Monday, May 25, 2009

Global Warming and ecological decline - Task7



The global warming is a new expression which means the increase in the average temperature of the Earth.
To address this matter we should go back to the source; many scientists attribute these phenomena to the excessive industrial waste of carbon dioxide emissions.
Most of the scientists do agree that there is mounting evidence which continues to accumulate that Carbon dioxide or CO2 from fuel burning is causing interference in the earth’s climate, resulting in the earth’s temperature rising, according to their latest studies.( http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/glossary/index.html).
They found that some of the glaciers with ice thousands of years old are disappearing and melting at an alarming pace and the average temperature of the earth is rising with what they refer to it as the Greenhouse Effect, which traps heat in the lower part of the earth’s atmosphere, causing the temperature to rise (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4315968.stm)
Normally earth receives energy from the sun in the form of radiation; earth in return reflects about 30% of the incoming solar radiation. The remaining 70% is absorbed, warming the land and the ocean.
For the earth's temperature to be steady the earth does not fluctuate rapidly between hot and cool. Therefore, any changes in the 30% or the 70% range will have a great effect on the balance of nature. (http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/environment/?gclid=CIv_4vTxzJoCFYV_3god6H_0RQ)
The scientists’ studies attribute the earth getting hotter to excess carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which will result in disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods becoming more frequent as it was noticed in the last 100 years; because the average temperature of the air near the earth's surface has risen a little less than 1 degree Celsius according to the latest data.
This rapid increase in the earth temperature is man-made, not caused by a natural fluctuation of the earth’s climate due to the solar cycles and natural climate changes.
So it's up to all of us to extend a helping hand to our earth which is the only place in the universe so far we could survive, by reducing our carbon dioxide emissions, growing more trees and not destroying our forests.



Bibliography:
1-
http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/Gl/Global+Warming.html
2-
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/environment/?gclid=CIv_4vTxzJoCFYV_3god6H_0RQ
3-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4315968.stm
4-
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/bcairquality/glossary/index.html
.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Task6: Cool Cities



The industrial revolution began in the seventeenth century but there have been some problems associated with economic development. Some of these problems are the rise in population, increase in energy consumption, which usually leads to the increase in carbon dioxide emissions to the air, and traffic delays. If we don’t solve these problems we will need another planet to live in. So we need to decrease the carbon dioxide emissions by 50% to be safe.
Almost all of the carbon dioxide emissions are coming from buildings and transportation which form around 90%. Nowadays technology built for us buildings that will reduce 50% of the carbon dioxide in the air and the residential buildings will reduce 30%. These buildings are Cool Cities; Cool Cities are built by Japan. There are three types of transportation that will be used in the Cool City, like hybrid cars, water taxis and light rail. Business, Cultural and Residential are the various zones in the city. There are some techniques that will reduce heat by water, trees and roof membranes.

In my opinion, this idea is the best or the good to decrease the pollution and to decrease the carbon dioxide. Also this city will be the best place for living specially because this place has a good atmosphere which is created by using cold water and fresh air from trees and plants.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

My carbon footprint



After searching in http://footprint.wwf.org.uk/ and measuring my footprint, I find my carbon footprint is 5.40 earths.
Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouses gases which we are making every day in our life. From measuring my footprint I got the highest rate between my friends in the class, and they all have the same rate with the average of 3.0 to 4.0. And also everybody in this world has his own carbon footprint which he is responsible for. By the way the UAE has the highest number in the carbon footprint per person in the world even though it is a small country. I don’t know how to decrease my footprint rate but I think that I am living as a normal person; even if I try to decrease my footprint there will be the other people who don’t care about global warming . On other hand I will describe each point about my carbon foot print.
First travelling: I travel a lot between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain or Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I think that traveling between countries once every 2 years is a good thing and I don’t have to do anything about it. On the other hand I don’t use the bus or train or any public transport because I have my own car and it is very fast and very strong. Speaking about my car, I use my car more than 10 hours every day because I like to visit new places in my country and you can’t keep me in my house at the week-end.
Second Food: am not sure about my eating habits if it’s healthy or not, but I like what to eat. I eat meat every day because I love to eat it and I hate vegetables specially salad.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

An inconvenient truth review- Task 4

 A Favorable Review:
Helen OHara, http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/ReviewComplete.asp?FID=134187, says that this movie was amazing because,
1- This movie was far from being boring or being dry by making some jokes and showing beautiful picture about the nature and terrifying pictures of melting glaciers and disappearing forests.
2- Al Gore manual sets piece by piece, builds the concepts and conclusions in very clearly. It also highlights the vast gap between the scientific community and the acceptance of the theory of global warming.
3- Al Gore presents his movie to save the planet from the global warming.
4- Al Gore offers some ways to avoid the phenomenon in the future at the end of the movie.
 An Unfavorable Review:
Scott Nash, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author/author-9329/, criticizes the movie because,
1- It is more about Al Gore than climate change or global warming.
2- Al Gore was playing with people’s is emotions by telling them about his sister’s lung cancer.
3- It makes political jokes against Bush and other Republicans.
4- Al Gore should use scientific evidence about the global warming not to ridicule Bush and other Republicans.
5- This film is used just for making Al Gore famous by showing people that he cares about them and he wants the best for humankind.
 My opinion.
I think that this movie has a positive thing like it reminded us about the danger of the global warming and how we can avoid it dangers. Also it has bad or unfavorable things like making jokes against Republicans and trying to be famous by telling stories about himself.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Task3: An inconvenient truth


This movie is showing about the global warming and what would happen if we don’t do anything to stop it. This movie is presented by Mr. Al Gore who was going to be the president of the USA. Mr. Al Gore shows to us the global warming problems is professional way. He explains the global warming problems by using new ways that make people focus to him, like graphs, animation and scientific evidence.
In this movie you will see that global warming will affect our life and other creatures, like the polar bear will become extinct if the temperature continues to rise and the polar ice melts. Also many countries and islands will disappear because of the high level of water. Mr. Al Gore said that we can solve these problems by using natural resources and many other things that will stop or reduce the global warming. At the end, it is our choice to stop the global warming.