solar panels : global warming

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solar panels : global warming - "Glaciers Melting is an Effect of Global Warming"By: Richard Whiteford
As scientists observe Greenland’s melting ice, they witnessed over 54 cubic miles disappear in 2005. One glacier, the Galloping Glacier, melts more water in one day than New York City consumes in a year and has receded nine miles in five years. Anyone still denying global warming is as foolish as Iraqi’s Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf (aka Baghdad Bob) when he bellowed over Iraqi television news, “there are no American’s in Baghdad” after American troupes seized Saddam International Airport and were speeding into downtown Baghdad. The cinching evidence is ice core records that reflect both CO2 and temperature levels back 650,000 years. In that time CO2 never went over 280 parts per million (PPM). But, since the dawn of the industrial revolution CO2 levels sharply increased to 383 PPM today. Every puff from a smoke stack and put from a combustion engine contributes to the 70 million tons of CO2 that humans pump into the atmosphere every 24 hours. When CO2 reaches 450 PPM many life-forms may cease to survive. This could include us. CO2 levels have been rising by 2 PPM per year putting the life-threatening 450 PPM level around 33 years away; but this rate is accelerating. Nobody likes doom and gloom messages, but this dire prognosis is real. Our only hope for reducing its imminent impact is to launch an effort equivalent to the Manhattan Project to drastically cut CO2 levels as soon as possible. Not next year, but right now - today. Considering this, you would think there would be a mad rush to save our selves, but it’s not happening. Instead, mothers transport children in gas guzzling vehicles sealing their fates promoting rising temperatures. Developers continue building houses in remote areas increasing auto dependency. The list goes on. A Global Warming Manhattan Project effort would look something like this: Cities, boroughs, shopping malls, auto dealerships, and corporate centers would be required to turn off all buildings lights (except for emergency lights) at night. This would make an immediate and huge reduction in CO2 emissions. A residual benefit would be energy bill savings and seeing the tapestry of stars in the night sky again.Huge cuts in CO2 can come from changing landscaping and lawn care practices. Universities, corporate centers, housing developments, churches, school districts, hospitals, and many municipalities maintain vast acres of lawn. One gallon of gas emits 20 lbs. of CO2 into the atmosphere that destroys the environment for over 150 years. By converting lawns to native flower gardens and trees, you not only cut CO2 emissions by no longer mowing them, you also provide habitat for birds and butterflies, and reduce water runoff during hard rains.For single family homes, use a push mower. Our neighborhood has around 700 houses. If everyone burns a gallon of gas mowing on a Saturday morning, over 14,000 pounds of CO2 go into the atmosphere - just in this neighborhood. A push mower is quiet. It isn’t any harder to use than a gas-powered mower, you will benefit by getting exercise, not having to buy and store gas and oil, and change spark plugs.Convert all fleet vehicles to alternative fuels or hybrids. If school bus companies convert to biofuels, not only would it drastically cut CO2 levels, but it could create a second revenue source for the bus companies who could sell biofuels to the public.Big cuts can come by working at home or taking public transportation. Many companies sell remote computer services, yet they don’t practice what they sell. By taking public transportation you don’t subject yourself to the gridlock traffic at rush hour. Why drive? Sit back on the train or a bus and relax. Save yourself the cost and hassle of traffic delays, parking fees, and gasoline. The amount of CO2 reduction would be in the millions of tons per rush hour. Also, cutting gas consumption reduces dependency on foreign oil.Individuals can do small but important things like replacing your incandescent light bulbs with mercury vapor bulbs, recycling, stop buying bottled water, use cloth grocery bags not plastic bags, buy locally grown foods, buy energy efficient appliances, and plant lots of tree which absorb CO2.Please join the Global Warming Manhattan Project today; our future depends upon it.
Article Source: http://www.solarpanelarticles.com
© 2007 Richard D. Whiteford Richard Whiteford is a leading expert in global warming and has worked with Al Gore in the making of An Inconvenient Truth. Check out his site : Defenders of Wildlife www.defenders.org