DRAFT 2 Global Warming: Truth or Fictious

This topic submitted by Mark Dalman & Kathy Kostopoulos ( Pre8lude@hotmail.com ) on 2/5/02 .

Project Question:

Is global warming an environmental disaster or a natural phenomenon that affects our world or is it a mythical aspect that gets confused with other factors affecting our world?

Prediction:

Our prediction is that we have scientifically realized that there is a global change, however as to whether or not humans are the only cause for the disturbance...the blame as of now, is still muddy. we will process our information and we will display the truth of global warming, while in the process of removing the myth about global warming.

Preliminary Research Design:

What we plan on doing is first presenting to the class this idea of global "warming." we will expand this idea, illustrate the causes for and its effects it has on the earth.
Upon completing the preliminary research "theme," we will then ask the class their interpretation of this theme and to have them expand upon the topic.
From here we will then display the past periods and how their temperatures have fluctuated. Upon the displaying of this graphical data we will then put to rest a myth that global warming is going to kill us, in say, the next 100 years.
Then we will discuss examples the class has come across where data has been manipulated due to external as well as internal influences.
From this standpoint we will then go on to discuss what is the cause of this "warming" of the global temperature. we will discuss the interglacial period and where we stand in the midst of things.
(we will be constantly addressing the truth as well as findign the false "parties" and showing what they look like)

In all, we want to discuss factual knowledge as well as bring to light the slanted, or mythical, data and put it to rest through helping the class to realize it.
Upon completion, the reader will be given a pool of knowledge both with the understanding of what is possible and what is actual. if everyone tells ten people what they learned here and they tell ten people we will begin the cycle of understanding. However, by taking on this research project idea we hope that we do not come off undermeaning global warming or worse, make others become numb to the effects of globa change.

Our discussion will be about global warming. Is there such a thing or is it just a relative matter. If so, what are the causes of global warming and what effects have resulted from it. Also what are the concerns of global warming. Is it an event that continually cycles or is this a one time occurence. And finally, what can we to minimize this effect, if we truly are responsible for it?

Lib/Journal References:

Tilman, David & Lehman, Clarence. Human-caused environmental change: Impacts on plant diversity and evolution. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, May 8, 2001.

Erwin, Douglas. Lessons from the past: Biotic recoveries from mass extinctions. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, May 8, 2001.

Western, David. Human-modified ecosystems and future evolution. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, May 8, 2001.

Hughes, Lesley. Biological consequences of global warming: is the signal already. Tree, February 2, 2000.

Kellogg, W. Response to skeptics of global warming. American Meteorological Society, April 1991.

Websites

http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/pub/info/elements/climate_history.html

http://geochange.er.usgs.gov

http://pubs.usgs.gov/factsheet/fs2-00/

http://chht-ntsrv.er.usgs.gov/warmclimates/index.html

http://www.usgs.gov

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_501534.html?menu=news.latestheadlines

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/