Bowie, Jonathan

PART 1.

Global warming is somewhat defined within the term itself. Essentially, the entire globe is warming up. Although it is extremely complex than that, there are ample contributors as to what and why the globe’s temperature is warming up. Specifically, it is the earth’s atmosphere that is slowly getting hotter due to increased amounts of natural gases, such as carbon dioxide and others, becoming more abundant than ever before in the atmosphere. Considering the greenhouse effect with these abundances, and how our world thrives on energy, we have a clear understanding of this increased temperature of the globe.

To understand the absolute reason to this increase of temperature, we begin firstly to understand what controls and alters the earth’s temperature, which is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect consists of a process that particular gases, which comprise very little of the earth’s atmosphere, absorb and/or emit energy, specifically solar radiation, throughout the earth’s surface and atmosphere. These gases, or better known as greenhouse gases (GHG), more importantly include but not limited to, water vapor (H2O gas), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). As solar energy bounces off the earth’s surface and back into the atmosphere, it is these GHGs acting as a net that consume and redistributes amounts of solar radiation throughout the atmosphere and/or the earth’s surface. It is within this entire process that the earth’s temperature begins to warm. Even though the concentration of theses GHGs are little within the atmosphere, some of them -- CO2 for instance, takes hundreds of years to breakdown in the atmosphere. In conjunction to this lifespan, their unique ability of consuming radiation is why they have such a large impact to our temperature here on the surface.

In present time, it has been confirmed many times by researchers that the level of CO2 has increased exponentially over millions of years. Dating back about 2 billion yrs. to the ice age, it is predicted that there was about 185 parts per million (ppm) of CO2 in the atmosphere. Moving forward to the industrial revolution in the 1800’s, this amount increased to about 278 ppm; overall an increase of 93 ppm. Since then to February of 2017 the CO2 level amount was at an historic 405 ppm. Since the industrial revolution to now, that number increased over 200 ppm within just a little over 200 years versus an increase of only 98 ppm over a course of 2 billion years from the ice age to the industrial revolution.

Knowing that CO2 is this abundant in our atmosphere today and the fact that our oceans stretch vastly over the earth, it is important to note that the ocean transfers CO2 to and from the atmosphere. CO2 combined with water generates carbonic acid, and the ocean acting as a reservoir for carbon, absorbs extremely large amounts of CO2. One can understand that the increased level of carbon or CO2 into our atmosphere, the increase of the ocean's acidity is a result of it. Carbonic Acid decreases the pH level of the oceans as a byproduct disrupting waters natural ability as an acid and a base with this increase of acidity in the oceans.

With the consideration of the massive increase of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere within a 200-year period, we can reflect back to figure out how and why did this happened. This sudden increase of CO2 is from cutting down trees, agriculture techniques, and largely from the burning of fossil fuels by humans, which provides 80% of the world's energy. With fossil fuels such as coal, they contain years of accumulated amounts of carbon, and the burning of this carbon mixed with oxygen produces carbon dioxide that is released into the air. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, humans have been burning extraordinary amounts of these fossil fuels to produce energy. From what we’ve learned thus far, this result of burning fossil fuels has a significant impact to the climate of the globe -- more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hence more solar radiation consumed from the sun, more solar radiation consumed hence increase temperature overall. With rainfall diminishing, ice caps or permafrost suddenly melting, animals abnormally migrating, and the fact that Greenland is shrinking in size are just small implications that the earth is getting hotter because of this increase of CO2 in the atmosphere.

As previously stated, the ocean gives off CO2 and additionally when humans’ breath we produce CO2 when we exhale. But just as so, plants, again by the ocean and by many other sources, are absorbing CO2. This continuing movement and exchanging of carbon dioxide is called the Carbon Cycle. The carbon cycle is the constant transferring and conversion of the carbon atom itself through the means of many natural or unnatural sources. CO2 from the atmosphere to and from the ocean, CO2 from burning fossil fuels to the atmosphere, and the consumption of CO2 by plants from the atmosphere, and us eating plants are some examples within the Carbon Cycle. Furthermore, it is this cycle why the carbon atom itself and burning of fossil fuels have been the main focus of concern with global warming today.

Since the world has only so much fossil fuel, alternative sources of energy has to be considered. Wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources are efficient alternative ways to produce energy for the world, although solar could provide ample solutions to abate CO2 emissions. 25% of CO2 emission from fossil fuels around the world comes from transportation (i.e. cars, planes, etc.), and while 33% is towards to providing utilities such as heating, cooling, and electricity, solar energy could potentially replace fossil fuel for these necessities. More importantly, expanding solar panels across the world could redress the world's reflectivity of solar radiation resulting the earth to cool down over time.

Climate change, droughts, and increased temperatures are just a few of the overall concerns of global warming. Ultimately, if the world's CO2 level doesn’t begin to decline, political & societal instability would happen once world economies fail due to depleted fossil fuels. Starvation can occur by failing crops due to drought, and deadly diseases can spread to different places by the change of climate. Death tolls will rise due to heat waves in hotter climates. But the main concern is the ending question, could the world sustain an inhabitable environment for mankind in the far future to come?

PART 2.

1. What is the carbon footprint in tons of CO2 per year for an average household in the U.S.?

The carbon footprint of CO2 in tons for an average household in the U.S. is 48.5 a year.

2. What is your personal and/or household carbon footprint in tons of CO2 per year?

My household carbon footprint CO2 in tons is 21.7 a year.

What can you do to improve your carbon footprint in relation to

3. Travel?

I can purchase an electric or hybrid vehicle. I can drive less miles and I can carpool to work. Perhaps we can find closer employment to our house so we wouldn’t have to drive as much.

4. Housing?

We can purchase efficient weather stripping for our doors and garage door. We can use our heater and air conditioning when needed.

5. Food & Diet?

We can continue the vegetarian diet we currently do. Perhaps we can spread the knowledge and benefits of a vegetarian diet in terms of health and environmentally to our friends, family, community.

6. Shopping for Goods & Services?

We could continue the lifestyle we currently live as to purchasing absolute necessities. Taking fewer vacations and more stay-at-home vacations.

7. What can you do to bring attention to and improve the awareness of carbon & global warming locally?, … in your home?, ...on the DVC campus?, in your community?

Taking all the knowledge from the readings, the research and sharing it across social media and network, family, friends and neighbors. Ultimately living the lifestyle and becoming an example of good proper health & diet, and an advocate for bettering this world for not only our families, but for the human race.