Global Warming and Florida; What we can do about it. Big Bend Group Sierra Club 031802.

Global Warming and Florida;Global Warming and Florida; What we can do about it. What we can do about it.

Big Bend Group Sierra Club

031802

Carbon DioxideCarbon DioxideCatches infrared waves going into space

Distance between C and O; just right to catch infrared waves.

Infrared has the most energyInfrared has the most energy

About 3Gt C are added About 3Gt C are added every yearevery year

Climate ChangeClimate Changechanges everythingchanges everything

More CO2 changes plant behaviorMore CO2 increases temperature of the

atmosphere, the surface, the earth’s crust and the oceans

Distribution of energy through currents on the planet

Global hydro cycle; rain and moisture

Much reduction is Much reduction is needed to reach stabilityneeded to reach stability

8

4.7

Human emission rate in billion t/C/yr

t

Equilibrium

Latent atmospheric C is about 188 billion ton

Emissions the earth absorbs in billion t/C/yr

Climate Change:Climate Change:A hundred year problemA hundred year problem

Achieving carbon-neutrality (the switch to clean energy) = 30 years?

Absorption of latent carbon (sequestration) = 150 years?

FloridaFlorida-Average temperature increase of 5 ~10°F

-July temperature increase of ~ 15°F

-Reversal of summer-wet, winter-dry

-Change in soil / Fire risk

-Vectors

-Tropical diseases

-Sea level rise

-Intensive Storms

-Will happen anyway

Impacts on:

-Agriculture

-Health

-Insurance

-Tourism

-Tax Base

-Economy

Possible ApproachesPossible Approaches “ “The Big Picture”The Big Picture”

• Do nothing• Strategic adaptation (we move!)• Nuclear• Renewable Energy• Energy Efficiency• Sequestration• Price induced reductions• International Carbon Trading

What can we do?What can we do?The “us” picture.The “us” picture.

AwarenessRefrigeratorWasherVacuumLightsCarEnergy Star Products and Homes

What we can do:What we can do:influenceinfluence

County / City Action PlanLobby – write your congressman!Publicity – feature the positiveOthers..

Carbon Cycle is complexCarbon Cycle is complex

Links and ResourcesLinks and Resources

http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_1.htm http://www.ucsusa.org/environment/gulf.html http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/visitorcenter/lists.html http://www.icbe.com/carbondatabase/reductions.asp http://www.climatesafe.com/intro/intro_flash.asp

Gasoline is 85.5% carbonGasoline is 85.5% carbon

1 gallon of conventional liquid gasoline turns into172 cubic feet / 4.87 cubic meters of CO2.

125 gallon make one ton CO125 gallon make one ton CO22

1 ton of CO2 easily fills up a 19,000 cubic feet / 556 cubic meters container.

10 ton CO10 ton CO22 fills Florida Field fills Florida Field 3 foot high 3 foot high

Every year, the average person in the United States produces 20 tons of CO2.

U.S. commitment under KyotoU.S. commitment under Kyoto

Regardless, somebody has to initiate action

Join our Beta test !Join our Beta test !

The ICBE is looking for participants interested in profiling their GHG emissions.

Help create a GHG map of Florida

Contact ICBEContact ICBE

International Carbon Bank and Exchange®, Inc

6651 NW 23rd Avenue

Gainesville, FL 32606-8400

352 367 1144 tel

352 335 9140 fax

www.icbe.com

Mark van Soestbergen

[email protected]

Toward Climate Stability™