Climate Crisis--Brief Book of Facts
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About this ebook
We know that climate change is threatening our planet--and us! But how extensive is our knowledge? This book gives you what you need to know to discuss the issue intelligently--and to demonstrate with an increased confidence that your concern is well founded--very well founded!!
Dr. Bob O'Connor
Dr. O'Connor is a native of Los Angeles--having grown up in the "ghetto" of South-Central LA. His parents had eighth grade educations. His father died when the author was eight years old. This forced the family onto the welfare rolls while his mother went to school to learn clerical skills. Dr. O'Connor's university education was at UCLA where he earned a BS and Master's degree and did two years of doctoral level work. He then changed his major and his university, gaining his doctorate at the University of Southern California--in philosophical and social foundations of education. His interest in travel led to living and teaching in New Zealand, India, Canada and the Netherlands, culminating in a twenty year residence in Norway. His experience in various cultures has prompted many of the ideas and questions he presents in the book.
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Climate Crisis--Brief Book of Facts - Dr. Bob O'Connor
Dr. Bob O’Connor
Total Health Publications
2020
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Copyright 2020
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DEDICATION
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—To the thousands of scientists who have warned us about the dangers of
climate change, and those working for solutions,
—To Al Gore who vividly brought it to our attention,
—To Greta Thunberg who is today the leader of the people who want change NOW.
RECENT BOOKS BY DR. O’CONNOR
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Make America Great Again—Like Norway
Abortion—Dissecting the Old and NEW Arguments
Abortion is Good for America and the World
—Why the Opposition—
Revitalizing Democracy—After Trump, Brexit and Bush
LOVE—The You, The Me, The Us
Extinction Revolution—Fight with Facts
––––––––
DEDICATION
RECENT BOOKS BY DR. O’CONNOR
CHAPTER 1
WHY NOT BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND?
THE HOT—SNOWBALL EFFECT
THE MENTIONED AND UNMENTIONED CAUSES
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
WHAT ABOUT THE SKEPTICS?
THE PROPAGANDA OF THE SKEPTICS’ ARGUMENTS
WHY ARE WE SO OFTEN CONVINCED BY FAKE NEWS AND OTHER PROPAGANDA?
CHAPTER 2
PROBLEMS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE
SOCIETAL PROBLEMS
MORE DRY LAND AND DROUGHTS
FOOD SHORTAGES AND FAMINES
FAMINES
HIGHER OCEANS
TIDAL FLOODING FROM HIGHER OCEANS
TIDES
WATER LEVEL
MORE ACIDIC OCEANS
STRONGER STORMS
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER AND INTENSITY OF FOREST FIRES
FOOD AND MEAT PRODUCTION
EMPLOYMENT ISSUES
INCREASED MIGRATION
PERSONAL ISSUES
PERSONAL FINANCIAL COSTS
WATER SUPPLIES
SOME POSITIVES
YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH AND CONVENIENCE
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
ALLERGIES
MORE HURRICANES AND RAIN
COST OF GLOBAL WARMING TO BUSINESSES AND TO INDIVIDUALS
THE WORLD’S ECONOMY
DEFENSE
IT IS AN UNSOLVABLE PROBLEM UNLESS WE TAKE DRASTIC ACTION
ELECTRICITY GENERATION
COAL
U.S. electricity generation by source, amount, and share of total in 2018
CHAPTER 3
THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
PLANETARY CAUSES
GREENHOUSE GASES
SO WHY IS IT HAPPENING?
LOOKING AT OUR CLIMATE HISTORY
CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)
CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)
WATER VAPOR (H2O)
METHANE (NH3)
OZONE (O3)
NITROUS OXIDE (N2O)
SULPHUR DIOXIDE (SO2)
FLUORINATED GASES
CHAPTER 4
THE MAJOR POLLUTERS
POLLUTANTS
AND A NEW CONCERN!
CHAPTER 5
UNDERSTANDING OUR VALUES AND ETHICS—AND CONFLICTS IN OUR VALUES
SELF-CENTERED VALUES
GOD-BASED VALUES
SOCIETY-BASED VALUES
CONFLICTS IN VALUES
THE ASSUMPTIONS WE USE MAY VARY WITH THE VALUE
WE ARE CONSIDERING
LET’S LOOK AT ANOTHER VALUE QUESTION IN AMERICAN SOCIETY
CHAPTER 6
THE DENIERS
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
CONFRONTING YOUR DENYING FRIENDS
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE REALITY?
ENERGY LOBBYIST CONTRIBUTIONS 2019
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVESWHO TAKE LOBBYIST MONEY?
THE IRRATIONALITY OF THE DENIERS’ ARGUMENTS
CHAPTER 7
FINDING SOLUTIONS
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES
SPEEDING THE INTELLIGENT PROCESS TO SAVE THE PLANET
THERE WILL BE INCONVENIENCES
INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS YOU CAN DO
WORKING IN GROUPS TO INFLUENCE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT
OUR GOVERNMENTS
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT REGULATION
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE CLIMATE CHANGE
UNITED NATIONS
PROGRESS AND INITIATIVES
PROGRESS AND REGRESS
PROGRESS
TAXES ON GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS
REGRESS
CHAPTER 8
WHERE IS THE BEST USE OF YOUR TIME
DEMONSTRATING YOUR DISPLEASURE ON THE STREETS OR KNOCKING ON DOORS TO CONVINCE VOTERS TO VOTE FOR A GREEN CANDIDATE?
PRESSURING POLITICIANS
PRESSURING GOVERNMENTS TO CURB THE EXCESSES
CHAPTER 9
CARBON SINKS
CREATE SINKS
TREES TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE
CHAPTER 1
WHY NOT BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND?
Why the Extinction Rebellion? British politicians realize that Brexit is more important than addressing our path to extinction. The American President, Donald Trump, knows there is no climate change. The thousand thermometers around the world, that have measured global temperatures for the last 100 years, are wrong— because today’s American economy is more important.
Intelligent and informed people all know that climate change is seriously threatening our human race, our planet, and our ecological neighbors—both animal and vegetable. We know about:
THE HOT—SNOWBALL EFFECT
› More people in our overpopulated world use more fossil fuels and produce more greenhouse gases
› These gases warm the air and increase water vapor
› This heats the air even more since water vapor is a greenhouse gas
Less arable land
More famines
More forest fires
More violent storms as upper air cools—releasing the water vapor as rain and snow
Oceans warm and become more acidic—reducing shellfish
Permafrost thaws releasing more methane
Ground-level heat and air pollution sicken and kill millions
› Air and ocean warm more—glaciers and Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets melt
Sea levels rise—less living area and less farmland for a growing population
Under-sea reservoirs of CO2 and methane are released
River transportation of goods severely reduced due to reduction of glacier volume
Less fresh water due to glacier melting (higher costs for desalinization)
Water wars—migration wars
› Severely reduced population survives in the far north and far south of the hemispheres
BUT WHY WORRY? SOME HOMO SAPIENS MAY SURVIVE!
THE MENTIONED AND UNMENTIONED CAUSES
Technology, based on fossil fuel use, is the obvious cause of global warming and climate change. The resulting cause is greenhouse gases from fossil fuels—the hidden cause is overpopulation.
We expect our politicians to create laws to force a reduction of greenhouse gases. We expect scientists to aid in this effort. But to reduce population???
› I want children.
› It is a God-given right and obligation.
› We need more consumers for the things we produce.
› We need more soldiers to protect us from: the Russians, the Americans, the Chinese, and the Lilliputians!
And does overpopulation create other social problems? YES!
So let's look at all the issues, from fossil fuels and technology to overpopulation—and suggest some possible solutions.
If we want to slow these effects—controlling climate change depends on reducing greenhouse gases and increasing sinks—like vegetation. We have practically used up our major sink—our oceans.
The higher the income, the more CO2 is produced because of the amenities of money: driving, air conditioning, consuming food requiring more energy to produce, living in bigger houses (energy cost of building materials), air travel, etc.
WE MUST NOT CONFUSE WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Weather is the day to day experience of heat, rain and other factors of nature that we will encounter over a short period of time, like a day, week, or month. Climate is the long-term averages of weather—usually a term of at least 25 years.
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https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2016/1/16/1452975909758/To-go-with-India-environm-009.jpg?w=460&q=85&auto=format&sharp=10&s=f198a4fc4cf0611cea682a23f42d5bc1HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
Briefly, this what happens. The sun emits rays (photons or waves), in a broad spectrum of wavelengths. From less than a billionth of a meter to over 1000 meters. We can see only a small part of the spectrum—waves that are 2.5 to 5 millionths of a meter (about 60 to 120 thousandths of an inch). Ya! Really teeny!
elated imageWhat we think of as heat waves are in the infra-red area of the spectrum. When you go to the beach on a sunny day, much of the heat you feel is infra-red, most of the tanning comes from the ultra-violet rays. But all rays can heat a surface. You have probably cooked in a microwave oven. The waves are 1 to 10 centimeters (1/2 to 4 inches). And you may have heard of cancer patients being burned when treated with x-rays. This seldom happens now because doctors are aware of the correct dosage. Microwaves are longer than we can see, and x-rays are shorter than we can see.
WHAT ABOUT THE SKEPTICS?
Global warming skeptics often argue that the rise in temperatures is a phenomenon of nature like the warm period from about 800 to 1200 AD or the little Ice Age, from about 1300 to 1850. But these were geographically limited areas that were affected. Today the temperature change affects the whole planet. Skeptics may argue that it is a result of a shifting polar vortex—a low pressure cold area near