Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Arctic CO2 Levels Up - Methane Released. Do humans have time?
Share:
by LilHoody | May 9, 2009 at 02:32 am
1048 views | 43 Recommendations | 8 comments
Photos
Carbon Dioxide levels up - its bad - Methane is worse. Recently scientist reported that humans have not reduced thier carbon footprint on this planet. If anything, we are increasing. This will lead to a relase of a powerful gas - Methane. This will be the final blow - this gas has the power to destroy out Planet.
The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached a record high, according to the latest figures released by an internationally regarded measuring station in the Arctic.
Put simply, the main greenhouse gas is being released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate. You may be thinking, yeah - well so what. It has been going on for a while and we are still here.
Well, keep reading and you will understand why we are at a perspicuous, we can heed the Planet's call to change our ways, or I guess face its tears.
Back to the greenhouse gases. Here are some facts and figures released that indicate how we are still continuing to destroy our Earth.
Levels of the gas at the Zeppelin research station on Svalbard, northern Norway, last week peaked at over 397 parts per million (ppm), an increase of more than 2.5ppm on 2008. They have since begun to reduce and today stand at 393.7ppm. Prior to the industrial revolution, CO2 levels were around 280ppm.
What we are now witnessing, is fast changes on the Planet. It is heating up too quickly and we are seeing cataclysmic results.
"It is not the level of CO2 that is the problem, because the earth will adapt. What is very worrying is the speed of change. Levels [here] are now increasing 2-3ppm a year."The rate of increase is much faster than only 10-20 years ago. You can almost see the changes taking place. Never before have CO2 levels increased so fast,"
As this report comes to you, Brazil is going through massive flooding where people can not go into their homes. A typhoon ripped through the Philippines, and LA is witnessing drastic fires. When will the Earth's pain affect you, and cause you to change?
"It is clearly the effect of human activity. Even if we stopped emitting now, we would have to live with this ... we will have to live with it for thousands of years, but that does not mean we should do nothing."
The 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), issued last year, highlights "the importance of lifestyle changes," said Rajendra Pachauri at a press conference in Paris.
"This is something that the IPCC was afraid to say earlier, but now we have said it."
"Please eat less meat -- meat is a very carbon intensive commodity," he said, adding that consuming large quantities was also bad for one's health.
Studies have shown that producing one kilo (2.2 pounds) of meat causes the emissions equivalent of 36.4 kilos of carbon dioxide.
In addition, raising and transporting that slab of beef, lamb or pork requires the same amount of energy as lighting a 100-watt bulb for nearly three weeks.
When are we going to listen? When are we going to change? What tipping point will affect you to change?
Now, the greenhouse gas count is alarming. But what you need to be aware of as well is that CO2 is bad. But what is worse, is Methane. Once this is released it will be a steroid injection into the atmosphere that will cause irrevocable Planet changes.
Arctic scientists discover new global warming threat as melting permafrost releases millions of tons of a gas 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide
At what level are you willing to live with? If you change now we have chance of not witnessing such changes, but if you keep on ignoring leading scientist and leaders - well, you can only point the finger at yourself.
Advertisement
NowPublic on Facebook
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
LilHoody
Sunshine Coast, Australia
Most Recommended Stories in Environment
Recommendations (43)
Uwe Paschen
Narita, Chiba, JapanTinTinMan
Tinbeerwah, AustraliaAnonymous user
Barbara McPherson
Nanaimo, Canada
Amy Judd
Vancouver, Canada
Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke
Redwater, Alberta, Canada
PIM of SPAIN
San Pedro de A, Malaga, Spain
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (8)
at 03:28 on May 9th, 2009
That is amazing - Gotta be veg. I heed the call.
at 04:03 on May 9th, 2009
Thanks TrudiPants - good to see people listening and do some research into the best ways we can help the Earth.
at 04:15 on May 9th, 2009
Good points
at 05:13 on May 9th, 2009
There is no time left only drastic measures could still help.
at 06:13 on May 9th, 2009
Yes I do agree with the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere that is far too high and won't diminish at all, read my story Carbon Con.
However I don't agree with the statement from the Guardian: "It is not the level of CO2 that is the problem, because the earth will adapt". These levels already are horrendous and the earth is not going to adapt either, CO2 methane and even more nitrous oxide N20 is 300 time worse!!!!
All what we can undertake should be undertaken, however the political will is too diversified so never ever an agreement will be reached until it is too late I fear. We can become green if we accept that nuclear power is the only alternative for cheap energy for all people on the planet. The only immediate step possible to be taken is the general applicable and successful approach of Carbon Sequestration. The long-term approach will be investing in Nuclear Energy generation that on its turn can generate synthetic diesel fuel from coal.
In this respect I also may refer to my recent publication Climate's Urgent Repair.
at 21:32 on May 9th, 2009
In this day and age, us Humans can develop better technology than Nuclear.
Leading states, countries and people have invested money into harnessing energy from natural resources. For example LA have sourced energy form the Sun from an orbitting satellite. The benefits are that it is always in contact with the sun, so it will always capture its energy. This harness enough energy to power LA - what is the need for Nuclear.
http://my.nowpublic.com/environment/arctic-co2-levels-methane-released-do-humans-have-time#comments
The Pope has invested in the largest Solar energy plant in Europe. It stores enough energy to generate power for Italy.
http://my.nowpublic.com/environment/pope-pursues-heavenly-power
What is the need for Nuclear.
And that is just solar - what about all the other wonderous Earthly gifts bestowed upon us that we can use to generate power. What about Wind - I think his name is Boon Pickens, he is looking to develop a wind farm through the centre of the US - from the south to North - he made all his money in oil, now he is moving into wind energy.
Then what about water, wave energy - there is so much we can utilize. Surely there is no need for such crude technology such as Nuclear.
at 22:47 on May 9th, 2009
I have to agree with you Lilhoody. We have everything we need to survive and move forward right here on this Earth, without the need to continue to destroy it. I have done some research into carbon sequestration as well, and while it has some very valid points, it can't be good to continue to store it underground for long periods of time. It seems like another quick-fix solution, like so many others.
at 23:22 on May 9th, 2009
All those 'good' technologies have one drawback and that is that we live in a global economy. We 'the rich' developed world do have everything, but we are only 20% of the populace and the other 80% amongst China and India do have other interests, their increase in CO2 is so large that even our technologies one all applied cannot cope with the increasing amount produced by them. Worse these people take our jobs and manufacturing outfits because they use cheaper energy from coal and can produce more economically than we do with our green energy, making the stuff we need! Idealistic approaches don't offer sufficient defense nor adequate solution against CO2 gases. Nuclear is still the cheapest energy, (< 3ct/KWh) until some other invention will change that, but that can be a long way off. Save the Earth now is a more practical approach.