Facts About Global Warming you Should Know

June 24, 2010 | By In Global Warming | Comments(0)

Global warming is not a 20th century phenomenon. It has, in fact, occurred in the past more than once, along with periods of extreme cold known as the ice ages. With so much written and reported about global warming, sometimes it’s difficult to detect which is fact and which is just part of scientific scare tactics. Here are some facts about global warming that might help:

What exactly is global warming?

Global warming is basically the increase in the temperatures of the Earth’s atmosphere, land masses and oceans. The Earth’s surface temperature is at an average of 59F and over the last hundred years, this figure has risen to about 1F. By the year 2100, the average change in the temperature of the Earth could range from 2.5F to about 10F, enough to melt glaciers and polar ice caps.

The cause of global warming

Global warming has and will always occur naturally. Why it has become such a concern in our lifetime is due to the fact that human activities and practices have contributed significantly to its occurrence and severity. With the advent of industrialization and careless environmental practices, we have caused the increase in the average global temperatures by contributing negatively to the greenhouse effect.

This began about 240 years ago, when the Industrial Revolution was born. As more and more fossil fuels in the form of oil were mined and burned, gases as the by-product of that process began to be released in the atmosphere. Currently, it is estimated that 75% of the increase in the carbon dioxide content of the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by the burning of these fossil fuels.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect

Global warming is related to changes in the Earth’s greenhouse effect. Gases naturally occur in the Earth’s atmosphere and act both to protect and retain heat. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor. Of these, water vapor is the most dominant and abundant greenhouse gas.

Global warming and the greenhouse effect are not the same thing. The greenhouse effect refers to a natural process that occurs in the Earth’s atmosphere. If this process is disrupted, then it could contribute to global warming.

As the sun’s rays hit the Earth, heat is bounced back to the atmosphere where these gases contain the heat and keep it there to warm the planet. This is an important natural process and allows life forms to flourish and survive. Problems only occur when these gases multiply and build-up, containing heat too efficiently and thus warming the Earth’s atmosphere.

As the Earth’s average temperature rises, effects in its landmasses and sea water level become apparent. Polar ice caps melt along with glaciers, contributing to higher and warmer sea levels. By the end of the century, it is estimated that sea levels can increase from 4 inches to a high of about 40 inches if global warming continues unabated.

Global warming can also affect the behavior of the winds and can also contribute to a harsher and drier climate, with frequent visitings of strong hurricanes. Water from heavier rainfall will not stay long to irrigate the land, however because with a warmer climate, water on the Earth’s surface will evaporate quickly. This has a significant effect on agricultural practices not only in the US but also for the rest of the world.

Another phenomenon that is equated with global warming is the El Nino. The El Nino phenomenon has occurred for possibly thousands of years and is not caused directly by global warming. However, changes in the average temperature of the planet can contribute to its severity and frequency.

Other human practices that contribute to global warming

The agricultural revolution has also contributed to global warming. As more and more communities need lands converted from forests to residential and commercial areas, biomass is reduced, contributing to the increase in the presence of carbon dioxide in those regions. Since carbon dioxide is processed by plants and trees, their absence contributes to its increase.

It is estimated that about 25% of the annual increase in the carbon dioxide found in the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by extreme changes and usage of the Earth’s natural resources. Other practices also include deforestation, salinization, desertification and overgrazing also contribute to global warming. However, many scientists surmise and agree that the contribution is slight and indirect.

Facing the facts of global warming

Countries all over the world have just begun to acknowledge the negative effects of global warming not only to the world’s politics and economy but also to humankind in general. Many of the world’s governments have encouraged implementation of measures to try to counteract the problem of global warming through careful measures and practices designed to protect and respect the environment.

How these measures will fare and contribute to the long-term maintenance of our planet, though, remains to be seen.

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Environmentally Savvy When Green Wasn’t Cool

April 16, 2010 | By Articles are the property of their respective Authors In environment | Comments(0)

Do you have your own definition of a Green Lifestyle? Are renewable or sustainable energy, climate change and environmental pollution on your short list? Are you considering a shift to a greener lifestyle and making changes in your home and your thinking to bring you into more harmony with the environment?

It is time to take action on your thoughts. Today is the best day to begin to invest in a green lifestyle, eco-friendly products and you?

Whether you agree or disagree with everything you hear and read about the greening of America, you can definitely agree upon the fact that a lot of time, money and effort is being dedicated to this endeavor.

What is a Green Lifestyle?

Everyone has their own definition of the greening of America and what living a green lifestyle should look like. And, sometimes those definitions are vastly different and at opposite ends of the spectrum.

My rather simple definition of a Green America based on an ancient Feng Shui principle is: people who live in, support and replenish the environment and an environment that supports people through providing a life giving atmosphere and resources in order that they both prosper.

The second definition of a green life could be living the Feng Shui lifestyle. The principles of the original Form School of Feng Shui are all about creating your home and life to be in complete harmony with your surrounding environment. Feng Shui is about uncluttering and using positive energy in your surroundings so you and your environment can enjoy abundance.

If you think about it, Planet Earth some 3000 years ago when Feng Shui got its start was in perfect balance. To keep it somewhat uncomplicated, Earth experienced day and night, heat and cold, wet and dry over a yearly cycle. It had oceans and land masses, mountains and valleys, barren land and crop supporting land.

The ancient Chinese civilization learned to work with their environment and to manage the resources so they could live in harmony with their environment. They altered their environment only by cultivating the land and building shelter to survive. When they learned how to position their homes in harmony with the energy forms provided by the environment such as trees, hills, rivers and maximum warmth from the sun in the South they began to thrive.

Feng Shui Today

Since most people would not turn the clock back 3000 years to recapture that pristine environment, there are a number of things you can do today to live in better harmony with the environment.

Rather than think about the environment from a global perspective which is out of reach for most, look around your home to find those things within your reach that you can control and do something about today. Unclutter, recycle and use eco-friendly products indoors and out. Care for and nurture your home and Mother Earth as you would care for yourself and your family.

Preserve, Replenish and Unclutter

In Feng Shui, one of the best ways to improve your personal environment is to make sure positive energy enters your home. That means you need to unclutter the outside too including the walkway leading up to entrance of your home.

When landscaping and gardening, remember to use eco-friendly products that are good for the plants, the birds and the earth. Then, focus on preservation and replenishment care in the planning process. If you have large healthy mature trees, find ways to protect and care for them as they provide you protection from the sun and heat plus help maintain the planet’s healthy atmosphere.

If plants are overgrown, prune them. If they are unhealthy, even dead remove them immediately because they are sending negative unhealthy energy into your home. Plants like this should always be promptly removed and replaced to provide a healthy energy environment surrounding your home. Both you and the environment benefit.

In a home case study, positive energy was not reaching the front door because plantings were old and overgrown causing the walkway to be dark. Plus the large old tree on the left was lifting the sidewalk more than six inches in at least two places making it unsafe and exposing the home owners and guest to injury and litigation.

Saving the tree was their number one priority. The Feng Shui solution was to create a wide S curve walkway to accommodate the roots of the tree and to encourage positive energy to meander into the house and linger spreading abundance throughout. The design not only opened up the walkway so it wasn’t so dark, it also made it safer and more welcoming to guests and for new energy to enter the home.

The final step was to unclutter the area by removing decaying old plants and properly pruning the others to encourage new growth for the plants as well as the homeowners. A few colorful new plantings were added to further energize the welcoming energy. To see the before and after pictures click here: http://www.energy-by-design.com/ArticlePhotos.html .

There are easily thousands of other things you can do and products you can buy that lend themselves to a greener lifestyle. The Feng Shui suggestions are about removing and controlling the clutter in your personal environment which provides you better energy. And, recycling and using more eco-friendly products provides the environment more positive energy rather than having to deal with more waste.

By following some of these simple suggestions you’ve improved your quality of life and that of the environment. Plus, you are preserving and or replenishing the environment when caring for its plants and trees – living a Green lifestyle today that was cool 3000 years ago.

About the Author:
Pat Heydlauff, president of Energy Design, uses Feng Shui design principles to eliminate chaos and stress at home and within oneself. More than a Feng Shui expert, Pat is a consultant and speaker who helps remove clutter and negativity while encouraging personal growth, improved relationships and prosperity. Her new book, “Feng Shui: So Easy a Child Can Do It,” shows how to achieve a better tomorrow. For information on her consulting, speaking and artwork, and sign up to receive her free newsletter, visit: www.Energy-by-Design.com or call: 561-799-3443.