Historically we've had significant climate changes.  The Ice Age, for example, eventually was taken over by our warmer period.  Right now there is serious concern because things are getting warmer at a much faster pace.  And some areas are warming faster than others; the northern ice cap, for example, is warming at twice the global rate.

The earth's atmosphere works to trap heat to keep us warm.  Carbon dioxide emissions also trap heat.  Carbon dioxide is released naturally when plants decay or burn.  At the same time, trees and majestic forests absorb carbon dioxide so everything stays in balance. 

However, today, the immense burning of fossil fuels for cars and industry, and the burning of coal and natural gas has increased carbon dioxide emissions tremendously.  As if that wasn't bad enough, we have also eliminated vast forests and replaced them with housing, farming, and industries, which in turn use more fuels.  We are told that more than half of the global warming is caused by greenhouse (carbon dioxide) emissions.  Carbon dioxide levels have not been this high in over half a million years. We are out of balance. 

We know that emissions are working to trap more of the sun's heat inside the earth's atmosphere causing a warming of the planet.  So you live in the cold climate and think this might be a good thing?  It's much bigger than that!   Accoding to the experts believing global warming to be real, if we continue doing the same things we've done, over the next several years, we human beings will have irreversibly and negatively impacted our world, our life, our future and our children's future.  And in as few as 25 years, we will feel it's impact locally.  It is predicted that by 2100, the Arctic will have lost more than half it's ice causing an enormous impact on the world, and in the summers might have no ice at all.

But there is debate and plenty of scientists and politicians discrediting claims of global warming explaining this is all normal and that nothing is as bad as it's been stated. They say our carbon emissions have no impact on the world. Of course we must look at who is sponsoring each side of the scientific studies to see what bias exists and try to make our own determination.

However, even though there is conflicting information as to whether or not Global warming is real, there is no doubt that the suggestions for change implored by advocates would help our life and our future. We know that animals are being forced to extinction because we are stealing their habitat. We know that we have diminished drastically the variety of plants and heirloom seeds available for our food supply, some of which had been more resistant to disease and climate changes. It's clear that we are depleting our planet resources without replenshing. We are overfishing and overtaxing our world. We are creating toxic chemicals from fossil fuels that are then flushed into into our waters and food supply. We are devouring our world without the care to nuture it for our children.

The growing 8,000 square mile (the size of New Jersey!) Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana and Texas where no life exists anymore is due to conventional farming practices and fertilizers. Making choices, like choosing more organic foods, is good for our bodies and for our environment.

According to believers, Global warming is causing:

• the Arctic ice and Greenland ice sheet to melt, meaning more water will fill our land
• areas to flood inhabited areas as sea levels rise
• coral bleaching that will damage fisheries and habitats
• a change in ocean currents and temperature
• harsher weather conditions, including more devastating hurricanes (oceans are the warmest they've been ever and that creates severe hurricanes)
• extreme weather climate changes from heat waves to tornados, typhoons, blizzards, wind storms, and even extreme cold in areas not normally cold
• clean water supplies to be more limited
• droughts in some areas and flooding in others
• warm waters are forcing algae to move causing Coral Bleaching of our Reefs (here in the Keys!) Coral protects coastlines from erosion, flooding and storm damage. Without algae, coral loses it’s color and becomes susceptible to disease.  Without algae, fish leave or are faced with extinction.  Without fish, tourists no longer come to snorkel impacting our economy.  Not to mention the impact on the food chain!
• an imbalance in our delicate ecosystem and loss of biodiversity
• extinction of plants and wildlife due to weather changing habitats including migratory birds, amphibians, and Arctic animals (like polar bears, for example, which won't have ice as land to hunt and survive.)  It is believed that half of all species are already being impacted and studies indicate that by 2050, 35% of land plants and animals (a million different species) will become extinct!  Plants and animals are more sensitive to changes than humans; remember that the canary was used in the coal mines to detect unsafe levels of methane gas and carbon monoxide and low oxygen levels.
• deadly disease to spread (and could cause epidemics)
• less food supply, fewer plants, bushes, trees, and crops
• leaner and fewer animals and births with the limited food supply
• even more greenhouse gasses (arctic ice had trapped carbon dioxide for millions of years, as it melts, those are released into the atmosphere)
• even more solar radiation to be absorbed by our world (ice and snow reflect about 90% of all solar radiation back into space.  With global warming, we will have less ice and snow to do that.) causing continued warming and even more melting of ice and snow (which would, of course, allow the big gas companies to get at even more fossil fuels under the ice that was once there so they would be happy) and further impacts upon our environment and our future

• Climate Changes Solution Campaign, Earth Day Network
• Debate on Climate Shifts to Issue of Irreparable Change: Some Experts on Global Warming foresee 'Tipping Point' when it is Too Late to Act, Washington Post
• Global Warming Can Trigger Extreme Ocean, Climate Changes, Science Daily
• Global Warming: The Greenhouse Effect, Solcomhouse
• Climate Change: Arctic Warming at Twice Global Rate, New Scientist
• Working Together...Because Climate Change is Serious Business, PEW Center Global Climate Change
• Video of Climate Changes Occurring Now in Alaska, WWF
• A Global Warning, CBS 60 Minutes
• Frog Extinctions Linked to Global Warming, National Geographic
• Global Warming International Center
• Fossil Fuel and Energy Use, Sustainable Table
• Join the March, StopGlobalWarming.org
• Fight Global Warming, Environmental Defense
• www.ClimateCrisis.net
• U.N. Report:  Humans Behind Climate Change, National Public Radio (npr)
• Live Earth
• The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone, Science Museum of Minnesota
• Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone" is the Size of New Jersey, National Geographic
• The Story of Stuff, Tides Foundation Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption