Expressing Opinions

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Do you know the North Pole could be ice free this summer? Today the Independent is reporting: Exclusive: No ice at the North Pole - Polar scientists reveal dramatic new evidence of climate change

The disappearance of the Arctic sea ice, making it possible to reach the Pole sailing in a boat through open water, would be one of the most dramatic – and worrying – examples of the impact of global warming on the planet. Scientists say the ice at 90 degrees north may well have melted away by the summer.

Meanwhile National Geographic has reported: North Pole May Be Ice Free for First Time This Summer

“I would say the ice in the vicinity of the North Pole is primed for melting, and an ice-free North Pole is a good possibility,” Sheldon Drobot, a climatologist at the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research at the University of Colorado, said by email.

Arctic warming has become so dramatic that ice covering the North Pole may melt this summer for the first time in history, according to scientists in the field.

Of course there are those who do not believe Global Warming is not real. Thank you for visiting Expressing Opinions.

It must have been a slow news day or something. Here is a headline from ABC news, which caught my attention: Do Obese People Aggravate Global Warming? Researchers Say Obesity Epidemic Threatens Environment

In the article it states researchers from the United Kingdom have linked obesity and global warming.

The letter, submitted by researchers from the United Kingdom, implicates the rising tide of obesity in greater oil consumption, more food production — and, ultimately, in an increase in the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

“Eighteen percent more food energy is required in many populations where there is a large prevalence of obesity,” he said, citing a 460-calorie increase in daily food intake for an obese individual. “There is a clear impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in order to grow that food.”

I did not know Pizza, Pepsi, Twinkies, and Gummy Bears where a food which was grown. Maybe obese people should take up gardening to reduce their trips to the store for this food and thus, eliminate a trip to the store thereby helping to reduce global warming.

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What are you doing for Earth Day? You are already recycling, right? Are you driving less and consolidating trips? Have you switched to energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs? These bulbs are getting cheaper to buy and retailers like Costco’s is offering very good prices. In the long run, you will be saving more than money.

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If know you are polluting the environment by driving your car does not motivate you to do something, then how about money?

I like math and seeing how the numbers impact my world and the world around me. Everyone thinks the EPA estimate on the window of that new car means something. So let me introduced you to the Miles Per Dollar calculator, where you can calculate how many miles you can drive for each dollar of gasoline you consume. Better yet calculate in how much money you will by not driving to work and instead using alternative transportation.

Now after doing the math you will literally know how far your dollar is taking you.

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Most of us have heard about our carbon footprint and how it affects global warming. But do you really know what your carbon footprint is?

I located a calculator for you to see how much you are contributing to global warming or to see just how much those changes you are thinking about making will impact your carbon footprint. The EPA has the Personal Emissions Calculator for you to get an estimate of your personal or household greenhouse gas emissions resulting from your energy use and waste disposal.

It is a cool calculator and as you go along you can adjust your inputs to see how much those changes affect your carbon footprint. For instance, you can adjust the input on the miles you drive if you are thinking about reducing your dependency on your car by riding a bike or using public transportation to get to work. Give it a try, you will be amazed at how much little changes can make.

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Today a friend sent me a link on global warming. Now we have all heard about it and know it is an issue we should be addressing. But how important is it to you and your family? How important is it to the media outlets? Did you know the polar ice cap is melting at a record and alarming rate? The studies, which have been ongoing for some time are not geopolitically based, but based in science. From scientists who study and report on these changes not because they are making millions of dollars, but because they care about the world you, me, and their families live in. Yet nobody seems to be paying attention. Why?

Below is an image of a comparison of how much the polar cap has melted in recent years and is provided by NASA. If a picture is worth a thousand words then this should generate much more. What picture will your family be seeing in the coming years? To read more from NASA use this link to the news Record Sea Ice Minimum.

News runs in cycles and all the media outlets tend to put their spin on the same stories. If one reports on Brittney Spears, they all do. With advertising we are lucky to get 19 minutes of news in a 30 minute broadcast. How can that possibly cover all of the news we need to know about and who makes the choices as to what we hear or read in the various news sources? I certainly am not a journalist, but each week am going to post something about global warming, back it up with good resources and I hope you are interested.

Here are a two links on this subject.

* Newsweek - Arctic Meltdown
* Union of Concerned Scientist - Arctic Climate Imapct Assessment

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