Affects Of Global Warming On Our Climate By Glen Luckman By Michael Duggan

Global warming describes the increase of the earth’s average temperature beginning with the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century. Although increases to the planet’s average temperature have been recorded in ice core data for millions of years, the speed and frequency of the current temperature increase has resulted in this recent heating episode being called global warming. It is attributed to the increase in the burning of fossil fuels initially for steam engines and then in the creation of electricity. Both the fossil fuel consumption and temperature rise curves have increased exponentially in the last two centuries, leading the scientific community to conclude that the use of fossil fuels is the one of the main causes of global warming. The evidence supporting this conclusion is now overwhelming, with governments, corporations and individuals realising the implications and the importance of reducing its causes.

Why is reducing fossil fuel burning important and how does global warming affect our climate? The earth’s climate is defined by a complex system of meteorological elements such as temperature, humidity and rainfall that have been recorded over an extended period of time. The planet is also divided into different climatic categories, including tropical wet, mediterranean and arid to name a few. In the last two hundred years or so, changes to the planet’s climate have occurred. These are predominantly attributed to global warming or the increase in average surface temperatures around the globe. The affects of global warming have significant implications for earth’s climate.

Global warming actually affects the planet’s climate in a number of ways. Increased temperatures are the principle cause of climate change as they cause more evaporation to occur in the oceans, resulting in more frequent and extreme rainfall events. Over land, higher temperatures can produce drier and hotter weather conditions leading to increased desertification or enlargement of current arid climate zones. Although, global warming relates to an increase in the average world temperature, different regions will experience different climatic effects. In general, most regions will become warmer and drier, however many regions will also experience colder temperatures and increased precipitation. These variances will continue to increase, resulting in uncharacteristic weather patterns with extreme events, like hurricanes and cyclones intensifying. Changing climate also has many implications for flora and fauna that have adapted to present weather conditions. Species that cannot migrate or adapt quickly enough may become extinct. Humans will also be affected, as the distribution of arable land may change, making it harder to grow crops. Extreme weather events can also endanger settlements and human lives.

One of the most concerning affects of global warming is the increased melting of polar ice caps, resulting in rising sea levels. This process actually increases global warming because less radiation from the sun is reflected by the ice back out to space. Instead more sunlight is absorbed by land and water fueling further warming and increased melting of polar ice. Climate is also affected by this process as many weather systems are influenced by ocean currents at the poles. The large volumes of melted fresh water from the ice caps can alter ocean currents potentially causing significant changes to the global climate.

Glen Luckman Global Warming Statistics By Harold Baldwin

While most people accept global warming as a fact, some still deny that humans play a significant role. Unfortunately politics are often involved, and while I don’t intent to try to change anyone’s mind, it’s worthwhile to look at some statistical facts. These come from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2007 working group assessment report, which is available for free online. The IPCC is a scientific panel under the United Nations.

The average surface temperature of the planet has increased 1.33 degrees Fahrenheit between 1905 and 2005.

Over the last fifty years, the warming trend is almost twice that of the previous fifty years, so the rate of temperature rise is increasing.

Eleven of the past twelve years are among the twelve warmest years since 1850. This is a shocking fact!

Also, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that the sea level along the Gulf and Mid Atlantic has risen five to six inches more than the average in the last century. Glaciers and snow cover are decreasing on both sides on the equator.

Clearly the earth is warming and with this warming, snow and ice are melting and the seas are rising. Yes, the earth has cooled and warmed many times before there were humans, and one may even argue that humans alone are not to blame, as though blame matters anyways. Humans and our activities are contributing to the rapid rise in temperature, and the only questions that remain is how serious is it and how should we react.

Glen Luckman About Global WarmingBy Benjamin Stratton

Earth is a blue green planet in which we live on. Scientists can tell this is the only planet where humans can survive easily. The atmosphere contains perfect mixture of air that we need to breath and survive. The earth is in the perfect distance from the sun allowing temperatures for optimal habitation of millions of special animals and plants and it keeps the planet vast ocean at a temperature where many species of fish can survive easily.

Earth supports every species in their food chain from top to bottom. If the planet is cool for few degrees or even assume permanently, there would be vast problems created.

In the Midwest, the production of grains decreases sharply, creating not only grain shortage but also it creates meals shortage due to coolness in that area. If the earth is permanently hot means, the ocean temperature would not support fishes, plankton, birds and their food chain also.

There would be a great change in temperature. If the atmosphere is heat then water in oceans and rivers will soon get evaporate. The levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere would increase and making the quality of air we breathe unsafe. Man has impacted future weather and has the power to reverse course and return us to what nature intended. Every day we are spoiling our environment by doing harmful things. Every degree the temperature changes are harmful to the life cycle of human kind. Think globally and we should avoid such things which affect the environment.

Glen Luckman Consequences of Global WarmingBy Eshwarya Patel

Global warming is causing not only health hazards, but it has many adverse economic and social consequences also. Native people living in high-altitude regions are already facing the ill effects of global warming. The future climate changes will have diverse effects on human lives. Africa may be the most exposed continent. Similarly, developing countries are more in danger than developed countries, because the developed countries have sufficient means to fight any disaster. Some regions like Arctic nations and small islands will be adversely affected if the temperature raises 1-2 degree Celsius, while above 2-3 degree Celsius warming would affect the most of the world.

The net economic influences of global warming are extremely vague. Climate change can bring a change in gross world product; it may be plus or minus a few percent. But, even small changes in gross world product can bring about comparatively large changes in national economies. The most directly affected industry is the insurance industry. A 2004 report by the Association of British Insurers noted that changing weather increases risks for households and property by 2-4% per year and the claims for storm and flood compensations in the UK had increased twofold over the period 1998-2003, weighing against the past five years. As a result, the insurance premiums have become so high that in some areas it will be nearly impossible for some to afford flood and storm insurance.

Global warming has many adverse effects on transportation, agriculture, and food also. As a result, the overall development is slowed down. Great temperature variations damage our roads, airport runways, railway lines and pipelines, oil pipelines, sewers, water mains, etc. Therefore, extra money and efforts are required to maintain and renew the whole system. Areas of permafrost have been affected badly resulting in crumpled roads, caved in foundations, and badly damaged runways. Climate change has diverse impact on agriculture, as some areas, such as mid-and high-latitude areas, are benefitted from modest temperature increase, while others like low-latitude areas are adversely affected. Likewise, some crops are badly affected, while others are not.

The overall effects of global warming are very dangerous for people and countries without sufficient means to lessen those impacts. This may deter economic and social development, making it more difficult to meet the Millennium Development Goals. A report by the Working Group on Climate Change and Development in Oct. 2004, and the July 2005 report ‘Africa- Up in Smoke’ declared increased hunger and diseases caused by less rainfall and extreme weather conditions, especially in Africa. Thus, global warming has severe economic and social impacts on our lives.

Glen Luckman Preventing the Global Warming Ice Age By Brian Steven

Politicians and other individuals find it all too easy to dismiss the “global warming myth,” citing that it is all just doomsday rubbish concocted by crazy loons. First of all, these ‘crazy loons’ are experts in climate change; who dedicate their entire lives to studying our planet and where it’s going in the near future.

Second, this ‘doomsday rubbish’ is not rubbish: it is happening today. More than 2,500 researchers who plan to attend 2009’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Copenhagen will assess the situation. And they will be presented with the inevitability that water levels may rise as much as 100m in the near future, a 75% loss of tree cover, and millions (if not billions) will be displaced by the changes in climate. All this leads to one conclusion: we are in serious trouble.

If a convention of such size and with conclusions so resounding does not catch the attention of the world, then no amount of global warming proof will convince otherwise, unless we experience the results for ourselves. But the responsibility does not fall solely on governments and corporations. We have a role to play in keeping our environment safe and habitable. Here are two simple things we, as normal people living our normal, every-day lives, can do to help:

Waste Management - from merely reducing our needs to meet our needs to sorting trash and bringing empty cans to the recycling center, this is the first and easiest step we can take to help ease the burden on our environment.

Of course, proper disposal of garbage is something that takes top priority in the list of things that we can do to help our environment, as evidenced by the numerous categories of trash bins dotting street corners. But waste management involves not just properly handling the leftovers and garbage in our bins. It also follows the idea of minimalism, where we buy and use only what we need. Excess consumption results in excess waste and this waste will have to go somewhere in the system. Why create more headaches for our waste-disposal services when we can minimize what waste we produce in the first place?

Clean Energy - alternative energy sources like windmills and photovoltaic solar panels will not just help us prevent global warming, but it will actually help us save money in the long run. We can inspect what source of energy we can most easily tap: the wind, the sun and methane are particularly convenient and easy-to-access sources of energy. Once we find the alternative energy source most suited to our available resources, we can then place an investment into buying, installing and maintaining these alternative energy sources. Produce enough electricity and the power companies will be paying you for the energy you are sending back into the grid.

Glen Luckman Causes of Global Warming By Rolf Joho

In present times, the green house gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide are playing havoc on our environment. These green house gases trap the heat of sun into earth’s atmosphere causing increase in the temperature. Power plants are the major sources of carbon dioxide. These power plants emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide, which is produced when fossil fuel is burnt for generation of electricity. Burning of gasoline in vehicles contributes to more than 20% of carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere.

Major Contributors of Global Warming

Commercial and residential buildings need a lot of fuel to be burnt, emitting huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As compared to carbon dioxide, methane is twenty times more effectual at entrapping the heat in the atmosphere. Methane is obtained from several resources such as bovine flatulence, paddles, fossil fuel manufacture and bacteria in bogs. Flood in the fields decays the organic matter, and releases methane in the atmosphere. Nylon and nitric acid production, use of fertilizers in the agriculture, cars with catalytic converters and burning of organic matter are main sources of nitrous oxide. More than 33% of carbon dioxide emission comes from engines of light trucks and cars. Vehicles that have poor mileage contribute maximum to the global warming.

The way we use our land is one of the major cause of global warming. Modern agriculture practices that are used to grow cereals, breed animals, grow vegetables and fruits and other foods for human consumption, and all these agricultural practices lead to emission of greenhouse gases including nitrous oxide and methane.

There is no doubt that in last few decades, deforestation has become one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide is the main gas emitted, in addition to small amounts of nitrous oxide and methane. Tropical rainforests are very crucial for regulating the regional and global climate patterns. The environment can get tremendously affected if these forests are destroyed. Rainforests remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the process of photosynthesis.

Another reason and cause of global warming is the fact that human population is growing, and in addition to increase in the fuel usage for transportation, energy and power, people need to be fed, which leads to increased deforestation for the purpose of agriculture.

There are some natural causes of global warming as well. Temperature of the planet is affected by changes in the shape of orbit of Earth around the Sun, and also by the tilt of its axis because both these factors affect the amount of solar energy received by the planet. As Sun is the only source of energy responsible for functioning of Earth’s climate system, change in output of solar energy can lead to change in the climate, especially, global warming.

One more natural cause of global warming is the aerosol emission of volcanic eruptions that blocks the sunlight, and causes short-term cooling on affected parts of the earth. The volcanic eruptions emit carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, however, most scientists believe that humans are far more responsible for the damage as compared to volcanic eruptions.

Change in ocean current is also a natural cause of global warming because rise and fall of current creates global change. Oceanic currents have considerable effect on the changes of heat pattern around the earth. This effect varies from region to region, and may also be related to rotation of sun.

A report of the effects of global warming on health published by WHO, has estimated around one million fifty thousand deaths every year due to global warming. Further it declared that each year five million people are suffering from health problems and diseases caused for this global warming. The rising concern over this matter has led many scientists and researchers to take a deeper look and prepare a plan to save human civilization from this onslaught.

Global warming has caused changes in temperature, ocean current flow, sea level ecosystem, economy, agriculture, industry, settlements and related to all these - the health and living. Warmer world has created congenial atmosphere for the breeding and life expanse of various virus, bacteria and carriers of infectious diseases. Few evidences of global warming leaving negative effects on human health are -

- The vectors distribution of infectious diseases have been altered for global warming.

- Heat wave resulted for global warming are causing deaths.

- The seasonal distribution of few species of allergenic pollen have been altered for global warming.

- Various extreme conditions of global warming like droughts, heat and cold wave, storm, flood, fire will increase the death tolls as well as injuries and diseases.

- Malnutrition and disordered development of children are few long term results of global warming.

- Global warming will cause increase of malaria, diarrhea, cholera, dengue, encephalitis and other diseases.

- There will be constant rising rate of mortality due to ground level ozone related diseases as well as high cardio respiratory morbidity for global warming.

Thus global warming will affect human health in two major ways - with extreme weather conditions and with rising infectious diseases. IPCC in a study of one of the most global warming affected area of Illionis, Chicago, has provided an apprehensive report that by 2020 extreme climate condition like heat wave will raise the climate average deaths to 400 and to 497 by 2050 from the present average of 191. European heat wave of 2003 is an example of its severity. Heat waves will even cause cardio respiratory complications resulting to high rate of deaths.

The results of ill health due to global warming and infectious diseases are already evident. Houston as well as many tropical countries are experiencing frequent outbreak of malaria, dengue and other encephalitis diseases. Even colder regions like Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Queens are severely suffering from malaria since 1990 as a result of global warming. McAllen of Texas also suffered a dengue epidemic in 1995. Florida, New Oreleans, Arizona, Mississippi, Texas, Colorado, and California - all are experiencing encephalitis epidemic for global warming since 1987. According to IPCC, 65% of world population will suffer from high risk of infectious diseases in near future. The risk itself will be increased by 20%, only as a result of global warming.

Facing such an impending calamity due to global warming, the requirement of proper planning and organized adaptation to new and changing condition has received a new dimension. Along with urgent and basic adaptation practices to fight the immediate effects, a longer planning and elaborate gradual methodology are also necessary to address the severity of future conditions resulted from global warming. A participatory approach to the holistic development of human health is expected to sober down the effects of global warming on health to some extent.

Author: Christophe Catesson

Thanks to Glen Luckman

Glen Luckman On Effect of Global Warming on Health

PRESS RELEASE                                      Dymon Self Storage Corporation

October 31, 2006                                          380 Hunt Club Road,

                                                            Ottawa, ON  K1V 1C1

                                                                        Contact:  Andrew Sayer

                                                                        613-842-9900

                                                                        asayer@driveinselfstorage.ca      

Ottawa, ON  - Senior Officials at Dymon Capital Corporation today announced the start of construction of their second Drive-In Self Storage facility located at Hunt Club Road and Prince of Wales Drive in Ottawa.  This follows the very successful July 2006 launch of the Corporation’s flagship location on Coventry Road in Ottawa (across from Lynx Stadium). 

“We have been very pleased with how great the leasing has been going at Coventry Road.  A combination of great space, great rates and our rigorous focus on customer service is being well received by the marketplace”, said Glen Luckman, CEO of Dymon Capital Corporation.

As part of its strategic program, a total investment of over $90 Million will be made at ten (10) state-of-the-art Drive-In Self Storage facilities across the Ottawa region, representing in excess of 1 Million square feet of space.  Three (3) facilities are also planned for the Gatineau region.  The Corporation has already secured exceptional sites at the best possible locations across the entire region.  Construction will commence this fall/winter on Drive-In Self Storage facilities at Tenth Line and Innes in Orleans, Kanata Centrum, South Keys, and Carling at the Queensway.  In addition, negotiations are nearing completion for a 150,000 sq. ft. Drive-In facility in the core of the City. 

“We have been involved with the construction of thousands of self storage facilities in the US, Canada and Europe and I can honestly say that the Drive-In Self Storage facility is of the highest caliber we have encountered in any of today’s markets”, said Chip Cordes, Vice President of US Door.

Drive-In Self Storage provides the ideal solution for home and business storage needs, offering storage units that range in size 15 to 400 sq. ft., complete with 9 ft. ceilings.  The unique drive-in access provides customers comfort and complete protection from the weather.  All customers are offered free transportation of their possessions or goods from their home or business to the Drive-In Self Storage facility. 

“I have never seen anything like this before. People only need to walk in the front door and they’ll be sold.  The free transportation to the facility is like icing on the cake”, said Krista Nicholds, a Drive-In Self Storage customer.

Dymon Capital Corporation is locally owned and operated.  Having been in business for over a decade, it has developed over 1.2 Million sq. ft. of commercial, industrial and retirement home properties in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.  Under its Dymon Healthcare banner, the Corporation operates the City’s most preeminent retirement home addresses, including Governor’s Walk, Lord Lansdowne, and the Duke of Devonshire.

Posted by Glen Luckman

Glen Luckman Self Storage

By: Jerome Exner

Placed by Glen Luckman
Green house gases, are they as big of a problem as people say? People who know little about green house gases, truly are not aware how its effecting our earth, so hopefully this information clears some of this up, and will show you how serious this problem is actually is.

For 2.5 million years, the earths climate has constantly been changing, from our ice ages to warmer years, but in the last century our climate’s temperature has been rising unusually fast, from about 1.3 to 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists believe that it is our own human activity, thats driving the temperature up, and this process is called ” global warming”.

Dating back to the times when the industrial revolution began, factories, trains, and eventually cars, have burned fossil fuels such as oil and coal, which were and still are, releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide, and other gas’s into our earths atmosphere. These green house gases, or trapped heat near the surface of the earth, are formed by a natural process of the sun, and this is called the ” greenhouse effect”. The green house effect, begins with the sun and the energy it radiates to the earth. The Earth and the atmosphere absorb some of this energy, and the rest is radiated back into space. Now with that being said, these naturally occurring gases, in the atmosphere trap some of this energy and reflect it back, thus, warming the earth. Scientists now believe that the green house effect is getting intensified by all the extra green house gases that humans are releasing.

Signs of global warming, include a recent pattern of very warm years. 1998 was one of the warmest years in history, with 2005, a quick runner up. Furthermore, readings taken from ice core samples, Show that green house gas’s, C02, and methane, have hit there highest levels in 420,000 years, and our sea ice is also shrinking.Our sea ice has declined 10% in the last 30 years.

As long as our nations around the globe, consume these energy’s, and increase their fuel consumption, the overall mass of green house gas’s will continue to rise. Researchers predict that our temperature will increase by 2 - 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. What is uncertain is what rising temperatures,will mean for our planet. Some forecast rising sea levels which of coarse would mean floods, along coastal areas around the world. Weather patterns are changing also, making hurricanes more frequent, severe drought is more common in warm areas, and species which are unable to adapt to this change will face a huge drop in numbers and inevitably, extinction.

Glen Luckman Climate Change

The term Global Warming has been in common usage for some time and usually refers to recent warming of Earth’s atmosphere,which also implies a manmade or human influence.

Earth’s atmosphere comprises many gases: oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (hereafter abbreviated to CO2) and water vapour, to name a few. These gases are collectively called greenhouse gases and they keep the Earth’s temperature at a comfortable 15°C. Without them Earth would be a freezing -18&degC.

Since pre-industrial times, usually taken to be before 1750, we know from ice-core records that CO2 levels were about 280 ppm,that’s 280 parts of CO2 per million parts of air. As industrialisation got underway humankind started to farm the land more intensely than ever before, which included deforestation for agriculture and settlements. Later - since about 1850 or so - the burning of fossil fuels for energy and transport has added considerably to greenhouse gas levels, particularly CO2.

This has resulted in CO2 levels increasing to about 385 ppm, a rise of about thirty-seven per cent from pre-industrial levels - mainly as a result of burning fossil fuels.

How do we know this?

Well, data from ice-core records that go back at least 650,000 years now show us that CO2 levels have fluctuated naturally during this time between 280 and 300 ppm. CO2 levels have also been measured accurately from the top of Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii since 1958, and results show an increase in CO2 levels from 315 ppm to 385 ppm since that time.

Therefore CO2 is now at eighty ppm more than it has been for at least 650,000 years of Earth’s history. It is a known scientific fact that higher levels of greenhouse gases will lead to higher temperatures, which appears to be happening now. The world has warmed by an average of 0.74 degrees during the last 100 years or so. As a result of this warming, polar ice has started to decrease and melt, and so have Earth’s land-based glaciers. This in turn is causing sea levels to rise, which is putting low-lying islands at risk of flooding or total submersion, and will eventually threaten more and more of the world’s coastal cities and regions.

Things may get worse, however, because once Earth’s atmosphere starts to warm, the warming itself may cause further positive feedback mechanisms to kick in. A warmer atmosphere holds more water vapour, which is itself a powerful greenhouse gas. This will in turn cause further warming, and so on.

Melting ice results in more sunlight being absorbed by the surrounding ‘darker’ water and land, and that results in further warming, and more melting ice. Methane deposits currently held in a frozen but stable state under the sea and under the permafrost may be released as the oceans warm and permafrost melts, which will cause further warming. This is very worrying as methane is a potent greenhouse gas and around twenty times more powerful than CO2 when talking about it’s ability to warm the Earth’s atmosphere.

This is global warming in a nut shell, however there are of course far more complex issues involved as global warming will not affect the whole planet in the same way at the same time. Some parts will experience more drought, some parts more rainfall, and some parts more extreme weather such as floods and heatwaves.