A Sea of Air

Soot, Ozone & Climate Change

Atmosphere:Composition

Nitrogen 78%Oxygen 21%Argon 0.9%Carbon Dioxide 0.04%Neon, Helium, Methane, Krypton, Hydrogen, Nitrous Oxides, Aerosols 0-4%

Atmosphere: Layers

Troposphere

Stratosphere99.9% of air

Air Quality

PrimarySulfur Oxides

Nitrogen OxidesCarbon Oxides

Metals & HalogensParticulates

Volatile OrganicCompounds (VOCs)

OthersOdors

Noise PollutionLight Pollution

ElectromagneticRadiation

SecondaryPhotochemical Smog

Acid Rain

Problems

1. Water Pollution2. Visibility3. Structural Damage4. Human Health5. Ecological Impacts6. Ozone Depletion 7. Global Warming

Solutions

1. Control emissionsa) Particulate

removalb) Sulfur removalc) Nitrogen oxide

control

2. Reduce emissions

3. Legislation

What about CO2?

Clean Air Act - Positive Results

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Ozone

“Good Ozone”

“Bad Ozone”

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Ozone “Hole”

• Theorized in 1970• Observed in 1985

“The Villain”:Ozone Destroying Chemicals

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Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s)Carbon TetrachlorideHydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFC’s)Methyl Bromide

Why Antarctica?

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Positive Results:Montreal Protocol, 1987

CFC ProductionCl

Excellent example of the success of the

“Precautionary Principle”

Climate Change:The big questions

1. What is the greenhouse effect?2. What is the relationship between

greenhouse gases and climate change?3. Are greenhouse gases increasing?

(Are they released by human activity?)4. Is the climate warming?5. Are humans causing climate change?6. What are the potential impacts?7. What does the future hold?8. What can we do?

1. What is the greenhouse effect?

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GreenhouseGases

2. What is the relationship between greenhouse gases and climate change?

water vapor (H2O) carbon dioxide (CO2) methane (CH4) nitrous oxide (N2O) ozone (O3) halocarbons (CFCs, HFCs, etc.)

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Greenhouse Gases:

Venus: An Example

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Surface temperatures:Somegreenhouse gases:

Lots ofgreenhouse gases:

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Earth History

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Vostok Ice Core

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Vostok and

Methane

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3. Are greenhouse gases increasing?

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The last 50 years

The Last 1000 Years

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Modern CO2 compared to

Vostok

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The last 500,000 yrs

Are GH Gases Released by Human Activity?

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Washington Carbon

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4. Is climate warming?

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Annual Mean Temp. Change (°C)1965-1995

Earth’s Climate History

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5. Are humans causing global climate change?

“The Earth’s climate system has demonstrably changed on both global and regional scales since the pre-industrial era, with some of these changes attributable to human activities. There is new and

stronger evidence that most of the observed warming of the past 50 years is attributable to

human activities”

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)3rd Report, 2001

6. What are the potential impacts?

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7. What does the future hold?

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In the context of history…

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8. What can we do?The time for change is now.

Kyoto Protocol, 1997

Montreal Summit, 2005

Rio Earth Summit, 1992

Final Words of Wisdom…

1.Stay literate2.Stay optimistic3.Stay balanced &

take small steps4.Stay involved

“Never give up what you believe and don’t expect politicians, even good

ones, do the job for you. Politicians are like weather vanes. Our job is to make

the wind blow.”-David Brower

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the

most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the

clouds.”Edward Abbey