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Climate Change and YOU!Climate Change in Oregon and What You
Can Do About It
Amber MooreMD/MPH Student
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
Agenda
The problem of global warming Impact in Oregon Why act What you can do to stop global warming
– Lifestyle changes– Community changes– Policy changes
Questions
The Problem
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/sustainability/greenhouse_effect.html
The Problem
http://www.globalwarmingart.com/images/8/88/Mauna_Loa_Carbon_Dioxide.png
11/05 Science
The Problem
Science magazine analyzed 928 peer-reviewed scientific papers on global warming published between 1993 and 2003. Not a single one challenged the scientific consensus that earth's temperature is rising due to human activity.
What’s the Big Deal?
How Does Climate Change Affect Oregon?
• Temperature
• Precipitation
• Sea Level
• Snowpack “The effects of global warming – higher temperatures,
reduced snowpack, declining stream flows – are already hurting the bottom line of farmers and business people in other industries,” said Eban Goodstein, an economist at Lewis and Clark College
Scientific Consensus Statement on the Likely Impacts of Climate Change on the Pacific Northwest http://inr.oregonstate.edu/download/climate_change_consensus_statement_final.pdf and http://ri.uoregon.edu/publicationspress/press_release_10_10_2005.doc
Temperature
IMPACT: Scientists are very certain that the Pacific Northwest is warming and that this is best explained by human-caused changes
PREDICTION: Northwest temperatures expected to increase approximately 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2030 and 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. This is expected to lead to longer fire seasons and longer and more intense allergy season
Mosquitoes on the Move
Source: World Wildlife Fund, 1996
Warmer temperatures encourage northward migration of malaria-carrying mosquitoes
West Nile Virus
Compiled from CDC, Health Canada, USGS, and ProMED-mail sources as of 14 May 2003
Precipitation
IMPACT: Since the beginning of the 20th century, average annual precipitation has increased across the region by 10%, with increases of 30-40% in eastern Washington and northern Idaho
PREDICTION: Uncertain, however impacts on water resources are expected due to low summer precipitation and earlier peak streamflow. This will likely lead to decreased summer water availability, changes in ability to manage flood damage, shifts in hydropower production, and decreased water quality due to higher temperatures, increased salinity and pollutant concentration
Sea Level
IMPACT: Land on the central and northern Oregon coast is being submerged at a rate of .06-.08 inches annually (1930-1995)
PREDICTION: Continued rise is certain however impact is uncertain. Maximum wave heights are also expected to increase, leading to increasing erosion in coastal areas.
“We’re going to get a meter sea level rise and
there’s nothing we can do about it… It’s going to
happen… the question is when.”
Andrew Weaver, lead author for IPCC Report
October 2007
Greenland Melt is Accelerating
200520021992
Rignot, Science v. 311, 2006
Arctic Sea Ice
1979
2003
What is a positive feedback cycle?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/Arctic_SSMI1979-03.jpg&imgrefurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3%3Fimg_id%3D16340&h=713&w=540&sz=125&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=icadjlObsTb35M:&tbnh=140&tbnw=106&prev=/images%3Fq%3Darctic%2Bsea%2Bice%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DRNWE,RNWE:2004-44,RNWE:en%26sa%3DN
Snow Pack
IMPACT: Between 1950 and 2000, the April 1 snowpack declined. From 1950-1995, the cumulative downward trend in snow water equivalent is approximately 35%. Peak Snowpack has moved earlier in the year, increasing March streamflows and reducing June stream flows.
PREDICTION : Continued decline
B
BBC News: bbc.co.uk
It is time to Act Now
Leonardo DiCaprio’s 11th Hour
Why Act?
Because we can’t afford not to act It is our moral obligation
Why Aren’t We Acting?
Behavior Change Theory Health Belief Model Stages of Change Social networks/social behavior change
Can I Really Make a Difference?
What’s the point? “In general, just under half of the emissions for which each
of us is responsible come from things over which we have personal control, such as how much we drive and fly and how we heat and power our homes. Of the rest, about 25 per cent of the total arises indirectly through powering our workplaces, about 10 per cent comes from maintaining public infrastructure and government, and about 20 per cent is emitted during the production of the things we buy, including food. We can still influence some of these indirect emissions through what we buy - or we could if we had access to the right kind of information - but by and large it makes sense to concentrate on the emissions we can control directly. “ (Pearce, New Scientist, 2007)
Who is to Blame?
The US population has 5% of the world’s population, but more than 20% of emissions
Household emissions by Country
US-55,000 pounds Germany-27,000 Sweden-15,000
Follow the chart above to track progress on your diet
Source: Gershon, Low Carbon Diet
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
It is possible to cut individual emissions by around 75 per cent without seriously altering our lifestyles.– Chris Goodall
The following slides on reducing your carbon footprint are adapted from this book (Gershon, D (2006). Low Carbon Diet. Woodstock: Empowerment Institute.) and from True Green by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin (2005, National
Geographic)
Solid Waste-the problem
Every pound of solid waste that goes to the landfill generates 2 pounds of greenhouse gases, from transportation and anaerobic decomposition
The average household produces about 4.5 lbs of solid waste a day
Solid waste-the solution
Reduce-do you really need to buy that? Recycle! Remember, even things that can’t
be recycled curbside can still be recycled. Compost Reduce packaging-bring your own bags and
buy items with little packaging Reduce junk
mail—www.DirectMail.com/Junk_Mail
Solid waste-the savings
Recycle all recyclable waste-save 1,300 lbs Reduce weekly waste from a 90 gallon trash
container to a 60 gallon container- save 3,120 lbs
Total Saving: 4,320 lbs
US You on a Diet Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Hot Water
Heating hot water for a 10 minute shower can generate 4 lbs of CO2
A bath can use twice as much A dishwasher uses two pounds of CO2 each
time it is run, inefficiently washing dishes by hand can generate up to 3 pounds of CO2
Hot Water-the solution
Reduce shower time from 10 to 5 minutes Install a low-flow showerhead Run the dishwater only when it is full When hand-washing dishes, full one tub
with soapy water, and one with clean for rinsing
Turn water off when you are done using it
Hot Water-the savings
Each person who reduces shower time to 5 minutes saves 300 pounds of CO2/year, or 1200 pounds for a household of 4
Installing a low-flow showerhead reduces emissions by 250 pounds/year
Reducing washing by one dishwasher load/week saves 100 pounds
Minimizing hot water use when hand washing saves 125 poundsTotal savings: 1675
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Clothing care-the problem
An average washing machine produces nearly 200lbs of greenhouse gases per year (80-85% comes from heating the water)
A dryer generates 5 pounds per cycle
Clothing care-the solution
Wear clothes until they are dirty Only wash full loads of laundry Hang clothes to dry
Clothing care-the savings
Switching one load of laundry per week from hot to cold water saves 100 pounds
Eliminating the need for one dryer load each week saves 260 pounds
Total: 360 pounds
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Home Heating-the problem
People who live in colder climates generate 8,800 pounds of CO2 emissions annually
Home heating-the solution
Turn the temperature down during the day when people are out of the house, and while sleeping at night
Set your thermostat to “sweater” temperature when you are at home: between 65-68 degrees
Home Heating-the savings
Setting the thermostat to 65-68 during the day and 55-58 at night saves 1400 pounds annually.
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Travel-the problem
US residents drive an average of 10,000 miles per year, each mile driven (in a car that gets 20 mpg) is one pound of carbon
Air travel has a greenhouse gas effect three times greater than a vehicle. A coast-to-coast round trip dumps 4480 pounds of carbon, PER PERSON!
Travel-the solution
Reduce car travel by biking, taking public transportation, combining trips to reduce mileage, carpool
Reduce plane travel when possible Buy carbon offsets to reduce impact when
travel is necessary
A note about carbon offsets
What am I buying?-You are reducing the amount of power generated
by fossil fuels
-When you buy offsets, are buying a renewable source, therefore reducing the need for energy from harmful sources
-Nativeenergy.com
Travel-the savings
If you drive a car that gets 20mpg, and you drive 10,000 miles/year, reducing the number of miles driven by 20% will save 2,000 pounds
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Fuel efficiency-the problem
10-30% of your fuel costs and CO2 emissions can be reduced by driving smart
An additional 30% can be reduced by tuning up your car
Fuel efficiency-the solution
If your family has more than one car, drive the more efficient vehicle
Avoid idling Rid your car of unnecessary weight Keep highway driving at 55 mph, the most
efficient speed Keep your tires inflated Service car on a regular basis
Fuel efficiency-the savings
By driving efficiently, you can save 1,100 pounds per year.
By tuning your car, you can save 1,500 pounds
Total savings= 2,600 pounds
US You on a Diet
Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Home Energy efficiency-the problem
Regular light bulbs use significantly more energy than newer compact fluorescent bulbs
Appliances use significant amounts of energy
Home energy-the solution
Change to CFLs! Turn off appliances/computers when not in
use
Home energy-the savings
Save 100 pounds per bulb Assuming 10 bulbs are changed, save 1000
pounds
US You on a Diet Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Total Savings
Solid Waste 4320Hot Water 1675Clothing Care 360Home Heating 1400Travel 2000Fuel Efficiency 2500Home Energy 1000
Total 13,355 pounds saved
US You on a Diet Sweden0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
When you are the consumer
Buy energy star appliances Buy a fuel efficient car Tune up your water heater and furnace, or buy a
more efficient products Seal air leaks in your house Insulate walls and attic, install energy efficient
windows Buy green energy (PGE) Buy local
Spread the Word!
In your school In your neighborhood/community
Get ready to vote!
What is good legislation
Reduce emissions 2%/year, with 80% reduction by 2050
Encourage innovation, discourage the building of facilities that force us to use old technology
The Legislation
House: Safe Climate Act (Waxman) Senate: Global Warming Reduction Act
(Sanders and Boxer)
Thank you for your Attention!
Questions?
Special thanks to Catherine Thomasson and John Fogarty for use of their slides, Oregon
PSR for their support