Let’s face it. Combating the changes taking place in the climate has become a matter of survival. Most of the changes that are happening in the climate pose a serious threat to every living thing on earth: humans, plants, animals, etc. It is widely believed that if the changes taking place are not somehow combated and controlled, they will soon become irreversible and, in the long run, the consequences are going be catastrophic.

Some of the changes would include much of Europe being covered by water due to the rise in sea levels caused by melting glaciers and eventually disappearing completely. In other parts of the world there would be an acute shortage of fresh water. There would be an increase of natural calamities like storms, floods, tsunamis, famines and earthquakes. These would take an immense toll on the economies of these nations and human population of earth as they struggle to cope with the damage.

Understanding the change taking place is important. It is our understanding that will help us in combating climate change. The change in climate has led to changes in rain and snowfall patterns. It seems each year the summers are hotter than the previous ones while the winter produces less snow and cold weather than previous years.    The temperature of the earth was by large constant till the advent of the Industrial Revolution.

In the 250 years since the Industrial Revolution, deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels have led to the Greenhouse Effect which is rapidly changing the climate. Trees naturally convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, but with the dwindling number of trees there is a shortage of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide to go along with the methane gas that is release from landfills, and fertilizers whose use is ever increasing.   What can we do about combating climate change?

Everyone has an equal responsibility and an equal opportunity. Some of the ways would be ensuring less use of machinery and electronics. Drying clothes in the sun instead of the washing machine is an example. It is a simple example, a simple, but never the less a very effective example. Any one can do that. It doesn’t take a corporate giant to do it.   Changes in the climate will have an effect on everything. Rainfall, snowfall, forest and wildlife, marine life, and weather will all be affected by changes in the climate.

Make no mistake about it: combating climate change has become mankind’s most urgent agenda and responsibility.  What is stopping you from finding out what steps you can take personally to help alleviate the effects of global warming on the Earth. Do you not think that you, your family, and all that you know should at least do their part to save and protect the Earth for future generations?.

www.globalchange.com Old carbon dioxide needs to be stored underground. Carbon capture technology and carbon sequestration. Carbon offsetting and carbon trading. Balancing carbon footprint. Developed world and emerging economies carbon revolution. Carbon saving attention move to investment in solar, wind, wave energy generation. Nuclear fission and fusion. Lessons from scientific research. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.

Climate change is taking its grip on our lives and that includes our gardens. So it makes sense to confront the issue and plan your garden accordingly. While some traditional plants may find the changing conditions tough to cope with others will thrive.

The first thing to understand is how climate change will manifest itself. How is the weather going to change? Immediately we have a problem as nobody can be certain. But broadly, winters will probably get wetter and summers drier and hotter. The number and intensity of frosts will reduce and Spring will come earlier.

Second question – which plants will no longer thrive and which ones will do well? And third – what other impact will we see on our gardens? Will some insects become extinct and others become more prevalent?

Its all pretty complicated but a good gardener can help you tackle these issues.

Plants that could have a tough time include traditional English cottage garden plants such as lupins and delphiniums, that won’t cope well with dry conditions. Spring bulbs, so loved by british gardeners will also suffer – but because of the wetter winters. And the centrepiece of the British garden, the lawn, will become increasingly difficult and costly to maintain.

In terms of insects and disease, changing conditions have already seen an increase in some beetle populations and wetter winters will encourage more fungal disease.

Ironically, increased carbon emissions may actually benefit plants, which will absorb more carbon dioxide and grow faster and be more robust. This will help plants resist any increase in disease or insects.

On the plus side it will be easier to grow more exotic fruits such as grapes, figs, oranges, lemons, nectarines and apricots. Some architectural plants such as palms will do well. And glamorous climbers such as shocking pink bougainvillea will thrive.

When you are planning planting for your garden think about the local conditions.

Plants that are drought tolerant have a better chance of flourishing. But also bear in mind that many Mediterranean plants won’t favour wet winters, so you may need damp loving ones too. If the weather gets stormier, which it’s likely to, then consider planting windbreaks to shelter the garden from high winds. Look at your plot – is it currently exposed to the elements?

If your garden is in a flood risk area then resist planting for the long term – any damage will be all the more depressing if plants you have nurtured for years are destroyed overnight.

When planting up a garden get your gardener to thoroughly prepare the soil, with organic matter, gravel or grit to maximise drainage. It’s really important not to have waterlogged beds during the wet winters that are in store. And to cope with the drier summers, work with the weather. Set up water butts to catch water during the wetter months that can be used to water the garden in the summer. There are also systems to clean up bath and washing up water so that it can be recycled in the garden, although this isn’t recommended for fruit trees or vegetable patches.

Wildlife gardens with ponds and water features will relieve the dryness of summer and provide a source of water for wildlife – insects, birds, you may even find you have a family of frogs moving in who can deal with some of your garden pests!

While you are trying to work out the best planting scheme for your patch spare a thought for gardeners working in historical gardens and stately homes. Their job is to maintain the planting that was first devised maybe 100 or 200 years ago, when climate change was unheard of. There’s is the biggest challenge.

• ISBN13: 9780262050890
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Product Description
The vast majority of scientists agree that human activity has significantly increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—most dramatically since the 1970s. In February 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that global warming is “unequivocal” and that human-produced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are chiefly to blame, to a certainty of more than 90 percent. Yet global warming skeptics and ill-informed elected officials continue to dis… More >>

What We Know About Climate Change

A common mistake made by people who have a limited understanding about global warming will often loosely refer to the problem as either climate change or global warming. While the two have much to do with each other, they are two separate things that are related to the same cause, which is carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere by human activity. Global warming is referring to the rise in the average global temperature. It is this rise in temperature that causes the climate changes being seen around the world.

It may seem like it isn’t a big deal, but this really is something people should be concerned about. Global warming has been proven to be greatly caused by the greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide that people are putting into the air through their daily activities. These emissions are caused by cars, airplanes, factories, businesses, or anything else that burns fossil fuels. While there are other greenhouse gases put into the air, carbon is what makes up the largest contributor from human activities. Many don’t realize that global warming affects everyone, perhaps not in the most obvious way every day, but it does affect everyone. Global warming is what is causing the earth to warm, which, as mentioned before, causes the major climate changes that are being seen. What are some of these major climate changes and what does this have to do with people? Floods, severe hurricanes, odd weather patterns such as abnormally cold or warm winters; all of these are products of global warming.

Food and resources come from the natural world and if global warming causes severe drought (which it is in many places around the world), the crop yield will be much lower and money is lost. Not to mention that it’s less food available to people. Global warming is also what is warming the polar ice caps and drying up other fresh water resources. Life needs fresh water and without it, life tends to die.

It is something that people can change if they can take responsibility over it. It is possible to slow and stop the global warming, making the world a healthier place with the necessary resources available. It means that the burning of fossil fuels has to stop. Using energy sources that don’t require the burning of fossil fuels is what is needed. The sun and wind are both excellent examples of the tireless sources of energy available to humans. Saving water and producing less waste is also needed to reduce the carbon emissions. As more people turn to alternatives instead of burning fossil fuels, global warming could be stopped, which in turn would stop causing the major climate changes that have been the cause of such devastation in recent years.

Conserving earth’s energy is nowadays seen more seriously than observing Earth Day on April 22 and involves taking initiatives of generating renewable energy. As the name suggests, this particular type of energy once produced is less prone to peril and can be reused in a multifarious ways. Two compelling reasons why creating using such alternative energy is found momentous, currently –

1. First of all, renewable energy which is often marked as green energy sources are usually considered cleaner than using fossil fuels that induces emission of carbon dioxide. Therefore, this green energy helps alleviating release of greenhouse gases that is directly linked to grave threat to earth like global warming.

2. Fossil fuel gases are on the brink of getting wiped out from the earth. Moreover, it is difficult to predict certainly when the time will come to witness supply of oil will surpass increasing demand. Though, many have forecast that within decades or so, oil production is expected to peak and meet exceeding demands. Therefore, by alternating our dependence upon renewable energy will limit increasing demands for oil based energy. In other words, we can avert social and economic mayhem when the time will arrive when the oil production will hit the highest point.

So, What Type Of Renewable Energy Can We Produce?

Amongst multitude of renewable energy sources, we can consider or rely on the following because of their widespread usage and advantages receivable from those –

Solar: Solar power or solar energy tops the list of sources of generating renewable energy. Because it is an established fact that solar power sourced by the sun is unlikely to be running out, is touted to be a great source of green energy. Solar energy can be obtained through south-facing windows and heat up rooms. Otherwise, solar energy can be collected by using special equipment that amasses energy to convert into electricity.

Wind: Wind is another source to harness renewable energy is sizable quantity. Tall and scenic wind turbines found mainly in wide, vacant areas are used to collect the power of wind to transform into electricity. Renewable energy can be produced at the fastest pace from wind energy and it is also clean and green.

Other sources that are considered good and green way to produce abundant renewable energy include water, geothermal and biomass.