Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, emissions from human inventions have significantly changed the earth's atmoshpere. Our thirst for progress, and our innovations, have allowed us to create technological advances that have benefitted much of the world. But, we did not know, and could not see, the true cost of our actions. Our actions have had a tremendous impact on our environment. Emissions from our inventions -- especially in transportation -- have begun to overwhelm our environment and are contributing to the earth's warming. The rapid rise of the earth's temperature has created what Al Gore refers to as a climate crisis. The effects of the earth's warming include the following: If, or when, any and all of these events take place, many of the world's economies will feel the effects. The longer we take to act, the more expensive it will be to try and cool our planet, or fix damage that may be nearly irreparable.GLOBAL WARMING 90 % of manmade carbon dioxide comes from the burning of gas, oil and coal. Emissions are currently increasing 3 percent per year and are projected to reach 12 billion tons per year by 2030 and more than 20 billion tons by the end of the century. Over the next hundred years, temperatures are predicted to rise by 5 degrees F – that will make the earth hotter than it has been in 400 years. The continual increase in rising temperatures has had, and will continue to have, serious implications for the health of all living beings, ecosystems and worldwide agriculture. 20 of 21 hottest years measured have occurred within the last 25 years. The hottest year yet was 2006. CARBON DIOXIDE/GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
What is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions? An industry we depend on every day - Transportation. The global warming resulting from carbon dioxide and greenhouse emissions has resulted in glaciers melting worldwide, rising sea levels, shifting weather patterns, increased strength of typhoons and hurricanes, and the extinction of plant and animal life. MELTING GLACIERS
Sea levels have risen about 6-8 inches globally since 1900 and the rate of rise has increased in the past ten years. By 2100, sea levels could be several feet higher than they are currently as land-based bodies of ice such as Greenland and Antarctica continue to melt –submerging portions of land.
The warm Gulf Stream interacts with cold Arctic winds and acts as a ocean conveyor belt. The Gulf Stream brings warm water currents north and east to Western Europe while colder ocean currents flow in the opposite direction. North Atlantic ocean water, as a result of warm water evaporation, is cold, very salty and therefore very heavy. When this cold, dense water sinks to the ocean bottom, it forms an important “pump” which helps to power the worlds ocean currents. As oceans become diluted with freshwater (due to glacial melting), the water becomes less dense –turning off the “pump,” halting the current and significantly altering the climates and ecosystems of certain regions such as Western Europe.
A new study by the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University reveals the severe economic consequences of doing nothing. From the report: “If nothing is done to restrain greenhouse gas emissions, annual economic damages could reach US$20 trillion by 2100 (expressed in U.S. dollars at 2002 prices), or 6 to 8 percent of global economic output at that time (Kemfert 2005). The same study found that immediate adoption of active climate protection policies could limit the temperature increase to 2° and eliminate more than half of the damages…If, however, climate protection efforts do not begin until 2025, the same model estimates that it will be impossible to limit warming to 2° by 2100 — and climate protection in general will be more expensive, the later it starts.”The British government commissioned noted economist, Sir Nicholas Stern, to amass the most comprehensive report on the financial impact of climate change. The Stern Report calculated that the total global cost of climate change could run to $9 trillion and it warns there is only a small window of 10 to 15 years to address the problem. The report concluded that climate change will not only devastate the environment, but cause mass migration and cut the world's annual economic growth by 20 percent. Additional Items
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- Health costs to Californians, so far this year, of port related pollution in California.
The Ports of LA Long Beach Clean Air Action Plan passed in November 2006, and 0 clean trucks service the ports.
Port Pollution Facts
- In Long Beach, 20% of children under 17 have been diagnosed with asthma - nearly twice the national average.
- $67 million: The cost of respiratory problems associated with ports in CA.
- Diesel Exhaust is responsible for 84% of the cancer risk from air pollution in the Southern California Air Basin.
- $19 BILLION: Cost on health system due to port pollution. average.
- Each day the Port of LA emits over 30 tons of NOx, while a half a million cars emits less than 24 tons and the average power plant emits less than 5 tons.
- 2,400 - Estimated number of premature deaths caused by diesel emissions.
- 800,000: Number of children that pollution reduction could save from lung disease.
- Each day the Port of Los Angeles emits over 30 tons of NOx, while a half a million cars emits less than 24 tons and the average power plant emits less than 5 tons.
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