Thursday, May 1, 2008

Global Climate Change

First off I am sure you are unaware that even though universally it is called global warming, the correct term is global climate change.
Second I will be using this data that i collected in class tomorrow
Third- there is Global Climate Change and I have no idea how you can be so blind
Forth- see you all in class tomorrow
NOTES
Theories
1. Astronomical theory of climate change.
· Which is the tilt of the earth relative to its plane of travel about the sun is what causes seasons. The theory that the poles will switch and winter will become summer and vice versa.
· This ice age theory is expected to occur in the next 50,000 - 100,000 years

Laws
1. Clean Air Act
· is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. Among other things, this law authorizes EPA to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and public welfare and to regulate emissions of hazardous air pollutants.
2. Clean Water Act (CWA)
· establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.
3. Atomic Energy Act
· utilization of atomic energy for peaceful purposes to the maximum extent consistent with the common defense and security and with the health and safety of the public… meaning- to develop guidance for federal and state agencies containing recommendations for their use in developing radiation protection requirements.

Facts
· Climate is the average pattern of weather over the long term. The earth’s climate has warmed and cooled for millions of years, since long before we appeared on the scene. There’s no doubt that the climate is growing warmer currently; indications of that change are all around us.
· The oceans, which cover more than 70% of the earth’s surface, play a fundamental and complex role in regulating climate. The oceans absorb huge amounts of solar energy; ocean currents transport this heat from the equator toward the Poles. In the past, long-term, natural oscillations in the oceans’ capacity to store and transport heat have led to global temperature changes. Ability to tell data through satellite measurements of microwave energy emitted by ocean waters. Microwave energy—like visible light and infrared radiation—is a form of electromagnetic radiation.
· Changes in climate dramatically alter the planet’s snow- and ice-covered cryosphere. With variations in the earth’s temperature, thousands of square miles of snow and ice can accumulate or melt. Changes in snow and ice cover, in turn, affect air temperature, sea level, ocean currents, and storm patterns. Snow and ice help keep the earth cool by reflecting between 60% and 90% of the solar energy that shines on them back into space. Reduction of snow cover and sea ice may lead to increased warming, as more solar energy is absorbed.
· Many species inhabit precisely bounded ecological niches, and even small changes in climate may cause fundamental disruptions in habitat or food availability. In the past, animals could respond to these pressures by moving from one place to another. Today, however, land development has constrained and fragmented ranges and travel routes, making species migration in response to climate change much more difficult. Moreover, loss of key predator or prey species may affect the life cycles of other organisms in the food chain.
· Interpreting past and present climate data is difficult, but predicting future climate change—and its possible effects—is even more challenging. Researchers use complex computer simulations called climate models to predict long-term weather patterns. A model’s reliability depends on the number of variables taken into account and the accuracy of measurements used.

Disease—like malaria
Flooding of homes
Drought