An Inconvenient Truth Analysis

What image started the modern day environmental movement?

It started by a picture taken by Apollo 8 crew of the Earth. The image showed how polluted the planet looked compared to older pictures.

What is considered the most vulnerable part of the earth system?

- The atmosphere and climate

Relatively speaking, compared to the earth, how thick is the atmosphere?

- The atmosphere is as thick as a layer of varnish on a globe

How can trapping infrared radiation by the earth’s atmosphere be a GOOD thing?

- It allows heat to be maintained in the Earth's atmosphere which creates a livable and consistant environment, when not altered with other chemicals that can change it. 

How can trapping infrared radiation by the earth’s atmosphere be a BAD thing?

- If too much radiation gets trapped in the Earth's atmosphere it can change the planet's natural balance and alter the environment by having higher levels of heat. 

 What percentage of people depend on glacial melt for their drinking water?

- 40% of the Earth's population

Why is studying ice cores important?

- Ice cores are used by scientists to study the temperature of the planet since tens of thousands of years. This can help us understand better what type of temperatures the Earth has been exposed to and what has happened in the past to foresee how the Earth will react to climate change. 

What is the relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2) and atmospheric temperature?

- In general, when levels of CO2 increase atmospheric temperatures tend to follow.

Over what time period have the hottest 10 years on earth occurred?

- The last 14 years have been the hottest years on record, with 2005 being the hottest year.

As the water temperature under a hurricane increases, what happens to the wind velocity of the 

storm?

- The wind's velocity is higher since the heat it what gives it power. This means that as the Earth becomes hotter, hurricanes will be stronger and more destructive.

What has happened to Lake Chad over the years?

- It used to be one of the largest lakes in the world however, due to the rising climate temperatures it has dried up. Now it's almost all dried up. 

How much of the suns radiation gets reflected by ice?

- Over 90%

What redistributes energy from the equator to the north and south poles?

- The ocean and wind currents redistributes energy. If this is affected by climate change (since currents are powered by changes in cold to hot temperatures) it can bring negative changes to the Earth's climate. 

 If the ice sheets of Western Antarctica were to melt, approximately how much would sea level 

rise?

- Around 20 feet

List the three factors causing the collision between civilization and earth

1. Rising global population

2. Outdated attitudes and ways of thinking

3. Advances and changes in science and technology

Approximately, what percentages of global carbon dioxide emissions come from forest fires?

- About 30%

What country is the largest contributor of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere? 

- According to Al Gore it is the USA. However, this has changed in recent years with the USA being number 9 on the list.

Which country has the lowest government standards for gas mileage of automobiles?

- This country is USA, which directly affects the level of gas emissions and how much they contribute to the global climate change.

Which two nations have not signed onto the Kyoto Protocol?

- The USA and Australia.