Photograph of Lake Lanier by Neva Spell
Nearly one year ago, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which consists of the world’s leading climate scientists, concluded for the first time that global warming is “unequivocal” and that human activity is the main cause for the rise in air and sea temperatures and shifting weather patterns.
I want you to write several sentences conveying your opinion on Global Warming. While it should pertain to your specific or personal experiences, remember to not generalize. For example, you could spend an entire career trying to prove that “global warming is the greatest crisis the world has ever faced.” Alternatively, you may be able show (in one essay) the validity of the argument that “global warming has contributed to the drought crisis in Georgia.”
After you write a few sentences about your opinions on Global Warming, I want you to then find one piece of evidence from the following two articles that supports the validity of your opinion. Please tell me the author and title of the article you are using, followed by a direct quotation from the article. And finally, tell me why you think it supports your opinion of global warming.
Please avoid using a quote that is more than a few sentences long.
Your entire comment should be between 150 and 300 words.
Article #1: In The Age of Noah by Thomas Friedman
Article #2: Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts by Andrew Revkin
If you need more information on issues related to Global Warming, please refer to the Science section of the New York Times, which has various articles, charts, and photographs that may aid in a better understanding of the issues.
Here is a 215 word example:
I’ve been pretty concerned about Global Warming ever since I took a class my freshman year in college called “Physical Systems of the Earth.” It was a geography class, but I learned first and foremost that our planet is a closed system; therefore, if something is lost on one part of the planet, it has to be made up somewhere else to maintain equilibrium. Unfortunately, we’re in a time now where Earth is really having a hard time maintaining equilibrium, which has a lot of negative consequences for the planet and for the species residing here.
In Thomas Friedmans’s article, “In the Age of Noah,” he cites a finding from another New York Times writer, Jim Yardley, who reported that in China “the world’s last known female Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle was living in one Chinese zoo, while the planet’s only undisputed, known giant soft-shell male turtle was living in another — and together this aging pair were the last hope of saving a species believed to be the largest freshwater turtles in the world.”
This quote points out exactly the kind of fears that I’m having about the less discussed impacts of Global Warming. It seems like we’re living in an age where there are no longer course corrections, but instead an age where things are simply dying out.
English 1101 Spring 2008 
Linda Felbaum said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:02 pm
With the temperatures rising and the rainfall deminishing, global warming is having a negative effect here in Georgia. While the drought in Georgia is a huge threat to our water supply, I am also concerned about how it will affect our marine and wild life.
There was a recent debate about the releasing of water by the Corps of Engineers to increase our water supply. The conern that the Corps of Engineers, and environmentalists had pertained to the survival of a rare and endangered shellfish (a clam). This sparked some anger and even sarcasm from some of our Congress. As they stated, we need to worry about the survival of our people before we worry about shellfish.
Being a human being, I obviously understand their priorities. We need water to survive, and our continued, healthy existence, is crucial. The again, it does bring a real concern about the continued existence of that particular shellfish. This may seem trivial to many, but it only starts with the clams. It continues with the awareness of all of our marine life here in Georgia, as well as our wildlife.
As Thomas L Friedman states in his article, In The Age Of Noah, “With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah – to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.”
It is our responsibility today to change the way we live, so we may protect our future generations whether human or animal.
CRN 1736
Mindy Boswell said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Global warming is a widely discussed subject with each person having their own opinion. Personally I believe global warming is a problem often pushed aside because we are not seeing major effects yet. However, if things are not changed in our everyday lives we will one day see the effects of global warming in our own communities.
An article from the New York Times stated “The new NASA study of expelled old ice builds on previous measurements showing that the proportion of thick, durable floes that were at least 10 years old dropped to 2 percent this spring from 80 percent in the spring of 1987”
We can see that just in this 20 year period the changes that have begun to arise. Although this seems like a small number if this continues we are bound to see larger and more abundant affects worldwide. Unfortunately, in the years to come the world we know may experience hardships due to global warming.
-Mindy Boswell
English 1101- 1736
bailey knott said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I believe that global warming is a huge problem that is facing the world today. There are so many reasons why I say that and back it up. The one that I will focus on is the extinction on certain species of animals. There are so many endangered animals in the world today and I believe that is a result of people and our growth and development. It seems like many people are so focused on how to make more money and how the economy is than the scary changes that are taking place on our earth.
In Thomas Friedman’s article, “In the Age of Noah,” he cites a finding from a New York Times writer named Jim Yardley, who reported that in China “the world’s last known female Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle was living in one Chinese zoo, while the planet’s only undisputed, known giant soft-shell male turtle was living in another — and together this aging pair were the last hope of saving a species believed to be the largest freshwater turtles in the world.”
That statement just proves how we are about to lose some species of animals all together. Once they are gone they can never some back again, and to me that is a scary thing to think about. Those are some reasons why global warming seems like a huge problem and is also very scary to me.
Dustin Carter said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I think that global warming is a real problem that we are facing. If we do not hurry up and change our ways of life then we could very well be in for a long ride of unexpected events. It is already bringing up problems of ice caps melting, record high temperatures in the United States, and record droughts.
In Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts written by Andrew Revkin he states a great quote,” The world is paying more attention than ever.”
This supports my reasoning on the situation because it shows how the world is coming into knowing about this and wants to make a change about it. The news and scientists keep showing people the way things are going and if they do not change then, nothing will get better. From Revkin saying this he has gave a little bit of hope to the world that more people are trying to prevent it.
CRN 1736
Allen Perry said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I think global warming is almost inevitable. Scientists and researchers all say what we need to do and what we need not to do to prevent global warming. Honestly, global warming seems as if it has to happen regradless of what people do. Some people believe that it would help our environment while others believe it could destroy us. I think we should go on life continuing our daily way of living. We can not do the obvious things to cause global warming but if somethings needs change then it needs to be done or just let go.
Thomas Friedman says in his article “The Age of Noah,”The world is rightly focused on climate change. But if we don’t have a strategy for reducing global carbon emissions and preserving biodiversity, we could end up in a very bad place, like in a crazy rush into corn ethanol, and palm oil for biodiesel, without enough regard for their impact on the natural world.”
This quote fits my opinion because he says directly how we must change what we are doing our it is going to happen regardless.
Allen Perry
1736
Chase Bass said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I really didn’t have a concern about global warming until this year. Really before I didn’t think it effected us as much as everyone was saying that it was. Honestly I thought it was a good thing because I am not a big fan of cold weather and, at the time, I was a fan of anything that was going to keep me warm. This was before I started looking at the world as a whole.
Once I started putting a “not so selfish” interest in it, I began to see that it is indeed something that we need to try to prevent. I also started to realize just how fast this problem is progressing. Andrew Revkin points this out in his article, “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts,” with this statement, “Astonished by the summer’s changes, scientists are studying the forces that exposed one million square miles of open water — six Californias — beyond the average since satellites started measurements in 1979.” This statement really puts the whole situation.
I watched a documentary on the Discovery Channel a while back that showed how much of the earth would be covered in water if all the ice on Greenland were to melt. That scared me cause it covered a good portion of the east coast of America, which is were we live.
Chase Bass
1736
Marilu Benitez said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I believe global warming has become more of a problem now than in the past centuries. I think part of the problem is that now we have so much technology that it is affecting our environment. We are always cutting down trees so we can have more shopping centers. While we are doing this we don’t realize or don’t care that we are leaving some poor animal without food or a place to live.
class 1736
Michael McDonald said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Global warming is a very prevelant issue in todays society. For years a growing concern of the impact of human activities on the environment continues to escalate. Whether you believe global warming to be fact or fiction, the environmental issues surrounding our world at this time warrant some explanation so that a solution can be reached. I personally don’t believe all points of global warming, but there are certain aspects that cannot be denied. These aspects need to be evaluated so a solution, if there is any, can be found to reverse the enviromental trends we are experiencing.
In Andrew Revkin’s article, he discusses findings from the University of Fairbanks stating “ at the university in Fairbanks — where signs of northern warming include sinkholes from thawing permafrost around its Arctic research center — Dr. Eicken and other experts are having a hard time conceiving a situation that could reverse the trends.”
The quote points out that something is in fact happening to our environment. The quote also points out that this trend may already be hard to reverse at this point, therfore action needs to be taken now in order for hope of a solution.
Michael Mcdonald
CRN: 1736
Diane Holcombe said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Global Warming never crossed my mine till I saw a special on television where Al Gore was giving a presentation on this issue. He basically gave examples on how the use of a combination of things has changed the earth’s way of functioning. What really got to me was the way chemicals are being used today and how they are destroying our ozone layer. By that happening, more of the suns rays are being let in earth’s atmosphere there by melting ice in the northern hemisphere. As that happens, oceans will become so large that they could possibly start flooding land in the coming future.
By clicking on the article “Artic Melt Unnerves the Experts”, there was a related topic entitled, “The Big Melt: A Series from the New York Times. On October 10, 2005, Clifford Krauss, Steven Lee Myers, Andrew C. Revkin, and Simon Romero wrote and article stating that “with the thawing of polar ice caps, the artic is undergoing a great rush of virgin territory and natural resources.
After reading this, I’m more convinced that the melting of the ice is only going to continue to harm our planet.
1736
peter burry said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Many people these days are trying to find ways to use their automobiles less and more efficiently, increase energy efficiency in their homes and work places, to generate power from renewable and emission free fuels. So why are people going through all this trouble; is it to save a few bucks on their power bill? No, it’s to control CO2 emissions… CO2 is considered a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, and it must be controlled.
Global warming is a huge threat to the world we live in, and researchers can already see its effects in the Arctic. A New York times writer Jim Yardley recently included research in article that states, “Over all (this year), the floating ice dwindled to an extent unparalleled in a century or more, by several estimates.”. If CO2 emissions aren’t controlled immediately the ice will soon melt, resulting in very extreme weather, such as hurricanes, extreme heat, and flooding.
If global warming is put under control soon, every body life will be severely affected. Please join the cause and help the environment.
Peter Burry 1736
Ester Maxwell said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:12 pm
The drought in Georgia has given the people a very good scare. There seems to be no releif for the Georgians when it comes to getting enough water for the state. The government is more worried about how much water they are relieasing to help the fish way down steam instead of how to conserve the usage of water for the people. I know that giving water down stream will help the business down south, but now is the time to worry more about the human race instead of the species. This is hard for me to believe that it has to come to a decision of people vs fish. What will become of us Georgians if the fish wins the vote of the politicans? I have heared that if the businessess down south have to go else where to get their sea foods; it will cost them more money. I wonder if they think about how much it will cost a family of 3 to replace the water they don’t have for the week?
In Thomas Fiedmans’s article , “In the Age of Noah” it is said that “We teach them that the source of the water comes from the mountains and the parks” he said. “And if the park is gone, they will have not the clean water they need for pray rituals.
Class 1736
Amy Holcombe said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Global warming has been a problem that people have been talking about for years, but with this past summer’s extreme drought it has become a much more publicized issue. Lake Lanier and lake Hartwell took a huge hit this summber in reference to the drought. Lake Lanier dropped an average of 0.12 feet each day for the past four weeks. Based on that, we can say that an 800 million gallon loss results in a drop of about 0.12 feet.
This past year the in the artic icebergs thawed at a increasingly rapid rate; faster than they ever have before. The problem that this creates is that with hot summers the ice thaws out more quickly and then it doesn’t get colder until later in the season. “Without the thick ice, which can endure months of nonstop summer sunshine, more dark open water and thin ice absorbed solar energy, adding to melting and delaying the winter freeze. *From Arctic melt unnerves the experts by ANDREW C. REVKIN
Due to the fact that Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell are in such need of water, they are beginning to look to other sources to pull water from. Which really only fixes the problem for a little while. The problem that this creates is that pretty soon all the lakes will dried up and we will no longer have anywhere to pull water from. Droughts today are more commonly being linking to Global warming.
Amy Holcombe
1736
Maira Reyes said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Global warming has become a great concern for many people around the world. Even though so many people are concerned, not very many of us are doing anything about it. We are not only cutting down forests and taking over fertile soils, but we are also putting many animals in risk of extinction. Not only is wildlife at risk, we are too. Just like many animals and plants are dying out, it will only be a matter of time before we are also at that risk.
In Thomas Friedmans’s article, “In the Age of Noah,” he cites Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s environment minister saying; “Up to 150 species are becoming extinct every day. … The web of life that sustains our global society is getting weaker and weaker.”
If nothing is done to try to improve the damages already caused by global warming the issue will only continue to become more and more serious. We are not doing anything about global warming, if anything, we are only contributing to the damages it is already producing.
Dustin Melton said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Many people believe that carbon monoxide gases from automobile exhaust and factories are creating a global warming effect on the earths envirement. People claim that carbon monoxide is melting our ice caps and harming the world around us. I believe that it is just physical changes that the world has gone through in 4.5 billion years. Which leads me to believe that we are not the sole cause of global warming.
Researchers and scientists have a theory that the earth’s surface warms up one degree farenheit every year and thinks it will increase this much until the ice caps melt away and they flood the whole earth. All in all,this could be true,but unlikely! My opinion is that the earth is going to do what it is going to do,and we have no control over it. We have created a world that is solumely dependant on oil refineries and factories. We depend on these for every day life!
God created this world and how the it reacts to our abuse is not in our hands. It will run it’s coarse and how it will demolish itself nobody knows. I seriously doubt It will end in humans burning up like eggs in a frying pan.
Bryan Craig said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Global warming used to be thought of a myth, but in recent years I have noticed that it has become somewhat of a problem right here in Georgia. The drought has caused a lot of problems for people here, such as the water ban and Lake Lanier being several feet lower than normal water level. If global warming is going to affect how many times I can wash my car in a month or change the overall beaty of Lake Lanier, then we need to observe the research and change something. Though I used to not believe in global warming I have noticed that lakes and oceans are having signifigant changes.
In Andrew C. Revkins’ article, “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts,” a New York Times writer records, “Arctic experts say things are not that simple. More than a dozen experts said in interviews that the extreme summer ice retreat had revealed at least as much about what remains unknown in the Arctic as what is clear. Still, many of those scientists said they were becoming convinced that the system is heading toward a new, more watery state, and that human-caused global warming is playing a significant role.
Mayra Garcia said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Global warning has been an issue that I don’t think many people were concerned about at first. I was also one of those people who didn’t believe in such thing untill now . I finally see all the changes in the weather and how they affect our everyday lifes.
People now encounter different weather to what they were used to years ago. I have been leaving in Georgia for the past 16 years and this is the first year that I encounter such great drought. I remember when every spring and summer it would rain so hard that me and my friends would run out and play in the rain. We would wear our old raggedy shoes and the oldest clothes we had so we wouldn’t get in trouble for messing up our school clothes. Or on a hot sunny day we would get the hose and fill our little pool up in the front yard and jump right in and have a blast.
Now we have water restrictions and we are not allowed to wast the little water we have.
Natalia Gaviria said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I’ve been concerned about Global Warming since this past summer, there were high temperatures and little rain affecting the levels of water in Lake Lanier. I reside in front of the lake, and as I drive by the lake everyday I worried that we may not have enough water to drink or be able to water our lawns for the upcoming spring. The severe drought in georgia, has caused a desperate look at new ways of encouraging the communities to save water and use it wisely.
The increased fines of water abuse has caused a controversy from city to city. The strict water conservation plan has restricted homeowners, businesses and landscaping companies from watering their lawns and any outdoor water activities.
In stacy Helton’s article, “Drought spurs calls for limits on growth”, she reports that Subdivisions and strip malls started following Rick Yuzzi up to Woodstock after he moved there in 1986. Now, to do their part to solve the water crisis, he and his wife are taking shorter showers and bathing their two toddlers in the same tub of water. They had to stop watering their lawn in September.
According to the article,we should find ways to use water wisely and conserve as much as possible .We need to help keep Lake lanier on a level where we don’t have to worry about one day not being able to enjoy the lake or not having water to drink.Also, think about the species that could die due to the limited amount of water that they will receive.
Natalia Gaviria
1736
Jonathan Miles said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Mankind is the cause of Global Warming. Global Warming is a terrible crisis that has a huge affect on our daily lives.
With the melting of the polar ice caps, and the change in global winds, ice caps are slowly retreating. Scientists cannot attribute this to anything other than human interference.
“We used to argue that a lot of the variability up to the late 1990s was induced by changes in the winds, natural changes not obviously related to global warming,” said John Michael Wallace, a scientist at the University of Washington. “But changes in the last few years make you have to question that. I’m much more open to the idea that we might have passed a point where it’s becoming essentially irreversible.”
Jonathan Miles
1736
Casey Willis said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Global warming has become worse and worse each year. Just about two years ago Georgia‘s precipitation was the eqivilacy to the Rain Forest. Now we barely have enough water to keep the lake levels up. It has been so bad this year that there was a water ban on people watering their yards, washing your car, and pouring water at the table if you went out to eat. If things don’t change we could be in big trouble because without water you can’t do much, people with lawn care and green houses won’t be able to stay in business.
I believe that people are paying more and more attention to the problems now than ever. “But changes in the last few years make you have to question that. I’m much more open to the idea that we might have passed a point where it’s becoming essentially irreversible.”
1736
daniel rockwell said,
January 14, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I live, along with five neighbors, live off of well water. While reviewing the newspaper, I found that Lake Lanier was eleven feet below its usual level. This hasn’t happened in nearly 60 years. Since finding this out, washing my car is much more enjoyable, mostly because of the variety and oddness of each look I receive from each passing driver. While I am well aware of one aspect of global warming that doesn’t have a negative affect on me, there are many others that should be known by everybody. Rockwell 1736
Dianna Singleton said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Most think that global warming is being caused by human activity. That’s what the article seems like its portraying. It very well may be the fact of the matter but it’s not like we can stop everyone from tearing up our environment. The only thing, we as people, can do is make people aware of the things that are going on. Also show how there is ways we can help this issue. The world will continue to do what it does until we all have nothing left. It would be nice to wake up and think that everything going on in world will be okay but, things just don’t work like that. Global warming is one of the issues we’re facing but the question is can we really solve it? Think about it, we all are going to die some day and the world will end sooner or later. Stop stressing over everything and just enjoy the ride.
Emily Noordhoek said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I believe that global warming is a huge issue. I live on the lake, and it is sad to see that the water level has dropped so much. We, as humans, need water to survive and it is scary to think that one day we may not have enough of it. Many plants and animals need the water to survive also. These species are being affected greatly by global warming and may not be able to survive one day.
As Thomas Friedman has said in his article, In the Age of Noah, “With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.”
Global warming is affecting species of all kinds including humans. If we don’t do anything to help save our environment, there may be nothing left. Most people do not care about it, or don’t even realize it, but it has affected us here in Georgia with Lake Lanier and the warm temperatures in November and December. If we don’t start helping out with global warming, the damages could be irreversible.
Emily Noordhoek 1718
Hilary Bragg said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:28 pm
As most people believe, our society today is rapidly changing its physical characteristics and that they are due to Global Warming. Is Global Warming caused by the humans occupying the planet or is it a natural effect? We tend to believe that the answer to this question is yes we are helping the changes become more rapid. As predicted many years ago, scientists believed that we would slowly begin to change the appearance of our planet but we never imagined that we would be responsible for the amount of resources that we use today. In this case we are using petroleum, oil, and gasoline on a daily basis which is constantly poisoning the air.
Andrew C. Revkin stated in a recent article “Proponents of cuts in greenhouse gases cited the meltdown as proof that human activities are propelling a slide toward climate calamity”. This statement tells us that we are contributing to global warming and that we are changing the physical appearance of our planet we call home. Our main focus is how can we change our habits? We are so involved with using the resources we do today, that how can we limit them? Maybe we can just drive to work and back and stop going out on the weekends or maybe we could even walk to more destinations. All of these are factors in this situation, and as of now, no one has proposed a better solution.
Hilary Bragg
CRN 1718
Bryan Delmendo said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Global Warning has never concerned me until the water crisis in Georgia. The drought in Georgia has affected all of us. I think that all these animals almost being extinct are a sign that we as human beings have to save our world. Who knows whether humans will last very long? Like what Thomas L. Friedman said, “……and together this aging pair were the last hope of saving a species believed to be the largest freshwater turtles in the world.” (Article 1) These turtles use to be the largest freshwater turtles and now it’s down to them. He also says “…we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.” (Article 1) Which I do agree with and I’m happy someone brought it up. I believe that humans in general have created this problem with our cars, waste, and technology. I’m not saying technology is bad, but it has affected our world. All these buildings are being built and leaving no space for the trees. It’s going to take all humans to fix what we have done to our world.
Bryan Delmendo
1718
Christopher Tribble said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:32 pm
There are people that will argue that Global Warming doesn’t even exist. This might be there opinion, but there are some facts that need to be taken into consideration. I for one do blame the the people of Earth for what is happening. We cut down millions of trees each day. The machines that cut down those trees dispense exhaust fumes. Our cars also create these toxic fumes. They are hazzardous for our health and for the environment. When the fumes combine with our atmosphere it forms things such as acidic rain. The damage that acidic rain causes can be seen all around the world. For example, the ancient buildings in Greece seem to be simply melting away. Smog, high temperatures, the falling apart of our atmosphere, these things are all happening because of green house gases that we produce. Before long this heat will rise to such a degree that our polar ice caps will be gone and if that happens then nowhere in the world will be suffering from a drought.
Andrew Revnik states in his article, Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts, “Proponents of cuts in greenhouse gases cited the meltdown as proof that human activities are propelling a slide toward climate calamity.” If we all continue on with our daily routines then this “climate calamity” seems inevitable. I believe that there is still time to fix the mistakes that we have made. I’m sure that Mother Earth would agree the words of my mother, “Clean up your mess!”
Samantha Willis said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Global warming is definitely a problem in our society. Gradually the problem will cause huge issues for everyone if it is not helped. As of now the big issue is animal and plant life, but if they deteriorate what will happen to the human race? In Thomas Friedmens article “In the age of Noah,” he reports that Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s enviromental minister told BBC “Up to 150 species are becoming extinct everyday,the web of life that sustains are global society is getting weaker and weaker.” In this fast paced world we are dependent on oil, carbon, and gas; which send harmful gases into our ozone. However, you have to wonder why the world with all of its eniuses and technology cant find a way to help.The world must realize that this a threat that can kill all animal, plant, and human life. It will soon be to late to fix the problem if something isn’t done immediately.
1718
Candice Wilson said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:39 pm
When told that there is a low level of water and Georgia is in need of rain, some people just sit back and let the words travel from one ear and out the other. As Americans I don’t think that we take things seriously until it is too late. I personally do believe in global warming and what is happening today and our water supply is a prime example. If you take a look at previous years in what our water supply level was years ago and compare them to today, you might start taking global warming seriously. According to Andrew C. Revkin in Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts, “Scientists are unnerved by this summer’s massive polar ice melt, its implications and their ability to predict it.” Above his statement in the article you are able to see the difference in the retreating Ice level from 2003 to 2007. It is one thing to hear someone tell you we are running out of water, but to see it might change your mind. Hopefully, when we do start to realize that Global warming needs to be taken seriously, it won’t be too late.
Candice Wilson
CRN: 1718
Jennifer Wheeler said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:39 pm
With the temputures going “wild” , global warming is having a huge effect on our wildlife here in Georgia. I believe people are not looking into global warming because it is not hitting them personally. However, it is causing a drop in percipitation and significantly increasing the number of species that are becoming extinct.
According to Article #1, “Up to 150 species are becoming extinct every day. … The web of life that sustains our global society is getting weaker and weaker.” Thomas Friedman, the author of this article, states that we must act as the “noah” and take two of each now before its too late.
He goes along very well with what I belive in that we need to look more into global warming and its causes. Especially, with it hitting so close to our home and our wildlife.
1718
heather lasseter said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Environmental science and global warming is something that I have been concerned about for a few years now. My number one concern is pollution and the causes it has on the wildlife. This semester I am taking Human Ecology, which is the study of humans and the effect they have on the environment, to learn how to become a more environmental friendly consumer. I care because I want my children’s children to live in a clean, abundant world.
With so many people in the world, and all the technology, one would think that we could stop an entire species from being extinct. The problem is most people don’t know what kind of damage they are causing when they throw way that old T.V. or leave trash in a parking lot. Planet Earth is losing precious animals, like the giant soft shelled turtle, due to the lack of knowledge about pollution. Thomas L. Friedman explains in his article In the Age of Noah:“With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.” It is a known fact that we, humans, are the causes for the extinction of many helpless animals.
Heather Lasseter
CRN:1718
kelley mcwhorter said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:41 pm
To be honest in my past I never really had a great concern about global warming. I knew if we didn’t do something in the near future to prevent it, then I would have to be concerned. I did not realize til this year however, how near that future was. With most animals becoming extinct, and the drout that is causeing lake lanier to dry up, im starting to realize if we don’t do something soon, we wont have anything left. After reading Thomas L. Friedman’s colum I realized that he was right in saying that “Unlike Noah, though, we’re also the ones causing The Flood, as more and more forests, fisheries, rivers and fertile soils are gobbled up for development.” He’s right because even though global warming and our animal extinction are major issues in our society, some people seem to care by doing the little things to help but contractors are building more and more shopping centers everyday. If we don’t take serious action soon im afriad of what drastic measures are going to have to be taken later.
Robert Epps said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Global warming is not as big a problem as some people make it out to be. Of course, the average temperature of earth is currently rising but that rising is part of a natural fluctuation of earth’s temperature; that’s rising and falling. Global warming is part of a natural process and is affected very little by humans.
Georgia is facing a drought due to a lack of rain. For those who believe that Native American rain dances work(ed) and actually caused rain to fall it is natural also to believe that the activities of man may be the cause of this lack of rain. That is a ridiculous and humbling thought for those who have made conscious efforts to stop rain from falling and failed; all they really needed to do was go about their daily lives right?
Georgia is also facing water shortage due to the declining water level of Lake Lanier. This, however, is not the lowest Lake Lanier’s water level has been. In the 1980’s its water levels were at a record setting low. Few stopped using hair spray or driving their larger than necessary trucks despite the supposed atmosphere depleting effects of them and yet the water levels of the lake came back up naturally. Offhand one cannot say for sure but there may even have been warnings of floods in the not too distant past.
People are very worried about the icecaps melting, but, just like Georgia’s drought, this has happened before. “The huge warming of the Arctic that started in the early 1920s and lasted for almost two decades is one of the most spectacular climate events of the twentieth century… This study suggests that natural variability is a likely cause.” (Bengtsson, Semenov, Johannessen-).
While the waste emissions of people may be harmful to the environment in some way, the rise and fall of lakes, the melting of the ice caps, and global warming in general could very well be part of a natural process that humans have not yet come to understand.
Robert Epps 1718
(http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0442%282004%29017%3C4045%3ATETWIT%3E2.0.CO%3B2&ct=1)
Dawn Vickers said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Several people have different opinions on Global Warming. My belief is that we do have a problem and that Global Warming is affecting us and our environment . The polar bears who count on the ice caps to live are having less and less ice to survive and we as people are having less and less water to do things from living and recreation activities.
As Andrew Revkin points out in his article, Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts,
“While open Arctic waters could be a boon for shipping, fishing and oil exploration, an annual seesawing between ice and no ice could be a particularly harsh jolt to polar bears.”
We as people need to think about what we are doing when we use things to effect our environment. We are only worrying about the animals now, if we don’t fix the way we are living then people will be the ones we will be worrying about next.
Dawn Vickers
CRN 1718
Noemi Najera said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Global Warming has been a problem for years. Recently, here in Georgia we have had first hand experienced on it. Lake Lanier drought has really hit home. I believe someof us still are not aware that Global Warming is playing a big part and we should start doing something about it. Yes, we have noticed the hot weather has gone up 1 degree farenheit and the winter weather days are colder one day then spring weather the next.
Article 2: Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts by Andrew RevKin states, While experts debate details, many agree that the vanishing act of the sea ice this year was probably caused by superimposed forces including heat-trapping clouds and water vapor in the air, as well as the ocean-heating influence of unusually sunny skies in June and July. Other important factors were warm winds flowing from Siberia around a high-pressure system parked over the ocean. The winds not only would have melted thin ice but also pushed floes offshore where currents and winds could push them out of the Arctic Ocean.
This quote makes me believe that Global Warming is still a myth to some. However, not to me. God created our surroundings but it’s up to us to preserve it.
CRN 1718
Chris Zywica said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:45 pm
A few years ago, if you had said something to me about global warming, I would have called you a fool. However, I have now realized it is just that mentality that has gotten the world into the mess it is in now and causing extreme environmental changes particularly in the Arctic. Global warming is a serious problem for the delicate echo structure in the worlds Arctic regions.
There has been a hole in the ozone layer for several years now and it has not been getting any smaller from my understanding. The polar ice caps are melting due to elevated temperatures brought on by green house gasses, so much so, that arctic winds are now able to virtually blow the thick slabs of ice away according to a study led by Son Nghiem of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In an article titled “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts” by Andrew Revkin of the New York Times, Nghiem has indicted that with the help of satellites tracking systems, “winds since 2000 had pushed huge amounts of thick old ice out of the Arctic basin past Greenland.” As the ice melts away and raises the ocean water levels, polar bears and other arctic animals which depend on these sheets of ice for hunting or feeding purposes will become endangered. These Arctic natives will not be the only animals to be negatively effected by this. Humans will eventually have to pay a great price for their own negligence, not only in the worlds icy Arctic regions, but in the areas we inhabit.
CRN 1718
Chris Zywica
Ronald Moua said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Global warming is a major factor to our life that is happening every second of the day. Over the years, global warming is changing dramatically all around the world. For example, the amount of snow last year is totally diverse from when I was a kid. In Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts written by Andrew Revkin he states a wonderful quote, “The world is paying more attention than ever.”Global warming will cause many children to not experience the excitement and entertainment as there parents once did as a child.
While growing up, everyone loved to play with water in the great outdoor. Especially, running around on grass while it’s being watered, or having water gun fights with friends. Now and days due to the water restrictions children will never have a chance to enjoy those activities. In the article In the Age of Noah, “If we don’t plan wee, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet”. It is very hard to believe that our water system is running low but it very true. Maybe eventually carwash business may even be out of business.
Ronald Moua
1718
Lauren Smith said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:46 pm
With the constant hustle and bustle of daily life, we tend to overlook and neglect the environment in which we live. In a sense, the idea of global warming didn’t appear to be factual until the aspects of the concept started playing a role in our day to day life. At this point in time, global warming is indeed a serious topic that effects millions world wide. I believe that humans are the main root of the problem.
According to the New York Times, “the evidence of a warming trend is “unequivocal,” and that human activity has “very likely” been the driving force in that change over the last 50 years.” After immense thought, I couldn’t agree more. In reality, humans are the main cause of pollution.
ENGL 1101
CRN 1718
Sara Garmon said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:46 pm
The thought of global warming is a scary and serious topic. Whether I believe it or not I am not sure of, but I am sure that at the rate that humans waste and destroy that the world we live in can not take it much longer. I do know that changes need to be made and fast. In my opinion, the biggest disaster that humans are causing is our destruction of animals and their habitats. One of the animals in the most danger is the Javan gibbon.
The Javan gibbon is a primate that lives in Indonesia. This beautiful animal is much endangered and almost extinct. As local businessmen have used resources found in the forest where the Javan gibbon lives, it has left these primates without a home and has left them with hardly any chance of survival. The only hope for these primates is to mate and reproduce, but it is a slow process that takes many months of living together and in a way knowing each other before they will produce offspring. Even thought logging has been deemed illegal on the island of Java, there is still only one hope for the Javan gibbon. The hope of the Javan gibbon rests in the future generations that they may become educated about living in peace with the forest around them and all the animals that live there too. As it is quoted, “We teach them that the source of the water comes from the mountain and the park,” he said. “And if the park is gone, they will not have the clean water they need for prayer rituals. If you influence the imam, he will influence all the kids.” Educating all people all over the world is the only hope that everyone has, because it is up to the future generations to carry on and maintain the world as it is now and to improve.
CRN# 1718
Stephanie Williams said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:47 pm
If action is not taken to reduce global warming, Georgia could suffer for generations to come. Lake Lanier is one of the primary sources of water for not only Georgia but neighboring states as well. Global warming could be a cause for the recent water loss. In a recent Glenn Prickett states that “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet” (The Age of Noah, Thomas L. Friedman).
The mussels in Florida are already an endangered species. Now we are feeling the “ripple effect” here in Georgia. The drought is mostly blamed on the supply of fresh water to Florida for the preservation of the mussels. The drought has lowered the level of Lake Lanier to an all time low. It is my opinion that everyone should take precautions to prevent Global Warming. The entrapment of heat at the earths allows us to maintain this land. However, too much heat can harm us and potentially cause issues such as drought and endangered species. By limiting the use of pollutants, Georgia as a whole can benefit from the affects and possible increase our lake levels.
Stephanie Williams
English 1101; CRN 1718
cristine cavender said,
January 15, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Global warmer has been affecting the world for awhile now but I wasn’t too knowledgeable about it when I first started to understand how it affected the world. I had asked this weather man one day at the gym if he was concerned with the global warmer. He told me “Cristine, every year it gets a little hotter during the summer; it gets colder in the winter, and the level rises in the ocean. There isn’t a global warmer!” I was shocked that the weather man thought there wasn’t a global warming. “That, this is the way the weather has worked for billions of years.” But how can you explain the glaciers in the arctic, Le Nino, and now with the drought in Georgia. As it says in the article Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts by ANDREW C. REVKIN “The Arctic ice cap shrank so much this summer that waves briefly lapped along two long-imagined Arctic shipping routes, the Northwest Passage over Canada and the Northern Sea Route over Russia.” I do believe that there is a global warmer.
sorry couldnt finish!
1718
Ashley Weinert said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Over the recent few years I have been more involved and more aware with global warming. One of the reasons that global warming is happening is because of the fact that we are humans and being that way we have the urge to show off what we have. So what do we do if we have lots of money, we go down to the dealership and buy the biggest gas guzzler possible. It makes me sick seeing all these single people driving around in Hummers and SUVs, knowing that our Ozone is depleting. I believe that one should buy an SUV type vehicle if they are either A) a parent with multiple children or B) a person who needs it for work such as construction. Global warming now is just getting worse and worse. A recent study (taken from the New York Times) has shown that the climate is likely to rise between 3-5 and 8 degrees Fahrenheit if the carbon monoxide in the atmosphere reaches twice the level of 1750. By 2100, sea levels are likely to rise between 7 and 23 inches! So people so your part help out the environment, it will be a better world if everyone just cared a little.
hannah hawkins said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Global warming is a major issue in todays world. This his really harmful for nature and for the human race, because we all need water to survive. If something isn’t done about the gobal warming issue who is to say that the world will be around in another fifty years or so. I personally think that everbody needs to work together to try to get life back to the way that they used to be. Just look at Lake Lanier, there is almost no water left in there anymore. The fish are biting really good now but only because they really have nowhere else to turn, their home is like a mud puddle. We need to concerve water better until rain comes again so that our wild life and lives are not endangered anymore.
Chris Napolitano said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I don’t feel that global warming is the problem of us humans living on earth. I think that global warming is just the outcome of the billions of years earth has existed. I’m not saying that all of the power plants and huge semi- trucks driving around putting all of the smog and such are helping the O-Zone, but global warming is not something we can control. I think that the human race would be better off preparing for what the outcome of all of the effects of global warming are instead of trying to fight them. If this is the case then I think the human race would be a lot better off. So people shouldn’t spend as much time trying to think of ways to stop these effects. As Glenn Prickett said, “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet”.
Nikki Brand said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:31 pm
The affects of global warming in my opinion will be permanent, however I don’t think anyone is really doing anything to stop it. I believe that the rapidly growing population of people on the earth and the pollution that we have dispersed has caused the problems we face today with global warming. I recently heard on the radio that this summer, we will not be allowed to fill our swimming pools and places like White water and Lake Lanier Island will not be in operation. What do I tell my son when it’s hot and we can’t go swimming.
As I was read the “In the age of Noah” by Thomas Freidman I noticed that he speaks of “the flood that is today” and “to save the last pair of a wide range of species”. This is us! We are in that wide range of species. We need to realize that we are the reason for these disruptions in our lives and find out what we can do to help. This is where our children play and this is our home!
Nikki Brand 1727
Jessica Davis said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Specifically I want to talk about Georgia in the issue of global warming. With temperatures hitting record high numbers and rainfall falling down to almost nothing, Georgia is suffering severely. With all this climate change the drought has just been getting worse and worse as days go on. If something isn’t done soon about Georgia’s drought who knows what the out come could be. What happens when the water levels drop so low that limited to how many minutes we can take showers? Or how many people can take a shower a day?
In the article, “In the Age of Noah”, by Thomas Friedman, he quotes Glenn Prickett “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet.” This helps explain why I think that if something isn’t done soon about Georgia’s drought, this is what could happen. We could be living on part of a dead planet. And once it’s dead, it’s gone. You can’t bring something dead back to life.
I am extremely concerned about how global warming is affecting Georgia. It is fully and completely our responsibility to change the way we live.
Melissa Jones said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I don’t necessarily believe in global warming, I see how our weather is going in Georgia with the drought and all, but to me its all described in the bible that this is going to happen. God already said that the land would dry up, and that all the things that are happening were going to happen. I can see why people would be concerned about “global warming” if there is such a thing, but to me its just another way to show that people want proof and this is their way to prove that there is not a God. To me its scientists giving us one more thing to panic about. The way I feel is if its going to happen its going to happen.
In Thomas Friedmans article “In the Age of Noah”, he stated that Unlike Noah, though, we’re also the ones causing The Flood, as more and more forests, fisheries, rivers and fertile soils are gobbled up for development. “The loss of global biological diversity is advancing at an unprecedented pace,” Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s environment minister, recently told the BBC. “Up to 150 species are becoming extinct every day. … The web of life that sustains our global society is getting weaker and weaker.”
I don’t support what hes saying, I see the problems were having but I don’t see them as problems from global warming. I believe that this is happening because God said it would.
Melissa Jones
1727
Chasiti Walden said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Global warming isn’t a big deal to me, but I do however, believe it exists. Even though the earth may be suffering now from Global warming at this moment, I personally think that the Earth will correct the problem on its own. Some people see humans as the main cause and I think we have an impact but definitely not the main cause.
In Andrew Revkin’s article, Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts, he made the comment “Some scientists who have long doubted that a human influence could be clearly discerned in the Arctic’s changing climate now agree that the trend is hard to ascribe to anything else.” And where we maybe a big impact in global warming I think we are just helping the issue stay an issue, not so much creating the problem. I think we just need to plan for the future and help the Earth correct the problem.
Chasiti Walden
CRN 1727
Gilberto Nanclares said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Global warming is creating big changes around the world. Some places are getting too much rain while others are suffering from big droughts. In my opinion, most of these changes are making people to stop and think of how big this problem can be to our future. It seems that each of us is having a lot to do with Global warming. As the world’s population grows more contamination is supporting Global warming. Recently, our state has suffered one of the biggest droughts in many years, and unfortunately people is now paying closer attention to these consequences from Global warming and it could be a little late. I believe that it is time for everyone to be more focused on Global warming. 1727
TIFFANY MAJORS said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:43 pm
The first time I heard about global warming was in my Earth Science class about six years ago. I could care less about it because I didn’t really see how it was affecting me personally. Now, I hear the topic of global warming mentioned more often such as on the news and in publications. I also see some of the effects that are taking place.
The main thing that I have noticed is that our climate is changing. Last year, was the first year that I know of that we did not receive snow in Danville, VA. Up until then, we’ve received at least two to three inches since I moved there in 1994. I remember that last January it was common for us to have 70 degree temperatures. Currently, Georgia is under a severe drought which is forcing residents to conserve water.
We will continue to hear about global warming for as was said in John Tierney’s article, “In 2008, a 100 Percent Chance of Alarm,” “You’re in for very bad weather. In 2008, your television will bring you image after frightening image of natural havoc linked to global warming. You will be told that such bizarre weather must be a sign of dangerous climate change — and that these images are a mere preview of what’s in store unless we act quickly to cool the planet.” Hopefully, we will come up to a solution of this problem.
Tiffany Majors
English 1101
CRN 1727
Kaye Cox said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I have heard many stories about Global warming and how it is affecting our lives. There have been many animals that are going extinct and humans trying to save them by breeding them in zoos. They have created natural surroundings in the Atlanta Zoo to hopes keep the panda bear from going extinct. I recently saw a show on 20/20 about a woman living in the jungle trying to save the orangutan.
I agree that the next generation will have to be the “Noah Generation” as quoted in the article “In the Age of Noah” by Thomas L. Friedman. “ With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.”
The way we are cutting down trees and re-routing water systems is bound to create havoc on any creature living in these disturbed areas. Can you imagine your children growing up and never seeing a panda bear or a turtle? We need to teach our children to conserve energy and protect environments these animals live in. After the animals die out from extinction…who do you think is next?
Kaye Cox
English 1101-CRN#1727
Renee Banks-Seawell said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Global Warming is an issue that I’ve been hearing about in the media for quite some time now but I hadn’t really paid much attention to it until recently. It seems to me that our summers have been much warmer in the past few years than I remember as a child. When I was young, the dog days of summer would be very hot but bearable even though we never had air conditioning in our homes or in our vehicles. Now I can’t imagine living without the good old A/C.
I ‘ve discussed the issue of “hotter summers” with family members and friends but never had any concrete proof that it truly was a fact. As I pondered the issue, I wondered if car exhausts, outside fires, etc. had any effect on our environment when it came to the issue temperature. According to an article on Global Warming in The New York Times, “the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases from smokestacks, tailpipes and burning forrests has played a central role in raising the average surface temperature of the earth by more than 1 Degree Fahrenheit since 1900.” This tells me that I’m not imagining the much warmer days of summer.
When I think of the Global Warming issue, I immediately think of Former President, Al Gore. Many people thought that he was out of his mind when he first started discussing this issue publically. Melting Icecaps seemed to be something that we simply didn’t have the time or desire to think about. However, according to the New York Times, his documentary “An Inconvienent Truth” was awarded an Oscar. Obviously many people who watched this documentary felt it had merit. I think that this gives us reason to at least listen to what he is saying before making an absolute opinion.
With all of the issues in today’s world, we shouldn’t overlook facts that have scientific proof that our behavior is negatively affecting our environment. Although I once was very sceptical about the validity of the affects of Global Warming, I now feel that it is a proven fact that our earth is getting hotter and that if we don’t try to contribute to keeping our environment clean, we may all suffer greatly from the effect
Renee Banks-Seawell
English 1101/1727
Maria Elia Hernandez said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:45 pm
I believe that Global warning is a big concern to most of us. It’s not only hurting our living surrounding s but also emotionally. Global warning has been a predictable problem because of how we are treating the earth. One example is how we know how sac crate our waters are , but yet we are polluting our oceans with waste. Example of this was years ago because of human error tons of oil from Exxon was spilled in the ocean thus, polluting the ocean and killing wild life. We know a lot of our substance for good global warning is in our forests, but yet we are cutting our trees and eliminating our forest for more construction. This is a why all of us should be concern and come together to better the planet because after all it is our only home.
The Times’s Jim Yardley reported The world is rightly focused on climate change. But if we don’t have a strategy for reducing global carbon emissions and preserving biodiversity, we could end up in a very bad place, like in a crazy rush into corn ethanol, and palm oil for biodiesel, without enough regard for their impact on the natural world. “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet,” said Glenn Prickett, senior vice president of Conservation International.
Let’s join forces as part of our responsibility in taking action in bettering our home “Our Planet”. If we need this to be one of our priorities so we can start working on a better and healthier environment for ourselves and our children.
Yvette Allison said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:46 pm
With the drought situation we have been facing in Georgia, I believe global warming is a large contributing factor and people are a large factor to the global warming. After watching “An Inconvenient Truth” with Al Gore, I realized that global warming is everyone’s fault. It did not actually hit home until Georgia was suffering from the worst drought in history. Though some say it’s just because we haven’t had rain, I believe people are the cause for the lack of rain. With our lack of recycling, too many vehicles on the roads, factories polluting the air with chemicals, it’s easy to see how we are our worst enemy.
In an article by Thomas L. Friedman, “In the Age of Noah”, he states “…our generation has entered a phase that no previous generation has ever experienced: the Noah phase. With more and more species threaten with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah – to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.”
Given time, I believe the lakes of Georgia will rise again, but I also worry that Georgian’s have not learned from this horrible crisis. We are in a situation that can cause us not only to lose sea life, but also jobs, revenue, and people. We can restrict water now, but in the future what major change will I make to help change the global warming process? Global warming is real and as quoted from Mark Twin by Al Gore in “An Inconvenient Truth”, “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so”. As a Georgia native, it is my responsibility to be accountability for my actions when it comes to global warming.
Yvette Allison #1727
John Mcbrayer said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Global warming definitely seems to be having a negative impact on our planet. Honestly, I doubt we will see the full impact of it, but our children and grandchildren will. 2006 was ranked the hottest year on record in the continental United States. As water temperature rises, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes. Birds are laying eggs earlier than usual, plants are flowering earlier and mammals are breaking hibernation sooner (Terry L. Root). It’s obvious to me that Global Warming is going to be a major problem in the near future.
John Mcbrayer
1727
Ismael Navarro CRN 1727 said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Global Warming is affecting the temperature at the poles. Every there seems to be less and less ice forming in the Arctic. The temperature gets hotter every year and not much ice can form at the North Pole and the South Pole.
The experts have had trouble finding any record in the recent past showing such widespread Arctic ice retreat in places like Russia, Alaska and else where, Said the Scientist in an New York Times article. The is a topick that gets a lot of attension in the press. Al Goure may be one of the most out spoken public figueres when it comes to globel warming and the effects it has on the planet and the over all enviroment. This is problem that has to be salved world wide not just in this country. It those us no good if only some countrys salve the problem and others do nothing to correct it.
Angela Patterson said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Global Warming is a current world issue that is steadily growing. Scientist are busy gathering factual evidence to prove this theory, but the proof is evident enough without waiting for proven facts. The effects can be recognized through disastrous effects that Mother Nature has clearly shown us, the temperature from season to season, and our most crucial crisis right now precipitation. The earth is a closed system and when man kind continuously takes from this system without replenishing it then the inevitable is sure to happen.
In Thomas Friedman’s article “In the Age of Noah,” he cites a quote made from Glenn Prickett, senior vice president of Conservation International. Glenn’s quote reads “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet.”
This quote points out exactly what conclusion the world is destined for if man kind continuously fails to realize their selfishness. It appears that we are living in a world and culture where water and vegetation are no longer considered natural resources; instead it is materialistic items and money.
Angela Patterson (1727)
English 1101
Maria F Diaz said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:47 pm
I think that global warming is a myth. What it is really happening is a combination of different factors. The earths is been contaminated by thousands of pollutants and destruction of habitats. Oil spills, mercury contaminating the rivers, overharvesting, and deforestation are drastically changing our environment. Another factor is that the earth’s weather is cyclical. We are now heading into a warmer phase. For example, the earth was warmer one hundred of years ago. In a more specific case is the drought that Georgia is going through. Since the population in the metro area has increased, we are now consuming and using more water every day. In addition, it did not rain last year’s raining season. We are now facing an ecosystem problem. Many animals depend on the lake’s water for survival.
In Thomas Friedmans’s article, “In the Age of Noah,” I found a very interesting quote. “Unlike Noah, though, we’re also the ones causing The Flood, as more and more forests, fisheries, rivers and fertile soils are gobbled up for development.”
In this quote he is stating that we should think a way of helping our planet in order to preserve it. I think that we should reinforce new habits. We should start recycle, reuse, and, renew.
Maria Diaz
CRN 1727
Juan Gomes said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Global warming is a relatively new issue in the world. The leaders of the world, as well as, the scientific community have been debating on the impact of carbon monoxide to the climate change,and it seems that there is a sense of urgency to the matter. Climate change has been a cycle on earth ever since the big bang, but it is also true that climate change is directly related to the rise of green house gases, like carbon monoxide, in the atmosphere.
The impact of climate change to the world is inevitable, and the world has to come together to make educated deicisions.
Juan Gomes
CRN 1727
Landon Mcdonnell said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Landon McDonnell
Global warming seems to be on the fore front of our thoughts, fears, and procrastinations.Procrastination seems to always be an issue no matter how big or small the problem is. Mans ignorance about an issue seems to secrete a poison into their minds in which thus makes them oblivious to the problem at all. This is the route of the procrastination that is befalling the global warming problem. Mans inability to see his venerability is the embryo of the ignorance that breeds in his mind.
Easter Island is a small ecosystem in the south pacific that is now depleted of all its resources. This was not a natural phenomenon caused by the ebb a flow of nature. It was caused by the inability to see the blatant negative information before them.
“The overall picture for Easter is the most extreme example of forest destruction in the Pacific, and among the most extreme in the world: the whole forest gone, and its entire tree species extinct.”[7]
The troubling information is that the people were unable to see the problem on such a small scale. Global warming involves the entire planet.
Lisa albano said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Global Warming in my opinion has been an over used description of naturally occurring environmental changes. We have never been able to prove that changes have occurred like this in the past, as we have never had the technology we currently have. I feel that Global Warming is being used as propaganda to achieve a different, undisclosed agenda.
In the article written “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts” written by Andrew C. Revkin, published in October 2007 there is still a lot of room for debate if Global Warming could be in fact caused by nature. Mr. Revkin’s article clearly cites much nature caused and based reasons for the occurrences in our environment, specifically the melting of the Arctic Glaciers. “While experts debate details, many agree that the vanishing act of the sea ice this year was probably caused by superimposed forces including heat-trapping clouds and water vapor in the air, as well as the ocean-heating influence of unusually sunny skies in June and July. Other important factors were warm winds flowing from Siberia around a high-pressure system parked over the ocean. The winds not only would have melted thin ice but also pushed floes offshore where currents and winds could push them out of the Arctic Ocean.”
This being the case, clearly we humans can not be held solely accountable for what is happening in our environment. I feel that we as a human race need to be more aware of our environment however; until further research for a longer period of time is collected I will remain a little cautious of everyone jumping on the Global Warming Band Wagon.
Lisa Albano
English 1101 1727
Raquel Hill said,
January 15, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I did not know anything about Global Warming until I watched the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”. Now, every time I watched the news about the weather I am concern about what could it happen? I think the climate is really changing faster than other times. I can feel that days are too hot when it is summer time than other years. It might contribute the drought crisis in Georgia.
In Andrew Revkin articles, “Arctic Melts Unnerves the Experts” he cites the new NASA study of expelled old ice builds on previous measurements showing that the proportion of thick, durable floes that were at least 10 years old dropped to 2 percent this spring from 80 percent in the spring of 1987, said Ignatius G. Rigor.
Based on this, I think the global warning is having a huge changes and every time is faster than old times. It is getting so hot that the ice it is melting and it is drying the earth.
CRN 1727
Dana Farmer said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I believe that global warming has become a huge issue, expecially for the generation now. Some parts of the world are facing melting ice as Andrew Revkin points out in his article, “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts,” while others are facing drought, such as ourselves. As much as I feel this is a major issue, I also feel there is no way for us to prevent it.
This has been an ongoing issue for some time now, why now are we trying to find ways to stop it when that’s what we should have been doing years ago. I feel there are many factors to what has caused this. One being how we cut down every acre of “free land” that’s left. It seems we are only concerned with what shopping center we can build next rather than what wildlife are we killing. This has become a selfish society. Looking back twenty years ago things were much different. People relied on the crops and land to get them through another day. Now, we rely on our precious computers and technology. It will take the world as a whole coming together to attempt to stop global warming. I say for now, let’s all just prepare for what lies ahead and only time and God will tell the rest.
Joseph Hall said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I believe that global warming is a pressing issue of today. I feel that there are things we can do to help slow down global warming, but unless we resort to living in caves, I feel that there is no reasonable way to completely stop global warming and its effects on the earth. To form a goal that is actually possible, I think we need to consider the reality. We need to try our best to slow down global warming in order to prolong our environment.
In Andrew Revkin ‘s Article “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts” He Quotes John Michael Wallice from the University of Washington, “I’m much more open to the idea that we might have passed a point where it’s becoming essentially irreversible.” In this quote, Wallice is speaking about the polar ice cap. It can be related to global warming in general though. We have gone too far to reverse global warming, but we can certainly be successful in slowing it down.
Joe Hall
CRN 1735
Catherine Daniels said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Global Warming has not always been an issue for me. Until I was a junior or senior in high school did I realize what I do can effect the whole world. I remember at one point watching the discovery channel and seeing that sea turtles are quickly going extinct. I freaked out. Sea turtles have always been an interest to me. I started questioning myself, “What can I do?” Although, I can try to help the best I know how, we as a whole nation need to rise together to make a strategy and stick to it to help not only we as humans but our generation of species.
The world is rightly focused on climate change. But if we don’t have a strategy for reducing global carbon emissions and preserving biodiversity, we could end up in a very bad place, like in a crazy rush into corn ethanol, and palm oil for biodiesel, without enough regard for their impact on the natural world. “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet,” said Glenn Prickett, senior vice president of Conservation International.
If we do not start planning now, who will? If we do not take a course of action will there still be sea turtles or coral for the next generation to see? Or will one day my kids come to me and ask “Mommy, what is a sea turtle?” I plan on taking action with a strategy, so that one day this will not happen.
Catherine Daniels
English 1101 1735
Renee Newport said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:04 pm
When it comes to the topic of global warming, I tend to consider myself a hypocrite. I know what is going on in the arctic and I know how to help make it stop, but yet those simple efforts to help do not phase me in my everyday life. I don’t think of all the exhaust I put in the air while driving long distances everyday. But then I will see a story on the news that night about how arctic animals are losing homes and how the ice caps are melting and all of a sudden huge feelings of guilt take over me. How could I be so ignorant? The environment is gradually crashing and I’m the reason why.
“The pace of change has far exceeded what had been estimated by almost all the simulations used to envision how the Arctic will respond to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to global warming.” (Article #2) I remember talking about global warming for the first time in the fourth grade. It was not such a big deal then. We mentioned what causes it and how it would affect wildlife, but never did we think that in a matter of a few short years we would be facing global warming at a rate like it is. Man has yet to realize the severity of global warming and its status today. And we may not show our true concern for it until that day comes where it is too late and there is nothing we can do. Mother Nature is much stronger than us and when we push her too far, she is going to make us pay for it.
CRN 1735
Allison Brock said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:08 pm
It is my belief that global warming is a very serious problem. Global warming is causing ice caps to melt, record high temperatures, and draughts. If we do not make some big changes in the way that we live, there is no telling the price we will pay.
In Andrew Revkin’s article, “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts”, he says, “The pace of change has far exceeded what had been estimated by almost all the simulations used to envision how the Arctic will respond to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to global warming.” That fact is quite alarming to me. That means that we are really not able to accurately predict what global warming is going to cost our planet. There is no telling how many species will be lost, how many countries will be ravaged by the changing weather patterns, and whether we will end up destroying Earth as we know it today. We can’t predict all of the changes that will occur due to global warming. We may already be in too deep and not even know it!
We, as humans, need to be aware of our impact on the Earth and all the living things in it. We need to respect all life on this planet, not just other humans. We are the ones that need to make the changes. It is up to us to make a difference.
Jessica Dowdle said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Global Warming is a very controversial subject in today’s society. Even if you don’t believe all the “facts” that surround global warming, you have to see that the world is changing. Animals that once were plentiful are now becoming extinct. For many of these animals, it is because of things we as humans are doing to our environment. Global Warming does exist and is a major problem for today’s world.
In Thomas Friedman’s article, “In the Age of Noah,” Sigmar Gariel states, “ Up to 150 species are becoming extinct everyday…the web of life that sustains our global society is getting weaker and weaker.” I would strongly agree with his statement. Our existence is based on the chain of life. We need other species to survive. If we do not take control of our environment, we very well could end up breaking the chain and endangering our own lives.
Jessica Dowdle
1735
Jung Oh said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:08 pm
I experienced Global Warming is a serious issue when I was in South Korea. It is much serious issue for the industrial country like Korea and Japan because there are so many people living in the small land with replete of factories. I noticed Global Warming critically effects nature’s cycle. The nature had clearly shown differences in each season by flowers, tress and harvests. However, it is difficult to notice change in season because Global Warming affects the weather.
In Thomas Friedman’s article, “In the Age of Noah”, he described about the Noah phase “With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah”.
This quote clearly expresses my personal opinion that Global Warning is vividly showing a danger of extinction. Since many trees and flowers are protected by national nature guard in Korea to protect extinction, people should aware the affect of Global Warming which can destroy our nature and environment.
Lucy Terrones said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Global warming has become a big issue around the world because it is affecting every individual in this planet. I think no one has done any thing to improve global warming; as a matter of fact, I think we are just pushing it more. I believe that if we were prepared for this, we would not have so many species extinct everyday. I love animals and watching this happen everyday just upsets me because I know this world has the power to do anything. Instead of focusing on war, money, or other things that are not as important, we should all come together to find a way to solve this issue.
As Thomas L. Friedman states in his articles “ With more and more species threatened with extinction by The Flood that is today’s global economic juggernaut, we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.”
I find this quote interesting because maybe that is the solution to this issue. One day we are going to be flooded and we are going to have to follow Noah’s experience and save the last species in this world. I do not want to reach to the point where we are going to loose everything, but if we can prevent this issue why not do it now when it is not too late.
English 1101
CRN 1735
Ingried Ramirez said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:10 pm
As many other things happening now in the 21st century global warming is one of the mayor problems that we are now facing. Global warming has become a very pupular concern for the world’s population because it has become a real life situation. Sometimes we tend to let things go and we don’t worry about the negative outcomes. Just like Thomas L. Friedman stated in his article “we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah — to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.” I think that if we don’t do anything to try to help our environment sooner or later we are going to face harder problems that are just going to be enivitable to avoid.
We have now become a new world, more technology more sofisticated things, in my opinion I think that is now our chance to keep this world a intersting place for us and for those that are not here yet and that are not be here if we don’t help the environment and take care of it.
Ingried Ramirez
English 1101
CRN 1735
Holly Colgan said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I believe that gobal warming has a major effect on the world as does humanities efforts to not maintain a more effective, planet saving, way of living. If you really think about it the burnings of several forrests in the last few years have effected the earths temperatures greatly, as well as exhaust from the tail pipes from so many vehicles. Several speices are becoming exinct due to the water loss.Our lakes are dry to the bone, yet people are worried about how they’re going to keep their lawn watered and looking pretty. I think there are many several effective ways we can help solve the problem of gobal warming if only everyone would make a consious effort to.
Senior vice president of Conservation International, Glenn Pridett says, “If we don’t plan well, we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet.”
Germany’s environment minister, Sigmar Gabriel quotes, “Up to 150 speices are becoming extinct everyday…The web of life that sustains over gobal society is getting weaker and weaker.”
I believe both points are vaild. Glenn Pridett states, “If we don’t plan well we could find ourselves with a healthy climate on a dead planet.” This statement goes back to what I said about people worrying about how their lawn looks and how they are going to clean their car the next time its dirty, meanwhile our docks are floating on shore and our lake is drying up.Sigmar Gabriel states a great point informing everyone the amount of speices are becoming extinct. Which ultimately informs us gobal warming is not only affecting us, but its affecting the once living creatures born here before we were ever put on this earth.
Holly Colgan
1735
Jason Simms said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I personally believe that Global Warming is a serious issue that our world faces each year. As it is stated in the New York Times article “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts” by Andrew C. Revkin, about the shrink arctic ice caps each year to me proves the we have a serious problem with Global Warming. Each year our surface temperatures in Georgia alone seem to rise more and more.
I believe one of the main cause of global warming today is the technology that we use today is killing the ozone layer in our atmosphere. It seems each year there are more cars on the road releasing fumes from there exhaust and more industries releasing harmful gas into our atmosphere. But we can’t put all the blame on technology; we as human also have to take some responsibly the global warming. We have the make the right decisions in the cars we drive and how we conserve the energy that we use. If we don’t take global warming serious our children and grand children are in a lot of trouble in the future.
As I read the article in the New York Times, it seem to just support my opinions that global warming is a major issue in today society and he there isn’t change who know what the world will be like in the years to come.
Jason Simms
ENGL 1101 – CRN#1735
Kamilla Araujo said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Since I was a kid I have been hearing about global warming. I believe one day somebody told me that we were all going to die because the ice was melting and there would only be water left. I believed at first that if that happened that it would be because God wanted like that the same way the Noah’s Arc happened in the bible. Years passed by and I now know more than just thinking things happen because God wants that way. Growing up in Brazil I heard about El Nino and the only thing we knew was that there would be trouble coming. Things have gotten really bad in the past couple years and what I thought was just something to scare me is actually happening. Summers are getting hotter and hotter and since 2001 I haven’t seen a single flake of snow in Georgia. We always want hot sunny days but we now realized that rain is much needed. According to the Article written by Andrew Revikin scientists are starting to believe that the Artic’s changing climate has a lot of human influence. We are the ones trying to come up with new products to make our lives easier somehow and we don’t realize that those big industries have machines that are running and will have some type of smoke going out of these fabrics and a lot of times there are chemicals such as CFC’s on the smoke that will affect the Ozone Layer. I remember that a few years back deodorants or other sprays had CFC in it and once things started getting worse companies found a way to get rid of it. Instead of just sitting back and waiting for a good rain or cold weather to happen we need to become more aware of our participation in this big issue and do our part to solve this problem. The world need to work as one to solve this matter because it will only get worse in the next few years if we don’t act now!
Kamilla Araujo
1735
juliana medina said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Global warming is something that everyone should worry about especially right now with the drought in Georgia and things so far don’t seem to be getting any better and it seems like no one is doing anything about it. In the media they do strain on things that we can do to preserve water and to help the environment but that is not enough, they need to come up with special programs or classes to teach everyone on how we can do this. Maybe this is something that needs to be taught to children in school. It does take more than hearing everyone talk about it and saying how bad it is, what we should do is make a plan and put it to use. I just hope that someone can come up with a solution to an already difficult problem, and hopefully create a better environment for our future. In the article, the age of Noah Dr. Jatna Supriatna says “It takes a village” to change things. And I am a firm believer of this since not just one person can change the way they do things but everyone would have to in order to make a difference.
Kayla Taylor said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I believe global warming is a huge problem that is not getting the attention that it deserves. It is a subjest that is pushed aside and not addressed the way it should be. Here in Georgia, for example, temperatures have risen and the amount of rain fall has deminished tremendously. As a result our lake levels have dropped and many animals are paying the price.
Thomas L. Friedman published an article in the New York Times called, “In The Age of Noah,” that was very interesting to me. A quote in the article really caught my atttention, “ we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah- to save the last pairs of a wide range of species.” This is so true. We are tearing down and destroying thousands of species habitats and homes everyday. So many species are in danger of becoming extinct, that if our generation continues to ignore this problem, many of them will become extinct and die out.
This quote by Friedman helps prove why it is important that we take global warming more seriously. If we don’t do something about the issue now it may be too late in the near future. It is up to us to keep our species alive and healthy, even if it means we have to make sacrifices to keep them alive.
Kayla Taylor
English 1101
1735
Stirling Ricks said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:15 pm
The issue of global warming is controversial and and much debated issue. I believe that there is no argument that the earth is getting wammer.I accepted this as scientific fact. To me the question is what is causing the change. Are humans and our industrial needs the cause, or could it also the increase solar activity which raises the temperature of the sun? The earth changes. It always has, it always will. If you look back on history you can see patterns that the earth has had warming trends and cooling trends since its existance.
No matter which side of the global warming isle you stand on our world is a precious place that we should manage responsibly. In the article, In The Age of Noah, Thomas L. Friedman states” For so many years, Indonesians, like so many of us have been taught life is a trade off: healthy people with lots of jobs or healthy forrests”.Life is often seems this way to most Americans, But with proper management of our resources and a sound planning for environment we should be able to adjust to our changing world just fine.
CRN1735
Jonathan Poff said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Summers are later in the year and winters aren’t as frostful as in past years. Less rain fell in 2007 here in the United States’ southeast than in recorded American History. I’ve personally noticed for the past five or so years that our winters were no where near what they used to be. I’m from West “By God” Virginia and the snow there use to fall before, if not on, Christmas. Snow now doesn’t fall until sometime in mid to late January. When I refer to it snowing I am not refering to flurries that do not stick. I am talking about the build up of snow that stays for the winter. Three to four months of snow has now turned into two to three months of snow. That’s unbelieveable if you ask me! Do I believe that global warming is real? I sure do and it’s time that we the people of Earth did something to help fix what we have royaly messed up.
According to Andrew C. Revkin’s arcticle, “Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts”, he also feels that not only is global warming real but it is more than just natural changes causing it. Mr. Revkin and I aren’t the only people who feel like we do but there are others that we were sketchy themselves but are now agreeing that humans are also a cause in global warming. John Michael Wallace, a scientist at the University of Washington said, “We used to argue that a lot of the variability up to the late 1990s was induced by changes in the winds, natural changes not obviously related to global warming, but changes in the last few years make you have to question that. I’m much more open to the idea that we might have passed a point where it’s becoming essentially irreversible.” The reason I find this man’s oppinion significant is because when one person says something there’s very little proof of anything. Maybe that person is crazy as we though Al Gore was fifteen years ago and even some still today. When you start to have common people and experts start to think alike and come to realizations that normally would not match up then there’s got to be something to it. It’s got to be more than just some crazy man screaming at us, “it’s the end of the world as we know it!”.
I will admit I have many oppinions and theories just as all of the renound experts do. I do not claim to know the full truth but I do claim that I have at least some of the truth. Th truth is global warming is real. Throughout the Earth’s history extreme seasons have come and have gone without human provication. I believe, as do thousands now, that humans have speed up the natural process fo things in nature. We have tampered with it unknowingly and we will pay for it. I also believe that maybe we can semi fix what we’ve done and maybe the end price won’t be as high as our imaginations ponder on how bad it can or will get.
Jonathan Poff 1735
Tony Beatty said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:17 pm
My Name is Tony Beatty I am a political science major and hopefully one day
I will be either a politician or working for one.
To me its no the issue of if the global warming is true or false. It is the man made part I am weary of, how does anyone know. I know that there are many pioneers in this area Al Gore he I think talks very passionate about what he is saying, but I also think he needs to walk the walk and talk the talk. My man point is that I afraid that global warming is the new socialism/communism. “So who are these former Reds who have converted to Green Socialism? One excellent example is Mikhail Gorbachev. Mr. Gorbachev is now the president of Green Cross International (a non-governmental environmental organization). Among the many issues with which Green Cross International has become involved, global warming is right at the top of its list. Gosh, when Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher became so chummy in the mid-1980s, I never once heard the Soviet dictator express concern about the environment.” (This is a quote from lewrockwell.com). You see people are meeting all around the world to decide how much money the US government should give to countries like Uganda to help the fight global warming. I am sorry people that is, a form redistribution of wealth, and that is one of the most strong points of socialism. Also people blame cars for causing global warming so they are making all kinds of regulations of fuel economy AKA café standards, which the companies cant, meet because there are no demand for them. One of the biggest problems is that while our government is holding us back with this global warming bull crap, China is moving to become the world’s lone super power because they are not letting stupid global warming alarmist hold them back. One other hoax is hybrids people act like the god sent. Hybrids in the long run put more carbon into the atmosphere than hummers if you don’t believe me do some research. There nickel batteries fly all around the world before they even make it to you, plus they admit all kinds of environmental destruction around the nickel plants, it looks like a war zone or the moon. I just don’t want everyone to get caught up in this hysteria because 25 years ago it was global cooling and now it global warming. I also believe if you try to take care of the world the world will take of you. We are animals just like the deer that eat grass or the beaver that chops down trees. No one knows if global warming is man made and no one will ever know because hell! We can’t even predict when a thunderstorm is going to happen much less a whole global climate change. I would like to end this with a story/email. HOUSE # 1:
A 20-room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas.
Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house all heated by gas. In ONE MONTH ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not in a northern or Midwestern “snow belt,” either. It’s in the South.
HOUSE # 2:
Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university, This house incorporates every “green” feature current home construction can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on arid high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the electricity required for a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Wastewater from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then into the cistern. The collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house. Flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the surrounding rural landscape.
So the answer is:
HOUSE # 1 (20 room energy guzzling mansion) is outside of Nashville, Tennessee. It is the abode of that renowned environmentalist and filmmaker) Al Gore.
HOUSE # 2 (model eco-friendly house) is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas. Also known as “the Texas White House,” it is the private residence of the President of the United States, George W. Bush. So whose house is gentler on the environment? Yet another story you WON’T hear on CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC or read about in the New York Times or the Washington Post. Indeed, for Mr. Gore, it’s truly “an inconvenient truth.” Most of this true and is backed up by associated press and Chicago tribune. I will stop rambling now.
Thank you for reading.
Tony Beatty English 1101 CRN#1735
Rick Sakal said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:17 pm
One of today’s hot topics is Global Warming and everyone has an opinion about whether it is real or not. My opinion is that though in recent time there is evidence of the earth’s climate warming, I believe that the severity is something that even the scientific community can not agree on, as stated in
Article #2. Arctic Melt Unnerves the Experts by Andrew Revkin
“The pace of change has far exceeded what had been estimated by almost all the simulations used to envision how the Arctic will respond to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. But that disconnect can cut two ways. Are the models overly conservative? Or are they missing natural influences that can cause wide swings in ice and temperature, thereby dwarfing the slow background warming?”
If the scientists can not present a common front, how can we believe the predictions of them to be true.
Sabrina McCollum said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I am not to famililar with global warming but while Reading the article In the Age of Noah by Thomas Friedman I realized this is a problem that today’s generation needs to take care of. As said in the article “we may be the first generation in human history that literally has to act like Noah-to save the last pair of a wide range of species.
I believe the extintion of animals is due to productivity of oil,trade and agriculture. Today’s society is so involved of making tommorrow better than yesterday,when we need to be wondering how to save the world for tommorrow.
With the drought affecting Georgia as we speak,this was greatly caused by humans not conserving until there isn’t enough. This in turn affects the animals,plants and creates global warming
This is a problem that could eventually led to all animals,plants and human life gone. We need to start helping today not tommorrow.
Sabrina Mccollum
CRN 1735
Jeremy Daniels said,
January 15, 2008 at 8:20 pm
The issue of Global Warming has been raised as a global issue by scientists and politicians worldwide for nearly a decade now. Many people would argue that this issue is being taken so lightly because it is not affecting us now in our everyday lives. I have to be honest by saying that I haven’t taken Global Warming seriously until this past summer. The effect s that Global Warming has had on Lake Lanier and other water reservoirs in Georgia has awakened my belief that this problem really does exist and might be happening faster than we all thought.
Jeremy Daniels
Eng 1101
1735
Evidence of this is cited in Andrew Revkin’s article, “Artic Melt Unnerves the Experts.” He explains how these conditions are changing, quote “The pace of change has far exceeded what had been estimated by almost all the simulations used to envision how the Arctic will respond to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to GlobalWarming.”
This makes me believe that our environment is changing beyond what we can just see. If something as big as the artic glaciers are wasting away then what of the stability of our man made lakes?
Joellen Street said,
January 15, 2008 at 11:08 pm
If you have heard the phrase “Go Green” and know what it means , then you have been exposed to the concept of Global Warming and the people making efforts to slow down the process. Some believe we are experiencing the “Natural Cycle of Life”. After reading about the Polar Icecaps meltling , I can’t deny that we our damaging our planet , and “Global Warming is the result of that damage.
The New York Times article “Artic Melt Unnerves Experts “ reveals ,” The new NASA study of expelled old ice builds on previous measurements showing that the proportion of thick, durable floes that were at least 10 years old dropped to 2 percent this spring from 80 percent in the spring of 1987.” If the melting continues the results could be devastating for all living species. Polar bears are already drowning trying to swim toward their land of ice only to find more water.
1727
Joellen Street
Carolina Carrion said,
January 20, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Global Warming, is not a new topic to any of us, we hear about it in the news everyday, we feel the crazy changes of climate every year, and we probably see a Dramatic example in Lake Lanier, where in areas that not too long ago was water and boat, now is dry land and boats. Yet at the same time I run across a perspective on people that doesn’t see the connection between a certain Life-Style and the consequences thereof. For too long we have been assuming that someone else had to take care of these kind of things, we assumed the problem was merely a political problem, and that it should be handled by the government, by organizations and by other people, or we have assumed that this was just another “Act of God” in which we had no power or responsibility. Columnist “Thomas L. Friedman” wrote an article in the New York Times, entitled “In the Age of Noah” and he points to the fact that we are living in a time where our last option in order to preserve certain species it to gather the last two specimens of that species, in hopes it won’t disappear completely, and he points to the fact that the difference, however, with the age of Noah, would be that we are responsible of the damage that we are seeing. I think that is the most important point, it is important because it there is any change that should occur at this time, it has to be a powerful one, and the only way there can be a powerful change is if it occurs in ourselves, in the consciousness of every individual. I believe and trust in a change in that area.
Carolina Carrion