The Green Bandwagon

People never get tired of jumping on the bandwagon. We always go with the majority, always out with the old and in with the new. We hate to say it, but this bandwagon mentality has, in fact, become apparent even in our fight for sustainability.

The world is slowly coming to an end. With this realization, people suddenly find themselves environmental advocates trying to tell others what to do and what not to do. They blame others for not using environmentally friendly products and refuse to see that they, themselves are to blame for this world’s degradation.

We are saddened by the fact that people pretend to be environmentally friendly. Even corporations dub themselves “green” just to promote their products and increase their profit; little do they know that being environmentally responsible is more than just self-proclamation. It’s about letting their actions do the talking.

Yes, going green has become a bandwagon and people have chosen to jump on it for the wrong reasons.

We know how cynical it is to believe that most people only care for the environment because they see their favorite celebrities promoting their environmental advocacy on TV, that they pretend to care because it’s the “it” thing. We know it is skeptical of us to believe that this “green” thing is just like a fashion trend that will soon go out of style and like any other fad, people will grow tired of it. And for once, we really do hope that we are wrong about all these beliefs. We hope that this bandwagon effect isn’t real.

We are in no position to tell you what to do or what not to do, for we, too, are guilty of polluting our world..

 But we have this desire for change—in ourselves and how we perceive this world. Slowly, let us work on improving our actions that affect the environment.

As of this moment, let us oblige  ourselves not to use Styrofoam products (which take 500 years to decompose) and plastic straws (roughly about 5% of pollutants in Pasig River) not just because we want to but because by doing so, We’ll be able to reduce the burden that our world is bearing and somehow stop environmental degradation.

Let us be aware that our every action, no matter how insignificant it may seem, affects this world and all the things (living or non-living, big or small) that live in it.But only compliance with it will bring our vision of a “Healthy Earth” into reality.

Most of you may have reacted violently against it, but we assure you that there is a greater good that lies beyond our decisions not to use styro products. It gives us hope that somehow, in some way, we can bring back the beauty this world had back when it was unpolluted, bountiful, and young. It gives this world a chance at life, at perfection.

Mother Earth needs us. She needs us to stop being villains who slowly poison her with our selfish acts and start being heroes who will save and preserve whatever is left of her beauty. If we could only feel her pain, we wouldn’t have second thoughts about helping her. If we would only pay attention to her calls, we would stop being indifferent.

Global Warming: Causes and Effects

Global warming poses a serious threat to life on earth. Although scientists are unclear about the exact implications of global climate change, most experts agree that plant communities, tropical landscapes, wildlife habitat, sea levels, weather patterns, and human mortality would be negatively impacted. Despite these findings, industrialized nations are reluctant to curb their dependence on carbon-based fuels which contribute to an intensified greenhouse effect.

In recent years, scientists have become increasingly concerned with the challenge of global change. Human life is causing a number of dramatic changes in the planet's ecosystem. Many of these changes are damaging to the ecosystem, and some of them are irreversible. The two most drastic changes that the planet will face in the twenty-first century are the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer.

The greenhouse effect, also known as global warming, is caused by various gases which get trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Some of these gases, such as methane, are caused by the decomposition of organic matter. However, the worst greenhouse gases are those which are caused by human beings. These include carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, and chlorofluorocarbons resulting from the use of aerosol sprays and refrigeration systems. Under normal conditions, much of the infrared energy of the sun bounces off the earth and reflects back into outer space. However, when these gases accumulate in the earth's stratosphere, the energy from the sun is trapped near the earth's surface (4:131). As a result, the earth's temperature is increased. This increase in temperature has a powerful effect on climate, as well as raising sea levels around the world.

Pollutants are the main key factor of causing various changes in our environment. The effect maybe drastic in the coming years if we will not focus ourselves and help save our mother Earth. How? Getting green, finding alternative ways for solar energy and preserving our nature are some of the key factors that we can do to save it. We can, if we will try. It is within our hands, for the future generation’s sake.

What You Need to Know About Global Warming

The Earth has warmed and cooled time and again and history has proven that all these years. Because of abrupt shifts in its orbit, the climate has changed when the planet received more or less sunlight as the atmosphere changed.

How does this warming changes pattern now affect our climate?  Are we sure that human-released greenhouse gases are causing the warming? Will the Earth becomes warmer five years from now? How much more? How can we adapt to these changes? These are just some of the million questions we need to find answers before it is too late.

There are lots of definitions of what is global warming. One of those, from Wikipedia defines: Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC, global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th century. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Global dimming, a result of increasing concentrations of atmospheric aerosols that block sunlight from reaching the surface, has partially countered the effects of warming induced by greenhouse gases.

With this, it is a fact that the Earth’s temperature begins with the Sun. Incoming sunlight is reflected back into space for about 30% through the clouds and the ice. About 70% of those comprises mostly absorbed by the land and ocean and the rest is absorbed by the atmosphere. And this absorbed energy from the sun heats the Earth.

As the rocks, the air, and the seas warm, they radiate “heat” energy (thermal infrared radiation). From the surface, this energy travels into the atmosphere where much of it is absorbed by water vapor and long-lived greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

When they absorb the energy radiating from Earth’s surface, microscopic water or greenhouse gas molecules turn into tiny heaters— like the bricks in a fireplace, they radiate heat even after the fire goes out. They radiate in all directions. The energy that radiates back toward Earth heats both the lower atmosphere and the surface, enhancing the heating they get from direct sunlight.

This absorption and radiation of heat by the atmosphere—the natural greenhouse effect—is beneficial for life on Earth. If there were no greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average surface temperature would be a very chilly -18°C (0°F) instead of the comfortable 15°C (59°F) that it is today. –Earth Observatory by Holli Riebeek

Now, this global warming issue will definitely affect us in the coming future. And my question is, unless we find definite solutions, alternative ways, take care of our ecosystem…are we ready yet?

They say, prevention is better than cure. I’d say, we go green now and I hope somehow this will heal our ailing world.

The Better Options

While the world clamor and lean upon big companies of oil, several nations around the globe are considering the “big shift” to alternative energy.

During the first quarter of 2005, the cost of gas climbed to the highest price one can ever imagine. The whole world was shaken and I wonder what if there are other ways? There should be. We have a lot of resources that has given by God for us to use but not abuse.

As compared to America, other nations such as Australia, France and Germany continuously looks for an alternative ways of expanding other possibilities. Seriously focusing on other ways to preserve the nature and at the same time find other ways of getting energy aside from the oil plus the fact of climate change issues.

Politically, the American blight in the Middle East is of great advantage to countries in support of renewable energy, because these countries are getting a head start on the global race towards the technological development of more efficient renewable energy systems. Billions spent on preservation of the status quo of the OPEC nations assures France and Germany oil for the immediate future. At the same time, the money saved from opting out of participation in the Coalition can be used to build many alternative energy resources and research new methods of securing renewable energy. Well-orchestrated protests against American involvement in Iraq and other Middle East countries endears Canada, France and Germany to the world (source: A Dream for a Future with Alternative Energy by Robert S. Leonard).

The issue here of course is to find ways of getting alternative energies other than being dependent on oil.

Some feel adamant that alternative energy will not only provide cheaper energy but remedy or at least diminish the primary reasons for ongoing global conflict. Alternative energy provides the ability to offer a large level of redundancy in sources so that countries are not dependent on the natural resources of another nation. It also provides a much cleaner energy, reducing the tremendous pollution problem of fossil fuel. The profitability of alternative energy is an investment that starts today and pays off tomorrow (source: A Dream for a Future with Alternative Energy by Robert S. Leonard).

Taking advantage of what we have right now, like for example, the sun. For so many centuries, it keeps on shining down on our planet. With the advances in solar energy starting right now, every electrical need could be satisfied with solar power and the grid. It will just take a good focus and funding by the government to modify and encourage everyone to shift gears and make it happen.

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships (source: Wikipedia). For as long as it is free, abundant and can be seen anywhere in any part of the world, if one can just modify that into an alternative energy, it is like hitting a jackpot in a lottery.

Wind turbines are quiet and have an unending resource to produce energy for any country smart enough to use them.

The whole point of alternative energy is to provide sustainable, clean, cost-effective, and localized energy to our communities. To be able to achieve this, just like any science theory; we need to analyze, identify the problem, test the solution, and conclude.

After all, if we reflect back and we take a look at our roots, life is simpler then. We do not have to complicate things to get what we want. Finding alternative energies as well as taking care of our climate can easily be achieved if we try it out first. 

Warming Troposphere

The troposphere is the lowest portion of Earth’s atmosphere. It contains approximately 75% of the atmosphere's mass and 99% of its water vapor and aerosols.

The word troposphere derives from the Greek:  tropos for "turning" or "mixing," reflecting the fact that turbulent mixing plays an important role in the troposphere's structure and behavior. Most of the phenomena we associate with day-to-day weather occur in the troposphere (source: Wikipedia).

On November 15th, reports from US and British meteorologists, according to Reuters, state that - Not only is Earth's surface warming, but the troposphere -- the lowest level of the atmosphere, where weather occurs -- is heating up too.

In a review of four decades of data on troposphere temperatures, the scientists found that warming in this key atmospheric layer was occurring, just as many researchers expected it would as more greenhouse gases built up and trapped heat close to the Earth.

This study aims to put to rest a controversy that began 20 years ago, when a 1990 scientific report based on satellite observations raised questions about whether the troposphere was warming, even as Earth's surface temperatures climbed. It was found that the model results and atmospheric data sets, found no fundamental discrepancy between what was predicted and what is happening in the troposphere. It is warming, the study found.

This controversy led different views from different organizations. International climate change talks are set to start on Nov. 29 in Cancun, Mexico, but prospects for a global deal to curb greenhouse emissions are considered slim (source: Reuters).

Now, whether this leads to another study to take effect regarding global warming, that is another issue that the committees on global warming all over the world will be dealing with in the future.

Right now, all we know is that somewhere out there, climate is dramatically changing and that we should find alternative ways to sustain and preserve everything we have.