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EMISSIONS 101
By Anthony J. Ochs
Hello class and welcome to ‘Emissions 101’! My name is Professor Green and I will be your teacher today. I’m sure you’ve all heard in your science classes that there is currently a large hole in the ozone layer which may contribute partially to a popular theory called “global warming”. Not all ultraviolet energy from the sun reaches the earth’s surface because a significant portion is blocked by the ozone layer. A hole in the ozone layer then leads to more of this energy getting through and being converted to heat. Yet global warming is the direct result of other important factors. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are trapping this ultraviolet energy after it is reflected off the earth’s surface. Therefore instead of escaping into space, low energy waves are sent back and contained in the form of heat. Carbon dioxide is the main gas that contributes to this problem. The combination of these two occurrences is actually “warming” the earth at an unsafe rate. Before we reach the goal of this lesson, which is to teach you how your car’s “emissions” can affect global warming, I believe it is necessary to understand that it is not merely a theory. It is a reality that surrounds us every day of our lives. We can no longer deny it! For example if you live in New York, the next time your feel like taking your pool cover off in February on a 60 degree day, think again. And when there is a snow storm the very next day, start believing! Erratic weather patterns have been occurring all over the world, and studies have shown that this may be the result of unnatural temperature increases in various parts of the globe. Some say there is no need to panic because we as humans have only documented such a small time period of weather and climate when compared to the full spectrum of earth’s history. Therefore how can we say it is our fault that the polar ice caps are melting? In other words, how do we know that it is us causing global warming and not some greater power that has dictated the history of the world we live in? We don’t. The bottom line is that it is not about pondering or predicting, it is about preventing! Our responsibility as human beings is to be consciously aware of the negative impact we have on the environment as a result of simply carrying out our everyday activities. Like smoking a cigarette, or more importantly, driving a gasoline powered automobile a.k.a., a car! We must be consciously aware because true consciousness is possessed exclusively by humans amongst all other creatures on the good green earth. Therefore we have the responsibility to save the earth because we have the power to.
Now let’s delve into the meat and potatoes of our curriculum. The cars we drive around in everyday are emitting exhaust fumes into the air that contain carbon dioxide and other harmful gasoline vapors as a result of the combustion engine. This is what environmental enthusiasts are referring to when they talk about “harmful emissions”. Scientists utilize a model called the Global Carbon cycle to demonstrate how fossil fuel emissions can decrease the land and ocean’s ability to absorb carbon. Basically this means that there is an excess amount of carbon dioxide, too much for the earth to handle. Therefore if we do not decrease harmful emissions the earth will not be able to slow the rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is because the ‘carbon storage capacity’ of the land and ocean continues to decrease as fossil fuel emissions continue to increase[1][1]. This rise of carbon dioxide then leads to “global warming,” which we spoke about earlier. And remember class, the negative effects of global warming can snowball into a natural disaster of epic magnitude. Some of you look like you still have some questions. Unfortunately we are out of time, but I will use the Socratic Method. Instead of providing you with all the answers, I’ll just pose one question in conclusion. Do you want to be part of the problem, or part of the solution? The choice is yours!
Last update : 09-10-2008 03:18
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