The Greenhouse Effect, A Torrent of Information, and the Politics of Mass Uncertainty
Introduction:
Global warming, the ozone layer, and deforestation are becoming increasingly discussed topics both in the international community and society. Former Vice-President Albert Gore stated in his 1992 book Earth in the Balance, “The process of filling the atmosphere with CO2 and other pollutants…is a willful expansion of our dysfunctional civilization into vulnerable parts of the world” (Wittwer 21). With statements like this, one might wonder what stops the human race from ending this kind of behavior. Scientists and politicians are paralyzed when addressing the issue of global warming largely from uncertainty of cause/effect relationships, closeness of potential policy making to the everyday individual, and distance of potential effects. What follows is a discussion of this problem, which you will see, is not as clear cut as Al Gore’s statement.
Background; a general agreement:
The World Book Encyclopedia Millennium Edition defines the Greenhouse Effect as “a warming of the lower atmosphere and surface of the planet by a complex process involving sunlight, gases, and particles in the atmosphere.” It further notes that the Greenhouse Effect existed long before humans did, for it added about 59 degrees Fahrenheit (~33 C) to the average global temperature (World Book 382-383).
An additional increase to the Earth’s natural Greenhouse Effect has been called in general terms ‘global warming’. The World Book Encyclopedia states, “Since the late 1800’s, the average temperature has increased about 0.5 to 1.5 Fahrenheit degrees.” Attributing the increase in average temperature to the burning of fossil fuels ...
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...per, Lee, Scott Murtishaw, Fridtjof Unander. “International Comparisons of Sectoral Carbon Dioxide Emissions Using a Cross-Country Decomposition Technique.” Energy Journal. 22.2 (2001): WilsonSelectPlus Number BBPI1045462, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003.
“Effects Will Continue for a Century, Even if Emissions are Curbed Now.” USA Today. (June 2002) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG02101336, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003.
Van Dam, Laura. “Of Seashells, Ancient Climate, and Fossil Fuels.” Technology Review. (May/June 1995) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG95041776, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003 .
Wittwer, Slyvan Harold. “The Great Promise of the ‘Greenhouse Effect’.” Consumers’ Research Magazine. (June 1997) WilsonSelectPlus Number BRDG97047480, Schewe Library, Illinois College, accessed 4/15/2003.
Holden feels more comfortable wearing the hunting hat and looks for confirmation that wearing his hat is all right. Salinger writes, “Anyway, I put on my new hat and sat down and started reading that book Out of Africa” (Salinger, 19). This quote shows how Holden is more comfortable doing things he enjoys when he is wearing the hat. He is free to read when no one is around. Holden is being himself. Salinger writes, “I took off my hat and looked at it for about the nineteenth time. ‘I got it in New York this morning. For a buck. Ya like it?’” (29). In this part, Holden takes off his hat and asks his roommate if it is ok for him to wear his hat, although indirectly. So, he is asking if it is okay to express himself. Holden wants positive acknowledgement for his individuality. Salinger writes, “I couldn’t find my goddam hunting hat anywhere. Finally I found it. It was under the bed” (45). He has a sense of panic when he can’t find his hat. He refuses to leave it behind. Holden wants to hold on to the things that mak...
...the ground! Even with the theft, the worst the English captain did was warn them. “He made knowne vnto them the Custome of England to be Death for such offences.” (Source 2) This difference in respect and relations wiped out one native civilization and made another prosper. Both the English and the Spanish at first encountered unfamiliar people and cultures that possibly even made them uncomfortable. The difference was that the spanish assumed that the natives were inferior and sub-human. this is a wrong way of thinking and still continues today. With much work, it can be stopped and situations like the relationship between the conquistadors and the natives can be prevented. The conquistadors simply valued the wrong things, putting money over life. As Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a conquistador once said, "We came to serve God and to get rich, as all men wish to do."
James Loewen’s, Lies My Teacher Told Me, criticizes the shortcomings of American education that is associated with inaccurate histories in textbooks. First, the fact that students do not have high regards when it comes to American history textbooks, proves how unreliable the education system is. In addition, textbooks are often to blame, because they are too dull, and are rather—boring (Loewen 384), which is why it has become a requirement for students to read books, because no one wants to read those uninteresting books. Even history textbooks, they cover redundant materials which make the subject more and more uninteresting to the students. It makes the students less motivated to learn. Moreover, he also argues that the problematic issues lie within the bureaucracy. They make the decisions on what the students will learn or which textbooks they will be reading. So far, they have not done a good job. At times, history textbooks were often censored and handpicked. It may even be completely different from the rest of the [history] textbooks. These censored textbooks, often keep the students in the dark when the controversial issues are removed (Loewen 389). It really undermines the freedom of speech and emphasizes that, often, key pieces are left out that is critical to the historical event, such as exemplifying that many of his college students have never even
In today’s America, there are many people who would either be disgusted at the very mention of Welfare or be highly grateful for its existence. I believe that in order for welfare to be more effective in America, there must be reform. From the time of its inceptions in 1935, welfare has lent a helping hand to many in crisis (Constitution Rights Foundation). However, at present many programs within the system are being abused and the people who are in real need are being cheated out of assistance. The year after the creation of welfare unemployment was just about twenty percent (Unemployment Statistics). The need for basic resources to survive was unparallel. Today, many people face the same needs as many did during the 30s. Some issues with
Bipolar Disorder is a type of mental illness, more precisely a mood disorder which is characterized by mania and depressive episodes. Mania is a period of elevated or irritable moods and depression episodes are low or sad moods, these episodes can last from a few days to several months and can impair the ability to function in everyday life. There are several classifications of these episodes and even mixed states in which one experiences both episodes at the same time. To be diagnosed with BD you must seek a health care provider who performs a thorough exam and lab tests to look for other illnesses that may be causing the symptoms that resemble BD. The diagnosis is based on the self – reported experiences and abnormalities in behavior reported by your family members, friends and co-workers.
Our world faces many issues consisting of political issues, economic crisis, poverty, world wars, and environmental issues for example. Global warming is one of the many environment issues that many pay little attention to. Mr. Al Gore in his documentary directed by David Guggenheim brings to light this climate crisis and how affective it can be to the earth and how we must address it as soon as possible as it may lead to the destruction of our world’s environment. Al Gore does a great job in identifying global warming, what are the cause and effects, and how we should address the issue that can potentially save our planet earth. Overall, Al Gore offers a credible argument and one of the many reasons Al Gore’s argument is credible is because
Due to large and excessive amount of these gases being discharged into the atmosphere by human innovations, the greenhouse effect is extending and this is causing the rise in earth's temperature that we have been encountering in the last two centuries. Since 1750, the use of carbon dioxide alone has risen about 36%, and since 1880, the earth's temperature has raised 1 degrees Fahrenheit. Although this may not be a huge increase, but the consequences it leaves on our environment and the organisms that live in are harmful and life-threatening. Adoption of this kind of quick change in temperature is challenging to plants and
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depression disorder, may cause unusual changes in mood and behavior such as grandiosity, decreased energy, distractibility, diminished interest, insomnia, pressured speech, suicidal thoughts, and decrease in the ability to carry out day to day tasks (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; 5th Ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). According to Jann (2014) the symptoms of bipolar disorders are severe alternating between normal ups and downs leading in damaged relationships, poor job and school performance, and even suicide among the most severe. There are four types of bipolar disorder which include bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, and cyclothymic disorder Jann (2014).
Bipolar disorder is the condition in which one’s mood switches from periods of extreme highs known as manias to periods of extreme lows known as depression. The name bipolar comes from the root words bi (meaning two) and polar (meaning opposite) (Peacock, 2000). Though often bipolar disorder is developed in a person’s late teens to early adulthood; bipolar disorder’s early symptoms can sometimes be found in young children or may develop later on in life (National Institutes of, 2008). Bipolar disorder has been found to affect both men and women equally. Currently the exact cause of bipolar disorder is not yet known, however it has been found to occur most often in the relatives of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder (National Center for, 2010).
Holden Caulfield uses as the red hunting hat as a security blanket in a number of different ways. Holden Caufield will only wear his red hunting hat when he is alone. It makes him feel safe and he knows that he is by himself. After having visiting his teacher, Mr. Spencer, Holden says, “I swung the old peak way around to the back - very corny, I'll admit, but I like it that way. I looked good in it that way” (Salinger, 18). This quote shows how Holden does not care what his appearance is when he is wearing the cap. He admits that he wore it in a “corny” way, but he doesn’t care what he looks like with it on. This also shows how Holden is an individual and doesn’t like to wear it the way it is supposed to be displayed. When Stradlater notices the red hunting hat Holden becomes flustered. The author writes, “He meant my hunting hat. He'd never seen it before. I was out of my breathe anyway, I quit horsing around. I took off my hat and looked at it for about the ninetieth time.” (29). This is an important quote because it shows how Holden is insecure about his cap. When Stradlater acknowledges Holden about his hat he becomes flustered. As said in the quote he took the hat off after Stradlater informed Holden about h...
Climate change, never has such an impending natural disaster been so heavily ignored. While this problem of Greenhouse Gasses holds more long-term implications than any other problem found today, little to nothing has been done to address this problem. Through the last century, industrialization has revolutionized the world, in all aspects of life from comfort to industry. While this has obviously had its benefits, it has also created a world that is almost entirely dependent on carbon dioxide producing technology. This has caused the single biggest problem when it comes to curbing this issue known as climate change. That problem is the simple fact that in order for the people to make a positive unified change in the C02 levels they produce, they’re going to have to make sacrifices. These sacrifices range from giving up or reducing their use of various CO2 producing technologies, to paying new taxes such as carbon taxes. The causes for Climate Change and the lack of action to curb it are, of course, complex, but there are at least three significant factors: High prices required to produce and implement low-carbon technology; lack of political and corporate support; and an extensive public reliance on technology (Weeks). More than this, the public, along with the government, have been unwilling to sacrifice either money or effort, which has only served to exponentially increase the problem at hand.
["http://www.greenpeace.org/climate/database/records/zgpz0518.html">on-line]Impacts of global warming. ["http://www.epa.gov/global warming">on-line]Malkin, E. (1996) Is there light as the end of the power grid: Mexico is making it easier to build private electricity plants. Business Week, 3475, 116.Pennypacker, M. (1997) Habitat-saving habit.
With a gasoline-fueled vehicle, buying gas to operate your car is a never-ending process. With the high price change of gasoline and oil, operating a gasoline-fueled vehicle tends to be very costly. While there are some types of small gasoline vehicles that get much better gas mileage than larger vehicles, even the most powerful gasoline cars will normally desire a contribution every month. According to some experts the only way a mainstream market for green vehicles wills materlize is with a pronounced and prolonged rise in fuel prices. (Buss, 4)
Symbolism and meaning is by far one of the most important aspects of the tattoo industry. “The abstract emotions and human awareness of emotions show what really is going on in ones life (Johnson)”. For that reason tattooing is a form of self-expression, and can stand for literal interpretations. For the most part these interpretations are the conveying of spiritual meaning, or marking milestones such as life or death” (Johnson). For those who think tattooing is just for looks or put a bad judgment on it, should also realize that ones personal interest reflects upon their lives. “Many individuals get their first tattoos during adolescence or young adulthood.”(Bravermark) Due to the mainstream culture, these traditions traditionally associate with stereotypes. Stereotypes defiantly have a huge impact on life. Which leads to the next point? Whether flaunted or hidden, sought as art or brought out on a whim, the tattoo has left a huge impact on generation after generation.
One of the most substantial problems in the world today is global warming. This gradual warming of the earth is in occurrence at an extremely slow rate but it is happening. Many scientists believe that as human’s work and release greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere, it can become dangerous for the long lasting life of humans and our environment. “Unless we take immediate action, the impacts of global warming will continue to intensify, grow ever more costly and damaging, and increasingly affect the entire planet - including you, your community, and your family” (“Global Warming Impacts”). Everyone should be knowledgeable about global warming and the dangers that it brings to our planet. This essay will examine