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1Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Jerry A. BellSimmons College (emeritus)American Chemical Society (retired)Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy
Energy Now and Forever?
2Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
The Industrial Revolution: A future of limitless human achievement?
1830George Stephenson'slocomotive, The Rocket
"Watt and Stephenson whispered in the ear of mankind their secret, that a half ounce of coal will draw two tons a mile …"
The Conduct of life, "Wealth"Ralph Waldo Emerson
3
The Industrial Revolution: A future of limitless human achievement?
2008A modern diesellocomotive.
Trains can move a ton of freight nearly 450 [revenue ton-] miles on a single gallon of fuel. CSX advertisement
Energy: Now and Forever?
Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
4
Energy: Now and Forever?
Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
The Industrial Revolution: A future of limitless human achievement?
Achievements unimagined by Emerson require unimaginable amounts of energy. What else was unimagined?
5Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
The concentration of atmospheric CO2 is increasing, due mainly to the burning of fossil fuels.
Earth’s temperature increases as more CO2 and other greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere.
Increasing temperature and CO2 bring about changes in the Earth’s climate.
6Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
What do you know about climate change?
What would you like to know?
What would your students like to know?
What would your friends like to know?
7Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
Thoreau
Winters are getting milder Spring is coming earlier
Date of first flowering of plants at Walden Pond recorded by Thoreau and more recently.
8Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
Ice is melting.
Grinnell Glacier, Glacier Nat’l Park1940
2006
9Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
CO2 has varied naturally over time. Human-caused change is larger and faster than any time in at least the past million years.
10Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
Where is the global warming? Almost entirely in the oceans.
11Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
Sea level is rising as glaciers and ice sheets melt and the oceans warm.
12Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
Oceans dissolve CO2 and become more acidic.
13Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
14American Chemical Society
The Industrial Revolution: A boon that enormously benefits man.
The Industrial Revolution: A boon that comes with an enormous energy price tag mostly paid for in burning fossil fuel.
The Industrial Revolution: A boon that comes with the unintended consequence that carbon emissions are changing the Earth's climate in disturbing ways.
The Industrial Revolution: A boon that challenges the Watts and Stephensons of the 21st century to develop ways to use energy more efficiently, to produce alternative non-carbon-emitting sources, and to reduce the impact of carbon-emitting sources.
Energy: Now and Forever?
15Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever!
Why understanding and teaching climate change are so important.
• Those future Watts and Stephensons are in your classrooms.
• Global climate change is a vital issue for life on Earth and involves many processes and concepts related to chemistry.
• Engaging with this issue in deliberative discourse requires understanding the fundamental science that determines Earth’s climate. See ACS Climate Science Toolkit available at www.acs.org/climatescience.
• As chemists and teachers, we have a responsibility to use our knowledge to communicate with others about climate change.
16Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
What's next? Browse the Toolkit to see what can be useful to you. Integrate climate change science in your regular course
curriculum. See Science_of_Climate_Classroom.pptx. Engage your friends and colleagues in deliberative discussion
on the science of global climate change. Set an example and encourage others to adopt personal
choices that decrease the undesired consequences of climate change.
Take a public stand on the issues related to the undesired consequences of climate change and the need for mitigation and adaptation. Encourage and support your local and national governmental representatives to do the same.
Energy: Now and Forever!
17Connections to Chemistry, 16 October 2013
Energy: Now and Forever?
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