20:34 Apr 22 2009
Times Read: 644
greenmore green contentCountdown to Earth Day
One of the easiest ways to go green is to change your buying habits. These dozen or so products can get you started
more...More on MSN
SIGG Aluminum Water Bottle
Coconut Chai Tea
Dr.Bronner's Soap
Blown Glass Goblets
Gidget Gadget Case
More...
Add page to favoritesNext >
Climate Catastrophe? Here's What the U.S. Could Look Like in 2100
We can still turn it around, but here is the world our grandchildren will live in if we don't. By Jean Weiss
You've been hearing about the negative impacts of global warming for years. Sometimes your friends nervously joke about it — "Could land in the Rocky Mountains become beachfront property?" Other times you read with worry the news about forest fires, hurricanes, droughts and heat waves. And you wonder, "Is climate disaster already upon us?"
Scientists say the answer is "yes." We are now experiencing the effects of human-caused climate change and, even if we drastically alter our polluting behavior today, we'll continue to see changes over the next two to three decades. This change is irreversible, and researchers predict it may be worse than the depressing situation Al Gore foretold in "An Inconvenient Truth."
"What happens in the next 20 or 30 years is largely already determined." says Kevin Tranberth, ScD, head of the Climate Analysis Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). "Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere have already increased by more than 35 percent since pre-industrial times, owing to human activities. Over half of that increase has occurred since 1970."
Although this prognosis seems dire, there is hope. While we can't change the polluting that has already occurred, we can make changes now that will leave a cleaner world for our children and grandchildren. "One important message to convey is we can very much affect what happens 90 years from now by the decisions we make today," says Jim Hurrell, PhD, a senior atmospheric scientist with NCAR. Tranberth agrees. "If we act now, the benefit comes about 30 to 40 years from now," he says. "We can still have a big impact on what happens in the second half of this century."
But what happens if we don't act now? Here is how your part of the United States could be affected in the year 2100 if we don't turn this around.
More Get Your Green On Coverage
Global Warming and World Wonders
Full Coverage
Next >Photo 1 of 7Slow Fast
More on Living Green
Going Green 101
Buy Local Now
Celebrity Eco-Friendly Tips
Plastic Ocean
More on the MSN Green Network
$10K Code for Green Challenge
Award-Winning Green Gadgets
Nature's Medicine Chest
World's Healthiest Places
More on MSN
Going Green in Sports
Why the Wicked Witch Isn't Dead
14 Endangered Car Brands
Grilling Comes Under Fire
Join the discussion!
Add a comment
Show comments
Sort by:Newest firstOldest first1-10 of 2492PreviousNext
Jnastorer#1
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 7:29:27 AM
What a crock. Perhaps you have missed the last 10 years of cooling. This is the most hyped lie of our times and you who propogate it are going to become the fools and charlatins of our time.
ReplyReport Abuse
dko2444#2
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 10:26:47 AM
Notice how everything is doom and gloom? Carbon Dioxide is NOT a pollutant, and comprises less than one per cent of our atmosphere (0.0036%). So, "an increase of 35% in the level since pre-industrial times and over half of that since 1970," is statistically insignificant. What if the Earth becomes warmer, how much is too warm?
You got to love these environmentalists; to them the Earth isn't a planet, it's our terrarium to manipulate as they see fit.
ReplyReport Abuse
Abe Simpson#3
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 10:54:00 AM
Quit lying u chicken littles the sky is FALLING
ReplyReport Abuse
LetsRo11#4
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:03:24 AM
Let me point out some contradictions these scientists make in this article:
"We can still turn it around, but here is the world our grandchildren will live in if we don't."By Jean Weiss
And in the next paragraph, she writes, "This change is irreversible,"
_________________________________________
"areas within the U.S. have not had similar rates of change," says Hoerling.
they continue to call it Global Warming, but its not affecting the whole globe...hmmm
_________________________________________
"researchers predict it may be worse than the depressing situation Al Gore foretold"
I must agree, there is nothing more depressing than ALGore.....
_________________________________________
The only thing constant about our climate is CHANGE. Without it, the Seasons would not exist and we wouldn't, either.
ReplyReport Abuse
nater2#5
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:00:36 PM
those who believe global warming is a serious threat (despite the cooling trend) should ask themselves: who will be responsible for regulating global warming and how will they fund its regulation?
ReplyReport Abuse
supernitro#6
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:49:15 PM
What makes people think that they can predict the weather 90 years from now when they can't even accurately predict the weather one day from now????
ReplyReport Abuse
MOOSE HEAD#7
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 11:51:04 PM
The end is near and genocide either by man or nature is a constant over the history of the world.
ReplyReport Abuse
Michael P. Friters#8
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:11:44 AM
So you're telling me that a trace gas, carbon dioxide, that only comprises 0.038% of the Earth's atmosphere is causing this "global warming?" Was this person in a coma with all the snowstorms and frigid weather in the northern U.S. during this past winter? This report is lunacy and junk science to the extreme! Go write for Weekly World News! Is global warming being caused by the incredible "bat boy?" I want to challenge the writer of this article to a debate! Bring it on!
ReplyReport Abuse
Don in Beavercreek#9
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 9:48:23 AM
Until someone starts monitoring the variation of temperatures in the other planets around the sun, I wish the news production would just stop the Global Warming trash. I believe that we are seeing nothing more than normal variations caused by the sun. We may think we have a lot of influence over the global climate, but that is just arrogance.
ReplyReport Abuse
Bug Boy#10
Thursday, April 16, 2009 7:17:45 AM
I'm a geologist, and what people have to realize is that humans have only been around about 10,000 years (which coincidentally was the last ice age). The earth is about 3.5 billion years old, these wet/dry and hot/cold cycles have been going on a long time, so let's stop pretending we know what were talking about when we have only been around for a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things.
ReplyReport Abuse
1-10 of 2492PreviousNext
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
Report Abuse
Please help us to maintain a healthy and vibrant community by reporting any illegal or inappropriate behavior. If you believe a message violates theCode of Conductplease notify us using the Report abuse form below. We will investigate your report and take appropriate action against offenders. We report all illegal activity to authorities.
Categories
Spam or advertising
Child pornography or exploitation
Profanity, vulgarity or obscenity
Copyright infringement
Harassment or threat
Other
Additional comments(optional)
100 character limit
To add a comment, pleasesign in
PrintEmailBlogDiggFacebookNewsvineadvertisement
Follow us on Twitter
Get Your Green On
Stay connected as we countdown to Earth Day 2009 with news, tips and tricks on how you can take action to protect your planet.
Lifestyle FavoritesAdd page to favorites
Saved Favorites
Maximum number of Favorites is 7Remove All Favorites
Related Galleries
23 Natural Cosmetics
12 Foods to Eat Organic
MSN privacyLegalAdvertiseRSSFeedbackTake Our Survey© 2009 Microsoft
COMMENTS
-