Understanding my role in climate change and how it affects me

How does what I do today impact the future of our Earth?

Global Warming vs. Climate Change

"Global warming" describes an average temperature increase of the Earth over time.

"Climate change" describes how weather patterns will be affected around the globe. (includes temperature and how that

impacts the water cycle (ice melt, precipitation, and their impact on weather patterns)

- NC State University

How is Wisconsin’s Climate Changing?

Wisconsin’s Changing Climate

Wisconsin:ThenNowIn the future

Climate Wisconsin

How is Wisconsin’s average temperature changing?

How can that impact our lives, our economy?

Birkebeiner

Ice Fishing

Fly Fishing

Great Lakes Shipping

What Causes Climate Change?

Human Activity

Natural Causes Ocean currents Earth’s tilt Earth’s orbit Volcanic Eruptions

What’s the Big Deal with Carbon?

All living things on Earth have carbon in them

Carbon combines easily with other elements to form new compounds

Remember this cycle:

Source: Buzzle.com

What’s the Big Deal with Carbon?

Source: NASA Climate Kids

What’s the Big Deal with Carbon?

When fossil fuels burn, we mostly get three things: heat, water, and CO2.

We also get some solid forms of carbon, like soot and grease.

All that carbon stored in all those plants and animals over hundreds of millions of years is getting pumped back into the atmosphere over just one or two hundred years

Source: NASA Climate Kids

So, is carbon good or bad?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas – so it helps trapheat close to Earth

So, its good….up to a point.

 National Geographic:

Worldwide Carbon Dioxide Emissions MapUnit converter

1000 tonnes (metric ton) = 2,204,623 pounds

What are Greenhouse gases? Greenhouse gases are made out of:

Water vapor Carbon dioxide Methane (CH4) – Found in animal

waste & production in digestion, emitted from landfills as waste breaks down, emitted when natural gas and oil are burned

What are Greenhouse gases?

Nitrous oxide – (Nitrogen cycle) – emitted through agriculture, industrial process, wastewater management and fossil fuel consumption

What are Greenhouse gases? Ozone -- Ozone - (ground level) - Formed

when nitrogen oxides and VOC (volatile organic compounds) react in the presence of sunlight

Eg. VOC - Emissions from industries, electric utilities, motor vehicles, and chemical solvents

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - used to be used in aerosols, refrigerators, air conditioners, they are a VOC

Wisconsin and Greenhouse Gases

HOW WILL IT AFFECT US?

Farming

Phenology

Forestry

Adaptation and Mitigation

GREENHOUSE GAS CALCULATOR

Play the game to have a successful farm, while reducing greenhouse gases

What’s this greenhouse effect?

National Geographic:

Likely Scenarios if Climate Change Continues

Brainpop Video: Greenhouse Effect

National Geographic:The Greenhouse Effect

Carbon footprint

The amount of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, emitted into the atmosphere by a person, company, country, etc activities.

What can I do to reduce carbon footprint?