The document discusses global warming and its causes and impacts. It summarizes that carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet. This is causing rising temperatures, more extreme weather, sea level rise, and other environmental changes that are damaging to human society and natural ecosystems. The document advocates for solutions like transitioning to renewable energy and green building practices to mitigate the problem.

1. Dr. Eban Goodstein, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon Global Warming Solutions for America Presentation materials supplemented by Jennifer Edmonds, PhD

2. The “Carbon Blanket”: Getting Thicker Every Year Pre-industrial: 280 PPM ≈ 1950 Today: 384 PPM 2050: ?? Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. ( URL )

3. FAQ 1.2, Figure 1

4. FAQ 1.3, Figure 1

5. FAQ 1.1, Figure 1

6. The “Carbon Blanket”: Getting Thicker Every Year Pre-industrial: 280 PPM ≈ 1950 Today: 384 PPM 2050: ?? Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. ( URL ) Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year.. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually.

7. Today’s level 384pm

9. Q A Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years… Is the earth really getting hotter?

10. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Instrumental_Temperature_Record.png

11. Q A http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 º F (0.8 º C) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades ( according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies) http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years… Is the earth really getting hotter?

12. Temperate glacier retreat is global Portage Glacier, Alaska - 1914 Portage Glacier, Alaska – 2004

13. Portland, Oregon 1984 2002

32. Q A http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Because the ocean is getting warmer, tropical storms can pick up more energy and become more powerful. So global warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased along with ocean temperature over the past 35 years. Is global warming making hurricanes worse?

36. Dire warming scenarios for world’s reefs Experts predict ’crumbling frameworks’ if CO2 emissions continue to grow Ove Hoegh-Guldberg These images published with a coral acidification study in the journal Science reflect scenarios of carbon dioxide's impact on reef ecosystems. The left image represents an intact system at current CO2 levels; the center image shows coral decay with increased CO2; and the right image shows a devastated system with even higher CO2 emissions. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22185971/

42. www.focusthenation.org

43. What can be done? WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING ?

48. For a small company, going green might mean using recycled paper products, installing solar panels and using organically grown materials. For a large company, it might mean investing millions of dollars in renewable energy research, slashing carbon dioxide emissions and drastically reducing energy consumption.

53. Entertainment Restaurants Auto Industry Careers Education Real Estate

56. Artists clearly appear to be backing green innovations. For instance, [a] new album … was issued in a recycled-paper Digipak; the carbon dioxide used to make and ship the disc is being offset with contributions to renewable energy projects Virgin Entertainment Group North America VP of marketing … revealed at NARM that the chain is converting all its shopping bags and point-of-purchase material to recycled stock Warner Music Group, which has launched a companywide initiative to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions, reported at NARM that it has also been using ecologically enhanced paper for the last month Universal Music Group has reissued its Millennium greatest-hits series in eco-friendly packages that replace the CD booklet with a single card, featuring only the cover of the album on the front

58. Consumer electronics aren't exactly easy on the environment -- they consume electricity that contributes to global warming, and toxins leach out of them when they end up in landfills. … smart power adapters that don't waste as much electricity, batteries that are easier to recycle, and components made from plants … a laptop with a plastic case made from corn rather than petroleum products … the EPA will be announcing a campaign to provide consumers with more places to turn in cell phones for recycling.

73. Emissions Trader In a market economy, brokers can trade just about anything on an exchange, including greenhouse gas emissions. Companies have been able to voluntarily trade emissions credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange since 2003. If the U.S. ever adopts a mandatory emissions credit trading system (like Europe's) expect this field to pop.

74. Environmental Architect With new building codes promoting energy efficiency, "green" architecture is booming. In 1994, the U.S. Green Building Council developed a set of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. In the decade that followed, many architects and developers sought accreditation.

75. Sustainability Analyst Just as corporations are hiring managers to ensure that they are engaging in sustainable business practices, many financial firms are examining sustainability industry-wide. Even Dow Jones has gotten in on the game: In 1999, they launched several indexes to track the performances of companies with a focus here.

76. Lobbyist As business faces increased environmental legislation in Washington, corporations will seek help from lawmakers in the form of tax breaks and grants to pursue clean technology investments. Expect a greater presence on Capitol Hill from lobbyists working in the energy and environmental fields.

77. Renewable Fuels Engineer/Biologist The financial rewards associated with the development of renewable fuels are driving much of the business community's investment in the environment. As long as this money keeps coming in, there will be a need for engineers who can develop more efficient wind turbines and solar panels, and biologists who can develop cleaner--and cheaper--biofuels

78. Climate Risk Analyst The insurance industry stands to be greatly affected by climate change, and many companies are now offering policies to promote energy efficiency and help reduce global warming. Climate analysts provide the industry with information to determine the risks associated with extreme flooding, storms or temperature changes.

79. Sustainability Coordinator Dozens of multinational corporations have pledged to help the environment through their business practices. For example, Coca-Cola asked the World Wildlife Fund to help them conserve water. More companies are looking for a single manager to oversee these efforts

80. Ecological Economist Who puts a price tag on the ecosystem? Economists, of course. They determine, for example, what a ton of carbon dioxide pollution costs, or the economic value of keeping a rainforest intact. Outside of academia, non-governmental organizations and the federal government are major employers of ecological economists