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A Little Bit about the Atmosphere

A Little Bit about the Atmosphere. Dr. Ron Lembke. Sun sends UV? Infrared – show on spectrum. CO 2 collects in Troposphere Ozone O 3 layer – absorbs ultraviolet radiation from sun. Van Allen Radiation Belts. Magnetic field of Earth creates radiation belts.

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A Little Bit about the Atmosphere

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  1. A Little Bit about the Atmosphere Dr. Ron Lembke

  2. Sun sends UV? Infrared – show on spectrum

  3. CO2 collects in Troposphere • Ozone O3 layer – absorbs ultraviolet radiation from sun

  4. Van Allen Radiation Belts Magnetic field of Earth creates radiation belts. These protect us from particles flying at Earth via solar wind (stream of ionized gases at 400 km/sec)

  5. This is Not New Frank Capra, 1958

  6. Warming vs. Cooling • Find the Pie chart ~ 30% cooling

  7. “The Myth of The 1970s Global Cooling Scientific Consensus,” Thomas C. Peterson, William M. Connelly, and John Fleck, American Meteorological Society, Sept. 2008, p. 1235

  8. Global Weirding • In the US, it’s a political issue, so there must be two sides? • CO2 • 280 ppm for human history • Last 250 years up to 384 ppm – where we are now • Milankovich Cycles (pp 117-8): • Earth’s orbit not circular, 100,000 year cycle • Tilted axisshifts: 40,000 year cycle • Plane of orbit relative to sun: 21,000 year cycle • Seems unlikely

  9. Atmospheric CO2ppmMauna Loa Observatory Data: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Graph: Ron Lembke, 1/12/2010

  10. Carbon Cycle • 3.2 billion metric tons of carbon added to atmosphere annually from human activities

  11. Sources of GHG • Agriculture represents 25% • Cars and transport? http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html

  12. Increased emissions from Both industrial and developing world Carbon Intensity by Region, 2001-2025(Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent per Million $1997)

  13. Climate Models • We’re at 384 ppm • 450 ppm would be 2°C increase • 550 ppm would lead to 3° C increase • Used to be target • Pests not killed by freezes • Ice sheets melting faster than predicted • Oceans more acidic than thought • 350? Really hard

  14. GreenHouse Gasses • Methane = 23x CO2 • CO2 lasts for thousands of years

  15. Same Guy? • 1. Yes, I think the globe has warmed a bit! Approximately 0.74 degree Celsius (+/- 0.18 degree) in the past 100 years. • Yes, I think that man might be responsible for some part of that warming, although I’m not 100 percent convinced of how much • The cost of generating power from wind has dropped by 60 percent since 1990, and power from the first solar cells in satellites is now 98.7 cheaper than when it was introduced. • These technologies will be adopted by the world when - and only when-- they make economic sense, not when we have to depend on countries like Russia and China to be virtuous. Sure, our government can help in the form of tax breaks and incentives, but capitalism is already well on its way to solving this problem itself.

  16. Rupert Murdoch • Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction. • We must transform the way we use energy, and of course not only because of climate change... • When I look around the world today, I see continued dependence on oil from vulnerable regions... and oil money going to leaders of countries hostile to us. Then there's accelerating development in China, India and other developing economies that are reliant on fossil fuels.

  17. Rupert Murdoch • News Corp. owns Fox. • “Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats” and that “We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can’t afford the risk of inaction.” • Rupert Murdoch, May 9, 2007 • James Murdoch, heir apparent • “Thanks to friendships with Al Gore and Bill Clinton, he has developed deep green instincts,” • London Telegraph • Wife Kathryn Hufschmid works for Clinton Climate Initiative

  18. Asked if climate change was a current or imminent threat, 83% of Britons agreed, with just 14% saying global warming poses no threat. Compared with August 2009, when the same question was asked, opinion remained steady • An analysis of those who think climate change poses no threat reveals them to be predominantly men (70%) and about twice as likely to be over 65 and to have voted Conservative in 2010 than the general population. • In 2007, the UN's science panel collated the work of thousands of scientists to conclude that the link between the emission of greenhouse gases by human activities and climate change was 90% certain.

  19. Corporate Social Responsibility • GE – Frank Mantero, Director Corporate Citizenship Programs • Audited, like financial statements • 40% of value based on reputation • It’s not “giving” back – it’s a partnership • Wal-Mart • Sustainable Supply Chain • “We’re making money at this”

  20. Corporate Reporting

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