Global Warning

 

Environmental Category
By: Raymond Mulyarahardja
Jakarta, March 23, 2011

The Real Danger Around Us

The threat of global warming is real. Penceramahan like charcoal is not often seem to be an example of hyperbole Histrionics or disguised. As broadcast on the radio we hear often: peace on earth of earth in pieces. Is the threat of carbon all that dangerous? We are at a crossroads where the ramifications of what we do determines the life of the next generation. Community event in anticipation of this case is not in doubt. The main question is whether the population of Indonesia is ready to follow the trend of "green life".

 

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

The large amount of emissions that can be tolerated by the motherland has been calculated. The journal Nature into account as much as 1 trillion tons of CO2 released into the air we leave for the period of 2000 to 2050 in order to obtain 75% chance of global average temperature could be maintained within 2 ° C of pre-industrial levels. This is the limit of safety, where climate change beyond this can cause (climate change) is irreversible.

Until 2006, the world has used about 234 billion tons of the budget that has been calculated. This leaves us with the remaining about 760 billion tons. If emissions per year increased by 3.5%, then we would have issued as many as 1 trillion tons of CO2 by the end of 2020. This growth is not in accordance with the calculation and we will release the surplus of CO2 into the atmosphere. If this happens, the global average temperature will rise at least 6-7 degrees C in this century, especially at the poles.

CO2 gas is odorless, colorless which is slightly acidic and can not be burned. The accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere, as we have seen, would result in a greenhouse effect. This will result in heat that is in the earth is not able to get out but the heat from the Earth's outer layer will still be able to penetrate the earth. Heat generated will cause climate change and latent dangers that threaten the polar ice caps are melting.

Speculation about the effect of CO2 on the environment has been started since the 19th century. Famous scientists such as Arrhenius and Chamberlain had predicted a gradual shift of the temperature of the climate over millions of years due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the earth. CO2 has contributed to the relative contribution of 60% of the current greenhouse effect, while the rest are CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons), ozone, nitrous oxide and methane.

Black Carbon

In addition to CO2, carbon black or black carbon is the result of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels and biomass in the form of pure carbon bonded compounds that can increase the absorption of geothermal heat in the atmosphere. Carbon black can reduce the ability of the reflectivity of ice and increase the absorption of sunlight. This will contribute to rising temperatures in the earth. Black carbon number two position after CO2 in global warming increases. But the age of black carbon in the atmosphere is only a few days to a week, where the age of CO2 in the atmosphere could reach 100 years.

Constraints in warding Global Warming

Global Dimming

A phenomenon thought to counteract global warming is called global dimming. Global dimming is the event increased atmospheric concentrations of human-made aerosols like sulfate aerosols that can affect the properties of clouds and block sunlight reaching the earth's surface. This phenomenon occurs as a byproduct of burning fossil fuels. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are released into the air reacts with the clouds and reflecting sun rays to go into the earth. This effect is ironic counteracting the effects of global warming. Examples include use of global dimming in the summer, where many elderly people die from the summer breeze and the temperature was expected to drop. On the other hand, global dimming has caused many deaths in Ethiopia in 1970 due to drought. Drought appears due to sea at the northern hemisphere of the earth is not hot enough for the formation of rain.

Since 1970, it has been observed a reversal of global dimming effect as countries actively addressing pollutants that result from burning fossil fuels.

The phenomenon of global dimming is a question for scientists. Cloud containing sulfur dioxide induced global dimming may ward for 50% of global warming caused by greenhouse gases. However, keep in mind, in addition to the decrease in temperature, global dimming is also having side effects that acid rain which can cause detrimental effects on marine plants and animals, death due to physiological conditions that do not fit.

"Feud" between the greenhouse gases that cause global warming and volcanic dust and tropospheric aerosols that cause global dimming is one debate that never ends. But the scientists also say that global dimming is only covered while the real dangers of global warming.

Greenhouse Effect

Not only are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, but the heating element itself, ie the sun, of course, also plays an important role in this regard. Variability sunlight is influenced by many factors, including variability in TSI (Total Solar Irradiance) determines the climate. One determining factor is cycle-11-year solar sunspot cycle ato a periodic fluctuation of the emission of sunlight reaching the earth. There are also factors aperiodic. However, research conducted from the end of the last century shows that the role of the sun itself can be considered small when compared with the human activities related to emissions of greenhouse gases. The simulation ever carried out such mentions the role of tropospheric volcanic dust and aerosols in reversing the effects of greenhouse gases, global dimming, only actually menyelubungkan effect of greenhouse gases. The greenhouse effect can destroy the balance of the ecosystem if left untreated.

It's getting a lot of organizations are involved in the handling of global warming. Governments of various countries under the UN is also active in addressing global warming. This is reflected in the agreed Cancun agreement on December 11, 2010. The significance of this agreement lies in the fact that the Cancun agreement is the largest collective effort to reduce emissions in the context of climate change prevention. In it the government's set 193 countries in addressing climate change for developing countries in the financial, technological and capacity building support. The objective of this agreement is that rising global temperatures could be reduced below two degrees Celsius.

Lifestyle

"Green life" or a scheme of green living has become a trend that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the environment. People increase their caring for the little things they do that no matter what they are doing as much as possible to have a positive impact on the environment. The most obvious example is the use of biodegradable items like cups that can be recycled and recycled paper to improve the efficiency of energy use and emissions of consciousness.

In considering the things that support green living scheme, we are constantly hit with the cost. The use of biodegradable stuff that costs are no doubt sometimes be much more expensive than using normal stuff. This makes the fact pengejahwantahan green living in Indonesia became more difficult because of the large gap in the social strata that exist today. For the above, a living green does not become a problem, but for the middle to lower can cause inner turmoil of the need for implementation of the scheme the green life.

The use of biodegradable items may contribute to aspects of the release of CO2 into the air from burning residual waste goods consumed. Where waste or unnecessary use of waste burned, it left enough trash decomposes in the space provided.

Caring for these people was often not enough to create active participation. The issue of global warning is sometimes considered very abstract and too far away to be felt. Artists from the Nordic countries such as Sweden, Denmark is often held exhibitions of visual world community to try to get closer to the issue of global warming. It is already launched in Indonesia, although active participation in the activities of the society and the reverberations between the size of the population of Indonesia is not yet felt.

 

We ready?

In our daily life, we often overlook the various little things that remind us of the time before the globalization of the industry where not many vehicles and scope of the industry is the source of carbon dioxide emissions. In using mechanical objects such as a pencil sharpener or cycling mirror reminds us that environmental pollution stems from hiperbolisasi industrial activities. But the objects that we use every day are the result of the industry. A big question about the progress of a nation when measured by the rapid rate of the industry is not directly a slow deterioration. Our consciousness as a member of the public is required. Often we consider trivial natural circumstances around us. Forests are cleared for industrial progress, the former mining unpunished.

What we can do is prepare mentally for the time contributed to the initiatives taken by the majority. Things like bike to work to reduce emissions awareness for healthy air, making holes biosphere to process household organic waste into fertilizer is a positive example of the scheme towards green living. Are we mentally prepared to change the attitudes and lifestyles in the face of global warming?

 

What can we do to Mother Earth?

The way we think about her

Is it for our motherland? In a place where we were born alive and dead, are we concerned?

 

The way we feel her

Is there a spiritual bond between us and where we live? If made ​​a sudden reshuffle of the area your house, whether your feelings will be touched?

 

The way we live on her

Have we noticed how we behave in the motherland? Do reply in kind can we give him?

Contemplative questions above is a concrete way we prepare ourselves. Listening to the minds of the world leaders, we can understand the concerns of the experts on this issue. With increasing public expected learning these concerns will be reduced and the public will be able to accept that the dangers of global warming is not exaggeration. Include green mindset scheme in our daily lives we all young generation like any good older generation will indirectly promote the modernization of the way of thinking as to the future direction of the trend where we are heading.

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