World View of Global Warming

Earth Hour 2011(26 March 8.30-9.30 pm)- It's time to go beyond the hour

2011-02-26T13:05:00.005+05:30

In March 2010, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour 2011 takes place on Saturday 26 March at 8.30pm (local time) and is a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world. It is a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas will stand in darkness. People across the world from all walks of life will turn off their lights and join together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.

Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of climate change issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice on the future of our planet and working together to create a sustainable low carbon future for our planet.

With participation levels now exceeding all expectations, and with more cities and towns signing up every day to be a part of this historic event, the success of Earth Hour 2011 is limited only by the will of the global community to want a say in the future of their planet.

The challenge of Earth Hour is to rethink how we live our lives in the next hour, the next day, and the day after that.

It's always darkest before the dawn. Let's make this hour the dawn of a new greener age.

Say no to ATM receipts

2011-02-10T22:28:00.000+05:30

Do you really need that receipt from the ATM? Think twice before choosing "yes" the next time you have a choice.
How many ATM receipts have you held onto for 30 seconds after your walk away from the machine? Just say "No" the next time you're asked whether you want a receipt or not.
If you need to know your balance, check it through the ATM itself, as most will give you the option to have it displayed on screen instead of printed out.

Go Green & Save Money

2011-01-27T22:02:00.001+05:30

Use CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) in every room of your house; they can each save you up
to $30 a year in energy
Use Energy Star appliances; you can find them
here
Eat in when you can; you won't have to drive and you get to control the portion that you
receive; also you can have leftovers for later without having to think about plastic or
Styrofoam doggie-bags
Buy items used when you can; thrift stores and eBay are popular for a reason
Learn to Precycle
Walk or bike to work if possible; you'll save money (less gas use and less wear and tear on
your vehicle); needless to say the reduction in air pollution
Start your own garden or look into a
community garden; the savings from not having to buy the foods you grow in the store can be
big
Unplug electronic devices when not in use

Find out the latest and lowest gas prices in The United States and Canada, go to
gasbuddy.com
If you can't walk or bike to work, carpooling is the next best thing
Go to Zimride, The Carpool Community, to look into
carpooling in your area
If possible work from home; how does zero gas usage sound?; with all of that time at home
you'll have to learn how to go green at home
Look into getting a solar water heater
Get clothes that do not require dry-cleaning; you'll save from the costs and reduce the use
of toxic chemicals
If you have the room start a garden; growing your own vegetables is a great hobby and you control
what goes into your food
Be nice to your electronic devices; this means being nice to them and not dropping or spilling
things on them; this will reduce what can end up in landfills

You may want to think of buying in bulk; this can save you money and will reduce packaging waste
You can use vinegar, baking soda mixed with water to clean most almost everything; these are much
less toxic than commercial cleaners and you'll also save money along the way
Buy rechargeable batteries; you can even recycle batteries now;
learn how to recycle batteries here
When printing, you can reuse the paper by using both sides of the sheet; you'll save on paper
and trees, of course
Drink more tap water and less bottled water
Learn to reduce, reuse and recycle

ReDuce > ReUse > ReCycle

2011-01-27T22:02:00.000+05:30

ReDuce

Turn off lights when not in use
Turn off and unplug electronics when not in use
Water lawn only when necessary
Shorten your showers and use low-flow showerheads
Limit amount of paper used, print only when needed
Stop junk mail to your home
Learn Decomposition rates

ReUse

Don't throw away something if you can give it away or even sell it; to someone who can use it
and you can even make money
Buy used items and try to can reuse the items that you currently own
Save gift boxes, ribbon, tissue paper, bows, packing supplies (bubble wrap, peanuts, etc.)
Use cloth napkins, cloth diapers and dish cloths

ReCycle

look into Composting
Collect the acceptable recycling items and use your home recycling pick-up service or go to your
local recycling center; to find the recycling center nearest you, go to Earth911.com's Recycling Center search

Items that CAN and CANNOT be recycled:

PAPER
- White ledger paper: computer, copy machine and typewriter paper; white ledger pads,
  adding machine tape
- News Quality Papers: newspaper, phonebooks, wide-lined news print
- Folders: manila, colored and coated folders
- Mail: letters, brochures, advertisements, magazines
- Correspondence: legal pad paper, colored paper and message sheets, self adhesive
  notes, index cards, fax paper
- Envelopes: with or without windows, with labels, colored and coated
- Computer paper
- Brown Papers: brown envelopes, brown grocery bags, cereal boxes, beverage cartons,
  grey cartons and clean pizza boxes (without grease)
- Cardboard Boxes: broken down into 3 feet by 3 feet sections
- White ledger paper: computer, copy machine and typewriter paper; white ledger
  pads, adding machine tape
- News Quality Papers: newspaper, phonebooks, wide-lined news print
- Folders: manila, colored and coated folders
- Do NOT take: text books, candy wrappers, pizza boxes, Styrofoam
  egg cartons; dirty plates, cups or napkins; facial tissue, paper towels
PLASTIC
- Bottles: soda, milk, detergent, shampoo & small-mouth
  bottles
- Do NOT take: plastic plates, utensils, cups, grocery bags or toys
- to be more accurate, look at the plastic identification codes.
GLASS
- Bottles: clear, brown, green and blue glass bottles and jars
  in which food products are packaged
- Do NOT take: window glass, drinking glasses, light bulbs
METAL
- Cans: aluminum, bi-metal beverage cans; steel food/tin cans;
  empty aerosol cans
- Do NOT take: paint cans, coat hangers, steel scrap, batteries

Written by: Clay Miller

The green cycles: recycling, precycling, freecycling, upcycling, downcycling and e-cycling

2011-01-19T22:24:00.000+05:30

Learning the Green Cycles is good for all of usThe Green Cycles help to keep materials in use (in a cycle) and not in landfills or elsewhere in the environment. Each cycle fulfills the 3 R's of the environment (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), Learning these can help you to create less waste, save you money and help you to have a more beautiful and healthy environment. These cycles are great to teach children as well. They make great family and school projects because they can be implemented at home, school, office or wherever you may find yourself. Each of the Green Cycles has a different specific function, but they all help to improve the planet in their own way.

Learning the Green Cycles is good for all of us

The Green Cycles:

Recycling is processing used materials into new products, which results in less waste of potentially useful materials, less consumption of fresh raw materials, less energy usage and less water and air pollution.

Precycling is thinking ahead before you buy. This can reduce the buildup of waste, items to landfills and even can save you money.

Freecycling is giving away items for free instead of throwing them away. A great reusing network can be created.

Upcycling is creating useful items from recycled material. This results in less waste and even can save money through reusing and not having to buy again.

Downcycling is reusing or recycling of a product for an alternative lesser-quality purpose to keep it out of landfills or elsewhere.

E-cycling is the recycling of electronics. E-cycling helps to prevent some e-waste such as lead, mercury, cadmium and other toxins to enter the environment.

Actively participating in just one of these Green Cycles can help you to help the environment. Don't be overwhelmed. Look into all six and see which ones would be easier for you to implement and go from there. This would be a great start to a greener and healthier future.

For more information:
Decomposition rates of some common items
Lower your carbon footprint
Go green and save money

Time to switch CFL to LED (Energy Efficient Lighting)

2011-01-11T22:39:00.000+05:30

Electric lighting burns up to 25% of the average home energy budget.

The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting.

CFLs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. They screw into standard lamp sockets, and give off light that looks just like the common incandescent bulbs - not like the fluorescent lighting we associate with factories and schools.

LEDs are small, solid light bulbs which are extremely energy-efficient. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use in the home.

It is important to buy high quality bulbs, or the quality of light will be poor, and they will burn out prematurely.

LED Lighting

LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are solid light bulbs which are extremely energy-efficient. Until recently, LEDs were limited to single-bulb use in applications such as instrument panels, electronics, pen lights and, more recently, strings of indoor and outdoor Christmas lights.

Manufacturers have expanded the application of LEDs by "clustering" the small bulbs. The first clustered bulbs were used for battery powered items such as flashlights and headlamps. Today, LED bulbs are made using as many as 180 bulbs per cluster, and encased in diffuser lenses which spread the light in wider beams. Now available with standard bases which fit common household light fixtures, LEDs are the next generation in home lighting.

The high cost of producing LEDs has been a roadblock to widespread use. However, researchers at Purdue University have recently developed a process for using inexpensive silicon wafers to replace the expensive sapphire-based technology. This promises to bring LEDs into competitive pricing with CFLs and incandescents. LEDs may soon become the standard for most lighting needs. .

Benefits of LED lightbulbs

Long-lasting - LED bulbs last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescents, and far longer than typical incandescents.

Durable - since LEDs do not have a filament, they are not damaged under circumstances when a regular incandescent bulb would be broken. Because they are solid, LED bulbs hold up well to jarring and bumping.

Cool - these bulbs do not cause heat build-up; LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. This also cuts down on air conditioning costs in the home.

Mercury-free - No Mercury is used in the manufacturing of LEDs.

More efficient - LED light bulbs use only 2-10 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of Incandescent or CFL) Small LED flashlight bulbs will extend battery life 10 to 15 times longer than with incandescent bulbs. Also, because these bulbs last for years, energy is saved in maintenance and replacement costs. For example, many cities in the US are replacing their incandescent traffic lights with LED arrays because the electricity costs can be reduced by 80% or more.

Cost-effective - although LEDs are expensive, the cost is recouped over time and in battery savings. For the AC bulbs and large cluster arrays, the best value comes from commercial use where maintenance and replacement costs are expensive.

Light for remote areas - because of the low power requirement for LEDs, using solar panels becomes more practical and less expensive than running an electric line or using a generator for lighting.

Limitations of CFL lightbulbs

Although CFLs are an excellent source of energy-efficient lighting, they are not always the best choice for all lighting applications. Here are a few limitations to consider:

On/Off cycling: CFLs are sensitive to frequent on/off cycling. Their rated lifetimes of 10,000 hours are reduced in applications where the light is switched on and off very often. Closets and other places where lights are needed for brief illumination should use incandescent or LED bulbs.

Dimmers: Dimmable CFLs are available for lights using a dimmer switch, but check the package; not all CFLs can be used on dimmer switches. Using a regular CFL with a dimmer can shorten the bulb life span.

Timers: Most CFLs can be used with a timer, however some timers have parts which are incompatible with CFLs; to check your timer, consult the timer package or manufacturer. Using an incompatible timer can shorten the life of a CFL bulb.

Outdoors: CFLs can be used outdoors, but should be covered or shaded from the elements. Low temperatures may reduce light levels - check the package label to see if the bulb is suited for outdoor use.

Retail lighting: CFLs are not spot lights. Retail store display lighting usually requires narrow focus beams for stronger spot lighting. CFLs are better for area lighting.

Mercury content: CFLs contain small amounts of mercury which is a toxic metal. This metal may be released if the bulb is broken, or during disposal. For more information about mercury and CFLs, see below.

The principle reason for reduced lifespan of CFLs is heat. CFLs exhibit shorter lifespans in light fixtures and sockets where there is low air-flow and heat build-up such as recessed lighting. For these types of sockets it is recommended to ues specially designed CFLs for recessed lighting or LEDs. Another main reason for reduced lifespan of CFLs is too-frequent on/off cycling. These bulbs should be used where they will be left on for steady periods without being flicked on and off.

Mercury and CFLs

Mercury is a toxic metal associated with contamination of water, fish, and food supplies, and can lead to adverse health affects. A CFL bulb generally contains an average of 5 mg of mercury (about one-fifth of that found in the average watch battery, and less than 1/100th of the mercury found in an amalgam dental filling). A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time. The net benefit of using the more energy efficient lamp is positive, and this is especially true if the mercury in the fluorescent lamp is kept out of the waste stream when the lamp expires.

Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs

	LED	CFL	Incandescent
Light bulb projected lifespan	50,000 hours	10,000 hours	1,200 hours
Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts)	6	14	60
Cost per bulb	$35.95	$3.95	$1.25
KWh of electricity used over 50,000 hours	300	700	3000
Cost of electricity (@ 0.20per KWh)	$60	$140	$600
Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use	1	5	42
Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense	$35.95	$19.75	$52.50
Total cost for 50k hours	$95.95	$159.75	$652.50

Refrence
http://www.buildingstuff.biz/led_lights_11.html
http://www.ledcentral.com.au/led-products

Go Veg Go Green..

2011-01-11T00:01:00.000+05:30

A sort introduction for awareness about Stop eating meat and Go Veg………….
To reduce Carbon Foot print.

Every people must see this video and put your self first to save climate changes.

What Is A Carbon Footprint?

2011-01-10T23:29:00.000+05:30

A carbon footprint is “the total set of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event or product”. For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted.

The concept name of the carbon footprint originates from ecological footprint discussion. The carbon footprint is a subset of the ecological footprint and of the more comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
An individual, nation, or organization’s carbon footprint can be measured by undertaking a GHG emissions assessment. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it, e.g. by technological developments, better process and product management, changed Green Public or Private Procurement (GPP), Carbon capture, consumption strategies, and others.
The mitigation of carbon footprints through the development of alternative projects, such as solar or wind energy or reforestation, represents one way of reducing a carbon footprint and is often known as Carbon offsetting.
In other words:

A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transportation etc.
The carbon footprint is a measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce and has units of tonnes (or kg) of carbon dioxide equivalent.
A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts, the primary footprint (shown by the green slices of the pie chart) and the secondary footprint (shown as the yellow slices).

1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). We have direct control of these.

2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use – those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put it very simply – the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on our behalf.

Go Green: Water Waste Prevention

2010-12-16T03:48:00.000+05:30

Learn how a few simple changes, such as installing a low-flow shower head, can reduce your water waste. Watch a video from the Discovery Channel. (October, 2007)

Airlines are Largest Source of Lead Air Emissions

2010-12-11T20:46:00.000+05:30

Get on a plane, and carbon emissions aren't the only environmental problem to think about. Aviation fuel is the largest source of lead emissions, and Friends of the Earth is calling on the EPA to get it under control.

The EPA identified at least 16 regions last month that do not meet clean air standards on airborne lead emissions, and just about every one of those regions contains an airport that allows leaded aviation fuel.

Nearly 20,000 airports in the U.S. allow leaded fuel, which is said to contribute half of the nation's total lead air emissions.

Marcie Keever, legal director of Friends of the Earth, which has been pushing the EPA to phase out lead from aviation since 2003, said:

"The recent findings of clean air violations reinforce our concerns: Fifteen of the sixteen areas declared to have unsafe levels of lead in air are in counties that contain at least one airport where lead is emitted."

...Leaded aviation fuel is primarily used in piston engine aircraft, which typically fly in and out of small and municipal airports. The EPA has found that communities living near airports, children attending school near airports, and airplane pilots, student-trainees, and passengers are all at risk of exposure to lead emissions from these aircraft. The EPA also noted potential harm from deposits of lead that collect on plants in agricultural areas where piston engine planes are used.

As FOE points out, the EPA phased out lead from gasoline for cars more than 14 years ago, it's time for the aviation industry to catch up.

The True Cost of Powering a Light Bulb for a Year (Infographic)

2010-12-11T06:27:00.000+05:30

Image: GOOD
Ever wonder how much electricity it takes to keep a single light bulb running for the year? The folks over at GOOD did, and they produced this great infographic to make the answer (alarmingly) clear. The short of it? It takes way more than you'd think. Here are a few of the more surprising revelations from the piece:

For starters, it takes 714 pounds of coal to power a single light bulb for a year. Or, 143 pounds of natural gas. Or nearly 9 days' worth of sunlight hitting a 100 square meter solar array. Or a third of a pound of uranium. Or over two and a half hours of a hydroelectric plant operating at 80% capacity.

You're getting the picture. One thing this graphic accomplishes nicely -- beyond presenting folks a concrete connection between the energy they use and where it comes from -- is it demonstrates how gruesomely under-valued our natural resources are.

How much does it cost the American consumer to run a single light bulb year round? It varies, depending on where you live, but it's not more than a few bucks. And yet, potentially, 700 pounds of coal -- which must be mined, transported, and burned, and which generate hazardous byproducts that US tax dollars go towards clean up -- went into bringing you that power.

Check out the full-sized infographic at GOOD.

World Environment Day 2010: Many Species, One Planet, One Future

2010-06-03T23:50:00.000+05:30

Victoria Harbour on Earth Hour Day -Before & After

2010-03-29T00:45:00.000+05:30

One of the most stark before-and-after shot you'll see this Earth Hour; Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree, then extinguished at 8:30...

Cities switch off for Earth Hour

2010-03-29T00:36:00.000+05:30

India observed the Earth Hour with 92 other countries between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm on Saturday.
As the clock struck 8:30 pm on Saturday, hundreds of Delhiites and people in other cities voluntarily switched off their lights for one hour to observe Earth Hour, a global climate awareness initiative.

The Earth Hour is a global initiative by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that aims to send out the message on climate change and that policy makers should make it their foremost priority.

Turn out your light, show support - EARTH HOUR 2010

2010-03-19T20:14:00.000+05:30

In 2009 hundreds of millions of people around the world showed their support by turning off their lights for one hour.

Earth Hour 2010 will continue to be a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community. A call to stand up, to show leadership and be responsible for our future.

Pledge your support and turn off your lights for one hour, Earth Hour, 8.30pm, Saturday 27th March 2010.

It’s Showtime! Show what can be done.

3 Steps to get involved

1. Join Earth Hour
Sign up now to become part of the Earth Hour movement, add yourself to the map and receive email updates with all the latest Earth Hour news.

2. Show your support
Whether you are an individual a business a school or a city you can show your support by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, 8.30PM Saturday 27 March 2010. Check out the other ways that you can show your support.

3. Spread the word
Get the word out about Earth Hour by working your social network for the planet. Add an Earth Hour banner to your blog, tag your tweets @earthhour or update your Facebook status to tell your friends that you’re supporting Earth Hour 2010.

Conserve Power - An Easy Way

2009-05-15T21:12:00.000+05:30

Have you ever wondered why most of the PCs are ON even when nobody is present in the whole wing?

Most of us hurry from our workplace during the last minute to board the shuttle and don’t find sufficient time to shut down the PC. There is an easier way to resolve this problem. ‘Hibernate’ option provides you the solution. Just switch your system to hibernate mode before you leave, and the state of all the applications running will be stored and once you switch ON your pc again, the previous session is restored.

Please find below the steps to configure this Hibernate option for WINDOWS XP users.

1) Right click on any empty area in your desktop and click New -> Shortcut

2) Paste the following into the text box and click on Next.

rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll, SetSuspendState

3) Give a suitable name for this shortcut and click Finish.

4) Now you would like to change the icon for this shortcut to be more appropriate.
5) Right click the shortcut -> Properties

6) Now click on Change Icon button and click on Browse. You will be taken to the C:\sysroot\System32 folder.
7) Select the file powrprof.dll as shown

8) You will see an alert as shown below. Click OK.

9) Now you will see a list of icons displayed. Select the power icon or any other icon of your choice as shown.

10) Now you will see the shortcut on your desktop.

All you need to do is that, just double-click this icon before leaving for the day and don’t forget to switch off your monitorJ.
The next day you switch ON your pc, all your work will be restored.

Remember, we are not doing this for the benefit of our organization.

We are doing this for our better tomorrow.

Note: Please share it with your team mates and make sure that we are making the system to hibernate, which would help us saving enormous power. Thanks a ton for your co-operation

Global Warming And What Can We Do About It?

2009-04-19T22:04:00.000+05:30

Ever seen a greenhouse? They are the sheds with roofs and sometimes even walls made of glass and other transparent material. This lets a huge amount of solar heat in and warms the air which is trapped inside by the roof and the walls, keeping the temperature inside the greenhouse much warmer than outside. In cold climates this helps certain species of plants that prefer a more tropical environment to thrive.
The sun’s rays enter the Earth’s atmosphere and bring life and heat to the planet. However a huge amount of this radiation is reflected back by the planet. It’s a very delicate balance, because too much heat reflected would mean an ice age and too little would mean we would be a burnt toast!
Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Methane and Water vapour are called greenhouse gases. These gases form a layer in the atmosphere and prevent the reflected radiation from leaving the Earth. Just like a green house, this will make the temperature on the surface become steadily hotter. This effect is called Global Warming.
1998 and 2005 have been the hottest years in recorded history! According to a study completed by researchers and scientists at MIT there has been a 100% increase in the intensity and duration of severe storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes since the 1970s. The study found that this is most likely due to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

The temperature of the Earth in the last 100 years has risen by 0.6 deg C and is steadily rising, and according to scientists will rise further by 1.1 deg C to 6.4 deg C this century! This may seem like insignificant figures, but if the global temperature falls by just 4 deg C, we will experience an ice age, Canada will be under a mile of ice! A 6.4 deg C rise in temperature could well signal the end of life as we know it!
Global Warming is insidious. It’s not like an earthquake or a tornado or a volcano. It’s a slow, steady march towards doom. And because it’s slow, we tend to ignore the threat. We just turn on the air conditioner and complain about the weather and more or less go on with our lives as if nothing major is really happening. This attitude is not going to help us for long.
Fortunately more and more people are becoming aware of global warming and are slowly accepting it as a serious problem, serious enough that they are willing to change their lifestyles. The top three causes of global warming are:

Power generation
The Meat industry
Transportation

I would love to add another cause there, it’s the United States of America. They have 4% of the global population and contribute to 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions. More than India, China and Japan put together!
Can an individual really make a difference to this very alarming problem? The answer is a resounding Yes! After all, it’s just individuals who form the society. Each person makes life style choices every day. When each person starts to choose a greener more responsible way of living, then it’s still not too late to arrest planet meltdown.
Use less electricity. This is a no brainer. Turn off lights, fans, air conditioners, heater, etc. Remember to turn off the switch in the wall. Heating and Air conditioning are the two biggest power consumers. In cold weather, wear more clothes and insulate your house so you don’t need so much heating. Use a Solar geyser for heating bath water. In hot weather, keep the use of air conditioning to minimal and set the ac at 24 deg C or more.
Use energy saving devices, such as LED lights for lighting.
Don’t leave your computer on stand by or with a screen saver. According to the Clean Air-Cool Planet Website, One computer left on all day results in the emission of 1,500 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year. It would take 100 to 500 trees to absorb that amount of extra carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Multiply this by the number of computers on the planet and the results will be pretty phenomenal.
You will see that small actions, done with consistency and commitment will add up to a very big savings in the long run.
We all need to go places. But we can do it in healthy, responsible ways. Walk, run, bicycle, skate your way to places that are near. This not only reduces your ecological footprint, but also keeps the body healthy. Use public transport. And if you have to use a car at all then try to use the option of car pool.
If you are in the market for a new car, choose one that gives more Kms per liter of fuel, rather than one that just looks good. Lobby for getting hybrid and other energy efficient cars to be made in India. As far as possible, avoid flying.
Many corporations are choosing to have their employees work from home. This means a terrific saving in transportation costs as well as logistical costs of maintaining an office!
Here is a little known fact, one that many websites and even Al Gore (An Inconvenient Truth) didn’t talk about. A meat based diet contributes to 40% more greenhouse gases than the pollution generated by ALL the traffic in the entire world put together! All the cars, buses, trains, planes and ships of the planet don’t pollute as much as the meat industry. They actually pollute 40% less!!
There are billions of animals being slaughtered every year. In the US alone, the number of animals being “processed” every year is more than 6 times the human population on the planet. Understand that these animals need food to eat and water to drink. They also excrete. The colossal amount of food and water that is pumped into this industry is enough to feed more than 50 times the current human population. In fact, if just 10% of the US population went vegetarian, there would be enough food for 800 million people and the entire world’s hunger problem would be solved!
If you ate a plant based diet, you would save so much water, that you could leave your shower on, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year and still save more water for the planet compared to a person having meat. A plant based diet is now accepted to be vastly superior for the human body than a meat based diet
The tremendous amount of resources needed to create meat translates therefore into billions of tons of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere…
Finally while you are combating global warming, by choosing to eat green, you also stand up for the meekest and smallest amongst us. Those helpless animals with no voice and no choice at all…
So at every meal, each person can make a greener, healthier, more humane choice: Eating vegetarian food!
The above choices when exercised made by more and more people on the planet will ensure more than anything else, the arrest and reversal of the very severe threat of Global Warming.
By Khurshed Batliwala

The Main Cause for Global Warming

2009-04-19T21:50:00.000+05:30

We humans who think of ourselves as the most intelligent things on this planet are intentionally or unintentionally destroying our own surroundings. One of the chief causes for global warming can be accredited to the behaviors of humans. It took more than twenty years for the world to finally accept that we humans are causing global warming with the emission of greenhouse gases which include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide etc. the gases have formed an effect of green house on the earth’s exterior which prevents the reflection of the sun’s rays and therefore causes the boost in temperature. The radical boost in the emission of carbon dioxide in the last 30 years caused by burning fossil fuels has been recognized as the major reason for the change of temperature in the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide concentration in the air has amplified because of the emissions from power plants, airplanes, cars, industries etc. one more reason for it is deforestation. Forests have been reduced making way for cultivation, industries and cities. The vegetation was natural regulators of carbon dioxide that controlled its level’s in the atmosphere. Eighty percent or more of the worldwide energy claim is currently supplied by the fossil fuels oil, coal or gas. It will be unfeasible to find alternative sources, which could restore fossil fuels in the short or medium term. The energy demand is just too high.

Another subject is the non-renewable traits of fossil fuels. It took our planet millions of years to produce these resources, while we will have used them up in about the next few decades. Alone the lessening supply will not make it possible to carry on as usual for a longer time.

Global warming will lead to infrequent rainfall in India

2009-04-05T23:30:00.000+05:30

New Delhi (PTI): Major climatic changes due to global warming would lead to disturbed rainfall patterns in the country, an eminent environmentalist said on Sunday.

"The rise in global warming will lead to major changes in rainfall patterns. In essence rainfall will decrease and become more erratic, said R K Pachauri, chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

According to the noble laureate, global warming is happening at a very steep rate and its implication for South Asian continent means serious water problems for farmers.

"A large number of farmers in the continent are dependent on rainfall," he said, while speaking at a memorial lecture organised by Babu Jagjivan Ram Foundation on Climate Change here.

"India will experience heavy rains in a very short time similar to 2005 Mumbai floods,which left a million people homeless," Mr.Pachauri said, warning that the frequency of such flash floods will increase with time.

He cautioned that India will have to face water crisis as shrinking glaciers will lead to reduction in the flow of rivers, which would ultimately result in lower ground water levels.

"We should learn to manage our water systems more effectively. Water is the reason civilisation flourished in here," said Pachauri.

101 Ways to Save Green and Live Green -Go Green

2009-03-29T23:11:00.000+05:30

Here's a list of 101 Ways to Save Green and Live Green! If not all...there are some of these we can all implement to do our bit for the environment and Live Greener Lives. Add your own green tips and ideas in the comments below.

GREEN. It's the favorite word of the day, week, month, year. The newspapers and media are all over going GREEN. With the current trend to 'GO GREEN', everyone has jumped on the bandwagon for having a 'GREEN home', 'GREEN car','GREEN world' and a lot of the time it's easier said than done.

What we need is not to be told to Live GREEN...We need the common sense and the ability to treat each other and the environment with respect, to spread and share HOW each one of us can Live Greener Lives starting with small changes in our everyday lives. We need to ask our American politicians to do more than play lip service to celebrities and really get serious about the legacy we will leave to our children.
Ways to Go Green at Home

1. Freecycle: Everyone has at least a few items that they don't really want but can't bear to throw away. Freecycle it. Freecycling is giving something to someone who will use it -- for free -- instead of throwing it in the garbage. (To find or start a local group, visit freecycle.org). It's simple: post a message on your local freecycle group's Web site, decide who will get your item, then arrange a pick up time. Members give and get everything from moving boxes to cabinetry.

2. Re-Use: A great way to help the environment and reduce your carbon footprint is to reuse items. There are two ways to reuse items. Reusing them for their original purpose, such as ziploc bags, tinfoil, plastic utensils etc. and finding new uses for things you already own. By doing this you are not consuming any more of the world's precious resources. If you can't reuse something of your own, purchasing something secondhand instead of brand new is another way to reduce your consumption of resources.

3. Microwave your meals: While Microwaves do consume electricity they are between 3.5 and 4.8 times more energy efficient than traditional electric ovens. Cooking and reheating with a microwave is faster and more efficient than a stove top or oven.

4. "Green" your laundry: Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution of detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.

5. Adjust your Thermostat: Adjusting your thermostat is free, easy and can yield big savings. Every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer will reduce air conditioning bills by about 2 percent. Lowering the temperature by one degree in winter will save you 3 percent on heating bills. Regular maintenance and a tune up every two or three years will keep your heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, system operating efficiently, saving energy and money. A programmable thermostat -- excellent for a family that spends a good part of the day at work or school

6. Switch to cold water:Almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water. Save money and energy. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use.

7. Have a Backyard or terrace? ..then Line-dry your clothes: Dry your clothes on a laundry line..just the way grandma used to rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine. It may take longer but it dries it just the same. Already have a dryer?..save it for a rainy day...while the sun is bright and shinning let that dry your clothes.

8. Stop the junk mail: Each year, 100 million trees are cut down and turned into junk mail, with Americans receiving a total of 400 million tons of it every year. Earthworks Group, an environmental consulting firm, said cutting out junk mail is one of the most effective things people can do to reduce pollution. Don't just let it keep coming...get on the phone and make it known that you want off their mailing lists.

9. Switch to CFLs.: Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They're more expensive than traditional light bulbs, but it only takes about 3 months to make up for the higher sticker price in energy savings.

10. Unplug your Appliances: Many appliances use electricity even when they're turned off. It's called a phantom load, or vampire electricity, and as much as 75 percent of the electricity used by home electronics and small appliances is used while they're turned off. The simple solution is to unplug small appliances and electronics when you aren't using them. Or, plug them into a power strip and turn the power strip off when you aren't using those items.

11. Run your Dishwasher FULL: You'll save up to 20 gallons of water per load, or 7,300 gallons a year. That's as much water as the average person drinks in a lifetime. And don't pre-rinse if your dishwasher can handle it.

12. Don't preheat: Don't bother if you are broiling, roasting or baking a dish that will cook for an hour or more. Don't preheat for more than 10 minutes for breads and cakes. And when roasting meats or baking casseroles, turn off the oven 10 minutes to 15 minutes before cooking time runs out; food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity.

13. Don't let the water run while you brush: Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth. You'll conserve up to five gallons of water per day -- which could add up to 1.5 billion gallons that could be saved across the country each day -- more than enough for all of New York City.

14. Filter Instead of Buying Bottled: Buy a water filter for your kitchen faucet and put to good use yet another way to do away with those plastic water bottles that are clogging landfills and burning up energy in recycling plants. About 1.5 million tons of plastic are used on the bottling of 89 billion liters of drinking water each year.

15. Use low-flow water devices: Wherever you use water, there's a low-flow device to fit it -- from hose nozzles, to showerheads, to faucet aerators. Handy products, such as the WaterMiser Waterbroom, use water and air pressure to remove dirt from outdoor surfaces, reducing water use by up to 60 percent.

16. Watch the Watts: Gadgets such as the Kill-A-Watt and the Watt Minder help you find the biggest energy users in your home. Plug an appliance into one of these devices and it will tell you how much energy it uses per hour, month, or year, and how much it's costing you.

17. Clean air filters: Check air conditioning filters monthly to either clean or replace them. This will help the unit run more efficiently. Better yet: buy a permanent filter that can be washed and re-used. This will save you money over the long run and keep all those disposable filters out of landfills. If your unit is outdoors, check to make sure the coils are not obstructed by debris, plants or shrubs.

18. Use Natural fertilizers: Natural fertilizers actually cost less, and using fewer chemicals can save you money and reduce the level of pollution in local waterways and around your home. To boost the health of your lawn, add clover, as it naturally fertilizes the soil and is drought-tolerant. Let the lawn grow a little longer before cutting it -- longer grass chokes out the sunlight weeds need to grow.

19. Know when to replace your appliances: If your furnace, air conditioner or other major appliances are more than 10 years old, it may make sense to replace them with newer, more efficient models. Buying newer, Energy Star appliances can save you some money per year as well.

20. Make your own cleaners: Household chemicals, including some cleaners, contain volatile organic chemicals, which contribute to indoor air pollution and may cause disease. A cost-effective way to make your home greener is to make your own household cleaners. Many homemade cleaners use non-toxic ingredients and clean just as well as commercial cleaners.If making your own cleaners isn't an option, look for cleaners carrying the Green Seal. Green Seal is a nonprofit organization that certifies products based on their environmental impact, biodegradability and other factors.

21. Fresh Vs Canned Food: Whenever possible, limit purchases of canned fruit and vegetables and substitute fresh. The process involved in canning fruit is at least 10 times more energy intensive than picking fresh fruit. If every U.S. household replaced just one pound of canned or jarred fruit with one pound of fresh fruit during each of the three summer months, the total energy saved could operate the kitchen appliances of over 21,000 households for an entire year.

22. Paper or plastic? Neither: Use reusable cloth or canvas bags. The hard part is remembering to take them with you. But they are sturdier and carry a heck of a lot more stuff. Have a couple of sets and leave one in your vehicle at all times. Paper may be slightly better than plastic because it holds more per bag, but baggers also frequently double bag. Paper bags can be easily reused in many forms and have a better chance of being recycled. If you happen to get a few plastic bags, reuse them as much as possible until they can be used no more.

23. Buy Organic and foods produced locally:Organic products are grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides and processed without the addition of synthetic chemicals. Some organic options are more expensive. Other products, like cereal and some fruits and vegetables, are very competitive. The secret: Compare prices, buy produce in season and don't buy more than you can use. Locally grown food is often less expensive. In addition, you'll be supporting the local farmers, many of whom are using more earth-friendly farming methods. Buying local foods can reduce the amount of petroleum consumed to transport your dinner by as much as 95 percent.

24. Research fish choices before you buy: If you can read a paper, you already know that the oceans are being overfished. So skip the varieties with dwindling populations or the ones that are targets for poaching or overfishing. Limit your exposure to mercury and other toxins by choosing smaller varieties of fish and avoiding some farm-raised options.

25. Support 'green' businesses: Many manufacturers, stores, restaurants and coffee houses are greening their businesses with strategies like adopting large scale recycling programs; using sustainable forms of energy, such as solar or wind power; reducing waste; and committing to the use of organic, locally grown or eco-friendly products. By spending your money selectively, you reward greener behavior and encourage other companies to become similarly competitive. And, in many cases, there is no extra cost to consumers.

Ways to Go Green at Work or School

26. Turn off the lights: When leaving the office or classroom, a simple flip of a switch conserves energy. Yet a surprising number of empty offices, conference rooms, restrooms and lobbies are lit for hours each day (and night) while going unused.

27. Use electronic communications:Submit and distribute assignments and reports electronically. E-mailing a document allows for easier, from-anywhere reference for a teacher or colleague -- and provides proof that it was sent on time. For in-progress documents, electronic transmission also make it easy to collaborate.

28. Fax smart: Sending faxes directly from the computer avoids using paper altogether. But if a traditional fax is the only option, either avoid using a cover page or create a reusable cover by laminating the page and using an erasable marker. In addition, avoid the automatic activity report function to save another page. It may be "just a single sheet" of paper, but if everyone followed these green rules, it would really add up.

29. Pack a waste-free lunch: Eliminate plastic bags, plastic utensils, disposable containers, paper napkins and those brown bags. Instead use a lunchbox, reusable drink container, cloth napkin and silverware. Find odd pieces of used silverware at a second-hand store so you don't lose parts of your good set. Sandwiches, fresh fruit, vegetables and treats packaged in reusable containers are healthy alternatives to cafeteria and prepackaged foods. They can also be bought in larger quantities, saving money and packaging.

30. Teleconference, don't travel: With hotel, airfare, local transportation, meals, entertainment expenses and tips, business travel certainly adds up. Today's technology expands the definition of face-to-face contact, making a quick meeting with a client or colleague across the country, or the world, possible. Online professional development options abound, as well -- from Web seminars to entire conferences being held virtually.

31. Office & Desk supplies: Keep reuse in mind with desk supplies. Refillable pens and pencils help reduce waste, and items such as paper clips, folders and binders can be saved and reused. The key is staying organized, collecting used supplies of like kinds in the same spot and keeping them within easy reach.

32. Save packing materials: In other words, what comes in should go back out. When having to buy boxes and other packing supplies, look for products made from recycled material or those that are biodegradable.

33. Use recycled paper: Compared to other paper, it takes a lot less energy and water to make. And thanks to increased demand, manufacturers have been able to match quality and performance. Speaking of paper, it's got two sides, so when possible, use them both.

34. Use recycled paper: Pens are often tossed into the garbage and not recycled or reused. Their components and packaging are made from nonrenewable resources and can contain environmentally damaging chemicals. Pen refills cost as little as $1 each, which is almost the same as a new disposable pen.

35. Commute smart: That means walking or biking to work or the classroom if practical, or the ever-promoted public transportation option.

36. Tap the tap: Encourage your school or workplace to get a filtration system for the faucet instead, and it'll be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Besides, many bottled-water companies use tap water anyway.

37. Carpool: Carpooling saves time and money. On a typical day, the average mother with school-age children spends 66 minutes driving -- taking more than five trips to and from home and covering 29 miles. The average commuter carpooling every day would save 500 gallons of gasoline, and 550 pounds of poisonous exhaust emission every year.

38. Switch Off Your Computer: The "sleep mode" reduces energy use by 60 percent to 70 percent, the EPA estimates. As for turning computers on and off, despite a popular misconception, this won't harm the equipment. It will, however, save energy as long as the computer will be inactive for 16 minutes or more. If your job doesn't require constant computer use, break the habit of turning it on first thing and keeping it on all day.

39. Turn Off your Computer Monitor:Turn off your computer's monitor when you're not using it. Screen savers only save the screen from having a pattern burned into it. Energy saving options in Windows still use energy - switch it off (the switch is likely accessible and easy to find!)

40. Think green on computers: When considering a computer brand and model, seek products created for reduced toxin use, that use recycled materials and that prioritize life-cycle management issues. The Energy Star symbol is an easy way to identify energy efficient products, but electricity isn't the only factor to consider.

Leisure & Vacation Green Tips

41. Drink tap water at restaurants: Tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water and there's no need to add tons of plastic and glass bottles and jugs -- about 60 million a day -- to landfills. And recycling them takes energy, too.

42. Download music: Download tunes instead of purchasing them at the store. Each month, more than 45 tons of CDs become obsolete -- outdated or unwanted -- and end up in landfills.

43. Rent, don't buy, movies: One hundred thousand DVDs and CDs are thrown away each month. So you won't be contributing to the trash pile.

44. Subscribe to online newspapers: Cancel your paper subscription altogether and get your news -- often from the same newspaper publisher -- online. Each year, 10 million tons of newspapers are tossed into landfills and aren't recycled. If just half of these were recycled, it would save 75 million trees

45. Turn off your entertainment center: Electronics, including TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, computers, music systems and gaming consoles, consume up to 40 percent of their full operating power when switched "off" or left in standby mode. They also continue to produce heat, which increases home cooling loads. Turn them completely off all at once with a common surge protector. They'll last longer and you'll reduce your electric bill.

45. Take an Eco-tour Vacation: For a conscientious vacation, try an eco-tour. These earth-friendly getaways seek to enhance awareness of our natural world, promote conservation, minimize impact and provide a positive experience for guests and hosts. Some even put you to work improving the local ecosystem.

46. Seek 'green' lodging: Business travelers and beach-bound hedonists can decamp in "green" comfort, thanks to the growing number of urban hotels, luxury resorts and lodgings that are minding their carbon footprint. For an extensive list of hotels verified by readers, visit EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com.

47. Use rechargeable batteries: While it's true that rechargeable batteries cost more to purchase, you'll save money over the long run. A single rechargeable battery can replace up to 1,000 single-use alkaline batteries over its lifetime. Most rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times.

48. Buy soft drinks in a cup: Whenever possible, buy soda from a fountain in a paper cup instead of in a can or plastic bottle. You'll reduce the amount of aluminum cans and plastic bottles wasted. More paper (48 percent) is recycled and recovered to make new products than aluminum soda cans (43.9 percent) or plastic soda bottles (25 percent).

49. Use digital cameras: Some 686 million rolls of film are processed each year and the solutions used the make the prints often contain hazardous chemical that require special treatment and disposal. Digital cameras continue to become more affordable and the savings on film -- depending on how many photos you take -- can be significant.

50. Get a truly 'green' lawn: One hour of mowing your lawn with a gas-powered mower produces as much pollution as driving your car for four hours. For a truly "green" lawn, consider using a push mower or hiring a lawn service that uses solar-rechargeable electric mowers.

51. Share your swim space: Swim at your community pool or fitness center instead of installing a pool of your own. If you already own a pool, consider allowing your neighbors access and share the expenses. A pool's circulating pumps cost as much to run as your home air conditioning system.

52. Buy tickets online: Airline, movie and event tickets can be purchased online or by telephone and printed at home and you'll save time and paper waste. Print-at-home tickets use plain copy paper, which is easier to make into recycled paper than the paperboard used for printed tickets -- and the ink and magnetic strips make printed tickets even more difficult to recycle.

53. Reuse hotel linens and towels: You probably don't change your sheets and towels every day at home, so why do it while you're away? One towel change per week ought to be plenty.

54. Pack light: Every additional 10 pounds per traveler requires an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel per year, which is enough to keep a 747 flying continuously for 10 years.

55. Research your trip online: Print out only the pages or maps you'll actually need. Close to 1 million guidebooks are printed annually, but just 18 percent get recycled. Map paper is particularly difficult, if not impossible, to recycle because of all the ink used. You'll save time, money and paper waste. Use old maps as gift wrap and you'll save a bundle.

56. Rent hybrid cars: Try a hybrid or more fuel-efficient car. A hybrid rental can go three times as far as a standard sedan on a single tank of gas.

57. Refill water bottles: Use a refillable bottle or thermos or canteen when you travel.

58. Give small gifts: Gift cards, concert tickets, restaurant certificates and movie vouchers are great alternatives to holiday presents heavily packaged and wrapped in expensive and hard-to-recycle paper. You'll also reduce the time, stress and energy associated with traffic, crowds and long checkout lines. How many gifts do you give a year? If you average $2 for wrapping paper, ribbon and labels for each, think of how much you can save, not to mention the recycling costs.

59. Get the holiday LED Lights: Next time you replace your holiday lights, save both money and energy by choosing LED types. What's more, with a 100,000-hour life span, your LED lights could last until the next century.

60. Go for glass Instead of Cans: The energy required to produce a single 12-ounce aluminum can from virgin ore is enough to produce nearly two 12-ounce glass bottles. So the next time you buy a six-pack of beer, opt for glass bottles over aluminum cans.

61. Reduce sports gear: Consider renting or leasing sports equipment on a per-use basis as opposed to wasting money and cluttering up your garage with stuff you likely won't use more than once or twice a year. Or purchase used equipment. You'll reduce the energy needed to produce an additional piece of equipment and decrease the amount of waste eventually sent to the landfill.

Green Health & Beauty Tips

62. Use bars of soap versus liquid wash:It's less expensive, and it saves packaging waste. Not to mention that body wash is primarily water, so the fuel costs for transporting it are higher because it weighs more.

63. Skip the treadmill: If the weather's right, consider giving the treadmill a rest and taking your walking or jogging routine outdoors.

64. Slash trash: Cut waste by selecting products with less packaging. Three ways to do it: Choose products that come with minimal packaging, buy larger sizes, or buy refills or in bulk which typically have less packaging.

65. Get two for one: Consider using a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner instead of buying each separately. If one in seven U.S. households replaced its shampoo and conditioner purchase with a single two-in-one bottle, the amount of plastic saved per year could fill a football field 27 stories high.

66. Avoid pore pluggers: When you buy deodorant, try to avoid antiperspirants, which use aluminum salts to seal up your pores. In addition to being a potential health toxin, aluminum takes a tremendous amount of energy to mine. If you buy one stick of aluminum-free deodorant, the energy saved could power your laptop for 30 minutes.

Green Car Tips

67. Tyre Pressure: Keep the tires at the correct PSI (air pressure) at all times: driving around without proper air in the tires wastes gas.

68. Air conditioning and heat: Minimize the use air conditioning and heating when possible, roll down those windows and breathe some fresh air when the weather permits.

69. Weight matters: Having extra weight(tools, sports equipment, etc.) in the car hurts gas mileage.

70. Gas-saving driving: If you must drive, at least ensure that you're using less gas by doing so. Some common recommendations to do so: ease up on the gas pedal and brake pedal, be sure your tires are inflated and your engine is running smoothly, don't have your car on idle for too long, and get a fuel-efficient car.

Other Tips

71. Get your bank statement electronically: If you're worried about computer hackers, don't. Most banks send you an e-mail with a link to a secure Web site where you can check your balance

72. Cancel the canceled checks: If you still get paper bank statements that include canceled checks, at least cancel the canceled checks. You can reconcile your account just fine without all those extra slips of paper.

73. Donate clothing and household goods: Donate clothing and household goods to the environmental nonprofit of your choice. Many charitable groups, including those dedicated to saving the planet, will take such gifts.

74. Direct-deposit your pay: Most employers and banks can handle your request. In fact, they probably prefer the method. Your paycheck will always be in the bank, not in the mail, and there's no environmentally wasteful paper paycheck to worry about.

75. Pay your bills electronically: Once you're online looking at those charges, it just takes a couple extra clicks to make the payment.

76. Buy a hybrid vehicle: The advantages of these combination gas/electric autos have become well-known since pump prices have stabilized around $3 for the last couple of years.

77. Invest in 'green' funds: Ramp up that good eco-investing feeling by choosing stocks or mutual funds that that buy environmentally friendly assets. This type of investing goes beyond the usual eco-suspects, such as organic farms or environmental services firms. Green investing also means buying into mainstream companies that encourage sound environmental policies, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and green building.

78. Skip the receipt at the ATM: Most of the time you just take a glance at it and tear it up. Why not see your balance on the ATM itself instead of requesting a receipt.

79. Use cloth diapers: Another huge thing a parent can do to live green is to use cloth diapers as opposed to disposables. Disposable diapers take up an enormous amount of this countries landfills, don't break down easily, cost a lot of money, put chemicals directly on the bottoms of our children, and in many cases delay potty training.

80. Go Solar: Pick up some solar chargers, generators, or other solar powered tools.

81. Compost waste: Compost waste if you have a garden, saving on fertilizer cost and giving your plants a treatment they'll love.

82. Buy only what you need: Buy what you need when you're shopping. The supermarkets exist to tempt us into buying more than we need with constant special offers, designed to load up our houses with unnecessary extras. Take a list when shopping and stick to it. You'll throw less food away and have a clearer kitchen as well as a clearer conscience.

83. Other alternative energy sources: Thermal heating, photovoltaic cells, solar shingles, hydro power (water), Wind power (wind mills and wind turbines), can also take your house of the electric grid and gas line without hurting the environment.

84. Go For Natural Fibers: Buy products with natural fibers, like cotton and wool, that are naturally fire resistant.

85. Dispose Properly: Dispose of old paint, oils & chemicals properly- Never put paint, oils, batteries or antifreeze in the trash! Use proper toxic disposal sites.

86. Look for PVC-free Toys for your Kids: PVC (aka polyvinyl chloride) seems to be everywhere we look. Some beach toys, teethers, dolls, and even (gasp!) rubber duckies are cheaply manufactured with the environmentally dubious material. A dioxin-producing powerhouse, PVC releases toxins into the environment all the way through its life cycle from manufacturing to disposal.

87. Donate, not discard: Don't throw something away just because you've outgrown that particular style—thrift stores such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army will be more than happy to take items in serviceable condition. You're also likely to find takers by posting on Craig's List or Freecycle. Call it a win-win-win situation for you, the new owner, and the earth.

88. Grow Your Own Food: Start a small vegetable garden. Even if you don’t have a garden at all, herbs and salads can be grown in a window box, and sprouting seeds is an easy way to grow some fresh food too. Complete self-sufficiency might not be realistic, but any food you can grow at home will be an important contribution to cutting food miles, and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. It will also taste delicious.

89. Home Brew your Coffee: The local café is great. It’s got your friends, good food, free wireless. But if you think you can be greener in your own kitchen, give it a try. When you do it at home you know where the beans and leaves are coming from and also where they go when they’re spent. Plus, you can’t forget your mug, you can choose organic milk, and never toss out another paper sugar packet. Try a bit of quick math on the cost savings of making your morning cup-o-joe at home.

90. Buy vintage or used: People unload clothes for all types of reasons, and you know that adage about trash and treasure. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece you’re looking for second hand. You’ll be giving a cast-off garment a second life, and possibly supporting charitable work in the process.

91. Compost the roast: Tea leaves and especially coffee grounds make outstanding compost. Coffee’s high nitrogen content has made it a fertilizer of choice since days of yore. Composting leaves and grounds helps keep organic waste out of landfills, makes great soil, and keeps waste baskets dry. If you don’t have a heap to toss it on, just spread coffee grounds on the top of your plants’ soil.

92. Clean up your Pets poop: Scoop up your doggie doo in biodegradable poop bags so your buddy’s No. 2 isn’t immortalized in a plastic bag, while deep-sixed in a landfill somewhere for hundreds of years. Cat owners should avoid clumping clay litter at all costs. Not only is clay strip-mined (bad for the planet), but the clay sediment is also permeated with carcinogenic silica dust that can coat little kitty lungs (bad for the cat). Eco-friendly cat litters avoid these problems; a happy cat is a cat that doesn’t claw your face off.

93. Buy Recycled: The essence of recycling is the cyclical movement of materials through the system, eliminating waste and the need to extract more virgin materials. Supporting recycling means feeding this loop by not only recycling, but also supporting recycled products. We can now find high recycled content in everything from printer paper to office chairs.

94. Harvest rainwater: Adding a rain barrel is an inexpensive and effortless way to capture mineral- and chlorine-free water for watering lawns, yards, and gardens, as well as washing cars or rinsing windows. By harnessing what's literally raining from the sky, you'll not only notice a marked dip in water costs, but also a reduction in stormwater runoff, which in turn helps prevent erosion and flooding. Pop a screen on top of your barrel to keep out insects, debris, and bird missiles, and make frequent use of your water supply to keep it moving and aerated.

95. Recycle your water: If you're a homeowner, consider rearranging your plumbing so that rainwater or wastewater from your shower and tub is used to flush your toilet. If you have a garden, water it with leftover bathwater or dishwashing water (as long as you use a biodegradable soap).

96. Packaging Material: Styrofoam peanuts, those non-biodegradable, everywhere-flying, petrol-based, little packaging devils can be brought back to most packaging stores for reuse as long as they’re clean and dry.

97. Buy only Certified sustainable wood: Whether a piece of furniture is made from wood, cloth, metal, plastic, or whatever else, there are earth-friendly options.

98. Low-toxicity furniture: When you buy a piece of furniture, bring it home, and set it down in a room, it doesn't just sit there. No matter what it's made out of, chances are, it's offgassing (or releasing substances into the air). Almost everything offgasses, which isn't necessarily bad, but synthetic materials or those treated with synthetic substances can offgas chemicals which are toxic. Everyone should be conscious of the kinds of chemicals they bring home, but especially if you have kids, pets, or other family members who are low to the ground and prone to licking things.

99. Find the Time to Volunteer: Your first reaction to the thought of volunteering your time may well be: what time? But you can’t help others until you help yourself. So ask yourself the following: Do you need more time for fitness? Then volunteer to do something active. Don’t over-commit, but ask yourself how volunteering could be the value-added time you will anyways dedicate to goals of your own. Worried this approach seems selfish? Don’t! The most effective volunteers are those who do things that match their pace.

100. Put Your Money to Work: So you really, really don’t have the time? Or maybe you are volunteering already and see clearly that there is no point in dying rich? Then consider offering some funds toward good green causes. To select where your money goes, we suggest using the same techniques mentioned above for choosing an organization with which to spend your time.

101. Spread the Word: Bring awareness to wasteful people around you not only by telling them to Go Green but by leading by example. By being Green in your life and showing people how easy it can be...they gain confidence that they can follow suit. Suggest ways that they could be more eco-friendly and point out how much they save.

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Earth Hour-Stop Global Warming

2009-03-29T11:22:00.000+05:30

Earth Hour is being organized by the international non-profit WWF (stands for World Wildlife Fund, not World Wrestling Federation), which hopes that one billion people in more than 1,000 cities will turn out their lights for an hour this evening -- creating a wave of evening darkness around the globe. "Two years ago, Earth Hour began in one city, in one country, when more than 2.2 million households and businesses in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour," according to a WWF statement. "Last year, Earth Hour reached 370 cities and towns in more than 35 countries across 18 time zones."

Global Warming Facts

2009-03-27T22:21:00.001+05:30

Top 50 Things To Do To Stop Global Warming
Global Warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don't need to wait for governments to find a solution for this problem: each individual can bring an important help adopting a more responsible lifestyle: starting from little, everyday things. It's the only reasonable way to save our planet, before it is too late.

Here is a list of 50 simple things that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of these ideas are at no cost, some other require a little effort or investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)

CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.
Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.
Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available.
Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.
Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.
Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.
Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.
Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.
Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!
Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.
Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.
Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.
Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.
Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.
Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.
Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.
Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.
Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.
Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.
Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.
Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.
Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.
Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.
Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.
Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!
Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.
Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.
Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.
Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance.
Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid!
Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance.
Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information,
Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investingin renewable energy projects.
Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.
Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.
Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers with Vote Solar.
Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Conservation International has more information on saving forests from global warming.
Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out SocialInvest and Ceres to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.
Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list.
Tell Congress to act
The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation.
Make sure your voice is heard!
Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!
Share this list!
Send this page via e-mail to your friends! Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!

Article from globalwarming-facts.info

The Facts!

2009-03-27T19:52:00.000+05:30

3.7 tonnes of CO2 will offset 1 Person flying from London to Sydney (Australia) and back. This can be done by planting 5 trees!
850 pounds is the same as 386.4 kgCO2 (0.3864 tonnes CO2). This is the equivalent of an average UK house’s electricity, gas, coal and oil usage for 2 weeks!
Insulating your home by adding hot water tank lagging to your home’s hot water tank will save 150 kgCO2 per year. This is equivalent to a one way flight from London to Barcelona.

About 10% of all electricity used in UK homes is consumed by electronic items left on standby. By switching appliances off standby 150 kgCO2 per year can be saved. A PC monitor switched off over night saves enough energy to microwave 6 dinners!
Switching off the lights when not in the room saves 30 kgCO2 per year. Lighting an office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1000 cups of tea!
Turning down your thermostat by 1 degree can save as much as 10% off electricity bills, 300 kgCO2 per year. This is equivalent to a return flight from London to Barcelona.
Drive smoothly, check the road ahead, anticipate traffic and avoid harsh braking and acceleration. Eco-driving can reduce fuel consumption by around 10%, saving 280 kgCO2 per year. This is the equivalent to a return flight from London to Milan, Italy.
An average petrol car making a saving of 10 miles a week = 520 miles a year = 175 kgCO2. This is approximately equivalent to a return flight from London to Belfast.
If every home in the UK changed just 3 light bulbs, enough energy would be saved to light the UK’s street lamps.
1 Tree will offset on average about 10 kgCO2 each year
Not using a screensaver equates to a saving of 810 kWh per year = 348 kgCO2. This is the equivalent of a return flight from London to Madrid.
Washing your clothes at 30°C could save 40% of your washing machines energy consumption, saving 35 kgCO2 per year.

What is Global Warming?

2009-03-27T10:43:00.000+05:30

What is global warming? Here we discuss the science of global warming, its causes and effects, and why it is one of humanity's biggest challenges.

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.
IPCC Climate Change 2007 Report

Global warming is quite a recent phenomenon that came to international prominence only by the end of the 20th century.

But man-made pollution was known to affect the climate system of the planet as long ago as the middle – end of the 19th century.

It was first suggested in 1863 that changes in the composition of the atmosphere due to pollution could lead to climate change. In 1896 the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius made first actual calculations of the effect of greenhouse warming in which he estimated that a doubling of carbon dioxide [in the atmosphere] would increase the global average temperature by 4 ° C to 6 ° C.

As a general guidance, we identify the following three main indicators of global warming:

Rise of air and ocean temperature,
Rise of global sea level, and
Loss of snow & ice cover

Rise of Global Surface Temperature

Scientists estimated that, since the late 19 th century there was a real (though irregular) increase in the global surface temperature.

A trend towards global warming was observed during the period of 1910 to 1940. The temperatures declined slightly from 1940 through 1975, picking up again during the 1980s.

The decline of the temperature during the post-World War II period may have been due to the masking of global warming by aerosols.
During a 100-year period of 1906 – 2005, the global average temperature rose by 0.74 ° C.

There is no reasonable doubt that during the last couple of decades the planet witnessed some of the hottest years on record.

As an example, 11 of the 12 years between 1995 and 2006 have ranked among the 12 warmest years since 1850.

By middle 1980s, there was a wide appreciation of the global warming phenomenon and potential dangers it was posing to the planet.

During that time, the international community came together to establish an institutional framework that would provide space for further research and development of policy recommendations for managing this issue.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific body, was established by the United Nations in 1988 for the purposes of evaluating the risk of climate change caused by human activities. It does not carry out research as such, but bases its assessments on peer reviewed and published scientific literature. In 2007, the IPCC and Al Gore, former US Vice President, shared the Nobel Peace Prize for their work towards promoting the awareness of climate change.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a non-binding treaty aimed at “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. The UNFCCC was a product of the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Kyoto Protocol , adopted in 1997, is a follow-up agreement to the UNFCCC. Kyoto Protocol sets out mandatory requirements for signatories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to certain levels, with 1990 as the base year.

Rise of Global Sea Level and Loss of Snow & Ice Cover

During the 20th century, the sea levels rose by 17 cm (6.7 inches); they rose faster in the 2nd half of this century than in the 1st.

The sea level rise is consistent with the temperature rise and general warming tendency.

It has been predicted that by the end of the 21st century the sea level may rise by further 18 to 59 cm (7 to 23 inches), depending on a range of different scenarios.

Loss of snow cover has been another indicator of climate change. Snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere declined by 4% between 1920 and 2005.

As a specific example of this problem, Canada’s eastern Arctic Archipelago decreased by 15% between 1969 and 2004.

The decrease in snow cover has also been consistent with the general warming trend.

The Science of Global Warming

In order to understand the mechanics of global warming, let’s see how the Earth is “powered” by the Sun (through solar radiation), how the energy (radiation) between these two entities is continuously recycled, and how this cycle maintains the equilibrium temperature of the Earth.

Here is how this process works:

The Earth receives its original supply of shortwave radiation from the Sun
The Earth then reflects 30% of this solar radiation back into space in its original shortwave form
The Earth absorbs the remaining 70% of this solar energy and then re-radiates it back into space in the longwave form (infrared radiation)

So in order to maintain thermal equilibrium, the amount of shortwave and longwave radiation leaving the Earth must be equal to the amount of the original shortwave radiation received from the Sun.

Thus, for a certain amount of radiation being exchanged with the Sun the Earth will achieve a certain equilibrium temperature.

The Greenhouse Effect

Experts point out that for the Earth as a whole, the equilibrium “radiative” temperature (i.e. the temperature required to reradiate all the energy received from the Sun) at the outside of the atmosphere is −18°C. So if the Earth’s atmosphere was totally transparent to all wavelengths of radiation, then the average temperature at the surface of the planet would also be −18°C [making it most likely uninhabitable].

But thankfully, during the last step of the radiation cycle described above – when the Earth re-radiates solar energy back into space in the longwave form, the atmosphere absorbs (“traps”) some of this upward-going longwave energy.

The atmosphere then emits longwave radiation in all directions. Some of this radiation will go back down towards the Earth adding to the original shortwave solar radiation received by the planet.

This added amount of radiation raises the Earth’s equilibrium temperature [to around +15°C] and makes life as we know it possible on our planet.

Therefore, the process of emission of longwave (infrared) radiation by the atmosphere which results in the warming of the Earth is called the greenhouse effect.

The Earth’s atmosphere is a unique environment which consists of a number of naturally occurring gases.

The content of the atmosphere is roughly as follows:

Nitrogen (around 78% of the total)
Oxygen (around 20% of the total)
Water vapor (substantial amount)
Carbon dioxide (small amount)
Trace gases (hydrogen, argon, helium and other gases)

It is exactly some of these gases in the atmosphere (e.g., water vapor and carbon dioxide) that trap the upward-going longwave radiation emitted by the Earth, re-emit it in all directions and thus contribute to the warming of the planet.

The gases that take part in this process are called radiatively active gases, or greenhouse gases.

Among the most important naturally occurring and man-induced greenhouse gases are:

Water vapor
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Ozone

There are natural concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which work to keep the planet warm.

These natural concentrations were pretty much constant during the Holocene (a period that started roughly 11,500 years ago) and before the industrial revolution.

However, with the advent of the Industrial Age at the start of the 19th century, the concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased dramatically and have been attributed to human actions.

In simple terms, this means that the functioning of the modern industrial society produces additional amounts of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere.

These additional amounts trap even more longwave radiation and re-radiate it back to the Earth.

This, in its turn, leads to the rise of the surface temperature and establishment of a new “equilibrium” temperature with a new given amount of radiation in the system.

Thus, human-induced increases in greenhouse gas concentrations are now so significant that they have been largely blamed for the recently observed accelerated rates of global warming.

Radiative Forcing

Following the discussion of the greenhouse effect above, it becomes clear that the rise in the average temperature of the Earth (i.e. global warming) can take place in 3 ways:

An increase in the shortwave solar radiation that enters the atmosphere at the top
An increase in the percentage of the radiation that actually reaches the surface through the atmosphere (currently 70% of the total solar radiation), and
An increase in the concentration of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Such increases (as well as decreases) in the quantity of radiation circulating through the Earth’s atmosphere are measured in terms of radiative forcing.

Therefore, radiative forcing is the net change in the amount of radiation that comes into, and goes out of, the atmosphere. It is measured in Watts per square meter (W m²).

This net change in radiation quantity may be compared to the total shortwave solar radiation of around 342 W / m² per year that the Earth currently receives.

Positive forcing (i.e. net increase in the amount of radiation) contributes to the warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gases contribute to positive forcing.

Between the years 1765 and 2000 the Earth witnessed a net increase of 2.45 W / m² in the total amount of radiation. Carbon dioxide, an extremely important agent of global warming, has contributed around 60% to this increase.

This is an example of the positive forcing effect on the global temperature.

Negative forcing (i.e. net decrease in the amount of radiation) contributes to the cooling of the Earth’s atmosphere. Aerosols are an example of a climate agent that contribute to the negative forcing effect.

To summarize it all, the greenhouse effect and radiative forcing are among the most important concepts that lie at the heart of the science of global warming.

Global Warming Causes & Effects

The main fundamental causes of global warming are two-fold:

The first one is our total dependence on the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy to power our industrialized lifestyles.

The second one is the way we use our land to produce food, timber products etc.

These economic activities are the major drivers of an increase of greenhouse gas concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere.

There is a detailed discussion on global warming causes here.

The effects of global warming are indeed numerous and far-reaching.

Among other things, they include: changed climate patterns and the rise global sea level, reduction in snow cover & glacier retreat, rise in extreme weather events such as floods & droughts, loss of plant & animal diversity, reduced water supplies and decrease in agricultural productivity.

There is a detailed discussion on global warming effects here.

Case Study – Dramatic Shrinkage of the Arctic Ice Cover

Courtesy: Flickr.com

As global warming marches on and its effects unfold, the shrinkage of the Arctic ice cover that has been observed by the beginning of the 21st century may possibly be called a “poster case” for global warming.

This particular region is not only a passive recipient of the global warming phenomenon with all its effects following, it is also an active agent in bringing about further global changes as a direct result (feedback) of the warming effects it is experiencing now.

In other words, it is both a result and a cause of global warming.

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment prepared by the Arctic Council and released in 2004 gives an excellent overview of the current state of the Arctic region from the point of view of climate change.

All the information provided below is based on the findings of this report.

Here is some evidence that global warming is indeed affecting the Arctic region:

In the past few decades the Arctic average temperature increased at twice the rate as the rest of the world

Declining snow cover; widespread melting of glaciers and sea ice

Rising river flows: river discharge to the ocean has increased and spring peak river flows are now occurring earlier

Increased precipitation much of which comes in the form of rain, with the largest increases in autumn and winter

Rising permafrost temperature leads to permafrost thawing

Some of the current and potential future effects of the Arctic shrinkage:

Removal of the highly reflective Arctic ice cover reduces the albedo of the Earth – the ability of the planet to reflect a certain quantity of solar energy back to space. This leads to the Earth absorbing more sunlight and further contributes to climate warming.

This is exactly when the Artic ice melt becomes a cause of global warming.

Global and regional sea level has risen by 10 – 20 centimeters during the last century, as a result of the warming process. This will affect the ocean circulation patterns and, consequently, global and regional climate

Arctic climate change will have an impact on global biodiversity because some migratory species rely on the Arctic grounds for breeding and feeding

Forests will replace a significant proportion of existing tundra, and tundra vegetation will move into polar deserts. The larger tree cover is expected to increase carbon removal from the atmosphere, though the reduced reflectivity of the surface will most likely outweigh this effect.

Global warming is expected to increase forest fires and destruction of trees by insects. This will lead to the loss of valuable biodiversity-rich old-growth forests.

Reduction in sea ice will have a devastating effect on polar bears, ice-dependent seals and local people who use these animals as a food source

Reduced sea ice will allow for extraction and shipping of oil which will further damage the marine habitat and negatively affect the health of local populations

Many coastal communities face exposure to storms because rising sea level and a reduction in sea ice will allow high waves and storm surges to reach the shore; these storms in their turn will lead to coastal erosion

Indigenous communities face major economic and cultural impacts whose lifestyles are closely linked to the health of their ecosystems

It is becoming more obvious that changes to the Arctic system are happening much faster than predicted even several years ago.

The WWF 2008 update report on the Arctic climate change makes a reference to ”the recent severely accelerated melting of both the Greenland Ice Sheet and the arctic sea ice.”

For example, the extent of Arctic sea ice was the lowest on record in September 2007. During this period, the extent of sea ice was 39% less than its 1979 – 2000 mean. The main reason for this is believed to be climate warming which reduced both the area and thickness of multi-year ice and made the remaining ice more vulnerable to summer thaw.

The melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet would have a particularly significant effect on global sea level. If this entire ice sheet melted, it would raise the sea level by 7.3 meters, with destructive effects all over the planet.

It is pretty clear that the real solution to the Arctic shrinkage problem lies in solving the issue of global warming as such.

The sooner we sort it out, the better – the time is certainly running out fast.

Conclusion

Global warming is probably the biggest challenge that humanity is facing right now.

The evidence is clear: global warming is caused by our own actions.

Up to today, we have already emitted such huge amounts of greenhouse gases that they will be enough to cause the warming to continue for decades and possibly even centuries ahead.

There is a real need for every single citizen of the Earth to act, and act right now, no matter how small our actions may seem to us.

As they say, tough times bring great opportunities.

Maybe, this period of trial for the whole planet is also a great opportunity for us to bury our differences and come and act together - there is simply no other real way to beat this global challenge.

This article on global warming was originally published by www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com

References

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007). Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Summary for Policymakers, p. 2. Approved in detail at IPCC Plenary XXVII in Valencia, Spain, 12-17 November 2007
Cline, W. R. (1992). The Economics of Global Warming. Washington, DC: Institute for International Economics, p. 13. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from Questia.com
Ibid, p. 27
Ibid, p. 25
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007). Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. Summary for Policymakers, p. 2. Approved in detail at IPCC Plenary XXVII in Valencia, Spain, 12-17 November 2007
Ibid.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (May 1, 2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Intergovernmental_Panel_on_Climate_Change&oldid=209470020
Global Warming. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition at
http://library.eb.co.uk/eb/article-274778
Ibid.
Global Warming. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online at
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037044
Ibid.
Ibid.
Effects of global warming. (May 6, 2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Effects_of_global_warming&oldid=210587878
Colls, J. (2002). Air Pollution, pp. 428 – 429. New York: Spon Press. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from Questia.com
Ibid, p. 429
Ibid, p. 430
Atmosphere. (May 7, 2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atmosphere&oldid=210900060
Greenhouse gas. (May 8, 2008). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenhouse_gas&oldid=210979957
Global Warming. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from Encyclopedia Britannica Online Library Edition at
http://library.eb.co.uk/eb/article-274821
Ibid.
Colls, J. (2002). Air Pollution, p. 444. New York: Spon Press. Retrieved May 30, 2008 from Questia.com
ACIA (2004). Impacts of a Warming Arctic. Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. Cambridge University Press, 2004
Arctic Climate Impact Science. An Update Since ACIA, April 2008, p. 2. Published by WWF International Arctic Programme, Oslo, Norway.

Aamir Khan Join Earth Hour

2009-03-27T10:11:00.000+05:30

“Climate Change is undoubtedly and regrettably, the biggest immediate long-term environmental challenge we face. A failure to come to sound policy outcomes on climate change will not only have a negative environmental impact but also social and economic consequences for all of us. Stand up and join us in the fight against climate change. Support Earth Hour.”
- Aamir Khan, Noted bollywood actor & filmmaker

What you waiting for? Join us