata also admitted that the price was more a promotional effort, shaving off most of their profit, but since they said they’ll going to build a one-lakh car (around $2,500.00) they have to stand by their word, for the moment at least. The company also plans to export an European version within 4 years that will pass Euro standards on emissions and safety.

For environmentalists, the Tata Nano may have inadvertently opened a pandora’s box. Renault and Nissan has announced that they will be working on a below $3,000.00 car. Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, GM, and Fiat have also signified their interest in making a version of the “people’s” car.

The Air Car

Popular mechanics has hailed compressed air-powered cars as the vehicles of the future. In a report published last February, PM says air cars will start hitting the US market in 2009. A lot of entities did research on air cars but the most promising technology to date is that of Luxembourg-based company Motor Development International (MDI). They are currently working with Tata (the Nano company) to get a 2-seater out into Indian streets this year.

Zero Pollution Motors is more ambitious, they want the 5 to 6-seater version that can hit 96mph and run 1,000 miles (with help from a small fuel-burning motor used to heat the air) on a single fill-up as their standard-bearer in the US. Estimated price? $17,800.00.

The Hybrid Humvee

Mention the Humvee to an environmentalist and they’ll go red in the face. That gas-guzzling beast is symbolic of man’s contempt for the environment. Why is it included in this list of green cars? Because Johnathan Goodwin, a.k.a the motorhead messiah, successfully tamed the 5,000 pound beast and made it run 60mpg using biofuel (kitchen grease) with minimal emission. The kicker? The 600hp hybrid engine blasts the Humvee from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds.

The $28,000 Jonathan Goodwin conversion (excluding the cost of the Humvee) is beyond the reach of average folks but he, no college education and working in his garage, has shown the major truck companies that mean can also be green. It is ironic that those who work for the environment and nature are the ones who need more than what the present eco-friendly cars can deliver. We hope the Detroit and Japanese companies will start working with him and make affordable green trucks. Goodwin’s site is here.

Heard of any green car that has gone beyond the humdrum?

Technorati Tags: Environment

Our children are the future and it’s never too early to get them involved to ensure they will inherit a living earth. It’s a challenge to pique their interest without getting them mired in the political, business, and personality morass of global warming. While surfing Amazon, I came across various global warming books for kids and I selected ten (10) that seems to be just right (and I’m directly copying their descriptions).

1. The Sky’s Not Falling!: Why It’s Ok to Chill About Global Warming

“For parents sick of seeing their kids indoctrinated by has-been politicians and Hollywood stars. Unlike books written by would-be celebrities without any scientific or economics background, “The Sky’s Not Falling” is everything a book about the environment written for kids should be: fact-filled, apolitical, fun and optimistic about the future of our magnificent, ever-changing planet.”

For ages 8 and up. I purposely made it first on the list because I firmly believe that kids should not be made to fear the future or hate humanity.

2. Why Are the Ice Caps Melting?: The Dangers of Global Warming (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

“The earth is getting hotter, and not just in the summer. The climate of your own hometown is changing. But why is this happening, and can we stop it? Read and find out!”

3. A Clean Sky: The Global Warming Story

“This book tells the story of the global warming challenge, the possible dramatic change to the Earth’s Climate, and some of the things we all can do to meet it, such as alternative means of generating electricity.”

For kids at an elementary level. Partly authored by a rocket scientist.

4. Gas Trees and Car Turds: Kids’ Guide to the Roots of Climate Change

“Gas Trees and Car Turds is a fun, fast read about the carbon cycle: trees are made of air and water, electricity is made from coal that is made from trees, gasoline is made from plankton, and all of these things are related to each other and to our climate through carbon dioxide. This colorfully illustrated book makes carbon dioxide, an invisible odorless gas responsible for global warming and plant growth, into something that can be imagined and understood by children.”

Author Kirk R. Johnson is vice president and chief curator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. I think kids whose reading level are a step up from Green Eggs and Ham can handle this book.

5. Rising Above Global Warming

“The air, the water, and the animals are all dying from the black heavy smoke that is covering the sky and killing everything. This a wonderful book for children that explains what Global Warming is, and what it is going to do unless it is stopped, and is already doing to the earth. It explains how to stop the catastrophe that no one thought about until now that it is here. A must read for every child, as they are the adults of the future and must understand what is necessary to save the earth and everything on it.”

For ages 4 to 8.

6. Who Says Kids Can’t FIght Global Warming

“Inspired by an incident which actually happened in the life of one of the authors, the book tells the story of how a young boy and his friends set out to help the boy’s father with his new business and end up creating the most active club in their school, one that involved students from every class and which created an important measure not only to fight Global Warming but reduce harmful, vehicle emissions by 30%.”

Elementary readers.

7. Weird Weather: Everything You Didn’t Want to Know About Climate Change But Probably Should Find Out

“One of England’s most talented young comic artists offers up a scathingly funny and carefully researched exploration of climate change, presenting it to readers through the eyes of an idealistic adolescent, a fat cat businessman, and a mad scientist. The book explains the science behind global warming, shows how it is progressing, and says what is being and not being done to stop the problem. Detailed references, suggestions for further reading, and lists of climate change organizations and websites open up possibilities for future exploration by readers, while the comic book format piques the interest of even the most reluctant.”

For ages 9-12.

8. What the Parrot Told Alice

“What the Parrot Told Alice is a remarkable story, founded on fact. It is destined to awaken the conscience of young people to crucial issues of our time, such as habitat destruction and exploitation of wildlife. It deserves to be read (and will be greatly enjoyed) by all thinking people from nine to 90. It is so much more than a children’s story — it is a cry from the heart of one of an increasing band of forward-looking individuals who understand the destruction of the world’s resources must be halted quickly, and that this can be done only by educating today’s young people.”

9. The Snows of Kilimanjaro (Robbie Readers) (Robbie Readers)

“Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest peak in Africa, rising 19,340 feet above the surrounding plains. For hundreds of years the mountain has been called the shining mountain by local people. They gave it this name because the top is covered with glittering glacier ice and snow. It is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. In recent decades local people and tourists have noticed that there is less and less ice and snow on the mountain each year. Most scientists believe that the glaciers are disappearing because of changes in the weather of eastern Africa, and because of human actions. How is the ice disappearing? Who will be affected by the loss of the glaciers? What can you do to help? These questions are answered in the pages of this book.”

10. The Polar Bears’ Home: A Story About Global Warming

The book is unreleased yet and is very timely since we are hearing a lot about polar bears losing their habitat.

And here’s a bonus for parents:

Teach Yourself Green Parenting (Teach Yourself)

“Teach Yourself Green Parenting provides you with the means for raising your child to be an ethical, environmentally aware adult. It takes you beyond the basics of washable versus disposable diapers to issues involving pregnancy, childbirth, education, travel, clothing, toys, and much more.”

Technorati Tags: Environment, Nature and Science

Is mankind cursed with an insatiable thirst for knowledge? The first man and woman feel for the trap and look where we are now. Anyway, I like to read and I believe we should be open to all possibilities when it comes to the environment and our future so I’ve assembled a list of ten (10) books touching on the topic of global warming I’d like to get my hands on.

They are, in no particular order of importance:

1. Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming

Capitalism for the environment, I like the sound of it. Well, I always liked stuff and folks with a positive and can-do attitude. This book was written by Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund and initiator of market-based solutions to environmental issues.

He has real-life examples there too, like fuel from coal-fired power plant emissions through the use of algae and Native Americans harnessing the power of the waves. I sure would like to read about how businesses can prosper in harmony with nature.

Click here for reviews of Earth: The Sequel at Amazon.

2. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It

I’ve seen the movie or at least the parts where I didn’t doze off. Maybe it was Al Gore or because I already know most of the stuff presented there but I found it boring. As I know that good books are often misrepresented in movies, I still want to get cozy with a printed copy.

For those who haven’t seen the movie or heard of the book, the message is clear and emphatic — global warming is advancing at a rapid pace and we are responsible for it.

Click here for reviews of An Inconvenient Truth at Amazon.

3. Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years,Updated and Expanded Edition

Fred Singer, the author, is a Distinguished Research Professor at George Mason University and Professor Emeritus of environmental science at the University of Virginia. He’s also known as a firecracker in environmental circles. He believes that global warming is part of a 1,500-year cycle. Since I also have a similar idea, I’d like to read the scientific basis of the concept.

Click here for reviews of Unstoppable Global Warming at Amazon.

4. Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet

Mark Lynas, an environmental journalist, graphically outlines what will happen to the Earth and everything in it for every degree that global temperature will rise. An increase of six degree Celsius is projected to eliminate most life on this wonderful planet.

Click here for reviews of Six Degrees at Amazon.

5. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism)

This book sought to expose some of the most shameless pseudo-science used to shore-up the concept of human-accelerated global warming for political purposes. Since the author paints today’s environmentalists as “green on the outside, red to the core,” I’m really keeping an open mind about this book. Lest we think it is more a rightist propaganda than a serious read on global warming, the author does insist that human beings are not the enemy, to which I heartily agree.

Click here for reviews of Politically Incorrect Guide at Amazon.

6. Under a Green Sky: Global Warming, the Mass Extinctions of the Past, and What They Can Tell Us About Our Future

Are we familiar with the Permian Mass Extinction or the Great Dying? It’s an extinction event that occurred 251.4 million years ago. The author writes about a stunning discovery: evidence of past greenhouse extinctions. Yes, past mass extinctions are tied to prehistoric global warming.

Click here for reviews of Under the Green Sky at Amazon.

7. The Discovery of Global Warming (New Histories of Science, Technology, and Medicine)

Written by a physicist, I like this book already even if I still have to see it for real. Why? Because the author laments the ways we are going about in uncovering the truth about global warming. This book supposedly offers us solutions to achieve our common goal.

Click here for reviews of The Discovery of Global Warming at Amazon.

8. The Emerald Planet: How Plants Changed Earth’s History

This one is close to my heart as I’m a forester by trade. It traces the huge influence plants have over our planet and our lives, a look at our climate-changing activities, and a peek of our climatic and ecological futures.

Click here for reviews of The Emerald Planet at Amazon.

9. The Carbon Buster’s Home Energy Handbook: Slowing Climate Change And Saving Money

There was a comment on our post How to Prevent Global Warming about how we can personally save money by helping the environment. Somebody has actually written a handbook on it. I’ll bet it’s filled with practical and useful ideas. Here’s peek I got in it’s review, “Is a $500 fridge that uses 800 kWh of power per year a good buy?”

Click here for reviews of The Carbon Buster’s Home Energy Handbook at Amazon.

10. 101 Funny Things About Global Warming

After watching and reading all those doomsday stuff about global warming, we can use a good laugh.  This book is by  acclaimed cartoonist Sidney Harris. View his online gallery here.

Got any books about global warming to share?    :D

Get updates via RSS.

Technorati Tags: Environment, Nature and Science

Okay, before anybody bashes me over the head with that potted plant, let’s shimmy over to this page and read John Godfrey Saxe’s poem, “The Blind Men and the Elephant.” Come on! It’s a nice poem and there’s a lesson to be learned. It was based on an Indian fable where several blind men, groping different parts of the behemoth, had different perceptions of what an elephant is.

Kinda reminds us of our scientists who are working on something related to the environment, huh? Please don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but admiration for these disciplined and focused individuals laboring on limited resources to unravel the mysteries of nature. It’s just that everyone seems to be preoccupied with stubbornly defining their own part of the elephant.

Case in point: The plant-methane link. Scientists from Germany have “discovered” that plants also produce massive amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas. I put the quotes there because the scientist acknowledged previously unpublished reports from the Amazon Rainforest that indicated the same. Now, since this errant discovery does not fit into the global warming puzzle, other scientist are hacking its methodology to bits and pieces.
It’s no wonder people who proclaim that global warming is a big fake are exulting and amassing supporters. Which should not be the case since even the highly controversial documentary film, The Great Global Warming Swindle, DVD available at Amazon, does agree that global warming is happening, only it’s not anthropogenic or human-induced.

There really is nothing new about global warming. During the era of the Dinosaurs, from 248 to 65 million years ago, our planet was warmer, the sea level was higher, there were no polar ice, and we had one super-continent called Pangea. Then there was the Great Ice Age, around 2 million years ago, when tremendous ice sheets sucked up and lowered sea level by approximately 450 feet below the current level. That, unmistakably, is a climate change and there were no human activities to induce it, although it did took million of years.

Global warming is not a fake or a result of mass hysteria, it has come to pass and it is happening again. Anthropogenic or not, it is us Homo sapiens sapiens who were bestowed the intelligence and privilege to be the steward of all God’s creations. Let’s hope we get our act together before the elephant becomes impatient. So, borrowing a favorite phrase from a web buddy of ours, whaddaya say?
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Update:

I realized late that Global Warming is indeed a HOT issue and this post has been receiving nasty and rude comments. I absolutely support freedom of expression and intelligent discussion but cussing is a different matter. Sorry for closing the comments.

Technorati Tags: Environment, Nature and Science

Why do we need to prevent global warming? Before proceeding, let’s scan the post on 10 effects of Global Warming here. Now, we know why we need to prevent runaway global warming, our survival as a species depends on it. We might be alive, kicking, and reading Treasure Nature now, but we can never be sure if our descendants would have the same privilege a century hence.

How do we prevent global warming? The primary culprit in increasing temperatures are greenhouse gases (click here for the article on What is the Science of Global Warming?), specifically anthropogenic greenhouses gases or those generated through human activities.

Our prevention efforts should therefore cover the reduction or greenhouse gas emission, particularly carbon dioxide, and increase the number of air scrubbers, plants that utilize the gas to make food.
We’ve been having a foreboding discussion on the runaway increase in global temperature and its effects, let’s get ready for some fun with these five (5) global warming prevention tips:

1. Get acquainted with the Personal Five (P5).

A previous article in Treasure Nature enlightened us on the five (5) Rs that we try to implement in our daily living: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, and Refuse. Click here to read the article. Basically, the least raw materials turned into new stuff, the less energy used in the heavy and manufacturing industries, and the less emission generated in power production.

2. Conserve electricity

Unless we live “off the grid,” there’s always a chance we are using electricity generated with carbon dioxide emitting fossil fuels. Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) have been around for more than 10 years yet it’s surprising that it’s only getting much-deserved attention only recently, when next generation Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps are right around the corner.

Aside from using CFL where applicable, we can institute other energy-saving measures such as unplugging all unused electronics and the PC. It’s actually fun to make a list of possible ways we can reduce energy wastage right within our own homes. Do it now!

Or right after reading this post.
3. Reduce gas or petrol consumption.

Eliminating gas or petrol altogether in our lives is difficult to do, considering how we live in car cultures. What we CAN do is reduce our consumption of these fossil fuels, especially since they are non-renewable too. We can ride in groups, bike around town (also great for burning-off extra insulation), walk, and take public transportation.

For those contemplating buying new cars for city transport, consider high-mileage low-emission types like the Tata Nano, the Air Car, or the more stylish and expensive Smart ForTwo. If one family with a car doesn’t burn a gallon of gas per week, how much would that add up to in reducing carbon dioxide and conserving fuel?

4. Grow plants.

Plant trees to help the environment, that’s what we always hear. Fine if we are fortunate enough to have a farm or homestead. How about for those living in an urban environment?

All green plants use carbon dioxide to produce food and oxygen and nobody stops us from having a few indoor plants, miniature sunflowers on the window sill, or a pot (we’re not referring to that five-fingered species) garden in an apartment rooftop. Indoor plants also scrub the carbon dioxide laden air of rooms.

5. Get involved.

We don’t necessarily have to go out there in the open ocean and face down whaling ships or live in ancient trees so they won’t be cut down to get involved. Doing any one of the Personal 5 on a daily basis already shows that we care and are doing something. We can also support the local recycling drive or vote for candidates who have been known to be involved with environmental concerns (not necessarily running on an environmental platform).

Why five when it is more common to have a top 10 list? Because environmental issues and global warming are really not that complicated. Armed with this short list, we can already make a difference.

Nurture nature for our future!

Technorati Tags: Environment

Scientists admit it is difficult to fix specific weather patterns to global warming as there are simply too many factors involved. For one, it recently became known that the fallen leaves of trees also produce methane gas and scientist are scrambling to include this factor into the global warming equation. However, observations of natural phenomena has allowed a glimpse of what the future may hold for us if the rise in temperature brought about by global warming will continue:

1. Glacial Retreat.

A glacier is a large, slow-moving river of ice found in the Polar Regions and in high elevations. They are the largest reserves of fresh water on earth. The retreat or thinning of glaciers since 1850 has largely affected the Himalayas, Alps, Rockies, Cascade, and Southern Andes.

2. Arctic shrinkage.

There’s been a marked reduction in Arctic sea ice and the Greenland ice sheet. Experts project that the Arctic sea will again be free of ice before 2015, after more than 700,000 years. The Arctic ice acts like a giant mirror, reflecting sunshine back into space. Their loss means more radiant energy will be absorbed by the ocean.

3. Sea level rise.

Since 18,000 years (period of the last ice age) until 3,000 years ago, the seas have risen approximately 130 meters. From 3,000 years ago until the start of the 19th century, the level remained fairly constant. Then it was found that a sea level rise of 195 millimeters occurred from January 1870 to December of 2004. At this rate, it is estimated that the seas will rise 0.28 meters to 0.34 meters from 1990 to 2100. The rise will not result in an apocalyptic waterworld but it is more than enough to drown most low-lying plains in knee-deep water. Global warming contributes to sea-level rise in two ways, thermal expansion of water and melting of the ice and glaciers.

4. Extreme weather events.

The World Meteorological Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have linked global warming to the increasing number of extreme weather events, particularly category 4 and category 5 hurricanes. They are somehow related to increasing temperatures.

5. Species Extinctions.

Like what I stated in the post on Global Warming 5 facts, a number of species will become extinct due the changes brought about by global warming. Delicate ecosystems like coral reefs will be the first to die off.

6. Increase or shift in range of disease vectors.

Epidemiologists predict the spread of Malaria and Dengue fever. The vectors or carriers of these diseases are mosquitoes (anopheles for malaria and tiger for dengue). Mosquitoes love warm and moist places.

7. Reductions in the ozone layer.

The Earth’s ozone layer absorbs 97-99% of the sun’s high frequency ultraviolet light. UV light is potentially damaging to life. Scientist announced on August 2, 2003 that ozone depletion may be slowing down due to the ban on CFC. They are afraid though that increasing temperature may thin the layer.

8. Lowering of ocean pH.

The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide. Increasing concentration of the gas in the atmosphere will also increase the seas absorbed CO2, thereby lowering its pH and turning it acidic (acidification). Between 1751 and 1994 surface ocean pH is estimated to have decreased from approximately 8.179 to 8.104. Acidification will affect organism that construct or produce shells (both as a cover and within, as a frame).

9. Economic loses.

The Stern report suggest that adverse weather condition may reduce global gross domestic product by 1% and a worst-case scenario estimates global per capita consumption falling by 20%. This report has been both criticized (for it’s methodology) and lauded (for attempting to quantify the economic risk from global warming).

10. Threat to global security.

Global warming can result to competition for resources between countries, mass migration from the worst affected areas, and challenges to the cohesion of major states threatened by the rise in sea levels. All of these may lead to armed conflict

Nurture nature for our future!

Technorati Tags: Environment

1. Global warming is real and it is happening.

NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies reports that average temperatures have risen 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880 and much of the increase happened in the recent parts of the 19th and 20th centuries. Data from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) corroborate this claim, stating that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850.

2. Humans are causing global warming.

The greenhouse effect has been around for millennia but global warming became a threat to our survival only in the most recent history. Our seemingly unquenchable thirst for development and progress have lead to unabated industrialization, deforestation, and pollution which have increased the concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide –all greenhouse gases that help trap heat near Earth’s surface. We are dumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb it.

3. Global warming will lead to food and water shortages.

Warming of the Earth’s surface and atmospheric temp has already caused rapid melting of glaciers and mountain snows, reducing the constant availability of fresh water from their gradual melting the whole year round. Average temperatures in Alaska, western Canada, and eastern Russia have risen at twice the global average, dumping a lot of fresh water locked in glaciers into the sea. Fact, the arctic region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040.

Fertile land in low-lying areas will be inundated by seawater, while desertification will increase in arid and semi-arid regions, further reducing the land area capable of producing food . We will be up to our knees in water but since most of it is salty, we can’t drink or use it to irrigate crops.

4. Many species will die.

It is estimated that more than a million species will face extinction from disappearing habitat, changing ecosystems, and acidifying oceans. Polar bears are already in the limelight for the loss of their breeding and hunting grounds. Coral reefs, one of the richest and colorful of ecosystems, are highly sensitive to changes in water temperature. The loss of even one species is a blow to our overall biodiversity pool. STOP, think, and consider a million.

5. We CANNOT stop global warming NOW!

Greenhouse gases persist in the atmosphere for years, so even if we totally halt all emissions today, global warming will not stop tomorrow. The warming trend occurring now is a consequence of the past decades’ inactions.

What we can hope to do is ACT NOW and reverse the trend in the future, before we reach the so-called positive feedback effect (click here to read more about it). In simple terms, the positive feedback is a point in time where rising temperatures could release additional greenhouse gases by unlocking methane in permafrost and undersea deposits, freeing carbon trapped in sea ice, and causing increased evaporation of water.

Right now we are experiencing a runaway greenhouse effect. In the future, it’ll be a runaway global warming. We can’t do anything about it when it happens but we can do something about it now.

Technorati Tags: Environment