Global Warming

We can't see greenhouse gases, but if we could, we'd see the air become a little bit darker each year.

The physics of the greenhouse effect has been understood for well over a century, and scientists have understood for decades that increasing greenhouse gases should warm the planet. As we have put more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere - mostly through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation - the planet has warmed.

What happens in the next century depends on how much more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases we decide to put into the atmosphere.

For an in depth discussion of the science of climate change, I recommend visiting the Union of Concerned Scientists' Global Warming 101 page. Below is a list of dispatches from the journey about climate change and its effects.

Climate Notes from Crossing the United States

9/11 Return to California
9/5 The Oregon Coast and Wave Power
8/30 National Public Education Campaign?
7/25 A Dead Fish
7/19 Yellowstone - fires, pests, and fishing
7/5 Wind Power in the Great Plains
6/18 Coal Power and Renewable Energy in Wisconsin
6/17 Wisconsin Montage - 20%
6/7 Michigan Interfaith Power and Light
5/17 A Revenue Neutral Carbon Tax?
5/4 I (heart) NY
5/17 Getting Ready to Ride
12/7 Why are we doing this?

Climate Notes from Crossing Latin America

3/16 The Rising Oceans
2/1 What happens when the poor become rich?
1/29 More Heat Waves?
1/17 The Melting Spine of the Andes
11/24 Travel Summary - Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia
10/17 Transportation in Lima
10/16 Global Warming and Water Problems in Peru
10/2 Melting Glaciers and a Climb of Vallunaraju
9/28 A School in Huaraz - What do I say to public school?
8/24 Travel Update - Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil
8/22 The future of the Amazon? A week in Manaus
7/27 A Reminder: Coral Reefs are in Danger
7/18 The 1999 Venezuela Floods
6/20 The Andean Paramo - the future of the mountaintops
6/19 Bogota, the Bicycle, and Transportation
5/26 Travel Update - Central America
5/14 Deforestation in Central America
4/30 Climate Change and Extinction in Monteverde, Costa Rica
4/18 Hurricanes, Climate Change, and Central America
3/21 Coral Reefs and Climate Change
3/12 Nothern Guatemala - Climate and Maya Civilization
3/6 Travel Summary - Mexico
2/28 Climate Change and Mexican Farms
2/15 Mexico City and Bicycles
2/10 Monarchs, Deforestation, Poverty, and Climate Change
1/9 A Sail to Mazatlán and the Power of the Wind
1/3 The Future of Baja's Water
12/12 Centro Educativo Patria and my message in Mexico
12/10 **Monthly Update: California**
12/8 A week in San Diego
11/28 Carbon Offsets for a trip to Florida
11/18 Biking in L.A. - A Ride to Hollywood and Back
11/17 University High in L.A. - Can we trust climate models?
11/13 The Future of California?
11/11 A conversation with a farmer
11/7 A day in Monterey
10/25 Letter Published in the New York Times