Transcript Climate Change and YOU! Climate Change a

Climate Change and YOU!
Climate Change in Oregon and What You
Can Do About It
Amber Moore
MD/MPH Student
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility
Agenda
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

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The problem of global warming
Impact in Oregon
Why act
What you can do to stop global warming
– Lifestyle changes
– Community changes
– Policy changes
 Questions
The Problem
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/sustainability/greenhouse_effect.html
The Problem
http://www.globalwarmingart.com/images/8/88/Mauna_Loa_Carbon_Dioxide.png
11/05 Science
The Problem
 Science magazine analyzed 928 peerreviewed scientific papers on global
warming published between 1993 and 2003.
Not a single one challenged the scientific
consensus that earth's temperature is rising
due to human activity.
What’s the Big Deal?
How Does Climate Change Affect
Oregon?
•Temperature
•Precipitation
•Sea Level
•Snowpack
“The effects of global warming – higher temperatures,
reduced snowpack, declining stream flows – are already
hurting the bottom line of farmers and business people in
other industries,” said Eban Goodstein, an economist at
Lewis and Clark College
Scientific Consensus Statement on the Likely Impacts of Climate Change
on the Pacific Northwest
http://inr.oregonstate.edu/download/climate_change_consensus_statement
_final.pdf and
http://ri.uoregon.edu/publicationspress/press_release_10_10_2005.doc
Temperature
 IMPACT: Scientists are very certain that the
Pacific Northwest is warming and that this is
best explained by human-caused changes
 PREDICTION: Northwest temperatures
expected to increase approximately 2.7
degrees Fahrenheit by 2030 and 5.4
degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. This is
expected to lead to longer fire seasons and
longer and more intense allergy season
Mosquitoes on the
Move
Warmer
temperatures
encourage
northward
migration of
malaria-carrying
mosquitoes
Source: World Wildlife Fund, 1996
West Nile Virus
Compiled from CDC, Health Canada, USGS, and ProMED-mail sources as of 14 May 2003
Precipitation
 IMPACT: Since the beginning of the 20th century,
average annual precipitation has increased across
the region by 10%, with increases of 30-40% in
eastern Washington and northern Idaho
 PREDICTION: Uncertain, however impacts on
water resources are expected due to low summer
precipitation and earlier peak streamflow. This will
likely lead to decreased summer water availability,
changes in ability to manage flood damage, shifts
in hydropower production, and decreased water
quality due to higher temperatures, increased
salinity and pollutant concentration
Sea Level
 IMPACT: Land on the central and northern
Oregon coast is being submerged at a rate
of .06-.08 inches annually (1930-1995)
 PREDICTION: Continued rise is certain
however impact is uncertain. Maximum
wave heights are also expected to increase,
leading to increasing erosion in coastal
areas.
“We’re going to get a
meter sea level rise and
there’s nothing we can do
about it… It’s going to
happen… the question is
when.”
Andrew Weaver, lead author for IPCC Report
October 2007
Greenland Melt is Accelerating
1992
2002
2005
Rignot, Science v. 311, 2006
1979
Arctic Sea Ice
What is a positive
feedback cycle?
2003
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/Images/Arctic_SSMI197903.jpg&imgrefurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3%3Fimg_id%3D16340&h=713&w=540&sz=125&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=icadjlObsTb35M:&tbnh=140&tbnw=106&prev=/i
mages%3Fq%3Darctic%2Bsea%2Bice%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DRNWE,RNWE:2004-44,RNWE:en%26sa%3DN
Snow Pack
 IMPACT: Between 1950 and 2000, the April
1 snowpack declined. From 1950-1995, the
cumulative downward trend in snow water
equivalent is approximately 35%. Peak
Snowpack has moved earlier in the year,
increasing March streamflows and reducing
June stream flows.
 PREDICTION : Continued decline
B
BBC News: bbc.co.uk
It is time to Act Now
Leonardo DiCaprio’s 11th Hour
Why Act?
 Because we can’t afford not to act
 It is our moral obligation
Why Aren’t We Acting?
Behavior Change Theory
 Health Belief Model
 Stages of Change
 Social networks/social behavior change
Can I Really Make a Difference?
 What’s the point?
 “In general, just under half of the emissions for which each
of us is responsible come from things over which we have
personal control, such as how much we drive and fly and
how we heat and power our homes. Of the rest, about 25
per cent of the total arises indirectly through powering our
workplaces, about 10 per cent comes from maintaining
public infrastructure and government, and about 20 per
cent is emitted during the production of the things we buy,
including food. We can still influence some of these indirect
emissions through what we buy - or we could if we had
access to the right kind of information - but by and large it
makes sense to concentrate on the emissions we can
control directly. “ (Pearce, New Scientist, 2007)
Who is to Blame?
The US population has 5% of the world’s population, but more than 20% of
emissions
Household emissions by Country
 US-55,000 pounds
 Germany-27,000
 Sweden-15,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
 Follow the chart above to track progress on
your diet
Source: Gershon, Low Carbon Diet
 It is possible to cut individual emissions by
around 75 per cent without seriously altering
our lifestyles.
– Chris Goodall
The following slides on reducing your carbon footprint are adapted from this book (Gershon, D (2006). Low Carbon Diet.
Woodstock: Empowerment Institute.) and from True Green by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin (2005, National Geographic)
Solid Waste-the problem
 Every pound of solid waste that goes to the
landfill generates 2 pounds of greenhouse
gases, from transportation and anaerobic
decomposition
 The average household produces about 4.5
lbs of solid waste a day
Solid waste-the solution
 Reduce-do you really need to buy that?
 Recycle! Remember, even things that can’t
be recycled curbside can still be recycled.
 Compost
 Reduce packaging-bring your own bags and
buy items with little packaging
 Reduce junk mail—
www.DirectMail.com/Junk_Mail
Solid waste-the savings
 Recycle all recyclable waste-save 1,300 lbs
 Reduce weekly waste from a 90 gallon trash
container to a 60 gallon container- save
3,120 lbs
60,000
50,000
40,000
Total Saving: 4,320 lbs
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a Diet
Sweden
Hot Water
 Heating hot water for a 10 minute shower
can generate 4 lbs of CO2
 A bath can use twice as much
 A dishwasher uses two pounds of CO2 each
time it is run, inefficiently washing dishes by
hand can generate up to 3 pounds of CO2
Hot Water-the solution
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Reduce shower time from 10 to 5 minutes
Install a low-flow showerhead
Run the dishwater only when it is full
When hand-washing dishes, full one tub
with soapy water, and one with clean for
rinsing
 Turn water off when you are done using it
Hot Water-the savings
 Each person who reduces shower time to 5
minutes saves 300 pounds of CO2/year, or 1200
pounds for a household of 4
 Installing a low-flow showerhead reduces
emissions by 250 pounds/year
 Reducing washing by one dishwasher load/week
saves 100 pounds
 Minimizing hot water use
when hand washing saves
125 pounds
Total savings: 1675
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
Clothing care-the problem
 An average washing machine produces
nearly 200lbs of greenhouse gases per year
(80-85% comes from heating the water)
 A dryer generates 5 pounds per cycle
Clothing care-the solution
 Wear clothes until they are dirty
 Only wash full loads of laundry
 Hang clothes to dry
Clothing care-the savings
 Switching one load of laundry per week from
hot to cold water saves 100 pounds
 Eliminating the need for one dryer load each
week saves 260 pounds
60,000
50,000
Total: 360 pounds
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
Home Heating-the problem
 People who live in colder climates generate
8,800 pounds of CO2 emissions annually
Home heating-the solution
 Turn the temperature down during the day
when people are out of the house, and while
sleeping at night
 Set your thermostat to “sweater”
temperature when you are at home:
between 65-68 degrees
Home Heating-the savings
 Setting the thermostat to 65-68 during the
day and 55-58 at night saves 1400 pounds
annually.
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
Travel-the problem
 US residents drive an average of 10,000
miles per year, each mile driven (in a car
that gets 20 mpg) is one pound of carbon
 Air travel has a greenhouse gas effect three
times greater than a vehicle. A coast-tocoast round trip dumps 4480 pounds of
carbon, PER PERSON!
Travel-the solution
 Reduce car travel by biking, taking public
transportation, combining trips to reduce
mileage, carpool
 Reduce plane travel when possible
 Buy carbon offsets to reduce impact when
travel is necessary
A note about carbon offsets
 What am I buying?
-You are reducing the amount of power generated
by fossil fuels
-When you buy offsets, are buying a renewable
source, therefore reducing the need for energy
from harmful sources
-Nativeenergy.com
Travel-the savings
 If you drive a car that gets 20mpg, and you
drive 10,000 miles/year, reducing the
number of miles driven by 20% will save
2,000 pounds
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
Fuel efficiency-the problem
 10-30% of your fuel costs and CO2
emissions can be reduced by driving smart
 An additional 30% can be reduced by tuning
up your car
Fuel efficiency-the solution
 If your family has more than one car, drive
the more efficient vehicle
 Avoid idling
 Rid your car of unnecessary weight
 Keep highway driving at 55 mph, the most
efficient speed
 Keep your tires inflated
 Service car on a regular basis
Fuel efficiency-the savings
 By driving efficiently, you can save 1,100
pounds per year.
 By tuning your car, you can save 1,500
pounds
 Total savings= 2,600 pounds
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a
Diet
Sweden
Home Energy efficiency-the problem
 Regular light bulbs use significantly more
energy than newer compact fluorescent
bulbs
 Appliances use significant amounts of
energy
Home energy-the solution
 Change to CFLs!
 Turn off appliances/computers when not in
use
Home energy-the savings
 Save 100 pounds per bulb
 Assuming 10 bulbs are changed, save 1000
pounds
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a Diet
Sweden
Total Savings
60,000
Solid Waste
Hot Water
Clothing Care
Home Heating
Travel
Fuel Efficiency
Home Energy
4320
1675
360
1400
2000
2500
1000
Total
13,355 pounds saved
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
US
You on a Diet
Sweden
When you are the consumer
 Buy energy star appliances
 Buy a fuel efficient car
 Tune up your water heater and furnace, or buy a
more efficient products
 Seal air leaks in your house
 Insulate walls and attic, install energy efficient
windows
 Buy green energy (PGE)
 Buy local
Spread the Word!
 In your school
 In your neighborhood/community
Get ready to vote!
What is good legislation
 Reduce emissions 2%/year, with 80%
reduction by 2050
 Encourage innovation, discourage the
building of facilities that force us to use old
technology
The Legislation
 House: Safe Climate Act (Waxman)
 Senate: Global Warming Reduction Act
(Sanders and Boxer)
Thank you for your Attention!
Questions?
Special thanks to Catherine Thomasson and
John Fogarty for use of their slides, Oregon
PSR for their support