Global Warming PowerPoint Presentation Reed Sarosiek Hr. 1

Overview For this project we were assigned to create a PowerPoint presentation on the alarmist and the skeptics views on global warming then express our own views on global warming by using facts to back our beliefs.

What is Global Warming? Global Warming is the theory that we as humans are increasing greenhouse gases (the think layer of gases that catches the sun’s rays and heats the earth) through industrialization causing more gases and increasing the amount of sunlight that gets caught and heats the Earth.

Alarmist Viewpoint The alarmist viewpoint is that global warming and pollution from CO2 emissions are adding to greenhouse gases so significantly that the Earth is warming up and will continue to warm.

Why is this warming bad?! Alarmist believe that this increase in temperature will eventually cause the melting of the ice caps. This melting could increase the oceans height by up to 2 feet in only one century! This would mean many heavily populated costal cities would flood causing millions maybe billions of dollars and damage and the potential loss of life in these cities.

Other Effects from Global Warming The alarmist believe that there are also other effects to global warming such as natural disasters have been increasing, disease have been spreading more rapidly, and animals have been found migrating towards the poles due to the increase in heat.

Facts to Back the Alarmist View The number of category 4 and 5 hurricanes have almost doubled in the last 30 years. Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Columbian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level. The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled in the past decade. At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.

Future Effects of Alarmist’s Global Warming Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years, to 300,000 people a year. Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating costal areas worldwide. Heat waves will be more frequent and intense. Droughts and wildfires will occur more often. The Arctic Ocean could be ice free by More than a million species could be driven to extinction by 2050.

Alarmist’s Solution By doing things like using compact fluorescent bulbs, inflating your tires properly, use recycled products, drive a hybrid, support local business’, carpool, and even planting more trees can help. None of these are overnight solutions but if we all work to do some of these things we can drastically help our planet.

Skeptic’s Views Unlike the alarmist’s view the skeptic’s views vary but the two main ideas are that either this warming is part of Earth’s natural cycle (the Earth has been warming and cooling ever since its beginning). Or that this is all an effect from solar activity and the temperature of the Earth.

Sun Theory As supplier of almost all the energy in Earth's climate, the sun certainly has a strong influence on climate change. Consequently there have been many studies examining the link between solar variations and global temperatures.

Earth’s Natural Cycle Theory This theory is essentially saying that yes there has been human interference but nothing to the extent of what the alarmist fear. This theory also states that the Earth ahs warmed and cooled before as well as had rises in the levels of CO2 and has always gotten through it.

Facts to Back the Skeptic’s Sun Theory Perhaps the best evidence of the sun theory would be this graph showing the temperature in comparison to solar activity

Fact’s to Back the Earth’s Natural Cycle Theory. Some major evidence of the Earth’s warming cycle would be the fact that Greenland was originally in fact exactly how it sounds… GREEN… Also the fact that the Earth witnessed a medieval warming period that saw very warm temperatures. As well as the little ice age that occurred in the early 1800’s.

Skeptic’s Reasons to be Skeptic Skeptics say that global warming is just another way for scientists to get significant funding for their experiments. By making global warming out to be a apocalyptic disaster of sorts the government has been throwing money at scientists to find a solution to this problem and learn more about it. So by saying your experiment has something to do with global warming you are more likely to get funds and more significant funds.

My View Too be honest I’m not really sure what to believe about global warming right now. Both sides have some very good points. Now I would say naturally I would lean towards the alarmist side just because I always try and be as green as possible whether it be through driving less or recycling as much as possible.

My View Continued But too be honest right now I haven’t seen enough evidence to make me believe that this global warming is so significant we need to stop the way we do everything and change right away. Although I do strongly agree that with that all the privileges we are given through industrialization we need to use our intelligence to make sure all the processes we use to make our lives easier are efficient and have very little harm on our environment.

My solution I think that we should slowly wean ourselves off of all types of inefficient energy sources and make an honest attempt to preserves as much of our planet’s rainforest’s and other natural parts of the Earth. As well as taking little steps to energy efficiency like hybrids, energy efficient appliances, and using solar and wind energy.

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