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CLIMATE CHANGE
CLIMATE CHANGE
WHO AM I Jessie Sher, Freshman at DHS,
representing the EBJTF, a foundation raising money to help alleviate the affects of climate change.
I am here to give you a good idea of what global warming means, it’s affects, how it works, prevention and then how it ties in with my project.
WEATHER VERSUS CLIMATECLIMATE IS WHAT WE EXPECT, WEATHER IS WHAT WE GET. – MARK TWAIN
A quick clarification: Weather is what you see out the window each day, or on the news
forecast for the week.Climate is the weather charted for years and compared to times before, such as the 2000s being compared to the 90s.
By knowing climate of every area in the world, we can see a pattern again and again of Earth’s average temperature being a rollercoaster that only goes up. This is what we call: global warming.
Global warming does not mean the same thing for everyone. For the east coast, it means stronger storms, like hurricane Sandy. For us it means places like San Francisco having more frequent and intense floods. In Africa it means even more areas where basic survival is impossible due to too much or too little water. The important thing is that is affects everyone, and everything, on our little space rock.
COMMON CONFUSION! [Insert name and relation here] has told me that there is no such
thing as climate change, but in fact the Earth goes through tilt cycles which involve the weather. Aren’t we just in a warm part of the cycle and freaking out like a bunch of evolved monkeys flying through space on a giant rock?
Why yes, the person you thought of is in fact correct about all of this! Naturally, Earth’s orbit shifts over time, and the difference in the tilt can leave us with warm or cool periods. For the last couple thousands of years, we have been in a warmer period, but do not be fooled by this! Many think this disproves global warming but consider this fact; we are basing our increasing climate change on the past hundred or so years. Since we have been in the same warmer period the entire time we have been monitoring this, our heat increase is relative, and therefore our numbers and facts are not affected by this constant.
BASIC EFFECTS
SIMPLIFICATION OF TEMPERATURE GRAPH
Based on the last three decades, 2000-2009 were the hottest. (Yes, that is ten years, add the zero.)
The world’s average temperature is projected to increase 4 to 12 degrees by 2100, depending on population growth and new forming countries, however, if we slam on the brakes now, the increase is only projected to be around 2-5 degrees.
…WHY WOULD IT STILL INCREASE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO? I’M ON TO YOU, JESSIE.
Hotter temperatures-> more air conditioning-> more energy must be produced by fossil fuels-> more global warming. This is called a positive feed back loop.
LET ’S PLAY A GAME OF PERSPECT IVE!
HOW TO PLAY Choose something in the room you see that has been
manufactured, it doesn’t matter what. Write it on the piece of paper I have handed to you. When done, pass it to a person near you (You can trade twice.)
Take the paper you were given and make a tree type chart, tracing the item back to the original materials.
Think of how much labor it took to bring those items together, and all the gas it took to transport, not to mention all the waste. As you can see, everything really does play a role. Just another reason for why we should care!
FUN FACT! The warmer water on the surface of the
ocean is what causes hurricanes, and with warmer water is stronger hurricanes, like hurricane Sandy.
Sandy at her finest.
PREVENTION On a better note, since we all use
energy, we can all can find ways to reduce out footprint. Now, we all know the simple things, recycle, turn off the water and lights, unplug, compost, but here are some more creative ways to be a part of the solution and it does not involve Priusi (the plural of Prius)
BIOMASS ENERGY/ METHANE CAPTURE Animal waste is collected in a large
tank or pond with bacteria As bacteria decomposes the waste, methane is released Methane is then burned to heat water and generate steam Steam turns a generator turbine to create electricity, which is sent to transmission lines
ADDITIONAL NOTES TO SLIDE 13 If you've ever been near a campfire or a fireplace, you've witnessed biomass energy
through the burning of wood. Not really the best way but really cool Then we have Nuclear power , the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and
electricity. The upside is that it reduces carbon emissions, the downside is that if there is an accident involving nuclear power you can level entire cities. Very conflicting.
Carbon capture is basically the same as methane capture only with carbon. Still very cool.
Energy efficient buildings. You know these. Same with wind water and solar energy. Green vehicles! Hipsters are in this season! Go ride your bike 50 miles to get organic
coffee beans. Have fun! But don’t buy a Prius specifically for this occasion. It is a fallacy that these help the environment. Ironically enough, It takes so many international parts to make the battery that save you gas, that by the time the parts are all shipped to once place then shipped to multiple other places for assembly, you have used a significant more amount of gas than you would have with a same sized gas powered car, not to mention the battery cannot be recycled. But if you have a Prius, I respect that. It is not your fault you were lied to. Keep on keeping on.
Geothermic energy is created like wind energy except the stuff making the turbine spin is steam and other heat sources from inside the earth.
CARBON DIOXIDE
Carbon dioxide is the most common greenhouse gas. There's more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than at any
other time in at least 650,000 years! This is due to the carbon being released by fossil fuels. The carbon in them is “old carbon” and has disappeared into the depths of what ever fossil fuel has been dug up. The Earth since then has balanced its needs, moving on from the missing carbon. When we burn the fossil fuels it releases the old carbon into the new balance, which is too much carbon, and has become harmful.
This old carbon started being heavily released during the industrial revolution when things like coal, oil, and natural gas were being burned left and right, and it’s gotten worse as demands have increased
ZOOMING IN ON CARBON
OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES
METHANE YOU SAY? Permafrost is found throughout much of
Alaska, parts of Canada, and other countries in the far north.
When permafrost melts, the land above it sinks or changes shape. Sinking land can damage buildings and infrastructure or violent floods. It also has more of that lovely old carbon, which is also released when it melts, in the form of methane.
SO WHY DOES THE EBJTF CARE ABOUT ALL THIS?
WHY WE CARE Did you know that Israel is the second leading country in
green technology? You see, every nonprofit needs money. Foundations often are
where that money comes from. They choose a cause and then raise money for it as they carefully select non profits that will benefit the cause they have chosen. Of course, all non profits are for the benefit of others and there is not wrong non profit, but my team felt that we really like the Earth and want to support it like our capital, if you will, does, and though the non profits we will be supporting will instead most likely be non-religion specific and bay area based . It is literally a universal issue, and through philanthropy we can help alleviate the affects of climate change and so can you!
HOW TO HELP By the quarter tubes are boxes marked
with your period numbers where donations can be made. (ALL donations go directly to the nonprofit.)
In addition, though I have already kick started the fundraising with $200 I will also match half what the classes as a whole raise.
Each class is in a race to see who can rack up the most points, the winner getting an ice cream party!!!! (Time and date TBD)
POINTS? Paper money: In paper money $1=2 point; $5= 15
points; $10= 35 points; $20= 75 points Coins will be worth negative points. One class is ahead
of yours? Drop coins in their box to slow them down! But beware, it won’t slow them too much, so make sure you maintain your positive points (Which are weighted.) as well to maximize your success!
Coins: nickel: -.05; dime: -.1; quarter: -.25 Pennies will be counted as tie breakers if needed! Checks will be counted as positive points, and will be
weighted appropriately, along with bills larger than $20
DEADLINE April 12th! This is a Friday, and exactly
one month from now. Write it in your assignment notebook, draw it onto your hand, shave it into your dog, what ever helps!
MY CONTACT INFO Donation website:
http://givejewishly.razoo.com/story/Combat-Climate-Change
E-mail: [email protected]
