RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2015

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Global warming is the concept that the earth's overall

temperature is heating up. Due to the emissions of

greenhouse gasses. Heat is trapped in the atmosphere,

increasing the overall temperature of the planet. As the

climate warms up, so does the ocean. The ocean makes

up most of the planet and therefore is affected severely

which in turn will affect all life within it. Our contribution to

green house emissions have lead to these

consequences. The rise in sea level, change in salinity

and pH are some negative effects happening currently.

Negative effects like flooding, spread of disease, and less

resources are likely to occur if action is not taken. There

are easy and inexpensive ways to start helping the planet

today.

Abstract

What is happening to Earth:

Our Contribution

Deforestation, the act of cutting and burning trees without

replanting new ones, has released an abundance of CO2

meanwhile be ridding of the most efficient Carbon absorbers we

have. Trees naturally process CO2 and simultaneously release

oxygen to clear our air of the gasses. However more gasses are

emitted than trees are able to absorb because they’re diminishing.

Fossil fuels are also a very common way we’ve contributed to

Carbon emissions alone. Methane is another greenhouse gas we

release through our methods of decomposing waste in landfills,

agriculture and domestic livestock, along with rice cultivation.

Nitrous Oxide is another gas we provide an abundance of through

specific activities. When we produce commercial and organic

fertilizer, engage in fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production

and biomass burning we also produce Nitrous Oxide. All the

gasses we produce work together against us in our inner

atmosphere which is smaller than our total atmosphere. Most of

the effects are directly causing our oceans to suffer and eventually

us as well. The Ocean has already felt the heat of the threat and it

is crucial to understand the problems in our oceans as they will be

ours (nasa.gov, accessed 2019).

Our Oceans

Negative Effects to Come

The most obvious and most likely, if there isn’t change, is that

Earth will become warmer and warmer. Warmer climate is going to

lead to more evaporation and perspiration meaning we could be

approaching a long term dry spell on land. Due to the rise in sea

level, it is hard to determine how much land will be left if the

glaciers reach a point of nonexistence. It is possible that certain

crops will flourish from the CO2. In return, crops that grow

sufficiently now may not respond well to the increased greenhouse

effect. According to worldresourcesinstitute.org, results of CO2

emissions in 2018 have not shown promising numbers. Emissions

have sadly risen to a record breaking 37.1 Gigatonns showing that

an increase has not stopped and is unlikely to decrease in the

future. The world's top emitters of the gas are not doing enough to

even halt the increase, and there's a possibility they never will.

Use of natural gas and oil use is also rising contributing to the

continuous acceleration. According to the article, natural gas is

rising 8.4 percent each year, oil is rising at 1.4 percent per year.

CO2 emissions have already cause enough damage, methane

levels increasing are causing a major threat to the entire planet as

we know it. Scientist reporting on the Los Angeles times say that

the temperatures will no longer be able to be kept in check with

CO2 and Methane contributing to the warming of the planet.

Potential growth of methane could rise 14%. With temperatures

increasing at a staggering rate and no intention on stopping, ocean

acidification will follow (K. Levin, 2018). NASA scientist Doney

explains that even if all emissions stopped today, acidification

would not only remain, it will continue to increase. It is unclear the

long term effects the ocean will endure and how catastrophic the

breaking point may be, and when. As with the ocean, terrestrial

land is to be heavily impacted as well, impacting humans and

animals (R. Sullivant, 2008). Usgs.gov explains the long term

effects of climate change by the regions. North America is to

experience a decrease in snow in the mountains. There's also to

be a 5-20 percent increase in rain fed agriculture. Heat waves are

to happen more frequently and more intensely as the climate heats

up. Latin America's tropical forests are at major risks along with the

species within them which will cause of a loss in biodiversity. Water

availability is also going to be scarce affecting all life beyond the

tropics. Europe will have an increase in flash floods, storms will

become more frequent along with related erosion. Mountain

glaciers will decrease with less snow cover. Species will be lost

along with crops decreasing productivity. Africa is said to be under

significant water stress by 2020. 75 to 250 million people will

struggle for water and food due to a 50% decrease in agriculture.

Asia will also struggle for freshwater access by the 2050s.

Increased flooding will endanger coastal areas due to sea level

rise and unstable weather patterns. Floods and droughts will both

lead to easy spread of diseases increasing casualties. Other

threats are and will remain undiscovered until it is too late to stop it

from happening. The human race must take responsibility for its

actions before the entirety of the planets pays for it (usgs.gov,

accessed, 2019).

References

https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ , accessed 4/25/19

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/13/climate-change-seeps-into-the-sea/ , accessed

4/25/19

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2328/warming-seas-and-melting-ice-sheets/ ,

accessed 4/25/19

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/58/with-a-pinch-of-salt/ , accessed 4/25/19

https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-methane-atmosphere-

accelerating-20190301-story.html , accessed 4/25/19

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/global-warming-

overview/ , accessed 4/25/19

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming , accessed 4/25/19

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-long-term-effects-climate-change-1?qt-

news_science_products=0#qt-news_science_products , accessed 4/25/19

https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/new-global-co2-emissions-numbers-are-they-re-

not-good , accessed 4/25/19

Source: https://www.c2es.org/content/climate-basics-for-kids/

This image explains the difference between the natural and human

greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses are being trapped in while

less heat is being released back into space.

What YOU Can Do

Agriculture and food waste are big contributors to the

endangered climate. Eating all the food you purchase will

reduce food waste. Eating less meat will contribute heavily in

the long run as well. If you're truly passionate you could

consider going vegetarian or vegan. It is not necessary to go

cold turkey, even cutting the amount of meat your family

consumed in half will make a difference. Light bulbs can also

contribute to saving energy, LED save 80% than its

competitors and will last longer. Avoid leaving unused plugs

into the wall which will also reduce electricity and your bill. One

of the most common and effective ways is driving a fuel

efficient vehicle or a hybrid. Electric and eco friendly cars are

becoming more affordable and reduce the already common

emissions from cars. If you can’t buy an eco friendly car right

now, try to walk or scooter to places close to home. This will

prevent gas usage and keep your tank filled longer. When

relocating or moving, consider being close to places to avoid

driving if you cannot afford an eco car. This last one goes with

all of the suggestions but thinking about your carbon profile.

Always keep in mind with everything you do, where you go,

and how much this is going to affect the environment when

you're gone (M. Denchak, 2017). It may seem dramatic but

that's what is required for consistent improvement to be made.

Humanity has to come together and go above and beyond

even the tips above. Things like beach cleanings, planting

trees and other oxygen emitters, composting, recycling,

reducing plastic waste. Donating to charities that focus on

environmental change and seeing what more you can do. We

have to go through every step and more because at this point

each and every one of us needs to ask ourselves this

question:

Am I going to be part of the problem or the solution?

There are currently five greenhouse gasses that are the most

common or trapping in the most heat according to

climate.nasa.gov. Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and

nitrous oxide. These gases are semi permanent which is why

once they’re released into the atmosphere they tend to linger

for long periods of time. Before the industrial revolution, plant

life was able to naturally absorb these gases and produce

enough oxygen to clean the air. Now trees, the most efficient

of all plants, are cut down at a significant rate known as

deforestation. More trees are being cut down than gases are

being absorbed which contributes to them building up. Now

that the gasses together have been discussed it is

appropriate to go into the details of each of them and how

they contribute.

Water Vapor: According to NASA scientists water vapor is

thought of as a feedback for its direct response to the

temperature of the earth. As the planet heats up water vapor

increases in the form of clouds, fog and other forms of the

substance. Water vapor however, does not linger in the

atmosphere as long as the other gasses. The effects water

has on our atmosphere last longer than the water itself. The

properties of water amplifies the effect that the other gasses

have on our planet. Water vapor is also one of the most

abundant gasses due to human activity to be discussed later

on. Water is reactive which is going to have a big impact on

all the qualities within it and around it.

Carbon Dioxide: CO2 emissions, are not only the most

common but one of the most destructive of our atmosphere

currently. Although heavily implemented by humans, there

are also natural occurrences that release this gas such as

respiration and volcanic activity. Carbon dioxide is directly

related to the rise in temperature in our atmosphere because

of its efficiency in trapping in light and heat with the help of

water vapor. Mostly however, Carbon is released through

human interference and has grown at a significant rate

starting around the industrial revolution.

Methane: Methane is a hydrocarbon gas that is also man

made and produced through natural resources. Although it is

less abundant, methane has molecules that are far more

active and therefore destructive to our atmosphere.

According to Debra Wunch, an atmospheric physicist for

University of Toronto told the Los Angeles Times that

Methane increases temperature 32 times more than Carbon

Dioxide. It's been rising since the 19th century and has

worried scientist in recent discoveries to be revealed.

Nitrous Oxide: This powerful gas may not be as abundant

as its competitors but it is definitely making its way thanks to

humans. This gas is produced through soil cultivation

practices like the production of both organic and commercial

fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and

biomass burning. These activities fuel the emission of this

gas and combined with all of the greenhouse gasses has put

us in the risks we are at today. Before we get to the

consequences, we must understand how we’ve propelled it

to this point (nasa.gov, accessed 2019).

Alyssa Marine

Professor Lowe

Source: https://www.wri.org/blog/2018/12/new-global-co2-emissions-

numbers-are-they-re-not-good

This graph shows the steady increase of emissions over recent years.

Almost every year reaches new records indicating there will not be a

decrease.

Source:https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_sum

mary-for-policymakers.pdf

This image depicts the CO2 emissions directly contributed from each of the

human activities on the chart. The most impactful activities are our energy

usage.

As we all know the Earth is mainly Ocean and filled with life. If we

do not protect it, there will be no more life in the ocean or on land.

Temperatures rising has lead to glaciers melting causing a rise in

sea level, salinity that has disturbed the already endangered

creatures of the sea, and acidification of our ocean as a whole. It

is easy to assume that if temperatures are heating up, ice is

melting and lots of it. According to NASA, the sea level had been

steady for thousands of years until now. Basic physics explains

that when ice melts into water, that water expands. As our glaciers

melt or float into the sea as icebergs, the sea level is rising and

our waters are expanding with it. The rise has increased steadily

measuring from a rise of eight inches from the 20th century and

has risen two inches within the last 20 years. Greenland and

Antarctica are unstable, according to scientist, as the planet

continues to heat up causing a major threat. This is significant

because polar ice sheets play a key role in the shift of tectonic

plates not only changing Greenland and Antarctica but all of the

continents. Shifts in water temperature directly affect the salinity in

our oceans as well. Studies have found an increase in salinity

over the past 50 years in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

NASA has found that it is man made global warming from CO2

emissions that have actually made our oceans saltier.

Temperature and salinity have a cause and effect relationship with

each other, so it makes sense that as the temperatures rise, so

does the salinity.

Salinity and temperature both have a direct effect on water density

which plays an important part in ocean circulation. How heat is

carried through currents regulates the world's climate, which you

could guess makes it pretty important. Another reason salinity is a

major factor is that its responsible for the recycle of freshwater

and how it evaporates or precipitates. Scientist have discovered

the possibility of global warming changing precipitation patterns by

increasing evaporation. This makes sense if more freshwater is

being evaporated, than less water is left with more salinity than

when the freshwater was present. Apart from salinity, global

warming is also affecting the pH in our waters and life within it (A.

Jenkins, 2009).

The ocean has done a considerable job of absorbing lots of CO2

from our atmosphere, but is now paying the price. Since the

ocean is absorbing CO2 it is absorbing the heat that comes with it,

causing the rise in temperatures. Heat and pollution combined are

causing the oceans chemistry to alter into an uninhabitable PH

called acidification. This is killing off key ecosystems that can

eventually harm the Earth more than the pollution in the air. A

good example is the species of Coccolithophores who play a

critical role in what is called the carbon cycle. They absorb the

carbon in the air and form into denser structures that sink to the

bottom of the ocean. Acidification has put some of these critical

organisms in danger making it harder for them to recycle the gas

but also benefiting others. According to scientists at NASA, the

ocean absorbs one third of carbon dioxide along with the animals

that either benefit or suffer for it. The ocean becomes more acidic

because of the mixture of water and carbon dioxide called

carbonic acid. This effect takes away from the useful carbon that

organisms need to make shells and skeletons. Many mollusks

such as clams, oysters, and reef building corals are already

directly suffering from the pollution and acidification called tropical

bleaching. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecologies and

will have effects that reach far further than their ecosystems.

When coral reefs die there is never a guarantee that they will ever

recover, permanently altering the food webs and consequences.

The scariest part is that scientist are unaware to what extent the

ocean is going to suffer or how drastic these changes in dynamics

and chemistry will be long term (R. Sullivant, 2008).

It is not going to be an easy job, but it is a job that needs to be

acted on now. NRDC.org has an article on simple but effective

ways you can reduce your mark on the planet. The first and

most important thing is to make sure you are not doing it

alone. Talking to friends and family is going to make a bigger

impact than trying to change the world and hoping others will

as well. As stated we are past the point of hoping and now

must start doing. Next is using efficient and renewable energy

to power your home. The more we use our sun to our

advantage like solar panels, the more we are putting the heat

into good use. Weatherizing and making your home

improvements as energy efficient as possible is going to make

a big impact on emissions and save you money in the long

run. Energy efficient appliances will also help significantly,

keeping 2.3 billion tons of carbon emissions from reaching the

atmosphere. Appliances as such will advertise energy

efficiency or a green star for easy finding. Another incredibly

important tip is to reduce your water waste. This is as simple

as not taking half hour showers or leaving the water running

while brushing your teeth. Although it may not seem like it will

have a huge impact, if you’ve convinced your family and

friends to do the same, it will add up quickly. According to the

article if just one out of every 100 homes were water and

energy efficient, it would save 800,000 tons of water pollution.

Scientist have plenty of proof that has removed any doubt that we

are responsible for the change in our atmosphere and everything

with it. Our contribution to these gasses and lack of action has

brought us to where we are. Humans have accelerated the amount

of Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide that

is suffocating our planet. According to nasa.gov Scientific experts

from across the globe have concluded that there is a 95% chance

we are directly responsible for global warming. We have risen the

amount of CO2 in the air to 400 parts per million within only 150

years. This has lead to an overall increase in the Earth's

temperature for the last 50 years. We have risen the amount of

CO2 in the air to

400 parts per

million within only

150 years. This has

lead to an overall

increase in the

Earth's temperature

for the last 50

years. Beginning as

far back as the

Industrial

Revolution, many

practices have

shaped our modern

world and will also

shape the future

(nasa.gov,

accessed 2019)

Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sectors

Source: https://www.mbari.org/ocean-acidification-resources/

This image explains the chemical reaction that causes the ocean to acidify. As

carbon enters the ocean, it is absorbed and transformed into carbonic acid.