Originally posted by mhoffmanSure matey - the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC www.ipcc.ch) summarises the science every few years in a report. The last report was in 2001, which you can download from that website. At that time, models developed independently at different research centres around the world were predicting temperature increases due to anthropogenic CO2 emissions of 1.5-4.5 degrees C. The next report, summarising much more advanced models and scientific studies, will be out around 2008, but will basically not report a change in these predictions (you can download and analyse the data from the PCMDI archive if you wish to confirm this yourself).
Where are the computer models then... and if your only evidence is a economic report then about global warming that is not the evidence to global warming... I just want proof of something before I believe. and an economic report is not one...
Two facts are enough to convince me that anthropogenic CO2 emissions will cause climate change. One is that man has already been shown to be capable of changing the state of the atmosphere by his/her actions (the ozone hole). The second is that the laws of physics themselves state that increasing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere will lead to more absorbed radiation, and therefore a higher temperature.
I like the premise of this thread. If I owned a house I would definitely insulate it well, as poor insulation creates a whole host of problems that cost money to fix. But for those of us who just rent there are some very simple things to do that don't cost any money, such as turning off the lights in any room you are not currently occupying and turning of things like the television and the stove at the powerpoint in the wall. It saves a surprising amount of energy, and also a surprising amount of money, all at no cost to you.
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Tip 3 - Energy saving white goods
Consumer electronic products are an important area to consider when saving energy; with UK households alone, spending around £2 billion a year on electricity to run them.
Consider this: nowadays electrical products always have an energy efficiency grade on their product (A*, A, B, etc); so if you were considering buying an electrical product you should keep this in mind.
Try to buy electrical goods with a Grade A* because this is the most efficient. It works like a sliding scale so the energy efficiency gets worse as you follow the alphabet.
(The manufacturers are actually required by law in the UK to grade like this)
By doing this you will save money, without comprimising performence, as the electrical good you are using will use less energy.
Fridges
Now think of this: Fridges, fridges are left on continually (or at least on standby at times like a T.V.); so obviously they use a lot of energy, so getting the most energy efficient one will save you fair bit of money long term, compared to a much less efficient one.
For fridges this scale is extended up to A++, so get this one to save the most money.
I would imagine the energy efficient fridges wouldn't cost too much more than the less efficient ones, so they would pay off this extra amount pretty quickly.
Of course for things like televisions and washing machines you should also keep this grading system in mind.
It doesn't just help the environment, it makes economic sense.
Originally posted by Bad wolfWhere possible, eat locally produced food.
Okay, I've made this thread to encourage others and to get ideas from others on what we can do to tackle global warming.
In all seriousness I can't expect you to do anything substantial, nothing like buying a hybrid car or buying a wind turbine for your house (they are expensive!); but I am encouraging you to do a few easy things that take little effort ...[text shortened]... it has saved you so far.
It doesn't just help the environment; it makes economic sense.
Eat fresh fruit and veg......less packaging and heating processes.
Originally posted by twiceaknightDefinitely. People seem to overlook the reduse in reduce, reuse, recycle. You really can save a great deal of packaging if you try, and whole foods taste so much better anyway.
Where possible, eat locally produced food.
Eat fresh fruit and veg......less packaging and heating processes.
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Originally posted by whiteroseVery true; did you know that one of the large supermarkets (possibly Tesco) transport some of their food from the UK to iceland and then this is sent back again, all because the labour costs there are cheaper when it is packaged.
Definitely. People seem to overlook the reduse in reduce, reuse, recycle. You really can save a great deal of packaging if you try, and whole foods taste so much better anyway.
This is very wasteful.
It is also worth noting that locally produced food is usually cheaper than those of supermarkets anyway; so again, it makes economic sense.
I'll try to make a more detailed tip on this later by trying to dig some figures on what energy would be saved and how much money would be saved as well.
Originally posted by rowpcYou say 'the ice age' like it was a single event. There were at least four, each was seperated by a short period of rapid warming followed by a long period of what we would consider normal temperatures and then another short period of rapid warming preceding the next ice age.
I think we have it all wrong this global warming thing, the planet has bein warming up since the end of the ice age and will slowly turn back into a desert its a cycle, in another thousand years it may start cooling back down into another ice age, what do you thinh ?
While it is possible that we are living in a period between ice ages and are witnessing the natural cycle heralding the approach of the next one, it is also possible that we ourselves have speeded the approach of this or even restarted a defunct ecological process.
So in summary you may want to take the attitude that this would have happened sooner or later anyway so why worry about greenhouse gases, but death happens sooner or later and most people would not do anything to encourage that to happen sooner.
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Originally posted by rowpcThere are cycles, yes; but what causes them?
I think we have it all wrong this global warming thing, the planet has bein warming up since the end of the ice age and will slowly turn back into a desert its a cycle, in another thousand years it may start cooling back down into another ice age, what do you thinh ?
Today there is a large sum of evidence showing that this latest warming period has been caused by human activities (CO2, methane, etc).
Compared with the past, CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere have been at there highest for around 650,000 years (I think there was a warm period back then as well). The levels back then may have been like that because of increased volcanic activity (or not); but today there has been no evidence to suggest any other source for this increased CO2 emissions other than from greenhouse gas emisions created since the industrial revolution.
Using this scientists have used this data in supercomputers to estimate how this increase in CO2 will affect global temperatures in the future, as well trying to factor other extra natural factors that this warming will bring; e.g. the thrawing of the permafrost in places like russia that will release extra methane into the atmosphere, and how the melting of the ice caps will mean more energy from the sun will be absorbed - less white reflecting sunlight, and more blue water absorbing heat.
They show that if we continue as the way we are these increased CO2 emissions (caused by us) will cause a domino affect on other things on the earth that will eventually caused the earth's temperature to rise (even more); depending on how much CO2 we release, the earth will rise by varying amounts.
So this is why it is important to reduce our emissions, it is caused by us. By reducing our emissions it will reduce other affects warming would bring.
If we do nothing:
Life on this planet isn't really prepared for such rapid warming, many species (double percentage figures, something like 40% ) are at risk and likely to die out because they would be unable to adapt as fast as they need to. If we don't do something.
If we do nothing it will also hurt humanity too, it will cause flooding as the sea levels will rise (goodby London, New York and Tokyo 🙁 ), more severe droughts in Africa; damage water supplies for places like China and India (they rely a lot from the melting of ice for rivers in the Himalayas). The increase in storm activity will hurt the US and other places like it as there are more storms like hurricane Katrina.
Shall I go on?
It won't start cooling in a thousand years because there will still be a lot of CO2 still left in the atmosphere because it would take a lot of time for this extra CO2 to be absorbed back in the atmosphere.
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Tip 4 - loft insulation
This is one is simple.
Heat rises.
Somewhere around a 1/4 - 1/3 of your heating is lost through your roof, so insulating your loft is one of quickest and easiest ways of reducing your heating bills.
The most ideal thickness for loft insulation is 270mm, so if yours is only around 100mm it is in your best interest get a top-up; and if you don't have any insulation at all then you definitely should get some.
Installation will cost around £230.
You will save around £180-£230 each year.
It will pay itself after around 1 year, definitely after two.
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Tip 5 - Offers and grants are available!
These can come from:
The government -
The UK Government funds schemes providing up to £2,500 to households on certain benefits to improve their heating and energy efficiency.
In England the scheme is known as Warm Front, in Northern Ireland it is Warm Homes, in Scotland Warm Deal and in Wales it is the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.
Energy suppliers -
The Government's Energy Efficiency Commitment means energy suppliers of a certain size operating in Great Britain are obliged to help achieve targets for improving home energy efficiency. The suppliers therefore provide a range of offers which significantly reduce the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. What's more, you can take up offers from any of the energy companies, regardless of who supplies your gas and electricity.
Local authorities -
Some local authorities provide grants and offers for local residents to install energy efficiency measures in their home.
Here, take a look at this link - http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid/index.cfm?sec=1
This is especially good for those who think buying certain energy efficiency measures is almost overly expensive; you can get a grant so it will cost you much less, maybe even nothing; consider how much money you would save on the measure after as well.
Originally posted by rowpcI think the whole point of this thread is that whether or not there is global warming, being more energy efficient makes economic sense so it is a good idea.
I think we have it all wrong this global warming thing, the planet has bein warming up since the end of the ice age and will slowly turn back into a desert its a cycle, in another thousand years it may start cooling back down into another ice age, what do you thinh ?
Originally posted by Bad wolfYes, this is of very urgent need, as even the dumbest ant knows, warming causes a softening of the brain and as a consequence of course the subsequent "limited pie, fear of change, and fear of the unknown syndromes" so often seem in very warm countries are its result.
Okay, I've made this thread to encourage others and to get ideas from others on what we can do to tackle global warming..