Editor’s Note: The following is part of an ongoing series entitled “Common Concern Reruns”, where I will re-post a host of material from the previous iteration of Our Common Concern on blogspot. Unfortunately, many of these issues are as pressing in 2008 as they were in 2007 — so please do read them through, share your thoughts, and get involved. A special thanks to all of the guest bloggers who made these posts possible.
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Our Ninth Concern: Global Warming
(Originally published March 6, 2007)
You may have heard Al Gore speak about it, read the articles written about it, or seen the newstories discussing it. This week, guest blogger Jen Gaze takes you behind the scenes of Global Warming, and urges you to take action to stop it!
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Global warming is the result of an increase in the earth’s average temperature due to a buildup of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Although you may have heard different opinions in the media about global warming and whether it exists, there is no debate among scientists about the fact that global warming IS happening and that WE are causing it by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests.
The bad news: the U.S. is the world’s largest carbon emitter, and if we don’t start acting now, parts of the world will be uninhabitable in as little as ten years. Scientists project a 20 foot rise in global sea levels which will put low-lying coastal areas across the globe under water. For the first time, scientists have found evidence that polar bears are drowning because climate change is melting the Arctic ice shelf! These and many other changes in our ecological system are indications that global warming has, and will continue to disrupt nature’s delicate balance.
The good news: there is still time to avert impending environmental disaster. By taking a few simple steps, each one of us can play a role in making our earth healthy again.
Learn More:
- Check out what the Union of Concerned Scientists has to say about global warming
- Watch the Global Warming cartoon presented in An Inconvenient truth if you don’t have time to view the film.
Take Action:
- Easy as 1, 2, 3! — Commit to making three simple changes in your life to help stop global warming. Here’s just a few I found on the website:
- Switch to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use 60% less energy than a regular light bulb and can help reduce your electric bill!
- Turn your thermostat down 2° in the winter and up 2° in the summer. Check out the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy for more energy saving tips!
- Unplug electronics from the wall when you are not using them. Even when turned off appliances like hairdryers, cell phone chargers and TVs use energy!
Raise your voice — Join the Stop Global Warning March, a non-political effort bringing Americans together to declare that global warming is here now and it’s time to act.
