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Climate Change has become integrated into our everyday vocabulary, from the mainstream
media to our dinner tables—it seems to be popping up everywhere. Stories of
severe weather events, from heat waves to floods,have been commonplace. There have
been arguments made suggesting that climate change is due to the natural cycle
of our planet—that the measurable temperature rise can simply be attributed
to a natural phase independent of human action; however, the most current scientific
studies contradict such notions. August 25th, 2009 The Los Angeles Times reported that the
U.S Chamber of Commerce is attempting to avoid federal emissions regulations–
The Environmental Protections
Agency (EPA) is having their science put on trial. The accountability of
climate change has become a matter for the courtroom. This trial marks a pivotal
point, as climate change has become both a legal and economic issue, rather than
a theoretical school of thought.
The EPA is incorporating
cutting edge scientific information and expertise into their defense over who’s
to blame; however, for the rest of us, they also provide the basics—without
the scientific jargon.
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The EPA is incorporating
cutting edge scientific information and expertise into their defense over who’s
to blame; however, for the rest of us, they also provide the basics—without
the scientific jargon.
As previously mentioned, the cause of climate change can be broken down into two
main categories: natural causes, and man-made or anthropogenic causes.
Natural Causes
Natural factors external to the climate system have the ability to affect climate.
The earth’s orbit around the sun, volcanic activity, and solar output can
play a part. Internal changes such as variations in ocean currents have the ability
to influence the earth’s climate system for large periods of time. However,
these are naturally occurring.
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Anthropogenic Causes
That’s right, us. We’re all guilty. Human activities like the burning
of fossil fuels, the clear-cutting of our forests and an agriculture boom have all
contributed to the problem. Combustion of fossil fuels (think oil, natural gas,
and coal), and the way in which we practice land use has a continuing impact on
climate change.
The amount of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere has increased as a result of
human activity—amplifying the impact of the natural greenhouse effect.
This amplification of the greenhouse effect is by far the most concerning issue.
It is causing the planet to warm
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at a rate that has never been experienced in human history. This is why you hear
of the polar ice caps melting, climatic zones shifting, and sea levels rising.
Climate change is no longer a trendy political topic for you to discuss next time
you meet someone for coffee. It’s the most important issue facing our planet,
and with it will come severe consequences. We must start acknowledging the impact
we are having on our planet.
Though many of us are aware and understanding of this concern on a global scale,
we fail to recognize the impact we have as individuals. Have you ever considered
the fact that using the Internet, the power that is involved in performing a search
or streaming a video actually contributes to the problem?
LimeGreen Earth is committed to offsetting the carbon footprint of the internet.
One email, one search, one stream at a time. To learn how to start reducing your CO2 foot print click here,
and start contributing to a greener tomorrow.
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