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The results are in and the reality of global warming is beyond dispute or debate.
It’s not just an environmental issue. It affects ours public health and national security.
It’s an urgent matter of survival for everyone on the planet — the most urgent threat facing
humanity today. It’s going to take action from you and all of us working together.
The first step, Join the Virtual March
The second step, Keep reading below, and share this with friends.
Global warming isn’t opinion. It’s a scientific reality. And the science tells us that human
activity has made enormous impacts to our planet that affect our well-being and even our survival as a species.
The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than previously
thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that
species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also report of extreme weather events, long-term
droughts, and rising sea levels.
Fortunately,
the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs
to try and reverse those impacts, but only through immediate action.
That’s why we urge you to join us. The Stop Global Warming Virtual
March is virtual but its purpose is real. By spreading the word and
sharing this with others, our collective power will force governments,
corporations, and politicians everywhere to pay attention.
What is Global Warming?
The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon
dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a
warm blanket, and holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’
The
reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps
just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a
very narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable
air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human beings
have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the atmosphere with
heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If
we don't start fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes
to our environment. We will experience extreme temperatures, rises in
sea levels, and storms of unimaginable destructive fury. Recently,
alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions about
the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.
Environmental Destruction
The
massive ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at alarming rates. This is
causing the oceans to rise. That’s how big these ice sheets are! Most
of the world’s population lives on or near the coasts. Rising ocean
levels, an estimated six feet over the next 100 years or sooner, will
cause massive devastation and economic catastrophe to population
centers worldwide.
The United States, with only four percent of the world’s population, is responsible for 22% of the world’s greenhouse
gas emissions. A rapid transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human
health, create new jobs, protect habitat and wildlife, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future.
Health Risks
Malaria.
Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in
emergency rooms and doctors’ offices in the United States. But if we
don’t act to curb global warming, they will be. As temperatures rise,
disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents spread, infecting people in
their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent
U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases
directly to climate change.
Catastrophic Weather
Super
powerful hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures are the
“smoking gun” of global warming. Since 1970, the number of category 4
and 5 events has jumped sharply. Human activities are adding an
alarming amount of pollution to the earth’s atmosphere causing
catastrophic shifts in weather patterns. These shifts are causing
severe heat, floods and worse.
Five Things We Can All Do
- Join StopGlobalWarming.org. Together our voices will be heard!
- Spread the word, share the learning. Send this link to family, friends, and colleagues. Share why this is so important.
- Change begins at home. (See the list home-related Action Items)
- Put the heat on your elected officials.
- The power of the pocketbook.