A Simple Guide to Global Climate Change

A discussion of global climate change, also called global warming, can get very complicated very quickly. Fortunately, it can be explained rather simply. Here are the basics you need to know about climate change: Warmer Land and Sea The climate has warmed and cooled many times during Earth’s geological history, over millions of years. However, the global increase in mean temperature we have observed in the last decades has been both unusually rapid and quite large. It translates to warmer  air  temperatures and warmer sea water almost everywhere on Earth. Less Ice, LessSnow This increase in temperatures has led to increased melting of most of the world’s glaciers. In addition, the thick  Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets are losing volume, and sea ice covers an increasingly small portion of the Arctic while also getting thinner. The winter snow cover in most areas of the U.S. is thinner and does not last as long over the winter. Sea levels are rising, both because of the melting ice, and because warmer water expands and takes up more space. Less Predictable Weather While the word climate refers to long-term statistics on many aspects of temperature and precipitation, weather is a more immediate phenomenon, and is what we feel outside everyday. Global climate change is transforming our experience of weather events in different ways depending on where we live. Common changes include more frequent heavy rain events, regular winter thaws, or persistent droughts. All About the Greenhouse Effect Human activities release in the atmosphere many gases that create a greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases hold back the sun’s energy that had been reflected by Earth’s surface. This heat is then redirected towards the ground, increasing temperatures. Most of the observed warming can be attributed to these gases. How Are Greenhouse Gas Produced? The most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane. They are released when we extract, process, and burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, manufacturing, and transportation. These gases are also produced during industrial activities, when we clear land for housing and farming, and during some agricultural activities. Are Sun Cycles to Blame? The Earth’s surface temperature rises and falls with slight changes during natural sun cycles. However, these solar cycles and the changes they produce are well understood and much less significant than those driven by greenhouse gases. Global Warming Consequences The consequences of global warming include more frequent coastal flooding, heat waves, extreme precipitation events, food insecurity, and urban vulnerability. The global warming consequences are being felt (and will be felt) differently in different parts of the world. Global climate change often affects more those who do not have the economic means to develop ways to adapt to the changes. Of course, climate change affect not only humans but the rest of the living world as well.   Global warming has few positive consequences. Gains in agricultural production, often cited as positive, are easily offset by increases in pest problems (including invasive species), droughts, and severe weather events. We can respond by mitigating global warming, which is to reduce it by curbing greenhouse gas emissions. We can also capture carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere and store it safely on earth. We can, in addition, adapt by investing in infrastructure, transportation, and agriculture in order to continue living with the inevitable changes brought by global warming.    What Can You Do? Most importantly, reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, whether you contribute as an individual or as a business owner.

Aging Essay - 716 Words

Aging Throughout the semester we have tried to understand individual choice and individual experiences in the context of social forces and constraints, and the patterning of experience by location in the social structure. Present your understanding of this very sociological perspective. Use examples and readings to support your position. Illustrate your points by referring to a specific phenomenon. Many times when asked about aging, people will respond with the statement, Aging is what you make of it. This statement places the responsibility to cope in society on the individual. Through careful analysis of the sociological perspective, this can be understood to be another blame the victim situation. Social forces are†¦show more content†¦These ageist stereotypes are socially constructed for a number of reasons the major one being to maintain the status quo. There are many consequences of ageist stereotypes including outright disdain and dislike, subtle avoidance of contact, discrimination in employment and housing, and the creation of a fear of growing older. Even the youngest children demonstrate ageist beliefs about older people. These childrens parents do not deliberately sit down and teach them these stereotypes. They learn them from all of society just as their parents learned them. This social construction of aging goes deep into society. It is in public policy, media, and just about every other major social institution. These factors can have tremendous influence on older adults and the aging experience. Since very part of society reinforces beliefs about what the aging experience is and should be, older adults do not have many individual choices to make the most out of aging. Society creates dependency of the older people through social institutions and programs. This burden of dependency has beenShow MoreRelatedAging Of Aging : Aging2605 Words   |  11 PagesWhat is aging? It is not easy to come up with a working definition of aging; different academics around the world defined ‘aging’ from different perspectives. Based on the collected information I have, I define aging –a multidimensional process of physiological, mental and social changes that occurred over the course of life. Though it is beyond human control, aging experiences may vary between individuals. â€Å"In the developed world, chronological time plays a paramount role. The age of 60 or 65, roughlyRead MoreEffects Of Aging On Aging And Aging1343 Words   |  6 Pagesover time. The changes include physical, social and psychological changes. Causes of aging are very uncertain. Besides, there are several factors which predispose an individual to premature aging. Current theories suggest that this process occurs to due to cellular damage such as DNA oxidation by free radicals causing biological systems to fail. Internal processes such as DNA methylation may also result in aging. Predisposing factors such as space escapades, use of chemically intoxicated substancesRead MoreAging And Its Effects On The Aging1360 Words   |  6 Pagesover time. The changes include physical, social and psychological changes. Causes of aging are very uncertain. Besides, there are several factors which predispose an individual to premature aging. Current theories suggest that this process occurs to due to cellular damage such as DNA oxidation by free radicals causing biological systems to fail. Internal processes such as DNA methylation may also result in aging. Predisposing factors such as space escapades, use of chemically intoxicated substancesRead MoreThe Aging Process Of Aging910 Words   |  4 Pagescycle which views aging as a study decline in functions, the life course perspective sees â€Å"growth and development as a lifelong process†(Novak, 2012), in other words, we as humans are constantly changing, evolving and adapting to the world we live in. Many studies delve into the aging process, physical, mental and emotional to name a few. These studies have been cross-sectional, longitudinal as well as using cohorts to develop conclusions that will enlighten and enhance the aging process in societyRead MoreThe Signs Of Aging And Aging858 Words   |  4 PagesWhen a person thinks of aging, they can think of many things, from a baby getting taller, to an older person growing gray hair. A person’s body changes constantly throughout the span of their life. There is no helping it. While most people think of a person getting older as a person getting wrinkles, losing hair, and becoming more fragile, there are actually many other affects than just those. There are visible effects, and effects that are not visible by just looking at someone. In this paper, bothRead MoreThe Biology Of Aging And Aging942 Words   |  4 PagesChapter 6, Youth and Aging, analyzes how age is percieved throughtout society as a whole. It looks at how the youth are treated and how the elderly are treated. I am very passionate about section 6.6, Problems of the Elderly, because I think we need to focus on giving support to the elderly. I think it is especially important as the dependency rati o is increasing and as the amount of elderly increase the amount of services they need will also increase. The eldderly face many challenges as theirRead MoreAging : An Inevitable Part Of Aging Essay1300 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Oh my gosh, I just found a white hair!† â€Å"I am getting old and I do not like it!† â€Å"I hate birthdays. I do not want to get old.† Who never tried to hide your age? Why are we so afraid of aging? Aging is a normal process of life; the only ones that do not age are the dead ones and Tina Turner’s legs. If the only way not to get old is to die, so why do we get so upset when we find the first white hair? It is probably because there are so many myths out there about old age. So, before we start cryingRead MoreAging Population772 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"To a large extent, current research and development and government policies have helped to ease the aging process.† Discuss this statement in relation to your particular field of study or interest (e.g. economics, science, medicine, social policy, architecture, psychology, technological inventions). â€Å"Population ageing is both a triumph and a challenge† (Lim, 2008). With the advances in economics and medical development as well as better health systems, Singaporeans now are having longer lifeRead More Aging Essays1688 Words   |  7 PagesWhen we are young we never think about what we are going to be like when we are 80 or 90. We just think of the present. Aging is something almost everyone experience’s in their lifetime. Everyone ages at their own rate and time, thus no one has the same experience. Some theorists believe that as we age we become disengage from society, others believe it’s the choices we make that cause disengagement from society. It’s something psychologists have argued for a long time. There is not a lot of researchRead MoreThe Sociological Aspects Of Aging1722 Words   |  7 Pagesand physical challenges of the aged. The sociological aspects of aging are defined by the activities an individual engages in while transitioning to old age. To age well, a person needs to take part in social activities that deal with family or the community. For instance, joining a members club or offering to volunteer in certain activities aid in ageing well. It is, however, important to note that social perspectives of aging are diverse across different cultures. For instance, a 40-year-old

Happy and Unhappy Families free essay sample

Enmeshed families may be emotionally involved and display some warmth, but experience high levels of hostility, destructive meddling, and a limited sense of the family as a team. Disengaged families are associated with cold, controlling, and withdrawn relationships. Researchers assessed families using parent and teacher reports and through direct observation. Participants came to the lab annually for three years, making two visits one week apart. Both parents and their child played Jenga, an interactive game, for 15 minutes. On alternate weeks each parent interacted alone with the child for ten minutes divided between play and clean up. Parents were also videotaped discussing two topics intended to elicit disagreement. The study evaluated how parents related to one another, noting characteristics such as aggression, withdrawal, avoidance and ability to work as a team in the presence of the child. Researchers assessed the emotional availability of parents, whether they provided praise and approval or ignored the child during shared activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Happy and Unhappy Families or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They also noted how the children related to their parents, noting whether attempts to engage them were brief and half-hearted or sustained and enthusiastic. The study found that children from disengaged homes started school with higher levels of aggressive and disruptive behavior and more difficulty focusing and cooperating with classroom rules. These behaviors tended to increase with time. Children from enmeshed homes began with no more disciplinary problems or depression and withdrawal than those from cohesive families. However, as children from families with either type of destructive relationship pattern continued in school they began to suffer from higher levels of anxiety and feelings of loneliness combined with alienation from peers and teachers. While the study identified a clear connection between family characteristics and behavior at school the researchers caution against concluding that dysfunctional relationships are responsible for the majority of difficulties encountered. They point to other relevant risk factors, including high-crime or deprived neighborhoods, peer pressure and genetic traits. Lead researcher Melissa Sturge-Apple, an assistant professor of psychology concluded: Families can be a support and resource for children as they enter school, or they can be a source of stress, distraction, and maladaptive behavior. This study shows that cold and controlling family environments are linked to a growing cascade of difficulties for children in their first three years of school, from aggressive and disruptive behavior to depression and alienation. The study also finds that children from families marked by high levels of conflict and intrusive parenting increasingly struggle with anxiety and social withdrawal as th ey navigate their early school years.

SPIDE System Essay Example

SPIDE System Paper The S stands for search, it means to look 20-30 seconds ahead for information to help you travel. The P in SPIDER is to predict. You predict the actions or changes on or near the road that could increase risks. The l, stands for identify, it means that you identify objects or conditions ahead that could help you interfere with your path. The D means to decide, you decide what action to take at least 4-5 seconds ahead of time to control or decrease risks. Lastly, the E in SPIDER, stands for execute, which means to perform the actions needed. The first risk was on a Sunday morning, when me and my mom were heading to MAC Donaldson to get breakfast. We were on the corner of our street ready to turn left, when suddenly a car going like 35 miles per hour , comes out of nowhere. I thought that he was going to crash us, and that we were going to get hurt. But lucky my mom stopped the car in time, and the car didnt crash us I would of done the same as my mom to prevent an accident. We will write a custom essay sample on SPIDE System specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on SPIDE System specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on SPIDE System specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The second risk I had, was on a Tuesday, in the afternoon. My dad had come to pick us up because we missed the bus. We were in the street, and from like 2 blocks away, you could see that the light was green. But all of a sudden, the light turned yellow, and we were t going to be able to pass the light before it turned red, but lucky my dad stopped quickly. On the side next to us though, the truck accelerated because he didnt want to wait, but when the other lane s turned green, the cars went and so the truck got crashed by 2 cars, Just because he didnt want to wait. I was really proud of dad because he stopped instead of going. Im pretty sure I would of done the same. The third risk I had, was on Friday, when all of my family, including me, were going to my aunts house because she had cooked us dinner. So we were on a long street that had a speed limit of 20 miles per hour. My dad was following the speed limit, but the car in front of us was t. I guess that he or she was really inpatient because that person had decided to go faster, even though he or she knew that there were uniqueness if you went faster. At the end of that street there was a police officer checking the speed limit of each car with some type of gun. When the officer saw that the car in front of us was speeding, he stopped the car and gave that person a ticket. It was really good that my dad had decided to keep the limit because first, we decreased many chances of an accident. Second, we didnt get a ticket. I would have done the same as my dad, or even went a little bit slower, Just to make sure. SPIDER System By Malaysia