Is Global Warming Real?

The temperature of the Earth fluctuates over centuries due to changes in the sun's distance and energy, as well as volcanic eruptions and meteor impacts that can cloud the atmosphere and block sunlight. Over time the Earth gets colder and warmer. In the last century we've warmed more than 1 degree, sea level has risen, and Arctic glaciers have continued to melt at rapid rates. All of this has occurred while Carbon Dioxide levels have increased due to human activities.  Note that each of us creates greenhouse gas emissions through transportation and energy use in our lives. You might try to connect only CO2 and the warming effects but it's not as simple as that. There are other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxides and there are short and long-term warmings around the globe from El Nino, sun cycles, and other phenomena. There's no one weather event that can be tied to any climate change.

When it comes to human activity it is not just Carbon Dioxide that influences climate. In recent research, scientists show that more than 25 percent of the increase in average global temperature between 1880 and 2002 may be due to soot contamination of snow and ice. Snow and ice that is contaminated with black carbon absorbs incoming solar radiation. More recently NASA has confirmed that the Antarctic is losing more ice than it gains from snowfall resulting in rising sea level.

NASA scientists have also found cirrus clouds, formed by contrails from aircraft engine exhaust, are capable of increasing average surface temperatures. Persisting contrails can spread into extensive cirrus clouds that tend to warm the Earth, because they reflect less sunlight than the amount of heat they trap. The balance between Earth's incoming sunlight and outgoing heat drives climate change.

Global temperatures are averages of temperature readings throughout the many nations both on land, in the oceans, and in the air. Satellites carry sensors that give us temperatures in remote locations and above the surface of the Earth but we did not have these precise instruments generations ago so that can make comparisons a little tricky as scientists have to rely on other records of temperature and air composition.

It is possible that natural processes will be able to counterbalance any warm-up or even reverse it but how long that would take is unknown. On the other hand, some computer models predict that a warm-up will continue on its own or even go out of control. The problem is that we have never experienced exactly what we are trying to figure out. Only time will give the true answer but that the best scientific minds believe warming, and rising oceans are a near certainty.

Watch Alan Sealls' three-part series on Global Warming along the Gulf Coast.
Part 1. What does it mean here? Local effects & hurricanes.
Part 2. Is Global Warming real, is it natural or is it us?
Part 3. 24 things you can do do reduce greenhouse gases.

There is no denying that the Earth is warming even though there is debate on causes of global warming. Debate is healthy when it is backed by research. The only questions are how fast and how long will we warm, and to what extent human activities cause warming. Do more research on climate change vs. changes in human activity...

• EPA Global Warming Site
• The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
• US Science Climate Change Program
• Union of Concerned Scientists Gulf Coast Change
• Climate Change FAQ from US Global Change Research Office
• NASA article on Effects of Deforestation
• American Meteorological Society Global Warming statement
• US Government Energy Usage Facts and Statistics
• World Climate Research Programme
• World Population Trends from the US Census
• American Physical Society World Energy Use Trends
• World Consumption Data from the United Nations
• Yale Forum on Climate Change and Media

Lighting:

• Only use lights when needed; maximize daylight. Lighting in your home can account for 15-20% of your electricity bill.
• When buying new lights, try choosing compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy to give the same amount of light. Also, these bulbs typically last up to 10 times longer than conventional bulbs.

• Do not set your air conditioner too low in the summer.
• Turn down the thermostat by 5 degrees during winter. Throw on an  extra blanket.
• Turn off heating 30 minutes before going out.
• Try not to install an air conditioner in direct sunlight.
• Weather strip doors and windows to prevent leaking air.
• Make sure the air filters are clean.

• Make sure your refrigerator is not set too cold.
• Do not open and close the refrigerator too often, it wastes electricity.
• Arrange food so that cold air can flow freely.
• Do not put hot/warm food into your refrigerator. Let the food cool to room temperature first.
• Thaw frozen food by placing it into the refrigerator the day before cooking.
• Do not block the cooling coils in the back of the refrigerator. Keep them clean as dust on the coils causes warming.
• Empty and turn off your refrigerator if you go on a long vacation.

• Convection ovens cost 35% less to run than a conventional electric oven.
• Microwave ovens are very energy-efficient when cooking small quantities of food.
• A pressure cooker saves over half the cooking time and saves energy.
• A slow-cool pot also uses less energy.
• Always use lids on pans to trap heat; this saves energy.
• Do not spend a long time pre-heating your oven. 10 minutes is usually more than enough time.

• Wait until you have a full load before washing. A small load uses the same amount of energy as a full load.
• Use a low temperature wash cycle, and don’t use too much detergent.
• A high-speed spin cycle saves energy in drying, especially if you also use a tumble dryer.
• Whenever possible, hang dry your clothes outside.
• Clean the lint filter before each load.
• Do not overload dryer. This blocks the airflow and drastically reduces dryer efficiency.
• Remove and fold or hang all items as soon as the dryer stops. This will prevent wrinkling and reduce your ironing needs.
• Iron all items in one session to avoid reheating the iron.
• Towel-dry your hair before using the blow dryer.

• Take a shower instead of a bath. This saves about 50% in water heating costs.
• Don’t leave hot water running when shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Use cold water when hot water is not necessary.
• Boil only as much water as you need.

• Plan your route before you leave.
• Avoid rush hour.
• Do not top off when refueling during the day in the summer.
• Form a carpool
• Keep vehicle properly maintained. A car with running problems leads to increased fuel costs and pollutes the environment.
• Avoid sudden accelerations.
• Think before buying a vehicle.
• Use vehicles air conditioning sparingly.
• Maintain correct tire pressure.

• Use handkerchiefs or dish towels. Paper towels and napkins create waste.
• Send unwanted toys, clothes, furniture to charity.
• Bring your own coffee mug to work, avoid paper cups.
• Purchase clothes that do not require bleaching.
• Actively recycle newspapers, aluminum cans, plastic bottles.
• Properly dispose of hazardous waste and electronics.