Global Warming

-Consequence of humans Carelessness

 Introduction

• Is the world getting warmer?

• If so, are the actions of mankind to blame for earth’s
temperature increases?
• What can/should be done about these issues?
 History of Earth’s Climate

• Earth formed ~4.6 billion years ago

• Originally very hot
• Sun’s energy output only 70% of present
• Liquid water present ~4.3 billion years
 History of Earth’s Climate

• Life appeared ~3.8 billion years ago

• Photosynthesis began 3.5-2.5 billion years ago
• Produced oxygen and removed carbon dioxide and methane
(greenhouse gases)
• Earth went through periods of cooling (“Snowball Earth”) and
warming
• Earth began cycles of glacial and interglacial periods ~3
million years ago
Sun
Greenhouse Effect
 Earth’s Atmospheric Gases
Nitrogen (N2)
Non-
Greenhouse
Gases
Oxygen (O2)
99%

Water (H2O)

Greenhouse
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Gases
1%
Methane (CH4)
The U.S. emits about 6.4 billion metric 6.4 billion metric tons
tons of greenhouse gases annually, 25% CO2/yr
of the world’s total.

These greenhouse gases last a

long time…

Carbon dioxide stays in the

atmosphere for approximately
100 years, methane lasts about
12 years. Other greenhouse
gases last even longer.

Warming begets more warming…

As these gases continue to raise surface
temperatures, they trigger the release of even
greater quantities of carbon dioxide and methane
that are currently trapped in frozen Arctic
permafrost and tundra soils, further increasing
temperatures.
A feedback mechanism ensues…
…potentially causing “runaway global warming”.
 Worldwide Carbon Emissions
8
Total
Carbon (109 metric tons)

7 Liquid fuel
6 Solid fuel
Gas fuel
5
4
3
2
1
0
1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
Year
 Annual Carbon Emissions
8
Annual carbon emissions
Carbon (109 metric tons)

Atmospheric CO2
6 Atmospheric CO2 average

0
1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
Year
 Future Carbon Dioxide Levels

• Increasing CO emissions, especially in China and

2
developing countries
• Likely to double within 150 years:
• Increased coal usage
• Increased natural gas usage
• Decreased petroleum usage (increased cost and decreasing
supply)
Households are Big Contributors to Climate Change

Of all U.S. greenhouse gas

emissions come from
households:

• Vehicles
• Home Heating
• Electricity
So how can each of us slow
global warming now?
 Reduce our consumption of fossil fuels

Because greenhouse gas emissions are tied very closely to our energy
consumption, using less fossil fuel based energy puts fewer greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere.

Mountaintop removal for

This will help slow global warming. coal mining near Rawl,
West Virginia.

50% of electricity in the

United States is produced
from coal.

(
 Average Electricity Emission
Factors

Region/State CO2 lb/kWh CO2 tons/MWh CO2 Metric tons/MWh CH4 lbs/MWh NO2 lbs/MWh
South Atlantic 1.35 0.674 0.612 0.0127 0.0207
North Carolina 1.24 0.621 0.563 0.0105 0.0203
Virginia 1.16 0.582 0.528 0.0137 0.0192
West Virginia 1.98 0.998 0.897 0.0137 0.0316
Kitchen Light Fixture

Three 60 Watt Bulbs

How much energy are those bulbs using?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Kilo wa tt
Wa tts
Wa tts Use d Wa tts ho urs /
Use d
(#3) x To ta l ho urs / ye a r
(Wa tta g e
Wa tta g e # of Ho urs use d ye a r (1000Wh =
x num b e r Ho urs/ d a y
o f the b ulb s b ulb s p e r da y (# 5 x 365 1kWh)
o f b u lb s) (#4)
d a ys) (d ivid e # 6
b y 1000)

(180 x 10) (1800 x 365) (640,800/ 10

(60 x 3) 00)
(Inc a nd e sc e nt
b ulb s)
3 640.8
60 W 10 h o u rs a 1800 640,800 kWh p e r
b ulb s 180 W
day Wh / d a y Wh / ye a r ye a r

54 x 10 197,100
(CFL b ulb s) 18 x3 540x365
18 W 3
10 hours a 197,100
1000
bulbs 540
day Wh/day
54 W Wh/day 197.1
kWh/yr
 3 BULB REPLACEMENTEMISSION a nd COST COMPARISON
INCANDESCENTvs. COMPACTFLUORESCENT

C o m p a c t Flu o re sc e n ts
Inc a n d e sc e n ts
(C FLs)
To ta l kWh fo r 3 b u lb (# 7 fro m
a b o ve )
640.8 kWh 197 kWh
C o st (kWh # 7 x $.18) $115.34 $35.46
C O 2 p ro d u c e d @ 1.16 lb s/ kWh 743.3 lb s 228.52 lb s
CO 2 no t e m itte d b y switc hing 3 b ulb s
514.8 lb s
(C O 2 o f in c a n d e sc e n ts - C O 2 o f C FLs)
Mo ne y sa ve d in e ne rg y
$79.88
(C o st in c a n d e sc e n ts - c o st o f C FLs)
 We can make some simple substitutions

Replacing just 1 incandescent light bulb with 1 compact

florescent bulb saves about 150 pounds of carbon
dioxide per year!

If every American household replaced just 5 high-use

incandescent bulbs with compact florescent lights we'd
collectively save more than $8 billion each year in energy costs
and we would prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the
emissions from nearly 10 million cars.

Source: http://www.energystar.gov
 Small changes really add up

Replace your old refrigerator Set your thermostat down a few

with a new Energy Star: degrees in the winter
Annual savings: Annual savings:
$90; 700 pounds CO2 $135; 1400 pounds CO2

Drive JUST 10 fewer miles per week

Annual savings:
$80; 520 pounds CO2

Reduce your garbage by 10%

Wash clothes in cold water only
through greater recycling or reduced
Annual savings:
packaging
$70; 500 pounds CO2
Annual savings:
1200 pounds CO2

Caulk and weather-strip around doors

and windows
Annual savings:
$80; 650 pounds CO2
*
These are mid-range estimates from
published sources; your savings may vary.
 Our take-home message…

Each of us must take steps to protect

our Earth's climate.