Post on 03-Jun-2018
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
1/8
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
2/8
An endless sky? Think again.
A pers
of th
back (
time marat
If o
thi
be
of t
The lowest five to ten
miles of the atmosphere
is where weather forms
and planes fly.
1The atmosphere is surprisingly thin. Space
begins about 300 miles from Earths surface,
which is where the blue coating around the
Earth in this picture ends.
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
3/8
The atmosphere is Earths blanket.
The atmosphere is naturally
filled with gas molecules.
Gases with asymmetrical structures
absorb low-energy heat because
they bend, stretch, or rotate.
These gases trap heat in the Earth
and keep us warm like a blanket.
Without
would be 6
and uGases are mostly
unaffected by
high-energy
sunlight.
N2
O2 H2O
CH4
O3
N2O
These gases include
water vapor (H2O),carbon dioxide (CO
2),
methane (CH4),
ozone (O3), and
nitrous oxide (N2O).
Earth cools off by emitting low-energy heat into space.
2CO2
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
4/8
Human activitiessuch as burning coal for electricityare increasing the
amount of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, thickening the Earths blanket.
Some gases, such as CO2, can
remain in the atmosphere for
over a thousand years.
So whats the problem? Too much of a good thing
3
CO2, CH4, and N2O concentrations40%, 150%, and 20% since
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
5/8
Unnatural warming is changing the climate with
4UNNATURAL OVERDOSE
OF GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HUMAN SO
NATURAL WO
CHANGING CLIMATE
CONDITIONS
WARMING PLANET AND
MOIST ATMOSPHERE
Human activities are
emitting large
amounts of
heat-trapping gases
into the atmosphere.
Some gases, such asmethane, break down
to create even more
greenhouse gases.
Snow and ice melting
Sea level rising
Hot days increasing
Flooding intensifying
Powerful,
damaging
storms
Intense, long
droughts
Dryness fuels
wildfires
Death, illness fro
extremes, insect
air quality
Extra heat warms
air and ocean
Warmer air
holds more
moisture
Warmer
ocean
evaporates
more water
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
6/8
But hasnt the climate changed in the past, befor
5
HIGHER
TEMPERATURE
MORE CO2IN
ATMOSPHERE
aw
armeroceanandmeltingicereleaseCO2intotheatmosph
ere
CO2preventsheatfromescapingtospaceBOTH
natural and humanfactors can trigger
the initiation of a
feedback loop that
increases global
temperatures
volcanic
eruptions
s
ac
na
var
cutting/burning
down forests
electricity
generation
Scientists use instruments
that chemically separate the
kinds of carbon found in fossil
fuels from those in air and water. Scientists can therefore detect
that the increasing CO2today is
from human sources.
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
7/8
This means we can do something about it!
6To reduce emissions of
heat-trapping gases,individual actions are not
enough. We also need
visionary action from
local, state, and
national governments,
and unprecedented
internationalcooperation.
Climate change is a global
problem becauseemissions come from
all levels and the
pollution can last
for hundreds
of years.
Individuals
Communities
Worldwide
Local, State, National Governments
Many d
techPROBLEM SOLUTION
TECHNOLOGICAL
BEHAVIORAL
ECONO
POLITICAL
8/12/2019 An Illustrated Guide to Climate Pollution
8/8