April 18, 2010
When I was in Washington, DC this weekend to speak at the Climate Rally in honor of Earth Day, I picked up this hand-out, provided by The Alliance for Climate Protection, Earth Day Network and The Nature Conservancy.
CONSIDER THESE SOBERING FACTS:
· Climate change is linked to stronger hurricanes, more drought and increased coral deaths from bleaching.
· One-fourth of the Earth’s species will be headed for extinction by 2050 if the warming trend continues at its current rate.
· Oceans span 70% of the Earth’s surface. And only one percent of oceans are protected.
· The current pace of sea-level rise is 50 percent faster than in the last century.
THINGS THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS CAN DO:
· You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste.
· Plant trees. A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
· Turn down that air conditioner! Air conditioning and heating account for almost HALF of electricity use in the average American home.
This image of Earth’s city lights was created with data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS). Originally designed to view clouds by moonlight, the OLS is also used to map the locations of permanent lights on the Earth’s surface.
Data courtesy Marc Imhoff of NASA GSFC and Christopher Elvidge of NOAA NGDC. Image by Craig Mayhew and Robert Simmon, NASA GSFC.
Posted by: Seymour Simon
