Green Efforts

Preparing to Participate in the National Teach-In for Global

Warming Solutions February 4th and 5th, 2009

Kimberly SmithRobert ReavisSteve Emrick

Overview Climate Change

– The basics– Recent updates

Incorporating Sustainability into Your Curriculum

National Teach-In for Global Warming Solutions February 4-5

The Green Efforts Committee Resources

Climate Change Basics IPCC = Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change. A conservative scientific body established in 1988 to study human caused climate change.

Climate – weather averages, very predictable, depends on Earth’s orbit, axis, the sun, and atmospheric gases.

Greenhouse gases = carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane.

Climate Change Basics Greenhouse Effect = greenhouse

gases absorb heat and warm the atmosphere. They exist naturally or life would not exist. However, some of these gases are being concentrated unnaturally by human activity such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and certain agricultural practices like factory farming of animals.

Climate Change Basics The climate changes slowly and

naturally over millions of years and ice ages come and go.

However humans are currently creating an atmosphere unlike anything Earth has experienced.

The accelerated disturbances of human activity on climate will have devastating effects.

Climate Change Basics

Climate Change Basics

Climate Change Basics

Climate Change BasicsSigns of Global Warming

Sea level risingSea ice melting (Arctic and Antarctic)Glaciers melting worldwideArctic and Antarctic Peninsula heating up fastestMelting on ice sheets is acceleratingMore severe weather (droughts, floods, storms,

heat waves, hard freezes, etc.)The Bottom Line:

• These changes do not fit natural patterns unless we add in human effects of increased Greenhouse gasses

Climate Change BasicsScientists have no doubt

Climate Change Basics

Climate Change Basics

2004

1941

McCarty Glacier, Alaska

Climate Change BasicsWho cares if Ice Melts?

Areas in red will be under water if all Greenland melts.

Climate Change BasicsAdditional Consequences

Fastest extinction rate of life on Earth in 65 Million years (1000x normal rate)

Increased disease (e.g. asthma, malaria)Increased poverty and hungerSea level rise, habitat lossCoral bleaching, ocean acidificationMore extreme weather

–Droughts

–Flooding

–Heat-waves

–Storms

Climate Change 101 Presentation

On the Green Efforts web site there is a PowerPoint explaining the basics of climate change in easy to understand language.

Any GCC faculty can use/modify this presentation to share with their students

Climate Change Updates

Global CO2 emissions are exceeding

the most pessimistic IPCC emissions scenario. 

Despite the increasing international sense of urgency, the growth rate of emissions continued to speed up, bringing the atmospheric CO2

concentration to 383 parts per million (ppm) in 2007.

Climate Change Updates The growth rate of CO2 was 2.2 ppm

per year in 2007 (up from 1.8 ppm in 2006), and above the 2.0 ppm average for the period 2000-2007.  

This concentration of 383 ppm is the highest during the last 650,000 years and probably during the last 20 million years. 

Many scientists agree that it is of critical importance to keep carbon dioxide levels lower than 450 ppm.

Climate Change Updates To stabilize at 450 ppm, fossil fuel use

needs to peak by 2020. Even then global temperatures will increase 2.1oC and sea level will rise 20 inches.

China has passed the U.S. to become the largest CO2 emitter, and India will

soon overtake Russia to become the third largest emitter.

Incorporating Sustainability

The book PLAN B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization by Lester R. Brown, available for free downloading at http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/PB3/Contents.htm

Green Efforts recommends this book

Incorporating Sustainability Have students read a green book or

watch a green DVD and write a report as an assignment or extra credit.

Assign team projects on sustainability. Have students write their local, state,

and federal politicians regarding green initiatives, laws, and economics.

Incorporating Sustainability

You don't need to be a global warming expert. Just talk for ten minutes about issues surrounding global warming, bringing in your own disciplinary perspective.

Remind students to recycle on campus.

Tell students about the Environmental Club.

Incorporating Sustainability Psychology – fear and denial of climate change Health – asthma and pollution Communications – media and climate change Business – green businesses English – global warming and science fiction Environmental studies – oil alternatives Architecture – LEED buildings Ag – end of factory farming? Food science – buying local foods Math – examining the tipping point

Incorporating Sustainability Economics – flood and drought consequences Political Science – global warming refugees Foreign Language – different nations, different

approaches Engineering – green designs Debate – has nuclear power’s time come? Science – ocean acidification, solar power Business – sea level rise and insurance Sociology – breaking oil/car addictions Art – poster contest More ideas on the Teach-In website

National Teach-In

In the next few years, we as a nation must make critical decisions regarding climate change, pollution and clean technology investments.

These decisions will have far-reaching impacts on the lives of today’s students.

National Teach-In At this moment in time, we owe our

students at least one day of focused discussion about the worldwide repercussions of climate change.

A national teach-in is being organized on our nation’s response to climate change — creating a dialogue at over a thousand colleges, universities, and schools.

Schedule of Events Wednesday February 4th

8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Sustainability Fair– Green vendors– Student displays and demos

6:00 PM - 6:50 PM GCC Percussion Ensemble - African Drumming

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM 'First 100 Days' Webcast with discussion to follow

Schedule of Events Thursday February 5th

8:00 - 8:35 AM 'First 100 Days' Webcast (repeat) 8:40 - 9:00 AM Science of Global Warming, Mary

Harris, GCC Faculty 9:05 - 11:20 AM Teach In: GCC Faculty & Student

presentations 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM Keynote Speaker: Nancy

Selover, PhD, Arizona State Climatologist 12:30 - 1:30 PM Round Table Discussion & Lunch 5:00 - 6:00 PM Music and Sustainable Snacks 6:00 - 7:00 PM Panel Discussion

Sustainability Day on Earth Day April 22nd

Dumpster Dive Poster Session – students will display

their green class projects More TBD

How Can You Participate in the Teach-In?

Attend and encourage your students to attend the planned events February 4 - 5. Give extra credit or have students write a short summary of the presentations they attend.

Teach a mini-lesson in your own class about climate change and sustainability. Ideas are online.

Use the Climate Change 101 presentation and show to your classes.

What is the Green Efforts Committee?

1. Promotes green activities, processes, and actions at GCC.

2. Facilitates campus information on and efforts toward sustainability, recycling and awareness of environmental issues.

3. Meets on the second Friday of each month 1:30 - 3:00 PM, HT1 Room 124. Everyone Welcome!

Resources Be sure to get the Resources Handout

before you leave

Thank you for coming and we hope to see you again.