I recently had a chance to talk to my son's 4th grade class about global warming. What a great experience! My basic talk centered on separating what we know from what we're trying to understand. I explained that global warming is real - regardless of your beliefs on the causes, 5 of the warmest years on record have occurred in the past decade. I also shared that the Earth can warm for a variety of reasons - volcano eruptions, changes in the sun, and increases in greenhouse gases.
Talking about greenhouse gases showed just how complicated it gets, though. "Are greenhouse gases bad?" I asked. "Yes, no, maybe," were their responses. True enough. I explained that these gases (everything from CO2 to methane to water vapor) are what allow Earth to soak up the warmth of the sun as it has for millions of years. Have we put the delicate system out of balance lately with all our production of these gases? Probably.
"Who is the country that produces the most CO2 each year?" I asked. "Canada? Russia?" Partly right, but we're right there too. Whether we're looking at total emissions or per capita emissions, the US is one of the top 3 producers. For total emissions it's China, US, Russia. For per capita emissions, we share that distinction with Australia and Canada.
"Should we limit our production of greenhouse gases?" I asked. "Yes! Definitely!" Ahh... the enthusiasm of children!
"Are you willing to live in smaller houses? walk to school? take less airplane rides?" I asked. "No! Never!" Ahhh.... the spoiled Americans that we are. We want everything to be better, but we also like everything just the way it is.
Of course, there aren't any immediate answers, but I'm excited that today's kids are at least studying these issues. After all, they are the leaders, consumers, and scientists of tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Climate Change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Climate Change. Show all posts
Friday, December 11, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Whole Truth
Today is the first day of the 2 week climate summit in Copenhagen. I have hesitated to blog about it because lately it seems more politically charged than scientifically motivated. First, there was the debate about which sessions President Obama would attend (on his way to Oslo to accept his Nobel Peace Prize - another politically charged discussion), then there was the debacle of the leaked emails from the British scientists. In case you haven't heard, the emails refer to things such as "tricks" in how the data is presented. All in all, it did not show the scientists in the best light.
The summit has only just begun, but here is the one thing I think we have already learned: we need the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth on this issue. Climate change science is muddy right now because we're trying to spot present-day trends that are best viewed from a distance (meaning hundreds, thousands, and millions of years from now).
Research studies don't always come out the way you expect. I learned this on a simple level when I was teaching Junior Achievement to a group of 2nd graders last month. We did an exercise that was supposed to show why assembly line production is much faster than individual unit production. Great concept, except it didn't work out that way. That's okay - I didn't fudge the data, I just used it as a chance to teach the importance of communication and how that may have impacted the results of our exercise. The research on climate change isn't going to be perfect and likely won't all point to the same answer - and that's okay. It's all part of the bigger picture we need to understand what's going on.
Just as we need to teach our kids the value of honesty, we also need to expect it in our leaders, scientists, journalists - everyone. Let's not lose sight of the issue just because we want to be right. Do I believe in climate change? Yes, I do, but I also know there is a lot we still don't know. Did I change my opinion after hearing about the email scandal? No, the fact that some people want to bend the data to make their case more compelling is disturbing, but it doesn't change the science behind it.
And, what do I say to those who don't think there is any scientific proof to back up climate change? To them, I say, let's look at this from a common sense perspective. Does it seem like a good idea to be releasing all these gases and chemicals into the air? Even if we don't know the cause, do you think we should be worried about the icebergs melting? From a common sense perspective, I would say we should be worried and be doing our very best to get the best scientific answers we possibly can - regardless of whether that science proves or disproves current theories.
The summit has only just begun, but here is the one thing I think we have already learned: we need the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth on this issue. Climate change science is muddy right now because we're trying to spot present-day trends that are best viewed from a distance (meaning hundreds, thousands, and millions of years from now).
Research studies don't always come out the way you expect. I learned this on a simple level when I was teaching Junior Achievement to a group of 2nd graders last month. We did an exercise that was supposed to show why assembly line production is much faster than individual unit production. Great concept, except it didn't work out that way. That's okay - I didn't fudge the data, I just used it as a chance to teach the importance of communication and how that may have impacted the results of our exercise. The research on climate change isn't going to be perfect and likely won't all point to the same answer - and that's okay. It's all part of the bigger picture we need to understand what's going on.
Just as we need to teach our kids the value of honesty, we also need to expect it in our leaders, scientists, journalists - everyone. Let's not lose sight of the issue just because we want to be right. Do I believe in climate change? Yes, I do, but I also know there is a lot we still don't know. Did I change my opinion after hearing about the email scandal? No, the fact that some people want to bend the data to make their case more compelling is disturbing, but it doesn't change the science behind it.
And, what do I say to those who don't think there is any scientific proof to back up climate change? To them, I say, let's look at this from a common sense perspective. Does it seem like a good idea to be releasing all these gases and chemicals into the air? Even if we don't know the cause, do you think we should be worried about the icebergs melting? From a common sense perspective, I would say we should be worried and be doing our very best to get the best scientific answers we possibly can - regardless of whether that science proves or disproves current theories.
Friday, October 16, 2009
But Where Will Santa Live?
More news today on the global climate change front and this time it gets right to the heart of
While I'm confident that Santa can float his workshop further south to one of the eight countries that meet up in the Arctic region (Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States), the implications definitely go beyond there.
The melting of the ice can trigger all kinds of changes to the Earth including flooding that could effect one-fourth of the planet's population and the release of large quantities of greenhouse gases. There is twice as much carbon stored in the Arctic ice as there is in the atmosphere today. Atmospheric levels of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, have been rising faster over the last two years and some believe this is caused by the Arctic ice melt.
This last one is particularly interesting to me because I wrote about it a year ago in my fictional children's novel, Earth Rescue. In my book, the Arctic ice melts and the millions of dead plants buried under the ice release such high levels of methane gas that eventually no one is allowed outside. I always intended to keep my book as fiction, but it looks like we're going to need some big changes to reverse this process.
So, what can we do? As always, educate yourself. The web has phenomenal resources. Also, you should be aware of the global climate conference coming up in Copenhagen in December where 191 countries will be trying to hammer out the final details on a global agreement for climate change. Call your Senators to ask them to vote YES on climate legislation.
In regards to Santa, though, I'm not too worried. My kids have it on good authority that he lives in Finland (they have a letter from him to prove it) so they're confident he can just move a little farther south into Finland until his ice freezes up again. Let's hope it would only be a temporary move.
While I'm confident that Santa can float his workshop further south to one of the eight countries that meet up in the Arctic region (Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States), the implications definitely go beyond there.
The melting of the ice can trigger all kinds of changes to the Earth including flooding that could effect one-fourth of the planet's population and the release of large quantities of greenhouse gases. There is twice as much carbon stored in the Arctic ice as there is in the atmosphere today. Atmospheric levels of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas, have been rising faster over the last two years and some believe this is caused by the Arctic ice melt.
This last one is particularly interesting to me because I wrote about it a year ago in my fictional children's novel, Earth Rescue. In my book, the Arctic ice melts and the millions of dead plants buried under the ice release such high levels of methane gas that eventually no one is allowed outside. I always intended to keep my book as fiction, but it looks like we're going to need some big changes to reverse this process.
So, what can we do? As always, educate yourself. The web has phenomenal resources. Also, you should be aware of the global climate conference coming up in Copenhagen in December where 191 countries will be trying to hammer out the final details on a global agreement for climate change. Call your Senators to ask them to vote YES on climate legislation.
In regards to Santa, though, I'm not too worried. My kids have it on good authority that he lives in Finland (they have a letter from him to prove it) so they're confident he can just move a little farther south into Finland until his ice freezes up again. Let's hope it would only be a temporary move.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Is White the New Green?
What color is your roof? Brown? Tan? Black? Grey? Terracotta? Whatever color it is, my guess is that it isn't white. Should it be?
An article in The Seattle Times, U.S. suggests white roofs to curtail climate change, made me start thinking of this. According to the article, the idea is that "the reflective properties of white, if applied on enough of the worlds rooftops, might be a brake on global warming."
I get it - it's along the lines of wearing a white shirt on a hot day instead of a black one. I definitely don't have any plans to change the color of my roof (my neighborhood association wouldn't allow it either), but I do like the out-of-the-box thinking by Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
I particularly like it because, if it is found to be significant, it shows a way that one industry could make a big difference. We clearly aren't going to solve our problems lightbulb by lightbulb so the ideas that seem crazy at first blush sound interesting to me. In this case, the suggestion is not that it would reverse our current problems - simply turn down the heat a little while we try to figure them out. At least worth investigating.
Of course, living in the Pacific Northwest, there aren't really enough hot days that we would want reflective white paint turning the heat away. Maybe one day we'll all get black roofs instead to absorb heat.
An article in The Seattle Times, U.S. suggests white roofs to curtail climate change, made me start thinking of this. According to the article, the idea is that "the reflective properties of white, if applied on enough of the worlds rooftops, might be a brake on global warming."
I get it - it's along the lines of wearing a white shirt on a hot day instead of a black one. I definitely don't have any plans to change the color of my roof (my neighborhood association wouldn't allow it either), but I do like the out-of-the-box thinking by Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
I particularly like it because, if it is found to be significant, it shows a way that one industry could make a big difference. We clearly aren't going to solve our problems lightbulb by lightbulb so the ideas that seem crazy at first blush sound interesting to me. In this case, the suggestion is not that it would reverse our current problems - simply turn down the heat a little while we try to figure them out. At least worth investigating.
Of course, living in the Pacific Northwest, there aren't really enough hot days that we would want reflective white paint turning the heat away. Maybe one day we'll all get black roofs instead to absorb heat.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Seven Words Kids Should Know
That got me thinking about what words we should be teaching our children as they grow up. They hear the word "green" all the time in the media, but what about words that more accurately describe the issues our planet is facing? My choice for words to talk to my kids about are listed below. To see kid-friendly defintions, as well as many other words, click the link for each word which will take you to an Ecology Dictionary on PlanetPals.
- sustainability
Image via Wikipedia
- climate change
- greenhouse gas
- conservation
- carbon footprint
- deforestation
- fossil fuel
My kids know just a few of these words - carbon footprint because we measured ours recently and climate change because they know about the challenge the polar bears are having - so we definitely have some room to grow our minds this summer. What words do you want your children to know?
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