Global Warming

Global warming is by far the greatest threat to the human race so why has it taken so long for society as a whole to react to this. Global warming is by no means a new phenomenon. In 2006 the release of "An Inconvenient truth" brought this concerning issue to the attention of the masses but what are the origins of this theory.

The theory of global warming first started in 1896 when Svante Arrhenius, a Swedish scientist, claimed that an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, from burning fossil fuels, would in turn lead to a rise in the atmospheric temperature. He hypothesised that doubling the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would lead to a 5 degree Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) rise in global temperature. However this was quickly forgotten as many other scientists believed human influence was insignificant when compared to natural events such as ocean currents and solar activity.

In the 1940's and 1950's further research on global warming and CO2 concentration was conducted. It was confirmed that CO2 was able to absorb larger amounts of solar radiation than other atmospheric gases. However CO2 has a limited atmospheric life, around 10 years, before it is absorbed into the ocean so scientists believed that the ocean would absorb all of the generated CO2, which would prevent global warming.

In the 1980's a shape incline of global mean temperatures began to be observed prompting fears of a new ice age, the ultimate result of global warming. In 1988 the theory was officially labelled "The Greenhouse Effect" and efforts were made to reverse the effects.

However, some scientists were not convinced that the data was recorded in the correct manner and that this model of global temperature neglected the oceans. It is therefore still disputed by some scientists.

The fact that CO2 has increased 35% since the beginning of the industrial age and that that CO2 will cause the atmosphere to retain more solar radiation guaranties there will be a rise in global temperatures.

One of the Major factors delaying crucial action on global warming is the effect it may have on the economy. If the cost of doing business rises due to pollution prevention measures it is obvious that this will have an adverse effect on the economy.

Economists believe it will have a massive effect on industrial businesses, causing the loss of jobs and a downturn in the economy. It is this trade-off which is allowing governments to continue to procrastinate on the issue of global warming as economic concerns are of a more immediate impact to voters. They do not consider that having a thriving economy will seem little consolation when the planet is in the grips of another ice age.

The statistical economic costs of global warming are varied but average estimates are around US$43/tonne of carbon dioxide. It is also stated in the "Stern Review" that 1% of the global GDP, if committed to global warming, would potentially prevent a 20% loss of global GDP in the future. Thus a small investment in our future now would save us a great deal in the future.

There are many smal things you can do around the house like turning of lights etc but these have been covered and are really just common sense. What I wish to discuss is those things you can do that will have a large impact and may also save you money.

Solar Panels
Running your home on solar panels is most definitely possible and is not out of reach for any common household. The initial investment will pay itself off in no-time through energy cost savings. It is even possible to make your own solar panels from scratch.

Run Your Car On Water

Many people would scoff at the idea of running a car on water but it is very possible. The water is used as a supplement to ordinary car fuel. The water is effectively transformed into a fuel boosting chemical (HHO)through subjecting it to an electric field. Whilst a car won't run on water alone it will greatly increase it's fuel efficiency.

Wind Power

It is also possible to install small "windmills" in your yard to power your home. If you live in a windy area this form of power generation can be extremely efficient. It is effectively a small version of the giant windfarms you may have seen.

More Ideas

I will be adding new ideas from time to time as I discover them.