Global Warming
Bill Scroggins
College of the Sequoias
October 25, 2006
Global Warming is a FACT
Mean global temperature has increased
over 1°F in the last century
Global Warming is a FACT
Mean sea levels have increased 10 to 25
centimeters in the last century
Global Warming is a FACT
Even bathing suits prove the point!
What CAUSES Global Warming?
• FACT: Carbon Dioxide levels have risen
• THEORY: CO2 causes global warming
through the “Greenhouse Effect”
“Greenhouse Gases” trap heat in
the Earth’s atmosphere
Sources of Greenhouse Gases
No Effect Greenhouse Effect
Water Carbon Dioxide, CO2
H2O burning of carbon-based fuels
Nitrogen Nitrous Oxide, N2O
N2 agricultural soils & manure/sewage decay
Oxygen Methane (Natural Gas), CH4
O2 coal, gas, landfills & enteric
fermentation (cow farts)
Bad Things COULD Happen
Lowland flooding due to sea levels rising
These scenarios
are from the UN
sponsored report
by the
Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC)
predicting sea level
rises of between 13
and 94 cm
Bad Things COULD Happen
Continuing
global
temperature
increases.
Projections
from the
IPCC vary
from 1°C to
5°C over the
next century.
But WILL Bad Things Happen?
Studies show that there is not enough oil and
gas on Earth to produce the CO2 levels
necessary for the worst-case IPCC scenario
CAN We Reduce CO2 Emissions?
MOST CO2 comes from producing energy
Very Little Comes from Agriculture
CAN We Reduce CO2 Emissions?
Our hunger for fossil fuels is insatiable
Should We Deny It and Curse the Sky?
Or Depend on New Technology?
There ARE Practical Solutions
• Protect forests
• Enhance carbon
sinks (ocean,
soils)
• Reduce fossil
fuels
• Increase
alternate energy
sources
And Don’t Over React