Global Warming, No more reefs in 20 years

[asilefx]

Has anyone seen "An Inconvenient Truth"?

Anyone have any ideas?

I'm going to start a non-profit org to help in the effort. I plan on visiting with city officials in the area to work out some city wide strategies.

We need to do something about Global Warming NOW.
We have 20 years to FIX the problem.

If not, our oceans are going to die, and the rest of our planet.

Our current governments are not helping the effort, as the people of this world we need to do something.

Even simple things can help. Switch out your home lights with energy efficient ones. And get your friends and family to do the same.
Obviously our reef lights must stay the same, but we can still make a difference.

Plan some trees, in the spring we will be filling up the whole yard with trees. I also plan on giving trees as gifts to people.

If you can afford it, get a solar panel, or a couple of panels.

Form your own org and get gov grants, then you can buy tons of solar panels.

I don't know about you, but I don't wan't to look back at my life and see the chaos of the world around me, and know that I did nothing.

I want to see the world alive.


If you have questions please contact me, the org isn't setup yet so I'm using my current company for communication, nick@asilefx.com

If we don't do something the only part of our reefs left, will be what is in our own tanks. Unless of course you are at sea level...

20 years is not a lot of time.

[milesm4]

One cheap way to get some trees and spread the word is to join the National Arbor Day foundation. You pay ten bucks to join and get ten trees free! They aren't big but it's a good activity if you have a young one around or just want to help reduce C02.
The National Arbor Day Foundation

[milesm4]

Oh and I agree with you every little bit helps there is a lot of people and if everyone chips in we can get a lot done.

[coral reefer]

The problem is all of the pollutants, toxins and chemicals that are being disbursed into our environment that are breaking down our ozone layer. There are holes in it already and they continue to get larger due to our stupidity and the suns rays just keep becoming more intense as evident by the warmer temps in our reefs and the melting of our glaciers in the north and south poles.

[Tangster]

All I can say is Al Gore and his Side Kick Billy the cigar man Clinton had 8yrs and they never said much about all this problem and did even less . OK who's willing to give up there Car and Job First here ? There are just as many experts saying its a natural weather cycle and its happened before and it will happen again.. Who knows ? But why should the USA foot this entire bill ? Europe Canada Mexico never step up.. I was in the HVAC business for yrs and all this expenses we where put to for fluorocarbons in Freon and the rest of the world could care less .. Hell in 20 more yrs we all may be gone if the wrong people get their hand on a Nuke!

[dragonflylures]

I wouldn't agree "the sky is falling" as the only way these research companies get money and government grants is if they say the doom and gloom otherwise there is nothing to research. The globe goes through temperature changes naturally (how much we have done could be debated forever). We've had ice ages and they have found t-rex bones in North Dakota which means it was once a tropical climate (it's 15 below right now). A one degree temperature change? The temp changes more than that while I sit at a stop light --- could humans do better? Sure but here were some of the top tips from one of the tree hugger sites were:

1. Bury your car
2. Cut the eletrical cord to your house
3. etc
4. don't remember

So who's going first? oh.... how do all these tree huggers get from place to place to protest? Its kind of like the vice president of PETA saying no animal testing until she got diabetes and then it was ok because she was more important as she could help more animals in her position of "power".

I guess bottom line -- I hate tree huggers but I still love nature and animals and I believe in conservation.
Ok I'll stop.

[Matt Rogers]

Ok.. everyone here has made real good points. I mean that. I do agree with the last couple and the first in several ways.

But let's be careful, I don't want this to turn into a political firestorm. An unwritten rule here in the bucket is 'no politics.' I think I will write that on the description now. Political discussions usually always go bad unfortunately.

Thanks.. this discussion certainly should continue, I just wanted to make this point.

[JohnO]

Originally Posted by Matt Rogers

Ok.. everyone here has made real good points. I mean that. I do agree with the last couple and the first in several ways.

But let's be careful, I don't want this to turn into a political firestorm. An unwritten rule here in the bucket is 'no politics.' I think I will write that on the description now. Political discussions usually always go bad unfortunately.

Thanks.. this discussion certainly should continue, I just wanted to make this point.

Ahhhemm, DITTO!

John

[bouraganes]

There is real evidence that all these occurances are part of an natural cycle but I agree that we need more envioremently safe vehicles as I would like the world to be a nice place for my great, great grand kids. I wouldn't however line up with eco terrorists or the Al Gores of this world who want to eliminate automobiles , electricty and push civilization back one hundred years- the cost would be enourmous calculated in human lives as well as economic disaster- we need to put our heads togeather and do what America does best- come up with new and inovative ideas on eco friendly technology-

[philip_r5]

I highly believe in this and actually gave a speech in my college on it. The following are my notes while I was speaking.

Philip Rumble

Global Warming Speech

Many natural cycles we depend on for our health and livelihood are changing.

Global warming is just part of one of the earth's natural cycles.

The global warming we are experiencing is not natural.

The most respected scientific organizations have stated unequivocally that global warming is happening, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests.

Scientists have shown that these activities are pumping far more carbon dioxide (C02) into the atmosphere than was ever released in hundreds of thousands of years. This buildup of CO2 is the biggest cause of global warming. (IPCC 2001) Since 1895, scientists have known that CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap heat and warm the earth. As the warming has intensified over the past three decades, scientific scrutiny has increased along with it. Scientists have considered and ruled out other natural explanations such as sunlight, volcanic eruptions and cosmic rays.

Though natural amounts of CO2 vary from 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm), today's CO2 levels are around 380 ppm.

That's 25% more than the highest natural levels, looking back 650,000 years. Increased CO2 levels have corresponded with higher average temperatures throughout that long record.


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Burning fossil fuels to power our homes and run our cars creates global warming pollution. Big and small changes can add up and make a real difference in the fight against global warming.

Any Serious Dieter knows that you’ve got to count calories. If were serious about fighting global warming, we have to start counting “ carbs,” as in carbon dioxide. That’s one of the main ingredients causing global warming.

So here is your chance to start on a “low carbon” diet. And remember: saving energy isn’t just good for the planet. It’s also good for your pocket book.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Inside the House

Air Leaks: Check for place where air may be leaking out of your home, causing drafts. You can increase your energy efficiency as much as 30 percent simply by plugging air leaks.

Inadequate Insulation: Check in attics, around pipes and ductwork, and under the flooring on the ground floor if you have an unheated basement.

Hot Water Heaters
Insulate the pipes that carry hot water throughout your home. If your water heater is more then five years old, wrap it in an insulating jacket. And turn down the thermostat if it’s set higher then 120 degrees.

Cooking
Microwave ovens reduce energy use by about 2.3 compared with conventional ovens, because they cook foods faster.
Light Bulbs

Perhaps the quickest and easiest way to begin saving energy at home is by replacing standard light bulbs with new compact fluorescent bulbs. They cost slightly more than regular light bulbs, but they save money over time because they last up to 13times longer.

Appliances and Electronics
Run full loads when washing clothes. Wash in cold or warm water, not hot. Only run the dishwasher when there is a full load. Turn off your computer monitor when you won’t be using if for at least 20 minutes. Finally, look for that energy star label on many types of appliances.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

On the Road
One of the biggest ways to reduce global warming a san individual is by choosing to drive more fuel-efficient vehicles. Driving a high-mileage car not only saves you money, it makes a real difference in reducing emissions. And once you have bought that fuel-efficient vehicle, there are still many other “low carbon” ways to improve your fuel economy through better driving habits.

Behind the Wheel
Aggressive driving not only reduces fuel economy, it increase stress and causes accidents too. So slow down and drive less aggressively. Also, try to accelerate and decelerate smoothly and gradually. A jackrabbit start consumes up to 50 percent more fuel than slow, steady acceleration.

Parking
Just park it. And keep it there. If you’re going to several stores in the same strip mall, don’t move your car. Walk. In summer, park in the shade. Use windshield shades to keep summer heat from baking your car and to help keep frost away in the winter.

Shopping Trips
For starters, walk, ride a bike or take the train when your car isn’t needed. Combine trips to the store with other errands. Plan trips to avoid rush hour. Or try buying in bulk when shopping, instead of making frequent smaller trips. You’ll save time, energy and money.

Maintenance
Check your tires. Keep wheels aligned and tires properly inflated. And keep that engine tuned. You’ll save up to 165 gallons of gas per year by minding those spark plugs, oxygen sensors, air filters, hoses, and belts.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Global warming happens because gases emitted by power plants and cars trap heat inside our atmosphere. Large-scale solutions are necessary, such as switching to cleaner energy sources. But there are also dozens of things each on of us can do, right now, to begin making a difference. So before you do something make sure you think about it. See if there is an easy way to do it, saving the Planet from Global Warming.