Environmentalism 101: Global warming/Climate Change – Is there any difference?

Written By Asnycnow Editor Vicki Nikolaidis

The best concise definition I found on the web of ‘global warming’ describes it to be a noun, with the meaning “An increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change.” (http://www.answers.com)

First note that the two words “global warming” used together are considered anoun.  This is important because from this info we understand that “global warming” is some ‘thing’.  A ‘something’ that is probably a phenomenon indicating an increased temperature of the earth’s air.  Not of our hometown or region or country but the “globe” or the sphere that is our planet earth.

Next notice the phrase “An increase in the average temperature” and think about what that might mean in general.  When your local weather forecaster says the ‘average temperature of this month’s daily winter temperatures recorded at noon,” we can understand that every daily temperature of the month which was recorded at twelve o’clock noon

(1)  Has been added together and the (2) sum is divided by the number of days in the month.

Let's take the month of December, having 31 days, 31 recorded temperatures have been added together, and their sum divided by 31 to come up with one number: the average.

The average temperature is not the mean average temperature.  The mean average temperature refers to the temperature taken at noon on December 16^th.  The mean average temperature is important but it is not the data point described in the global warming definition.  The two numbers (average temp and mean average temp) may vary significantly so the difference between the two can be quite important when trying to understand atmospheric temperatures.

When we come to “climatic change” in the definition it is preceded by the word “cause” so we can expect that if there is a cause there is an effect.  Viola!

The phenomena termed global warming is the average of temperatures recorded around the earth (in the atmosphere above both land and sea) which under the right circumstances will cause a shift in climate (climate change).

Neither global warming nor climate change is easy to understand.  But don’t despair!  Step by step we will move on to greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide, chaos theory, ice cores and other important ingredients of the many faceted phenomena of Global Warming. And we'll take a peek at the variety of environmental organizations working for positive change.

For example, 350.org.

The two gorgeous photographs are from the organization 350,org. http://www.350.org

A portion of their mission statement reads "350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that justice demands. . . . Our focus is on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. But 350 is more than a number--it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet."

this Blog will be Updated Soon…..

Starting in 2010, this blog will be updated.

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ALERT| ‘Ferris Bueller’ Director Dies Of Heart Attack

John Hughes, prolific director of such culturally significant films such as "The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Planes," "Trainsand Automobiles" and "Home Alone" has died suddenly of a heart attack while taking a morning walk during a trip to Manhattan to visit family.

  ABC News reports that John Hughes, director of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and producer of "Home Alone" and others, has died aged 59.

Opposition boycotts Ahmadinejad’s swearing-in

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been sworn-in for a second term of office as Iranian president. But, former presidents Ali Akhbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ali Khatami were among the opposition leaders who boycotted the ceremony in Teheran. However, most western embassies sent representatives.

In his address to the parliament in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said Iran must continue to resist oppressor nations. He also told Western leaders who had not congratulated him on his re-election that “no-one in Iran was waiting for them.”

Outside the parliament building, riot police were out in force to prevent any opposition protests.
The trial of about a hundred reformists who led demonstrations in the wake of the contested election is set to resume on Thursday.

Ahmadinejad now has two weeks to present a cabinet for parliament’s approval. While he has the formal endorsement of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the President may have difficulty getting his team through the divided parliament, where he faces attacks from both the ultra-conservative and reformist flanks.

William Jefferson, Ex-Congressman, Convicted in Bribery Case

A federal jury in Alexandria, Va., on Wednesday convicted
former Representative William Jefferson, a Louisiana
Democrat, on 11 of 16 counts, including bribery in a case in
which agents found $90,000 in his freezer.

He was accused of accepting more than $400,000 in bribes and
seeking millions more in exchange for brokering business
deals in Africa. The jury deliberated five days before
returning the verdict.

Outrage Over 'Wrong-Way' Crash Revelations

How could she? That's what families of the victims want to know Wednesday morning as they prepare to meet with the Westchester County District Attorney after toxicology tests showed Diane Schuler was drunk and high as she drove the wrong-way on the Taconic State Parkway, leading to a crash that killed herself, four small children and three men. Toxicology reports released Tuesday painted a disturbing and dark picture of 36-year-old Schuler, a woman once perceived as a devoted mother and victim of a terrible tragedy.

Clinton, 2 Freed Reporters Return Home

Two U.S. journalists held for 5 months in North Korea returned to the U.S. Wednesday as a plane carrying former President Bill Clinton and them landed in California. Clinton held rare talks with reclusive leader Kim Jong Il, who pardoned the women sentenced to hard labor for entering the country illegally.