For global warming experts?

Question

im doing a persuasive term paper on how people should concider global warming a major issue needing immmediate attention. .

i have covered alot of great topics but i maybe you could help me out. .

i know there are alot of solutions to the problems such as being more energy effiecient etc. etc. BUT , how would i word that driving gas guzzelers is a bad thing for the greenhouse effect. .

i get the gist of it but i dont know how to word it right with out righting a informative paper instead of a persuasive paper. .

thanks for the help = )

Answer 1

We know that for every gallon of gas we use, almost 20 lbs of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere.  Climate scientists tell us that the global warming we experienced the last few decades of the 20th century was most likely caused by the increased about of CO2 in the atmosphere.  They also tell us that the warming will continue and the more CO2 we emit the warmer it will eventually get, possibly causing some serious problems.  So it just make common sense that if we can still accomplish our transportation needs (i.e. going to work, school, and shopping) without putting as much CO2 into the atmosphere, we as citizens of this planet should do that.

Answer 2

In addition to the carbon problem of fossil fuels, there is the economic costs.  People are under the impression that making changes with our energy will make for economic hardship.  I don't believe that.  Sure there will be some disruptions and adjustments to make, but the overall effect will be a great economic stimulus, not a drag.

For instance:

  There are huge hidden costs to our oil addiction.  One estimate is over $800 billion a year. Huge oil and gasoline subsidies are a big part of it.  Up to $100 billion annually for military protection of oil shipments. Hundreds of billions in environmental and health costs. All this would add about $8 to the price of a gallon of gasoline if you paid it at the pump. You still pay it, but it's hidden in the economy and taxpayer money.

And I hear people complaining that the price of gasoline includes 65 cents in taxes or whatever it is. If they only knew.



http://www.storyofstuff.com/

A video about how our consumerism mindset and economy is wasting our resources and our money.

  You might make the point, that being less materialistic would help a lot.  We might actually learn contentment, which is a sign of wisdom.  There have been studies which show that happiness does not correlate with material wealth.

They found that people slightly over the "just making ends meet" economic level were the happiest with their standing, with diminishing returns as income grew.  

  

   This site has a list of promising and current alternative energy ideas.  

http://www.logicalscience.com/technology...  

If we have a clean electric grid,  electric cars would make perfect sense.  We have the technology to convert to alternative energy, we lack the political will, so far.  

  Here's one idea of how we can do that.

Scientific American  A Solar Grand Plan

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-so...

We already are building solar thermal power plants in California and Arizona, with more states to follow.  

"Solar thermal power plants such as Ausra's generate electricity by driving steam turbines with sunshine. Ausra's solar concentrators boil water with focused sunlight, and produce electricity at prices directly competitive with gas- and coal-fired electric power."

"Solar is one the most land-efficient sources of clean power we have, using a fraction of the area needed by hydro or wind projects of comparable output. All of America's needs for electric power – the entire US grid, night and day – can be generated with Ausra's current technology using a square parcel of land 92 miles on a side. For comparison, this is less than 1% of America's deserts, less land than currently in use in the U.S. for coal mines."

  Electric cars could be phased in as the grid is transformed.  

If people want high performance, electric cars are hot.  Tesla's luxury sport roadster gets over 200 miles per charge, and does 0-60mph in under 4 seconds, with top speed of 130mph.  

And I've heard that electrics are blowing away fuel dragsters on the strip.

Answer 3

Be sure and include in your paper how after Algore invented global warming he stopped flying in private planes, stopped driving SUVs, and moved out of his gigantic mansion that has the carbon footprint of a small U.S. city.  Hold on a second.  My wife just told me that he didn't do any of those things.  Strange how a man telling us we are facing imminent doom doesn't change his lifestyle one bit.  Do you think that maybe he knows something we don't?  Like maybe AGW is a fraud?