Artifact 8

Throughout my research, I have found many sources that say an effective way to help fight against global warming is to plant more tress. This is because they absorb carbon dioxide which is the gas blamed for global warming. However I have found an article that talks abouts how a new computer simulation "indicates that establishing new forests across North America could provide a cooling effect for a few decades to a century, but that after that, they would lead to more warming." I found this article shocking considering other articles contradict the simulation.

"There's really no simple answer,'' said Ken Caldeira, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology in Stanford, California

Source citation-

"Trees May Be Bad for You.(Foreign Desk)(Brief Article)." The New York Times (Dec 8, 2005): A4(L). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Centennial High School (MD). 22 Jan. 2007 .

Artifact 7

In this article I found out a lot of interesting information on how to prevent or at least slow down global warming. For the past couple of years, the UN has been running programs to insist on lowering gas emissions of global warming gases. The way they plan on fighting back glabal warming by letting less fortunate countries sell credits to richer countries. The money that the less fortunate countries receive can go towards the building of specialized systems built byAgCert. The system collects methane gas from rotting pig manure farms in Mexico, Chile, and Brazil. Then burns it off or uses it to generate electricity. That will produce carbon dioxide which is a global warming gas, but it is far less harmful then methane gas. There are also other projects that are being tested to help slow down global warming. For example, there is a project that will try to generate electricity from rice husks in Cambodia. Also in Nepal scientists are trying to transform waste into cooking fuel.

Source citation-
Fisher, Daniel. "When Pigs Fly.(effects of global warming)." Forbes 178.12 (Dec 11, 2006): 62. Student Resource Center - Gold. Thomson Gale. Centennial High School (MD). 21 Jan. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IACDocuments&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A155053730&source=gale&srcprod=SRCG&userGroupName=elli29753&version=1.0.

Artifact 6

Global warming has many dangerous effects. That is why a question I had early in my research is what can we do to fight against global warming. It is important for us as humans to do whatever we can to do help fight against global warming. I found out through my research is that gardening is an effective way to help. Gardening is a simple task that can help a great deal. Below are some ways gardens help bring back a more balanced and natural life.

1. "Create a backyard wildlife habitat by turning a section of your lawn into fauna-friendly garden or wildflower meadow.

2. Start a rain garden. Set up a rain barrel; learn how to practice water conservation.

3. Plant a row for the hungry and donate the extra produce to your local shelter, soup kitchen, or food distribution center.

4. Encourage beautification in your town by entering your community in the annual America in Bloom contest.

5 Urge your municipality to plant rooftop gardens to lower indoor temperatures in summer and improve air quality year-round.

6. Join your Community Supported Agriculture program and purchase fresh seasonal produce while supporting local farmers. If there is no CSA nearby, shop at a farmers' market.

7. Be aware of what you put in the ground. Don't use arsenic-treated wood for outdoor projects, decks, and raised beds (try bricks or naturally pest-resistant cedar). Avoid using pesticides when possible.

8. Start gardens in your town. Whether they're in schools, hospitals, or dotted throughout neighborhoods, gardens benefit everyone.

9. Learn about plants native to your region through the Cooperative Extension Service, local botanical garden, or garden club, and cultivate them in your garden.

1O. Recycle. Start a compost pile for appropriate kitchen refuse, shredded leaves, and lawn clippings. Recycle plastic pots. Reuse plastic food containers for starting seeds."

Source Citation:

Loven, Zazel. "Make every day earth day: 10 easy things you can do to help the environment. (Landmark)." Country Living Gardener 11.2 (April 2003): 38(1). Student Resource Center - Gold. Thomson Gale. Centennial High School (MD). 21 Jan. 2007 .

Actifact 5

The reason why I wanted to do global warming as my social issue is because I have been hearing about it a lot currently in media. There has even been a movie produced to spread the word about the dangerous effects of global warming. This movie is called An Inconvenient Truth. An Inconvenient Truth is a look at former Vice President Al Gore's commitment to expose the myths and misconceptions about global warming. He goes accross the United States talking to people in order to inspire them to take actions to prevent it. Gore decided to do this after the United States experienced its worst storm season ever in 2005. Gore explains the dire situation with hard-hitting facts and future predictions. I found this movie to very informative about the extreme effects of global warming.

I found it very interesting to see how the media potrays global warming. In a way I was kind-of shocked. This is beacause I expected the media to embelish more and make global warming seem like the end of the world. However this movie gives straight and informative facts about global warming. I am very pleased to see the people like Al Gore who are using their fame to inspire the people of America to fight against and prevent global warming.

Source Citation-

An Inconvenient Truth. DVD. Rodale Press, May 26, 2006.

Artifact 4

As technology comtinues to revolutionize, hybrid cars have become much more popular. Many people believe that they will put an end to global warming. Hybrid cars are helping the environment by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas, that is distributed into the air. Hybrid cars use less gas because they have both an electric motor and a gas motor. The combination of these two help the car to get more miles out of each tank of gas. Many major car companies are producing them and designing newer models every year. "It's been a momentous year for cleaner vehicles (see "Getting There: A Guide to Planet-Friendly Cars," Consumer News, July/August 2004). DaimlerChrysler rolled out the first plug-in hybrid, albeit, as a test vehicle, and announced it would soon import the fuel-sipping Smart city car. Several more manufacturers, including Ford, added new hybrids to their fleets. And the race to bring a fuel-cell car to market is getting hotter, as Honda and General Motors unveiled the latest versions of their hydrogen prototypes."

Source Citation-
Motavalli, Jim. "Clean cars: the next generation.(hybrid vehicles )(Brief article)." E 17.6 (Nov-Dec 2006): 24(1). Student Resource Center - Gold. Thomson Gale. Centennial High School (MD). 19 Jan. 2007 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T003&prodId=IPS&docId=A156001712&source=gale&srcprod=SRCG&userGroupName=elli29753&version=1.0.

Artifact 3

Early in my research I wanted to find out what was causing global warming. Well I found out this information while looking at various global warming. One website in particular had all the information I was looking for. On this website it explains that "Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually."

Another thing I wanted to find out is what are the damages of global warming. According to this website "Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how global warming is affecting the planet, and many agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. Among these:

• Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages in the American West.
  
• Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, in Florida, and in other areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico.
  
• Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
  
• Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases.
  Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction."

I then wanted to find out what effects global warming has on the United States. Some examples are "in 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota."

Source citation-

Natural Resources Defense Council." Natural Resources Defense Council 9 January 2006. http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp 20 January 2006

Artifact 2

I found out in this article something interesting about global warming, which I didn't know. I found out that global warming isn't just melting ice burgs and things of that nature, but global warming "will stifle life-giving microscopic plants that live in the surface layer of the oceans".

This is a serious problem, because it has the potential to greatly decrease marine food production. This can also accelerate climate changes according to a study published in the science journal Nature.

One of the microscopic marine plants that are being affected is called Phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a major part of the marine food chain. That's not the only reason why they are important though. Phytoplankton also "takes more than 100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere".

I feel people need to be more informed about the how serious the effects global warming has on our earth. I also feel that people need to put more effort into quitting their bad habits that cause global warming. I'm afraid by the time people realize how bad the effects of global warming can be, it will be to late. No matter what race, religion, or sex orientation you are, we all have one thing in common, that is we all share this earth. That's why I want to know is why people can't put aside their differences and work together to save our earth. I would also like to know is how I can help fight global warming and how we can cut back on global warming pollution.

Peace

Source citation-

"Global warming will harm sea food chain, study says.(Science)(World in Brief)(Brief article)." Globe & Mail (Toronto, Canada) (Dec 7, 2006): A20. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Centennial High School (MD). 12 Dec. 2006 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T004&prodId=IPS&docId=A155621356&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=elli29753&version=1.0.