Environment and Climate Change

CFL's whats in them? I heard mercury is that true? If so I like LED's better.
Anybody out there know thw facts?

Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. For all of human history until about 300 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide. That’s a useful amount—without some CO2 and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in our atmosphere, our planet would be too cold for life on Earth. About 300 years ago the coal and oil age of human history began. Harnessing of coal, and later oil, drove the machines of the Industrial Revolution which eventually led to all the machines and industry surrounding us today. While the machines have brought some useful benefits, the use of oil and coal have harmful side effects that are threatening all our wellbeing.

One of the side effects is an increasing concentration of harmful gasses in the atmosphere. While CO2 is a natural byproduct of animals, its increasing concentration is damaging the natural ecological balance. The current concentration of atmospheric CO2 is 389 parts per million. Side effects include rising sea levels, melting glaciers, ocean acidification, and more severe weather. Returning to 350 parts per million (or less) is required posthaste.

350.org is organizing an international Day of Action. They are calling on people around the world to organize a 350 action for October 24 at an iconic place in their community and upload a photo of their event to 350.org website.

At a minimum a "350 action" is to simply gather a group of people, include the number 350, and upload photo's to 350.org. They suggest a variety of actions including teach-in's, inviting political leaders, organizing rallies, a trash cleanup, etc.

They have available resources for publicity or basic information to display during a 350 action.

It's well and good to have a day of gaining attention to an important issue such as this. What about long term change? On the site they discuss that it is an invitation to build a movement, and clearly they mean for some long term action in addition to the day of action on October 24. The web site doesn't say what the "movement" will be doing in the long term.

Here's an interesting report put together for the Global Humanitarian Forum, Geneva

http://ghfgeneva.org/Portals/0/pdfs/human_impact_report.pdf

It obviously draws from a lot of scientific studies but itself is a glossy report full of stories of individuals and the affects they see of climate change in their lives.

I think the thrust is that for most of us the impact of climate change is slow and rather silent. For example it's expected that by the end of this century (90 yrs from now) the place I live in today might be affected by rising sea level, depending on the amount of sea level rise and whether the SF Bay Area people are prescient enough to put up tall enough levees.

In some areas they're already seeing their homes and islands inundated by rising sea level, and the report has individual reports of several of these people.

The forum was held on June 23-24, 2009

It seems it was a precursor meeting to the Copenhagen meeting at which everybody's hopes are so high.

See: http://www.youtube.com/homeproject and http://www.home-2009.com/

GoodPlanet Fundation : http://www.goodplanet.org/en

We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth's climate. The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being. For this purpose, HOME needs to be free. A patron, the PPR Group, made this possible. EuropaCorp, the distributor, also pledged not to make any profit because Home is a non-profit film. HOME has been made for you : share it! And act for the planet.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, GoodPlanet Fundation President

TO DEBATE AND TAKE ACTION TOGETHER ON THE GOODPLANET FUNDATION FORUM : http://www.goodplanet.org/en

HOME is a carbon offset movie

Everybody walk!
Not sure we can change global warming and I do not buy into the politics that blame us for it. The Earth has been much hotter then this before and that was before the world was industrialized.
We can keep the air cleaner to breath however I am for that.

http://scienceblogs.com/sciencepunk/2009/03/is_being_green_a_religious_bel.php

more animals

Frosty the Coalman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3q6HeImpPs

Hi All,

Please read my article on Google knol, explaining that greenhouse gas abatement by riding an electric bicycle instead of driving an automobile can be extremely cost-effective. Driving a hybrid car costs the driver about $100 per ton of CO2 abated, but riding an electric bike saves the rider between $446 and $2332 per ton abated.

Muscle and motor input to output ratios are also compared. US food production, delivery and preparation costs about ten times more in primary energy than delivered and stored electricity. Riding a bicycle about 5 miles per day will result in less food consumption in an otherwise sedentary individual. Regularly bicycling more than 5 miles per day results in an increase in food consumption. An electric bike is faster than a pedaled bike or car for most urban trips. So, the electric bike is often the best personal transportation choice regarding sustainability, health, and performance.

Presentation format is graphically quantified and non-mathematical, but technical references are provided.
http://knol.google.com/k/jeff-radtke/energy-global-warming-and-electric/9h3f3kub8bcr/6#