2 Global Warming

What two countries sandwich Patagonia?

Chile and Argentina

How long is the Patagonian ice field?

7,000 square miles long

How much glacial mass has been lost in Patagonia within the last seven years?

10 percent

How many glaciers are there now in Montana?

Fewer than 40

What crucial information does ice tell scientists?

Global warming is occurring and has occurred in the past.

How far back does the ice's 'logbook' go?

Hundreds of thousands of years.

Where is the world's second largest concentration of ice?

Greenland.

How many years back do scientists have to look at Antarctic ice?

More than 600,000 years.

By how much has the earth's temperature climbed in the last 100 years?

One degree.

What was the highest temperature recorded in Sydney, Australia, in 2006?

111 degrees.

How many people died in Chicago due to temperatures over 100 degrees in 1995?

739 people.

Of the 21 hottest years on record, how many have occurred since 1980?

20 years.

What is trapped and preserved in ice that scientists measure?

Atmospheric gases.

Which gas follows the rise in temperature closely?

Carbon dioxide.

How long have carbon dioxide levels been higher than usual?

The past 600,000 years.

What temperature would the earth be without carbon dioxide?

60 degrees Fahrenheit cooler.

What is the Amazon often referred to as?

A rainforest.

What do oil, coal, and natural gas make excellent?

Fuels.

What has happened to the polar bear population from the 1980s to today?

Declined from 1200 to under 950.

By how much has the average weight of polar bears decreased since the 1980s?

15%.

How much area did sea ice cover in 1979?

Almost 1.7 billion acres.

What percentage of the earth's surface is covered by ice?

About 10%.

Where are the largest concentrations of ice on the planet?

Greenland and Antarctica.

What percentage of the earth's fresh water is locked up in Greenland and Antarctica?

More than 75%.

How high is the Pacific island of Tuvalu above sea level?

About 16 feet.

How much have sea levels risen since the 1840s?

By 6 inches.

How much have oceans risen in the last 100 years?

4 to 10 inches.

What happens to water when ocean temperatures warm?

It expands and takes up more space.

What is the projected rise of sea level by the end of this century?

3 feet.

By how much have ocean temperatures risen?

1 degree.

How many hurricanes were there in 2005?

28 hurricanes.

What were the wind speeds of Hurricane Katrina?

175 miles per hour.

What percentage of New Orleans flooded during Hurricane Katrina?

80%.

How far out can hurricane winds extend?

100 miles or more.

How much colder was the earth during the last ice age?

12 degrees Fahrenheit colder.

Can coral survive without algae?

No, it cannot.

By the end of the century, how many species could we lose on the planet?

Half of the species.

How many billion people live on our planet?

8 billion.

How many people live in China?

More than a billion.

Who is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions?

The U.S. is first, and China is second.

What percentage of the earth's population does the US make up, and what percentage of carbon dioxide does it emit?

5% of the population but 25% of CO2 emissions.

Who has the highest hybrid electric bus fleet?

New York.

Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty run on electricity generated from what?

Wind power.

What percentage of the steel in 'green' buildings of New York is made of recycled material?

80%.

What does using more recycled material mean for energy consumption?

Using less energy that emits more carbon.

How much less electricity does the green building use compared to others?

25% less.

How much carbon dioxide do 'The Smiths' produce annually?

50 tons.

By 2025, how much carbon dioxide will China produce?

6 billion tons.

What must scientists achieve regarding carbon dioxide levels by 2050?

Cut them by 50%.