Global Warming Journal

An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary, created by Al Gore in 2006, talks about the effects of global warming. Al Gore was inspired by research done by one of his college professor’s, Roger Revelle in 1958. Revelle began measuring carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and studying its impact on the planet. His research suggested as the earth’s population along with the increased dependency on fossil fuels the oceans would not be able to absorb the excess carbon dioxide. Revelle suggested the excess human gas emissions might create a "greenhouse effect" that would cause global warming over time.

     Gore’s documentary suggested that global warming had various effects on the earth’s environment. As the greenhouses gases increase the thin layer of atmosphere becomes more opaque trapping infrared radiation which increases the earth’s temperature. When the earth’s temperature increases it has a chain reaction effect on the earth’s environment. The impacts are numerous such as melting of glaciers, rising sea levels and temperatures, an increase in catastrophic storms, shifting weather patterns, impacts on wildlife including insects, and the increase in diseases.

     The documentary also discussed ways we could decrease greenhouse gases such as recycling, renewable energy sources, using hybrid and fuel cell cars, efficient electronics, and building energy efficient homes and buildings. One of the ironic things to me about Al Gore’s documentary was watching him flying all over the world, taking gas guzzling taxi cabs, and driving a Lexus. Things that make you go hmmmm.