Global Warming and Climate Change

Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere, especially a continual increase great enough to change the global climate. The Earth has experienced many periods of global warming throughout its history, and currently appears to be undergoing such warming. This is caused by increased levels of greenhouse gases. I believe that humans have greatly increased the levels of greenhouse gases due to industry and agriculture.

The carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has risen from 290 parts per million in 1865 to about 360 parts per million in 1995, as a result of humans burning fuel. But has this affected the global temperature? Over the past 100 years, the Earth has warmed by about 1ºF, and experts have concluded that it has been a result of the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the air.

In 1997, more than 160 nations met in Kyoto, Japan, to discuss limitations on greenhouse gases. The result of the meeting was the Kyoto Protocol, in which the nations agreed to limit their greenhouse gas emissions, relative to the levels emitted in 1990. The United States agreed to reduce emissions from 1990 levels by 7 percent during the period 2008 to 2012. The nations included in the Kyoto Protocol were, but are not limited to:

Saudi Arabia - Czech Republic - Iran - Ireland - Israel - Denmark - Italy - Australia - Japan - South Africa - Dominican Republic - Netherlands - Spain - New Zealand - Egypt - Kenya - Sweden - Kuwait - Nigeria - Switzerland - Belgium - Thailand - Norway - Pakistan - Bolivia - Finland - Turkmenistan - Brazil - France - Peru - Ukraine - Germany - Cambodia - Poland - United Kingdom - Portugal - Canada - United States of America - Chile - China - Russian Federation - Venezuela - Costa Rica - Vietnam - Hungary - Cuba - Iceland

The effects of global warming if no actions are taken are catastrophic. A change of even a few degrees in the global temperature could cause dramatic changes in all climate zones.

• The sea level would rise faster, destroying coastal areas.
• There would be more occurrences of heat waves, droughts and wildfires.
• Extreme storms and floods.
• Wider spread of infectious diseases like malaria.
• Some scientists have recently predicted that 25% of existing species could go extinct by 2050 if global warming is not quickly curbed.
• The Arctic Ocean could be free of ice by the summer of 2050.
• The polar ice caps could melt, increasing the temperature of the oceans.

If these scenarios were to take place, the earth would essentially become uninhabitable.

To reduce your energy consumption, and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the nation's energy independence and save money, here are some tips:

• Recycle! Recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper, plastics, glass, and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products that are made from recycled materials. This can help by conserving energy and reducing pollution and greenhouse gases from manufacturing and disposal.
• Use water efficiently. Water systems require energy to purify and distribute water to houses, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• Seal up your house. Install adequate insulation, and replace old windows that have cracks and gaps. By doing this, you can save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

New power sources such as wind power and wave power are just emerging as ways to change the energy use patterns in order to conserve energy. Some new technologies to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases are hybrid cars, energy-star products, and solar power.

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/kyotorpt.html
http://cleveland.indymedia.org/news/2004/02/8711.php
http://www.sdge.com/business/ee_tips.shtml
http://unfccc.int/essential_background/background_publications_htmlpdf/climate_change_information_kit/items/284.php

http://home.clara.net/darvill/altenerg/wave.htm#more

Mercury
also called Quicksilver

Symbol: Hg
Atomic Number: 80
Atomic Mass: 200.59 amu

History
The exact date that mercury was first discovered is unkown, but the Babylonians are credited with referring to it in writing for the first time about 3,000 years ago. Mercury was used by the ancient Chinese and Hindus, mainly for medical and spiritual purposes, and was found in Egyptian tombs from 1500 BC. The Chinese thought mercury would give you a healthy and long life, the Greeks used mercury as ointments and in medicine, and the Romans used mercury for cosmetics. By 500 BC, mercury was important in alchemy for making different kinds of metals. In fact, even the name alchemy means "the way of mercury."
Later in history, about mid 1700's to mid 1800's, mercury was used in the making of felt hats. The fumes from this technique were highly toxic, and often caused the hatters (the people making the hats) to become poisoned, which caused tremors, insomnia, and hallucinations. This is probably where the term "mad as a hatter" came from.
Today, mercury is used for the manufacture of industrial chemicals, or in electrical and electronic devices.

Applications
Barometers
Thermometers
Catalysts
Diffusion pumps
Pigments
Anti-fouling paint
Mercury switches
Used in electrodes and electrolysis
Making batteries
Laboratory reagent
Manometers
Medicines
Mercury vapor lamps
Advertising signs
Pesticides
Photography
Synthetic Silk
Dyeing and Tanning
Dental amalgams
Textile Production
In boilers and turbines for electricity generation
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (the twisty kind)
Necklaces and jewelry
Thermostats

Relevant Facts
- Mercury is an extremely rare element on the earth's crust, and is found concentrated mercury ores. Mercury is the most easily depleted of all metal ores.
- Mercury is extracted from ores by heating the mineral cinnabar in a current of air and condensing the vapor.
- How to safely release mercuy back into the environment is an issue today.
- People are at risk of mercury poisoning (also called mercuralism) mainly from the organic compoud methylmercury, which can be found in fish and shellfish because they have a natural tendency to concentrate mercury in their bodies.
- Concern over the health hazards of mercury levels in fish led the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to issue consumption guidelines in March 2004.

Interesting Facts
- Mercury was named after the planet Mercury
- Mercury's symbol comes from the latin word "hydrargyrum" meaning "liquid silver"
- Mercury has an alchemical symbol, shown below.

http://www.webelements.com/webelements/scholar/elements/mercury/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury/Element

http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/hg.html

http://www.environ.hii.horiba.com/Graphics/mercury_atom.gif

http://www.epa.gov/mercury/consumer.htm