stonehill college global warming: learn what it is. learn what you can do. cheryl schnitzer

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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

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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. 285F. 850 F. 45 F. –46 F. Mercury. Venus. Earth. Mars. Sun. Venus has a stronger - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

TRANSCRIPT

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

Sun EarthVenusMercury Mars

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/venus.htm

850F 45F –46F

Venus has a stronger

natural greenhouse effect

than Earth

285F

UV, VIS, and IR Light Come In, Only IR Goes Out

Natural GHE: one blanket

Enhanced GHE: pile on more blankets, accumulate GHGs

Define

Global warming!

The Greenhouse Effect

Sun shines30% reflect back into space

70% absorbed

Earth’s surface warmed

Heat released by Earth

GHGs trap heat in atmosphere

Which gases are good “blankets” to trap IR light?

Not All Greenhouse Gases Are Created Equal

Sources of Carbon Dioxide

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/co2_human.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/08/070809-coal-arctic.html

Combustion Reaction:Hydrocarbon + O2(g) CO2 + H2O + Energy

http://www.fotosearch.com/DGT072/cb025748/

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

http://www.climatecrisis.org/

Increase number and intensity of hurricanes

Melting glaciers and permafrost

Heat waves more frequent and more intense

Droughts and wildfires more frequent

Global sea level rise

Predicted Shift in Wheat-Growing Region

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center

Global Peak Oil Production: 2005 – 2015

Compare CO2 emissions for…

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

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

http://www.terrapass.com/

Renewable Energy: Does Not Run Out or PolluteSources of U.S. electric power 1997

WASTEWASTE MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

RENEWABLERENEWABLE ENERGYENERGY

OCEANSOCEANS

CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION

AIRAIR QUALITYQUALITY

BIODIVERSITYBIODIVERSITY

POPULATIONPOPULATION

TRANSPORTATIONTRANSPORTATION

FOODFOOD

WATERWATER

CLIMATECLIMATE CHANGECHANGE

SUSTAINABILITYSUSTAINABILITY

Climate Change in Context of Sustainability

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/

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)

“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