The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth's average temperature would become way colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.

"Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are pretty muh like glass panels in a greenhouse. Sunlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, passing through the blanket of greenhouse gases. As it reaches the Earth's surface, land, water, and biosphere absorb the sunlight's energy. After it's absorbed, the energy is sent back into the atmosphere. Some of the energy passes back into space, but much of it remains trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases, causing the Earth to heat up."

(http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/greenhouse.html

Recycling: The Big Picture

"Recycling- substituting scrap for virgin material- not only conserves natural resources and reduces the amount of waste that must be burned or buried, it also reduces pollution and the demand for energy." That statement just about says everything- recycling isn't just good for the environment, it also provides benefits for us, in terms of energy demands, the economy, etc. In terms of energy consumption, recycling can cut energy costs in the production and manufacturing process by: 95% percent in aluminum, 70% in plastics, 60% in steel, 40% in paper, and 30% in glass.
This article bombards the reader with facts such as the ones above, clearly showcasing all the benefits of recycling, and it uses this technique to convince the reader that recycling is not only really important, but also extremely efficient- After all, numbers don't lie. The large amounts of visuals, such as graphs and charts, in this article also help in conveying the large amounts of information in a more engaging fashion for the reader, as not only do people find pictures more interesting, but the bright colors of the graphs really call the attention of the reader and pique his or her interest.

The Last Drop

Louise Pape lives in New Mexico. She is special however, not because of what she does, but because of what she doesn't. While most Americans use about 100 gallons of water a day, Pape uses about 10- she wastes absolutely no water. "I conserve water because I feel the planet is dying, and I don't want to be part of the problem." Pape couldn't be more right-the planet is currently facing a severe water crisis, and "without water, we are nothing". The previous quote is the entire point of the current National Geographic magazine, which was completely dedicated to the dwindling water reserves in the planet. Water is the most important and valuable resource in the planet, and while about 75 % of Earth is made of water, sadly we can't drink that water- we have access to about 1% of the world's water, and that supply is quickly dwindling. This issue of the National Geographic magazine addresses several points on water, such as the importance of water to life, the great melting of glaciers and ice (which hold about 80% of the world's fresh water), the growing scarcity of water around the world, the wars over water that are being spurred up in the Middle East, and of course, how to better use the reserves that we currently have. This entire issue uses a very dark, or harsh, tone when describing the state of our water reserves and the ways in which we waste our water. This mood is used to give people a sense of guilt and a sense of urgency, which is frequently used in other "green" movements, such as many of Al Gore's speeches. However, the magazine ends with optimistic and hopeful ends, as it is important to know that there is still a chance to correct our mistakes in our water use, because if there wasn't any hope, then there would be no hope in trying to stop our current ways.

Solar Power

The sun bombards the Earth constantly with 120 quadrillion watts of sunlight at all times- that's more energy than the entire population of the world would ever need. In fact, that's equal to 6,000 times more energy than the world currently uses. If more emphasis was put into the development and integration of solar power into the energy grid, humanity could easilly solve the energy crisis that it currently faces and stop or seriously reduce carbon emissions. Europe as of now is the world leader in the harnessing of solar energy, but countries around the world are taking notice of this renewable energy source. However, the largest obstacle to the development of this energy source is the cost of the current technology, but the price of said technology is rapidly dropping and promises to be just as cheap as fossil fuels. Once this technology becomes wide spread, many hope that the energy crisis will be over, and at the same time, that our carbon emissions are reduced. This technology is so efficient, that if the U.S put photovoltaic panels in 3/10 of one percent of the total area of the U.S., enough energy would be produced to power the entire country.

Small Changes

The United States produces 1/5 of the world's CO2, releasing six billion metric tons of said gas into the atmosphere every year. However, small changes in our daily habits can have an enormous impact on our carbon footprint, and if everyone implemented these small changes, our carbon footprint could be reduced as much as 5o%! For example, changing half of all light bulbs in our home to compact fluorescents would reduce CO2 emissions from lighting by 42.4 million tons a year, or 36 percent. Turning off computers when NOT in use would cut their CO2 emissions by 8.3 million tons a year, or 50 percent! However, most of the electricity produced in the U.S. does not reach the American public and is in fact wasted, up to 83.3 million BTU's a year. (only 41.0 million BTU's of energy are used in American homes a year). This means that for every kilowatt-hour used, 2.2 are "lost" as electricity is sent over transmission lines. Thus, small changes that increase the efficiency of our electric grid would help tremendously in reducing our carbon footprint.
The article "It Starts At Home", the article from which the above information was retrieved from, tries to appeal to the American public by suggesting that very small changes would make a very big difference in our total carbon footprint. By doing this, people would be more willing to apply these small changes to their everyday life, as they wouldn't have to drastically alter their routine. This is a technique that is employed very often in "green" campaigns, such as recycling movements, etc.

Oil Crisis

World oil demand is surging as supplies approach their limit. Some time soon, scientists believe that the oil supply will not be able to keep up with the demand of nations around the world. Sadad I. Al Husseini, a Saudi oil geologist, believes that the peak will come sometime around 2015.  Since people realize the oil quickly vanishing  and that prices are increasing, as even the best model predicts that the oil peak will be no further than 2020, people around the globe have begun to look for alternative sources of energy. These include biofuels, coal to oil conversion, tar sands, and naturally powered energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar power. Ethanol is one of alternate energy sources that is being looked into, and it has the potential to create a large amount of energy from plants. 

Wind Turbines

A wind turbine offers another way to get energy without burning fossil fuels. This is a more efficient way to obtain energy and it is a clean energy source that does not contribute to the climate change because it does not release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. A wind turbine is a device that generates energy by having wind move the turbine, in the form of electricity. The turbine is highly efficient, as its blades are always moving perpendicular to the wind, which allows it to generate the maximum amount of electricity from said source. There are more than one type of wind turbine, and each one is best suited to the conditions in which it is placed, such as VAWT’s, etc.

            The Kyoto Protocol which requires countries to reduce their net carbon emissions has helped spark an increase in wind turbine use across the world, such as is the case of the Wind Farm in the North Sea off Belgium.  As of today, the wind turbines are used as a symbol of the environmentally friendly movement, and it is usually used to appeal to the general public. The presence of one of these turbines is usually accepted by the public, because it is usually in areas that are unoccupied, such as the sea and because its helping the environment.

www.stopglobalwarming.org

This website, is about the march to freeze and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, in order to help reduce global warming. This website uses ethos to appeal to the people by using well-known celebrities, political figures, etc. Some of these well known citizens include the Blue Man Group, Tony Hawk, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hilary Clinton, Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, and hundreds of other. At the top of the main page, logos is presented through the visual representation of facts. One of these facts is: "an average car in the United States driven 10000 miles in one year releases 5.5 tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere." The website also offers ways to take action and promote the rising problem of global warming. There are many news articles and videos to educate viewers on the issues that cause global warming.

Ways To Go Green

There are simple steps to start being green! Save water, save energy, reduce waste and recycle. Saving water can make a huge change in the world. Every drop counts and you should do your best to do what you can. Save water by taking faster showers. Also, when you leave water in a glass instead of throwing it away you can water a plant with that water. Little things like this can make a big difference. Saving energy can also make a big difference in the world. Saving energy can help to reduce high energy bills, improve comfort and help to protect the environment. Reducing waste and recycling can be beneficial for both us and the Earth. Recycling is one of the most common and easiest. Recycling is an important way for individuals and businesses to reduce the waste they generate and reduce the negative impact of that waste. These are some ways to help our Earth stay alive and fight Global warming.

Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is a new, all-electric, emission free vehicle that is set to hit American markets later this year. The Nissan Leaf is not the fastest or most powerful vehicle by far, but the company has used several techniques to pique consumer interest, and subsequently demand, for this product.

The Nissan Leaf appeals to consumers by implying that it is an environmentally friendly car. The very name of the car, Leaf, connects the car to nature, and consequently, to the environment- in fact, Leaf actually stands for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car. This advertisement technique is aimed at increasing consumer demand of the product, because even though this vehicle is not as fast or as powerful as other conventional cars, it creates the appeal and satisfaction of helping out the environment.