WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE?

AUGUST 2016 SUMMER RETREATPRESENTED BY: LIZA TÓTH

PREPARED BY: JULIE WORNAN

LIZA TOTHHANS JOERGEN RASMUSSEN

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:I. Information

1. What is Climate Change?

2. What are the reasons for Climate Change?

3. Why is it happening?

4. How dangerous is it – really?

II. Activism

1. What can be done about it?

2. Who can and will do it?

3. How can each of us help?

4. How important is it that we actually do it?

Please write down your personal answers to the first question set, so we can share them before we start the presentation.

WHAT IS WEATHER?

• IS IT WARM OR COLD TODAY, RAINY OR DRY, SUNNY OR CLOUDY, STORMY OR CALM?

• THAT’S THE WEATHER – IN ONE PLACE, AT ONE TIME.

CLIMATE IS THE AVERAGE OF THE WEATHER IN A CERTAIN PLACE.

The “global climate” is the average climate all over the world.

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OVER THE WHOLE WORLD IS GETTING WARMER.

THIS IS “GLOBAL WARMING.”

WE HAVE MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.

HEAT WAVES:

DROUGHTS.

STORMS …

… AND FLOODS.

• BUT … WHY?

THE MAIN CAUSE IS MORE GREENHOUSE GAS IN THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE.

A GREENHOUSE KEEPS PLANTS WARM.

SOME GASES, CALLED “GREENHOUSE GASES”, DO THE SAME THING FOR

OUR PLANET.• SUNLIGHT PASSES

THROUGH OUR ATMOSPHERE.

• SOME IS REFLECTED BACK INTO SPACE.

• SOME TOUCHES THE GROUND AND BECOMES HEAT.

• GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE TRAP SOME OF THE HEAT.

THE MORE GREENHOUSE GAS THERE IS, THE WARMER THE

EARTH BECOMES.BUT WHAT ARE THE GREENHOUSE GASES AND WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?

CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) AND METHANE (CH4)

Methane doesn’t stay in the atmosphere as long as CO2, but it absorbs heat more effectively. It causes about a quarter as much global warming as CO2.

WE’RE PUTTING CO2 INTO THE AIR:

WHEN WE BURN COAL TO HEAT OUR HOMES OR MAKE ELECTRICITY

WHEN OUR CAR ENGINES BURN PETROL

WHEN WE BURN NATURAL GAS TO COOK OUR FOOD (OR MAKE ELECTRICITY OR HEAT OUR HOMES)

WE’RE ALSO PUTTING METHANE INTO THE AIR:

METHANE GETS INTO THE AIR:

• FROM CATTLE RAISED FOR MEAT OR FOR MILK

• FROM THE EXTRACTION AND TRANSPORTATION OF FOSSIL FUELS

• FROM LANDFILLS

MORE AND MORE…• BECAUSE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE COME INTO

THE WORLD AND THEY WANT MORE AND MORE THINGS WHICH ARE MADE IN FACTORIES AND MOVED ALONG THE ROADS IN TRUCKS.

BUT IS IT REALLY SO VERY DANGEROUS? YES, UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS.

ICE NEAR THE NORTH AND SOUTH POLES IS MELTING AND POURING WATER INTO THE SEA. Sea levels are rising.

TOO MUCH HEAT CAUSES DROUGHTS. CROPS DON’T GROW.  PEOPLE GO

HUNGRY.

BUT, ARE WE SURE THIS IS HAPPENING?

• YES, SCIENTISTS CAN MEASURE THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE AND THE CONCENTRATION OF CO2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE, NOW AND IN THE PAST.

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:I. Information

1. What is Climate Change?

2. What are the reasons for Climate Change?

3. Why is it happening?

4. How dangerous is it – really?

II. Activism

1. What can be done about it?

2. Who can and will do it?

3. How can each of us help?

4. How important is it that we actually do it?

Please write down your personal answers to the second question set, so we can share them.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING?

WE NEED TO CUT DOWN ON BURNING COAL, PETROL AND NATURAL GAS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. PARTICULARLY

COAL.

WE NEED TO USE CLEAN SOURCES OF ENERGY THAT DON’T GIVE OFF CO2.

USING LESS ENERGY CAN ALSO HELP.MAYBE YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE INSTEAD OF A CAR?

PLANTING TREES HELPS REMOVING CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE

HERE IS A SHORT FILM THAT SUMMARIZES MUCH OF WHAT

WE’VE DISCUSSED TODAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv7OHfpIRfU

Click image or link below to see the film:

NOW I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.

• KNOWING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, THINKING ABOUT IT, TALKING ABOUT IT, LEARNING MORE… THESE ARE THE FIRST STEPS TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM.

• IT’S A TOUGH ONE BUT IT CAN BE SOLVED!