Inside global warming

Author(s): Roxanne Greitz Miller

Source: Science Scope , OCTOBER 2006, Vol. 30, No. 2, Characteristic Properties
(OCTOBER 2006), pp. 56-60
Published by: National Science Teachers Association

Stable URL: [Link]

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@[Link].

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
[Link]

is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Science Scope

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]
- m-oqmr-

Inside global warming

Over the last 15 years, much atten- are naturally occurring (water vapor and C02 are primary gases
tion has been to global warm- emitted in volcanic eruptions, for example), significant levels of
ing, and whether the increase in the these gases are also produced via human activity. C02 is a product
Earth's temperature recent de- of combustion (burning of solid waste, wood, and fossil fuels such
cades threatens the survival of life on
as oil, gas, and coal). CH4 is emitted during the production and
Earth. Release of the films The Day After transport of fossil fuels and the decomposition of organic wastes.
Tomorrow (2004), where North America N02 is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities, as well
is rapidly plunged into a new ice age, and An Inconvenient Truth
as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste.
(2006), where Al Gore focuses on the future impacts of global In addition, other non-naturally occurring gases that
warming, has raised much public and media attention on the
greatly contribute to the atmosphere's ability to trap solar
radiation include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluórocar-
subject. As such, it's important that science teachers understand
the basics behind the scientific phenomenon, the controversy
bons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), all of which are
surrounding the topic, and how to discuss and explore global
generated via industrial processes.
warming with their students. Each individual greenhouse gas differs in its ability to absorb
heat in the atmosphere. Of the non-naturally occurring gases,
What is global warming and what causes it? HFCs and PFCs are the most heat-absorbent. Of the naturally oc-
Global warming is the observed overall statistical increase curring
in gases, methane traps over 2 1 times more heat per molecule
the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceansthan carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide absorbs 270 times more heat
over recent years. According to the U.S. National Academy
per molecule than carbon dioxide. Therefore, it is important when
of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about
discussing emissions of gases into the atmosphere to remember that
one degree Fahrenheit in the last century, with accelerated
not all greenhouse gases are equal in contributing to greenhouse
warming in the last two decades. While there are a number warming;
of both the quantity and heat-trapping potential of each
causes for global warming, strong scientific evidence proposes
gas must be considered.
that over the last 50 years the largest contributor to global
How
warming has been human activities that have released certain is the Earth's temperature
different now than it has been in the past ?
heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere, increasing global
mean temperature because of the greenhouse effect. Reliable data on global temperature is available from approxi-
mately 1880 forward. As stated earlier, it is estimated that the
The greenhouse effect refers to the radiative effect by which the
atmosphere warms a planet, i.e., the trapping of the Sun's rays
Earth's global mean temperature has risen approximately 1°F in
within atmospheric gases and how that trapping of the rays - and
the last 100 years (see Figure 2). In addition, the 10 warmest years
their heat - moderates global temperature (Figure 1). Without
in the last century all occurred within the last 15 years.
the greenhouse effect, our planet would not be able to sustain One degree Fahrenheit may not seem to be a significant
life - it would be too cold. The increased retention of solarchange to the vast majority of the public; however, examining
radiation as a result of increased amounts of greenhouse gases
the effects of a 1°F increase in mean global temperature shows
in the atmosphere - called greenhouse warming - is proposedhow delicate and vulnerable the Earth is to such an increase.
by scientists to be responsible for 50% of the global warming The
in snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice
the past 50 years. in the Arctic Ocean have decreased dramatically during the
The naturally occurring gases in our atmosphere that trap
last 50 years. Globally, sea level has risen 4-8 inches over the
solar radiation - and therefore contribute to greenhouse warm-
past century. Worldwide precipitation over land has increased
by about 1%. The frequency of extreme rainfall events has
ing - include water vapor, caibon dioxide (G02), methane (CH4),
increased throughout much of the United States. Recent
nitrous oxide (N 02), and ozone (03). While all of these gases
warming has degraded large sections of permafrost, with pockets
Roxanne Greitz Miller (rgmiller@[Link]) is assistant profes- of soil collapsing as the ice within melts. The results include
sor of secondary and science education at Chapman University in
buckled highways, sinkholes, destabilized houses, drunken
Orange, California, anda former middle school and senior high school
science teacher in the public schools of Florida. forests (trees that lean at wild angles), and even sinking cit-

56 nirai«« i c opīļ October 2006

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]
 nHaļ/ui

ies - such as the city of Kipnuk, Alaska (see Figure 3). Global
warming's effects are not limited to North America; Europe, The greenhouse effect

Asia, and Antarctica have all experienced changes.

The Greenhouse Effect
Is globed warming connected t A 4 Some of *>e infrared radiation passes
Vi rough the atmosphere, and some is
to the hole in the ozone layer ?
9reenihc«seQas
Global warming and ozone depletion are two separate but related molecules- The effect oí this is lo warm
q^, ' v «he earth s surface and the lower
threats to our climate. Global warming and the greenhouse effect
refer to the warming of the lower part of the atmosphere (the
troposphere). The ozone hole (or ozone depletion) refers to the
SS ' Y' e /
the doar ' v / y
loss of ozone in the upper part of the atmosphere known as the atmosphere {
stratosphere (see Figure 4). Stratospheric ozone blocks incoming Most radiation is absorbed 4^.
by the earth's surface
ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, some of which is harmful to and warms it

plants, animals, and humans. Greenhouse ozone is released into

the lower atmosphere, thereby contributing to greenhouse warm- Mmm JD - W ▼ ui

ing, but it does not plug the ozone hole in the upper atmosphere.
However, global warming and ozone depletion are related in a
Global temperature changes,
number of ways, including: 1880-2000

• CFCs trap heat and destroy the ozone layer. Currently, Global Temperature Changes (1880-2000)
14 1
these gases are responsible for less than 10% of total at- Š 12
O
mospheric warming, far less than the contribution from ^ 1

the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

£ 0.8

O 0.6

• The ozone layer traps heat, so if it gets destroyed, the up- C

D) 0.4

per atmosphere actually cools, thereby offsetting part of

O 0.2

the warming effect of other heat-trapping gases. But that's 2 -0.2

not entirely good news - the cooling of the upper layers of

0) -0.4

3
■C. -0.6

the atmosphere can produce changes in the climate that CO

^ 188
g- "O B -|

affect weather patterns in the higher latitudes. Year

• Trapping heat in the lower part of the atmosphere allows less U.S. NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER

heat to escape into space and leads to cooling of the upper

part of the atmosphere. The colder it gets, the greater the
destruction of the protective ozone layer (see "Frequently Kipnuk, Alaska, a coastal Inuit
village, is home to 500 people
asked questions about global warming" in Resources).
• Reducing ozone-depleting gases is necessary to prevent fur- The village is sinking because it sits atop thawing
ther destruction of the ozone layer, but eliminating these permafrost.
gases alone will not solve the global warming problem.

How is Earth likely to be affected

in the next 100 years?
Based on scientific modeling from the IPCC (Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change), the Earth's average surface tempera-
ture in the next 50 years could rise by 0.6 to 2.5 degrees Celsius
(1 to 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit); this estimated change represents
1 -1- li^
a 200% to 900% increase in the rate of change experienced on
Earth in the last 100 years. By the year 2100, global mean tem-
perature could rise 1.4 to 4.8 degrees Celsius (2.5 to 10.4 degrees
Fahrenheit) relative to 1990. LOWER KUSKOKURM NEA

October 2006 U|H||H H P pTļ 57

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]
 • food
Predicted warming is greater over higher shortages; than
latitudes
lower ones (meaning polar and near-polar regions will experi-
• water shortages, as meltwater sources are decreased and
ence greater warming; a significant implication for thawing
evaporation rates are increased;
of permafrost and glaciers), and more warming
• rise in is
sea predicted
levels and coastal flooding;
to occur over land than over sea. Rainfall rates and the • increased storm activity and precipitation levels, with ac-
incidence of heavy precipitation are expected to increase; companying storm damage to inland and coastal regions,
• increased droughts;
higher evaporation rates would accelerate the drying of soils
after precipitation events. The result will be lower relative
• increased rates of species extinction;
• movement of disease-vector species into currently unaf-
humidities and higher daytime temperatures, especially dur-
ing the warm season, and will likely effect semi-arid regionsfected areas - think about mosquitoes that are usually con-
such as the U.S. Great Plains significantly. tained in warm water areas spreading further north and to
According to a recent National Center for Atmospheric Re- higher altitudes; it is already being seen in many regions.
search (NCAR) model, global warming may thaw the top 10 or
Are
more feet of perennially frozen soil - permafrost - in the Northern humans to blame for recent climate change ?
Global warming ( and the greenhouse effect ) has natural causa-
Hemisphere, altering ecosystems across Canada, Alaska, and
Russia. NCAR s simulations show that more than half 6f the area
tions, as well as anthropogenic (human-made) ones. For ex-
ample, increased solar radiation contributes to global warming
covered by this topmost layer of permafrost could thaw by 2050,
(more radiation equals more heat trapped by the atmosphere),
and as much as 90% by 2100 (Figure 5). Scientists expect the
and gases emitted from volcanoes and other natural processes
thawing to send considerable amounts of water into the oceans,
of the Earth contribute to trapping more radiation within the
and to release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.
Runoff to the Arctic has increased about 7% since the 1930s;atmosphere
if via the greenhouse effect. Global warming is ac-
cepted as fact by most of the scientific community, including
high-emissions continue as represented in the NCAR simulation,
the U.S. National Academy of Sciences; however, greenhouse
runoff would grow by another 28% by the year 2100. That increase
warming is not as widely accepted. Many scientists contend that
includes contributions from enhanced rainfall and snowfall (see
"Most of Arctic's near-surface permafrost may thaw by 2100"global
in warming is more the result of natural climate change
Resources), as well as the water from ice melting within soil. than the result of human actions contributing greenhouse gases
to the atmosphere; and that when viewed historically over
However, thawing permafrost has another major implication
centuries, the recent increase in global mean temperature is not
for global warming other than the release of water into the
something that we should be concerned about. Further, because
world's oceans. A new study highlights concern about emissions
of greenhouse gases from thawing soils. Permafrost may hold of carbon dioxide's positive influences on plant productivity
30% or more of all the carbon stored in soils worldwide. As (remember, plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen
the permafrost thaws, it could lead in photosynthesis), they propose that
to large-scale emissions of methane Ozon« layer hole the relative prosperity and levels of
and/or carbon dioxide beyond those plant productivity - and food abun-
produced by fossil fuels. Therefore, dance - are a benefit of higher carbon
the thawing of permafrost can con- dioxide levels in the atmosphere in re-
tribute more greenhouse gases to the cent years, and that decreasing carbon
atmosphere, and therefore increase dioxide output into the atmosphere,
global warming in addition to being which is recommended by many sci-
a consequence of it. entists and governments as a remedy
to global warming, will actually have
What is the ultimate
negative effects for life on Earth.
predicted outcome of global However, climatologists who have
warming? analyzed global temperature for different
If global warming proceeds as predict- historical epochs counter this position.
ed, barring any changes to reduce the They have found that temperature
effects, the following consequences O) fluctuations prior to the Industrial Revo-
<
z
are anticipated: lution were driven primarily by natural

58 miaiiiihKopēl October 2006

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]
 rate being approximately 1.6 billion metric tons per year.
solar and volcanic forcings (causes). In the early 20th century,
In comparison, fossil-fuel burning releases about 6 billion
natural and anthropogenic forcings seem to contribute equally;
metric tons per year. Clearly, deforestation makes a signifi-
but from midcentury onwards, greenhouse gas emissions appear
to be the primary cause of warming - thus, they state that the
cant contribution to the increasing C02 in the atmosphere.
case for blame rests overwhelmingly with humans. Tropical deforestation also affects the local climate of an
area by reducing the evaporative cooling that takes place; as
What can people do to reduce global warming?trees and plants are cleared away, more of the Sun's energy
To reduce global warming, people have to reduce theis able to warm the Earth's surface and, consequently, the
amounts of greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere. air above, leading to a rise in temperatures.
Here are some relatively simple ways that this can be done:
• Reduce your dependence on fossil-fuel burning transporta-
tion - Rather than using a fossil-fuel-based automobile for
• Reduce, reuse, recycle - Because combustion and otherall your transportation needs, bicycle or walk short distances,
industrial processes release carbon dioxide and other
carpool or use mass transit, or consider switching to a cleaner
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, employing the fuel
3 (such as compressed natural gas or biofuel) or electric ve-
Rs helps to reduce the amount of waste generated (andhicle. See my article, "Inside Alternatively Powered Vehicles:
therefore needing to be disposed), and reduces industrial
The Problems and the Possibilities," in Science Scope's January
processing needed to make new products. 2006 issue for a full discussion of the options.
• Reduce the amount of energy used in your home - Insulating
Classroom activities and resources
your home, caulking windows, using weather stripping around
Global warming is a natural interdisciplinary science topic
doors, raising/lowering your thermostat to conserve energy,
that can be explored at the middle grades and beyond. Because
reducing your consumption of hot water in clothes washing
and dishwashing, and buying energy-efficient appliancesitand
combines meteorology, astronomy, biology, chemistry, and
products (such as fluo- physics, there are a number
rescent light bulbs) all of science courses in which
Permafrost projection map
reduce the amount of en- global warming can be used
ergy used in your home,
Purple shows the extent of permafrost from 1980 as toa topic
1999;ofpink
study, and a va-
and therefore lower the riety of curriculum standards
indicates the permafrost projected to be remaining in 2080-2099.
amount of energy needed can be covered during units
to be produceá by power M CCSM3 Modeled on global warming. The
plants that release steam ^ ļļ Near-Surface Permafrost following are some resources
B 1980-19"(20",c)
(water vapor) or fossil- that you may find useful in
fuel emissions into the I 2080-2099 (SRESA IB)
your own classrooms:
atmosphere. In Science Scope's January
• Encourage and support 2001 issue, Pamela Galus
efforts to end defores- discusses her simulation
tation - Deforestation of how carbon dioxide in-
(cutting down forests creases temperature in a
to provide clear land closed system in her article
for farming or building) "The Greenhouse Effect or
has a profound effect on Earth's Natural Cycle?" It
the global carbon cycle. is a simple but fantastic ex-
From 1850 to 1990, perimental simulation that
deforestation worldwide provides students a concrete
(including the United experience with observing
States) released 122 temperature increase from
billion metric tons of C02 emissions.
carbon into the atmo- At the EPA Global
sphere, with the current 2006 © UNIVERSITY CORPORATION FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH, COURTESY OF DAVID LAWRENCE Warming website (http:! I

October 2006 ÜUiHU l c D pēļ 59

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]
yoserrdte . epa. gcw/mr/[Link] /content/index . html) and its Common Questions About Climate Change (www. gario,
companion site for kids ([Link]/gbbdwarming/kids/index. org/ ipcc/qa/ index . htm) provides answers to some of the most
html) , you'll find information on global warming, climate change, commonly asked questions about climate change, including
and the greenhouse effect. The sites provide news articles (the whether the Earth has warmed, which human activities are
most timely social, scientific, and logistic information available contributing to climate change, what further climatic changes
on the global warming issue), online tools, and relevant links. are expected to occur, and what effects these changes may
Educators can access lesson ideas, flash animation simulations of have on humans and the environment.
climate changes, and much more. The Kids Site also has links to
different games, activities, and quizzes students (or teachers) can Parting thoughts
use to assess their understanding of the content. Regardless of the approach that you take with your students,
Tom Brown and Michael Dias's article, "Demonstrations whether it be an experiment, research, debate, or simply a
to Save the World," in Science Scope's April 2003 issue, which discussion, global warming is something that they are likely to
provides an activity called Biosphere Bubbles, allows students be interested in and concerned about. While their heightened
to explore the properties of carbon dioxide bubbles, contrast interest is an inducement to learning, particular care should
them with regular air bubbles, and make some predictions be taken with students in discussions about global warming,
about their own contribution of carbon dioxide to the at- due to its possible emotional implications - as a middle school
mosphere and its effects. teacher you surely know that a young adolescent with a little
The Global Warming Unit available on the Michigan bit of knowledge and a heightened emotional state can be
State University website ([Link] sites/ a potentially dangerous thing. It is precisely for this reason
letsnet/noframes/ subjects/ science/b5ul .html) provides complete that we must try to equip these students with a greater un-
lessons on global warming, and guides students through writ- derstanding of the science behind global warming, and with
ing a research paper on global warming and presenting their definite ways in which they can take action to help mitigate
research to their school. its effects in the future.

The Day After Tomorrow DVD contains a special feature

on the science behind climate change, and this portion of the Acknowledgment
DVD could be used with students to prompt discussion. Please The author wishes to thank Angie Sanchez, who contributed to the
note that the actual film itself is widely regarded as being sci- research in preparation of the article.

entifically inaccurate; excerpts from the film could be shown as

examples of how climate change trends are misinterpreted. Resources
The World Wildlife Fund Climate Change Campaign (www. In addition to the resources previously mentioned, the following
panda . cn-g/còoutjwutf/whatjwe_do/chmate_change ) is committed to were used in preparation for this article. All information published

persuading western industrialized nations to reverse the trend of was current as of press date; however, due to the daily release of
rising greenhouse gas emissions. Their website addresses climate information, please check all websites for the latest updates.
change issues (cause, impacts, solutions) and provides a series of
related articles and coverage of world climate news. A paleo perspective on global warming - [Link]/
Canada's Global Climate Change website (http: // climat- paleo/ globalwarming/ what . html .

échangé. ge. ca/english) was developed to inform people about Are you a global warming skeptic? Part IV - [Link]

climate change and how it affects our environment. It houses com/index. php? title=arejyou_a_gfobal_warming_skeptic_part_

many resources for both teachers and students regarding iv&more= 1 &c= 1 &tb= 1 &pb= 1 .

climate change and its impact and solutions, which include Frequently asked questions about global warming - [Link].
school projects, maps, related links to government sites, as org) gfobal_warming/ science! global- warming- faq . html .

well as a directory of organizations that support teachers. Global Citizens For Change. Climate Change Links and
The Climate Change Calculator ([Link]. Resources - [Link]/global/environment/
org/resources/ccc) is an interactive software tool designed to climate_change_link . htm .

raise people's awareness of the greenhouse gases they produce Most of Arctic's near-surface permafrost may thaw by 2100 -
through their daily activities and lifestyle choices. It is a fun, [Link]. edu/news/releases/ 2005 /permafrost . shtml .

informative, and interactive tool with supporting resources Permafrost meltdown across the Arctic - www. ens -new s wire,

and data on the website. com/ ens/ dec2005 /2005-1 2-20-03 .asp.

60 UUIllliHQpe] October 2006

This content downloaded from

[Link] on Fri, 02 Apr 2021 [Link] UTC
All use subject to [Link]