FIONTAR Sustainability Can I Make a Difference?

What is the controversy all about?

Tackling some of the myths Using energy is bad. Year 10 student 2012 When are we going to see the effects of it so people can see there is a problem? Year 10 student 2011 Carbon dioxide is bad Professor of Mining Geology, Uni of Adelaide Ian Plimer, scientist and Climate change sceptic “Carbon dioxide cannot be measured”. Tony Abbott,

Our Current Global Concerns? Hotter temperatures Water Shortage & Droughts Cyclones & Floods Forests being cut down Pollution

Rising Sea levels Melting glaciers Biodiversity Our Current Global Concerns?

Climate Change The controversy A long-term change in the earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature Dictionary.com George Monbiot vs. Ian Plimer

Climate Change The scientific evidence A long-term change in the earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature Dictionary.com

Our Air is Made Up of: Nitrogen78.08% Oxygen20.95% Argon 0.93% Carbon Dioxide 0.038% Other Gases 0.002% Neon, Helium, Methane, Krypton, Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Xenon

Also contains Water Vapour (1%) Humidity- measure of Water Vapour Forecasting Weather taber4wards.org/pages/cal_cubs/week_8.htm

What is global warming about An inconvenient truth – The Basic Science of global warming

What is the Greenhouse Effect? The Natural Greenhouse Effect The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Natural Greenhouse Effect Occurs when gases in the Earth’s Atmosphere trap some of the Infrared Radiation (heat) that would otherwise escape from the Earth. This energy originally comes from the sun.

The Natural Greenhouse Effect is very important It ensures our daily average temperature on earth is 15 0 C rather than C

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect During the last century Greenhouse Gases have increased dramatically. We are producing TOO MUCH carbon dioxide.

What are the main Greenhouse Gases? Carbon Dioxide(contributes 60%) Methane(contributes 20%) Chlorofluorocarbons (contributes 14%) Ozone (contributes 9%) Nitrous Oxide(contributes 6%) Water Vapour Heinemann – Chemistry One p335

Water Vapour Biggest contributor of Natural Greenhouse Effect (72%) but does not contribute to the Enhanced Greenhouse Level of water not increasing in any consistent way

How do we Measure the Damaging Effects of a Gas? Characteristic of the gas Abundance Methane is about 80 times stronger as a Greenhouse Gas than carbon dioxide but does less damage because it is less abundant.

In summary…. Greenhouse Effect Animation ams/greenhouse/ ams/greenhouse/

Evidence that Greenhouse gases are on the rise

Evidence that greenhouse Gases are on the rise Atmospheric methane Carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide

Carbon dioxide

State of the Climate 2012 Atmospheric CO 2 increase Decreasing C 13 to C 12 tells us it is fossil fuel Oxygen is being used up as carbon is burnt to CO 2

I am not saying Carbon dioxide is bad!!!!

We need Carbon dioxide to survive? All animals breathe out carbon dioxide (small amount) Plants remove carbon dioxide during the day and release oxygen

The problem is we are removing too may forests on Earth?

Current rate of deforestation is about 10 times the rate of reforestation Plants take up Carbon Dioxide by Photosynthesis Planting more trees would slow down the increase in carbon dioxide

The problem is we produce too much Carbon Dioxide because of fossil fuels (coal, crude oil and gas)?

Major contributors- Electricity (we use mainly brown coal in Australia) Burn Fossil Fuels Coal & Gas Produces Electricity Makes Carbon Dioxide

Major contributors- Transport (crude oil) Burn fuel Petrol Diesel etc Energy for cars, trucks, planes to move Produces Carbon Dioxide

Major contributors- Industry Production of materials

Top 20 CO 2 Emitters & Per Capita Emissions CHINA USA INDIA RUSSIA JAPAN GERMANY IRAN SOUTH KOREA CANADA UNITED KINGDOM MEXICO SAUDI ARABIA SOUTH AFRICA INDONESIA ITALY BRAZIL AUSTRALIA FRANCE (inl. Monaco) POLAND SPAIN CO 2 emissions (Gt C y -1 ) Per Capita Emissions (tonnes C person -1 y -1 ) Global Carbon Project 2010; Data: Gregg Marland, Thomas Boden-CDIAC 2010; Population World Bank 2010

Australia Is 17 th in producing carbon dioxide emissions But per person we are third

Can I Make a Difference to My World?

Governments need to reduce emission of fossil fuels Carbon sequestration More efficient use of our fuels Nuclear ????

Governments need to make the move to renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, wave, geothermal energy)

Securing a clean energy future A carbon price alone is not enough! This is more about a future energy strategy

We can make try and leave more sustainable lives? Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of responsibility, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of stewardship, the responsible management of resource use.stewardshipresource use

Use the car less, walk, ride a bike, carpool, public transport Avoid products with lots of packaging Move the thermostat down 2 degrees in winter Move the thermostat up 2 degrees in summer

Use less hot water Turn off electrical devices at the power point when you are not using them Replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones Plant a tree

We can solve problems We reduced the Ozone Layer problem why not try and reduce the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect?

Ozone Layer The Ozone Layer is a layer of molecules about 30 km above the Earth’s surface which protect us from the sun’s ultra violet rays. Ultraviolet rays can burn us easily. (sunburn)

What causes the Ozone Layer to break down? Certain chemicals (CFC’s) used in industry, in refrigerators and aerosols were reacting with the Ozone Layer and causing a hole to form in the protective layer over Antarctica.

What would happen to all the plants, animals and humans on earth if the hole in the Ozone Layer got bigger? We would all be exposed to very high levels of ultraviolet light. We would burn more easily. Reduction in plant growth on the land and in the sea.

Similarities Both the Greenhouse & Ozone Layer are environmental problems we have caused & are related to the sun. Enhanced Greenhouse Effect is linked to the Earth’s infrared (heat) rays, while the Ozone Layer damage is related to the sun’s ultraviolet (burning) rays.

Differences The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect is accelerating. The hole in the Ozone Layer is slowly being reduced due to International collaboration. People have found alternatives to the chemicals that we used to use.

The Future The hole in the Ozone Layer is being reduced. We have found a solution to this problem. The Greenhouse Effect is the major environmental concern of this century. We need to find a solution to this problem.

XntPfWi8H0&feature=related In summary