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Stonehill College Global Warming: Learn what it is. Learn what you can do. Cheryl Schnitzer Associate Professor Department of Chemistry. Climate Change. Average Temperatures of Planets. 285F. 850 F. 45 F. –46 F. Mercury. Venus. Earth. Mars. Sun. Venus has a stronger
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Stonehill College Global Warming: Learn what it is. Learn what you can do. Cheryl Schnitzer Associate Professor Department of Chemistry Climate Change
Average Temperatures of Planets 285F 850F 45F –46F Mercury Venus Earth Mars Sun Venus has a stronger natural greenhouse effect than Earth http://www.kidsastronomy.com/venus.htm
The Greenhouse Effect 30% reflect back into space NaturalGHE: one blanket EnhancedGHE: pile on more blankets, accumulate GHGs Define Global warming! Sun shines GHGs trap heat in atmosphere 70% absorbed Heat released by Earth Earth’s surface warmed
Sources of Carbon Dioxide Combustion Reaction: Hydrocarbon + O2(g) CO2 + H2O + Energy http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08/070809-coal-arctic.html http://www.fotosearch.com/DGT072/cb025748/ http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/co2_human.html
Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Photosynthesis dominates during warmer part of year 6 CO2 + 6 H2O → C6H12O6 + 6 O2
Reference: Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory http://www.bluehill.org/anntemp.gif
Some Effects of Climate Change Droughts and wildfires more frequent http://www.climatecrisis.org/
Predicted Shift in Wheat-Growing Region International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
2007 Toyota Prius Mileage: 60 mpg (city), 51 mpg (hway) Distance: 12,000 miles per year Fuel use: 216 gallons per year Emissions: 4,226 lbs CO2 per year Compare CO2 emissions for… http://www.terrapass.com/ 2007 Honda Odyssey Mileage: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (hway) Distance: 12,000 miles per year Fuel use: 558 gallons per year Emissions: 10,917 lbs CO2 per year
Renewable Energy: Does Not Run Out or Pollute Sources of U.S. electric power 1997
Find Your Place in a Sustainable Future Think Dennis the Menace Use compact fluorescent lights (60% less E) Plant trees (Vatican Climate Forest offset 2007) Reduce – Reuse – Recycle Use less hot water, less heat, less heat-drying http://www.blackle.com/
“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” President John F. Kennedy, May 25, 1961 Don’t Ask – DEMAND CHANGE “And I’m confident that America will fulfill the commitments that we have made: cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020, and by more than 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.” President Barach Obama, December 18, 2009 (Copenhagen)