We REALLY need to do SOMETHING about GCC!

What is the relationship between increasing amounts of greenhouse gases and global climate change?

    The basic fact is that our releasing of greenhouse gasses actually strengthens the atmosphere. This sounds incorrect but that’s because we don’t want our protective shell surrounding the planet to be too strong. The sun’s rays are coming through whatever shell we have. It’s the “getting back out” part that’s the issue. That heat that can’t in large part escape means warming up under the shell.
    The week we saw a great cartoon clip about how that’s just what carbon does! It can’t help it.

    Here is a link to a site that has great graphics to illustrate the greenhouse effect.

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-overview-interactive/

Imperfect understanding of climate feedbacks is a major cause of uncertainty and concern about global warming. How can the use of climate models help in the understanding of these uncertainties?       

    These mathematical models can be used to best guess the future. Instead of just going by instinct or rumor, models take, as many real variables into account to illustrate what will happen if certain things occur. These models can inform the public and they can also lead people to certain conclusions. For example, if we stop burning so much oil, we can use a much better model then if we don’t.

With regards to the six emission scenarios, describe any evidence existing today that would suggest to you one or more of the scenarios may occur within the next 100 years. What key uncertainties (climate forcings and feedbacks) would exist for these scenarios as a whole, or specific ones individually?

    I would like to say that without any unexpected forcings or feedbacks, our climate will stabilize (scenario A1). At least it won’t get any worse!
    But the reality is that we people on this planet have to organize and gain singular focus for this to happen. There is a lot standing in the way.
    The models don’t talk about increases in war, starvation, disease and the like. So, I think we had better go back to the black board if we want to make it 100 more years!

Someone do something about GCC!

Which climate forcings and feedbacks are most prevalent in either your local area or in the United States as a whole and why might this be so?

The two most profound changes that we in the Boston (New England) area can expect are heat waves and coastal erosion. We have already begun to see this. Because of the political power of those with conflicts of interests (i.e. oil companies) we are made to feel unpatriotic at best, loony at worst, if we question weather an occurrence is indeed GCC related.

From the UCAR digital site:

 Increased intensity, duration, and number of heat waves in cities historically prone to them; the elderly, whose proportion of the U.S. population is increasing, are most at risk (very high confidence)
Coastal areas: increased stress on people and property, due to climate change impacts interacting with development and pollution (very high confidence)

What resources have you located to help you and your students understand climate forcings and feedbacks?

http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm

The above site is an example of helpful ways to deal with climate change. I do note that in many sites, the granddaddy of them all is missing. That is political change to force our leaders to do something about GCC. We can recycle our water bottles as much as we want, but if Big Oil controls the powers around us, there is not much hope for meaningful change. I am very optimistic. I just hope we change our governing dynamic before the damage from GCC is irreparable.

In addition, there are still questions about what is causing GCC. This NASA site

http://climate.nasa.gov/uncertainties/

would be a helpful location for my students to begin to feel the complexity of the issue. Yes,GCC is a certainty, but NO, it’s root causes have not been exhaustively proven.

NASA, STEM and PBL

I believe that NASA has it's heart in the right place. Consider the quote:

 

"NASA has primary responsibility for advancing U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through robust space exploration and aeronautics research programs. NASA's mission to understand and explore depends upon educated, motivated people..."

— Marrett, C. B. & Winterton, J. L. (2007, February 22)

 

It clearly wants (needs) and educated science and math population in order to stay at the top of the space game. My concern is that they don't have the funding to guide legislation necessary to keep the US on top.

In fact, the defense industry probably has done more to encourage and reward science education in the last decade (sad as it is).

STEM is a great system that ties all areas of technology and science together. I give this my full support. After all, I am a Calculus teacher taking a course in Climate Change. I do see the need for interconnectedness! Also, problem based learning is a great technique to get kids motivated.

  This week I will be teaching implicit derivatives and I use the problem of an asteroid careening toward earth as a motivator for kids to calculate it's trajectory correctly!

 

 

 

 

Which Web 2.0 tools do I like and why?

When  I was a kid we had pen pals so that we could write letters to kids in far off lands. The further the better, in fact. This was great then but now we have instant communication with people all over the world. Web 2.0 based technologies have brought us much closer together. We may lack some of the old awe at far away lands but we now can get things done.
Like education. I was doing a project with my class to measure the circumference of the earth as the Greeks did thousands of years ago. We needed information on the Sun's shadows and connected with kids in Europe to do so.
I feel that our connection with each other is the key that will help us navigate this planet into a peaceful future. If only we get the management!