Global Warming For Beginners

Get positive suggestions for practical solutions to this heated issue. Hotly debated in the political arena and splashed across the media almost 24/7, global warming has become the topic of the moment. Whatever one's views on its cause, there is no denying that the earth's climate is changing, and people everywhere are worried. Global Warming For Dummies sorts out fact from fiction, explaining the science behind climate change and examining the possible long-term effects of a warmer planet. This no-nonsense yet friendly guide helps you explore solutions to this challenging problem, from what governments and industry can do to what you can do at home and how to get involved.

Year after year science continually proves that global climate change is real. But what does it all really mean and what can or should we do about it? Climate Change For Beginners is a clear, fluid narrative by a leading scientist and educator who takes a scrupulously balanced approach in explaining the history of global climate monitoring and change, and the whos, hows, whats, whens, wheres and whys of the interaction between human activity and recent trends in the Earth’s climate. Working from the premise that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something, Dean Goodwin challenges readers with experiments they can conduct to gain a better understanding of the science underlying the problems facing our planet and concludes with a list of 50 easy actions readers can choose from to start doing their part in the effort to slow or stop global warming. Replaces previous edition, ISBN 9781934389430.

The science is in: Global warming is for real. But what does it all really mean, and what can or should we do about it? This clear, fluid narrative by a leading scientist and educator takes a scrupulously balanced approach in explaining for the reader the history of global climate monitoring and change, and the who’s, how’s, what’s, when’s, where’s and why’s of the interaction between human activity and recent trends in the Earth’s climate. Global Warming For Beginners is organized into five compelling sections: Global Warming, An Introduction The Cause The Consequences The Solutions What Steps Can I Take? Working from the premise that no one can do everything but everyone can do something, Goodwin challenges readers with experiments they can conduct to gain a better understanding of the science underlying the problems facing our planet, and concludes with a list of fifty easy actions people can choose from to start doing their part in the effort to slow or stop global warming. As with all For Beginners titles, this volume is illustrated throughout with entertaining drawings that help readers understand and retain the information in Goodwin’s lively and comprehensive text.

Climate change is an enormous challenge facing humankind today. Undoubtedly, it is the single largest environmental threat facing the planet, and we need to act fast to mitigate it. There is much that needs to be done and much that can be done to halt the catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, these steps have to be taken by all sections of human society, throughout the world. Making Sense of Climate Change discusses the causes, the impacts, as well as possible solutions, to tackle the problem at the individual, community, and global level in a simple easy-to-read style for the general reader

Get clear about why climate change is so complicated and discover how you can help reverse it More and more frequent extreme weather events occur each year, and planet Earth is in danger of developing more climates where life — whether animal, vegetable, or human — is unsustainable. Climate Change For Dummies explains how rising temperatures, shrinking lakes, rising oceans, and shifting weather patterns affect your life on a daily basis. And of course the book goes a step further and offers suggestions about how you can take steps to limit your impact on the environment and help to reverse climate change. This straightforward guide demystifies the impact of climate’s No. 1 enemy — carbon dioxide — and breaks down the many sources of this damaging but inescapable gas. From there, the book reveals how rising CO2 levels affect the weather, water levels, plant and animal species around the world, the food you eat, and your health. But the situation isn’t hopeless! Climate Change For Dummies outlines actions governments, industries, and you can take to fight global warming and turn the tide to live in a cooler world. Discover details about * Short- and long-term effects of climate change * How some actions contribute to climate change and others reduce it * The many options for renewable energy and the pros and cons of nuclear energy * Actions nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are taking to draw attention to the climate crisis * The debate around whether climate change even needs to be addressed Climate change won’t be easy to overcome, but when you’re armed with the facts, you can do your best to make a difference. Let Climate Change For Dummies point you in the right direction.

Though the scientific community largely agrees that climate change is underway, debates about this issue remain fiercely polarized. These conversations have become a rhetorical contest, one where opposing sides try to achieve victory through playing on fear, distrust, and intolerance. At its heart, this split no longer concerns carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, or climate modeling; rather, it is the product of contrasting, deeply entrenched worldviews. This brief examines what causes people to reject or accept the scientific consensus on climate change. Synthesizing evidence from sociology, psychology, and political science, Andrew J. Hoffman lays bare the opposing cultural lenses through which science is interpreted. He then extracts lessons from major cultural shifts in the past to engender a better understanding of the problem and motivate the public to take action. How Culture Shapes the Climate Change Debate makes a powerful case for a more scientifically literate public, a more socially engaged scientific community, and a more thoughtful mode of public discourse.

Humankind has dramatically altered the composition of the atmosphere during the past 150 years, chiefly by increasing the concentrations of naturally occurring greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and, in the last half century, by introducing new ones. Excessive amounts of greenhouse gases trap heat, which the earth would normally radiate back to space, thereby affecting the energy-storage capacity of the atmosphere and oceans. In recent decades the ozone layer has been severely damaged by man-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Though their use is now prohibited, they will remain in the atmosphere for many decades and, with their effects exacerbated by global warming, will continue to destroy ozone for many years to come. The greatest concern for our well-being during the next millennium is that a modified climate now seems inevitable. How much can we afford to let it change? This highly accessible book introduces and explains the processes causing these interrelated environmental crises, examines the measures currently being formulated to tackle them, and considers how effective such measures are likely to be.

Increased carbon dioxide has, however, markedly increased the growth rates of plants as inferred from numerous laboratory and field experiements.".