Tag Archives: Global Warming
Climate Change: Is it Too Late?
There seems to be an increasing consensus among climate scientist that even if we were to cease all production of man made greenhouse gases it would take as much as a hundred thousand years to return to a more normal state…We have triggered nature to quickly release its own huge stores of greenhouse gases from the oceans, ice, and tundras which have been accumulating and lying dormant for millions of years. We can still make a difference if we act soon. Our influence on Climate Change is still significant. Continue reading
Climate Change: Part 3 – Runaway Climate Change
Positive Feedback Loops exists extensively in many aspects of engineering, science, everyday life, and nature. It occurs when a small part of the energy of something that starts gets siphoned off into something that makes what is happening get larger and larger… Let me explain very simplistically. Local Climate Change and Global Warming can trigger a positive feedback loop effect from a number of sources causing Global Warming to accelerate beyond just the greenhouse gases that man creates. When this happens more greenhouse gases continue to accelerate due to nature itself which may eventually be greater than man’s emissions… Continue reading
Climate Change: Part 2 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Currently CO2 is the most prevalent greenhouse gas in out atmosphere even though it is only 400 ppm (0.04%) of our atmosphere. One pound of gasoline produces about 7 pounds of CO2 put into our atmosphere. A gallon of gasoline weighs 6.3 pounds and puts about 20 pounds of CO2 into our atmosphere. The reason for the gain in weight is because during combustion the carbon atoms in gasoline combine with the oxygen atoms in the air to form CO2 . But as more CO2 is dumped into our atmosphere and absorbed by the seas the water starts to become saturated with it and absorbs less (see Part 1) resulting in more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and more Global Warming of our atmosphere… Continue reading
Climate Change: Part 1 – The Fundamentals
What is Climate Change and what causes it? The answer is very simple yet extraordinarily complex. Greenhouse gases are the cause of Global Warming. But in order to understand this phenomenon one must first understand the scientific principles behind the Greenhouse effect. A greenhouse consists of a structure that is totally enclosed with glass. A very neat property of glass is that it allows most of the sun’s rays to penetrate through the glass, especially the long wavelength rays called infrared. These rays are the ones that make you feel hot when standing directly in sunlight… Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Global Warming
Tagged 400 ppm, atmosphere, carbon dioxide, CO2, gases, Global Warming, Greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases, heat, Infrared, limate Change, long wavelength, methane gas, soluble in water, sunlight
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2015 UN Paris Climate Summit – Are We Committed?
The first UN Climate Change Summit (COP21) in 20 years convened in Paris just days after the recent Terrorist attacks there. Its goal is to draft legally binding and universal agreements on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 3.6°C… Our nation has officially been a strong advocate for reducing greenhouse gases yet 57% of Republican Congress Members deny anthropomorphic (man caused) Climate Change arguing there is nothing we can do to stem it in spite of universal scientific consensus to the contrary. Continue reading
What YOU Can Do to Make a Difference – Climate Change
The primary culprit of Climate Change is excessive CO2 being released into the atmosphere from the insatiable appetite of Our Affluent Lifestyle. There is almost no part of our lives that does not impact Climate Change from the goods we consume to the conveniences we treasure. So there are plenty of opportunities for each of us to mitigate Our Individual impact. It isn’t only about government regulating carbon emissions. It is also about each of us doing our part to reduce the use of energy that is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. We can no longer wait for someone else to reduce it for us. Continue reading
Global Warming No Longer a Science Issue
In the last decade the consensus of scientific peer-reviewed papers on anthropogenic (man caused) Global Warming has rapidly gained favor. A recent report indicates 97.2% of recent scientific peer-reviewed papers favor anthropogenic Global Warming. Major behavioral and economic changes to correct for Global Warming must happen. Greenhouse gases directly or indirectly produced engage every aspect of life. This change will have huge economic, political, and moral ripple effects that will change our lives more than any other issue facing us today. The reason it is so controversial is its urgency and potential threat to our existence. It requires immediate and disruptive changes to our ways of life. Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Economy, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Morality Values, Religion, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged anthropogenic, behavioral change, conservative, disruptive, economic change, Global Warming, lobby congress, moralised, peer reviewed papers, politicized, Pope Frances, science is imperfect
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From Dreaming Big to Thinking Small
I recently read a short article about how people used to think really big in this country and now think small and it struck me how true this was. We started with a great dream expressed in the Declaration of Independence which resulted in the Constitution of the United States and the first 12 Articles of the Bill of Rights. This was the impetus for the great move West, really bad news for native American Indians, but great opportunities for new settlers. This gave rise to the transcontinental railroad, one of the longest in the world up to that point and the industrial revolution and heavy industries such as steel. Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged Climate Change, getting little accomplished, Global Warming, great dream, industrial revolution, no long-term vision, no will, opportunities, short-term chaos, slipped from dreaming big, think and dream big, transportation infrastructure
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100 Years from Now: The Complete Series
In the past year I have given some thought to what the future would look like a hundred years from now given the state of science today and the effects of global warming, diminishing natural resources, and a populations of over twice what it is today (population control will be in effect). One thing is clear, the word Sustainable will be far more than a buzzword. It will be a way of life. Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Economy, Education, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged culural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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100 Years from Now: Part 15 – Crime and Security
What can be said about crime and security 100 years from now? Keep in mind that in 100 years two significant and remarkable things will have occurred. Technology would become our willing slave meeting most of our needs making jobs obsolete and making us happy and content at the cost of privacy. But in 100 years privacy may not be nearly as important to us as it is today. Technology will also make committing and getting away with crime extremely difficult. Continue reading
Posted in 100 Years, Crime & Justice, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged crime, cultural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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100 Years from Now: Part 14 – Education
One of the primary purposes of education is to provide one with the tools to live a productive life. A large part of our traditional definition of productive is to become employable. The other is to give us other values of enjoyment and appreciation for things not focused upon work or earning a living. As describes in ‘100 Years from Now: Part 8 – Jobs and Economics’ both jobs and money 100 years from now may not even exist. Technology will literally become our willing slave making the need to make a living obsolete. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 13 – Government
Social norms and values will be very different 100 years into the future as today’s values are very different that those 100 years ago. So will the function of government 100 years from now. The purpose of government is to protect the individual rights of its citizens. In a society 100 years from now where everyone’s needs are taken care of are everyone’s rights also taken care of? It largely depends upon what are everyone rights. Continue reading
Posted in 100 Years, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged cultural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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100 Years from Now: Part 12 – Population Control
Controlling the population will be a key element of Sustainable survival. Over population is a drain on precious resources. Fortunately since people 100 years from now no longer need to work a working population is no longer important. The birth and mortality rates can be carefully controlled to a sustainable level so as not to be a drain on resources. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 11 – Recreation & Entertainment
I thought I’d add Recreation & Entertainment to this Series because these would be things people would spend most of their time doing together with socialization since no one worked. As I have eluded earlier in 100 Years from Now: Part 8 – Jobs and Economics people would typically live like the wealthy folk of Downton Abbey where robot like technology would serve their every needs. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 10 – Shopping
As I stated in 100 Years from Now: Part 8 – Jobs and Economics money will have no value in the exchange of goods and services. Instead they will be provided freely. But there will be some rules and limits as to what one can ask for. Space and resources will be limited and there are things that are not beneficial to society so such things violating these rules will be prohibited just as we are legally limited in what we can posses today. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 9 – Socializing
Socialization is in our DNA so it will be a significant part of our activities 100 years from now and beyond. I have alluded to the Holodeck in Part 2: Technology, eating out in Part 5: Food, and entertaining in Part 7: Housing. However remote socialization will become far more common in the future due to technology such as the Holodeck and other communications tools. Remote socialization is nothing new. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 8 – Jobs and Economics
It is questionable in my mind whether jobs for people will even exist 100 years from now. Most certainly there will be far fewer of them. We see many signs of automation reducing the number of jobs in just about every profession today. In the not too distant future technology will largely make most if not all jobs obsolete. Continue reading
Posted in 100 Years, Economy, Environment, Global Warming, Government, Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective, Science & Technology, Social Issues, Society
Tagged cultural changes, future city design, future technology, Global Warming, holodeck, infrastructure, over population, shortage of resources
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100 Years from Now: Part 7 – Housing
The average home or microhouse will likely be about 500 sq. ft. and be largely located underground to protect it from the elements, though there may be limited above ground housing, in large energy-efficient clusters going up and down many stories. It is possible for a family of two or three to live quite comfortably in that small an area as exist in some communities in Sweden or apartments in Hong Kong. Multi-utilitarian rooms with movable walls and ceiling panels exist in places such as Hong Kong and Japan where space is at a premium. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 6 – Mobility
In 100 years cars will be history. They simply use far too much energy, take up far too much space in terms of roads and parking (keep in mind that real estate will be at a premium), are too large and heavy, need too much technology and too many resources to manufacture and maintain, and produce too much heat. So bicycles, which have none of these drawbacks, will gradually replace cars. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 5 – Food
Next to Water Food stand out to be among the most important things man needs to survive. Though many food products will be artificial in the future there will also be some real but genetically engineered vegetables and fruit grown using hydroponic or other such technology which uses water far more efficiently that grown on trays that circulate vertically up and down tall chain linked conveyor devices in glass-like enclosures to maximum sun light exposure and minimizes real-estate. Moisture in the air is recaptured by condensation units and recycles. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 4 – Water
Water is the essence of Life. Without it all known organisms cannot exist. Yet water is so much taken for granted today. Though much of the western half of the country is in a state of drought there is still much water being wasted. However 100 years from now when Global Warming is in full swing water in the western half of continents where most of the population will be concentrated will be a desert with less than 5 inches of rain per year. So water will be a very cherished substance. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 3 – Energy
Energy is a key element that enables just about all that will happen in the future. Due to Global Warming any source of energy must emit no greenhouse gas and should be as clean and safe as possible. It is best if it is compact and can be located near the communities in which it serves so that the lengthy transmission lines of today that are vulnerable to large scale disruptions and produce loss of power due to the resistance of the wires carrying power can be mitigated. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 2 – Technology
Technology will be a dominant part of life one hundred years from now. Robotics and the world of so-called computers (I suspect our traditional computers will be obsolete) and technology will have advanced far beyond all but a few Start Trek gadgets. I believe that a Holodeck like technology as seen in Start Trek will exist with some of the sensory perceptions of reality. Continue reading
100 Years from Now: Part 1 – Considerations
In the past year I have given some thought to what the future would look like a hundred years from now given the state of science today and the effects of global warming, diminishing natural resources, and a populations of over twice times what it is today (population control will be in effect). One thing is clear, the word Sustainable will be far more than a buzzword. It will be a way of life. Continue reading
Really Clean Nuclear Energy for the Near Future
After all the bad press nuclear power received after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in March 2011 the world community has become paranoid about the use of nuclear power in spite of the rarity of nuclear accidents. But there are several old but newer technologies for generating nuclear power that are even safer. I have already written about breeder reactor technology. Another developing nuclear technology called Fusion emits a modest amount of radiation only while in operation and produces no radioactive byproducts. Two deuterium atoms, a heavier isotope of hydrogen having two neutrons instead of one, fuse together (Fusion) to produce ordinary helium gas releasing millions of times more energy than the most powerful conventional explosive. Lockheed Martin believes it can have an ultra-compact 100 megawatt Fusion reactor and generator that could be transported on a semi-trailer flatbed operating in ten years. This would generate enough electricity to run a very large aircraft carrier or thousands of homes. Continue reading
ouR Social Conscience 