Global Warming Expert, Tim Flannery speaks at MSU – U.S. not serious about global warming threat. Major Economic Opportunities Available to Those Who Act.

If the United States decides to get serious about human-caused climate change, it likely will do so with foreign technology, a prominent Australian scientist told more than 1,200 people at Montana State University Monday evening.

By SCOTT McMILLION Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2007/03/06/breakingnews/20flannery.txt

***

11 Realistic Ways You Can Help Reduce Global Warming

Change to accredited green power option

Install energy-efficient hot water system

Install Solar Panels

Use Triple-A rated shower head

Use energy efficient light globes

Check fuel efficiency of next car

Walk, cycle, or take public transport

Calculate your carbon footprint

Suggest a workplace audit

Write to a politician about climate change

***

Flannery gives warning and hope

Renowned scientist, Australia’s current Man of the Year, and author of "The Weather Makers: How we are Changing the Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth" Tim Flannery spoke Monday night in the SUB ballrooms to a sellout crowd. The event, sponsored by the MSU Leadership Institute, was organized to give MSU students and Bozeman area residents a new, or at least renewed, perspective on how climate change and global warming are affecting the Earth.

Scott Obernesser
By Line
Exponent Writer

Flannery started by asking the audience, with a distinctive Australian accent, to consider two questions he feels are at the heart of the climate change issue: 1) How big is climate change? 2) How fast is it moving? Flannery himself feels the issue is "big," at least big enough for him to dedicate much of his life as a scientist to studying the issue, and that it is moving "frighteningly fast."

"Time is not on our side when dealing with this problem," Flannery said, and, despite what Mick Jagger once thought, Flannery’s evidence was highly supportive.

His focus was mostly on air pollution, its effects on the atmosphere and then the inevitable effects upon climate control. He pointed out that, over the last 50 years, there have been three major air pollution crises: the acid rain crisis of the ’70s, the ozone crisis in the ’80s and, now, global warming via greenhouse gases, the most damaging of which is carbon dioxide.

Flannery informed the attendants that, since the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide particles per million within the atmosphere has risen by about 100. This has given way to an increase in the global temperature by about 1 degree, but more significantly, has increased the arctic ice melts by a very significant amount.

According to Flannery, about 150 cubic kilometers, or 35.9869138 cubic miles, of arctic ice per year are disappearing. The consequences of glacial and ice melts include a rise in global temperatures and, a planetary ocean level increase of, what Flannery predicts would be around six to eight inches, yet other scientists believe that ocean levels could rise as much as 25 inches if a total melt occurred.

Flannery also explained that, due to current trends and 2005’s record ice melts, the polar caps could be gone by as soon as 2040. This would not only affect the climate, but also the wildlife, resulting in the loss of species such as the polar bear.

Next, Flannery mentioned some of the other effects climate change has on the world. The biggest issue he brought up was that of drought. Montanan’s known as much about drought as anyone else on the planet, but Flannery pointed out that Australia is actually in the midst of an eight year drought of epic proportions, at least for their country. Their rivers are running at record lows, cities must bring water within their limits from outside sources and, worst of all, the trend doesn’t look to be getting better. Still, Flannery noted that Australia is coming off rather easy when compared to nations in Africa, where droughts are so notoriously bad, and now rampant, that death is the consequence there; not inconvenience.

Luckily, Flannery also posed some solutions, which consisted mostly of methods with which to lower carbon dioxide levels. Alternative power sources would stop the further spread of CO2 into the atmosphere and if areas such as the Tropics were forested, carbon dioxide levels could possibly be lowered to industrial revolution numbers, more natural numbers.

When asked rather poetically, during a period of questions after the lecture, what was the biggest obstacle that must be overcome when dealing with this problem, Flannery said flat out "Lack of understanding." Flannery knows that this is a problem, so he has dedicated himself to informing the world about the serious consequences of either action or inaction. "Sadly," Flannery said, "whatever needs to happen, we are the generation that needs to do it."

http://exponent.montana.edu/News/story1.html

***

Legislator: Warming threatens polar bear

Calling the polar bear a victim of global warming, a Democratic congressman Monday called on the U.S. government to protect “the beloved American icon” from the effects of the melting Arctic.

By MATTHEW DALY – Associated Press Writer

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2007/03/06/montana/a09030607_03.txt