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Global warming is one of the hot button issues in today's society complete with debates, conferences and Save Our Planet concerts. The root cause of this warming trend has been attributed to the carbon emissions generated by industrialized mankind. Activists , musicians, actors and politicians all citing scientific evidence have made this their cause celebre. What exactly is global warming and what effect does the greenhouse effect have on it? Is it truly time for radical action or are we experiencing a natural phenomena?

The Greenhouse Effect was first recognized in the early 1800's as a natural and necessary condition that acted to keep Earth temperate enough to support terrestrial life. Trace gases in the atmosphere; water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, have the ability to trap radiant heat from the planet's surfaces and re-radiate it into the atmosphere. If not for the greenhouse effect, the side of our planet away from the sun would cool rapidly. The Goldilocks Principle applies to our world: Mars' atmosphere is too thin making it much too cool, Venus' atmosphere is too thick trapping too much heat and Earth's is just right. If not for the Greenhouse Effect, there would be no life as we know it.

Scientists measure something called the Albedo Effect-the percentage of solar energy reflected back into the Earth's atmosphere from the surface. This measurement is critical to our understanding of the overall global warming trend. Land use is the biggest factor in Albedo measurement. As the surface of the land changes, so to does its radiant properties. Cities have been shown to have higher mean temperatures than the surrounding countryside. Much of this is due to the radiant properties of roads and buildings as compared to fields and forests.

All weather is said to be local, but long term trends should hold true as regards climate change. How then, do we explain that from 1820 to 2000, New York City has had a mean temperature increase of approximately 4 degrees F while West Point has stayed at virtually the same temperature and Albany has experienced a slight decrease? (Data from United States Historical Climatology Network) Worldwide? Alice Springs, Australia, Christchurch, NZ, Kamenskoe Siberia, Rome, Paris and Goteburg, Germany all have held even over the last 130 years with a few cities showing mean temperature decreases. Asia has several cities that show distinct or even dramatic temperature increases. (source: giss.nasa.gov).

Carbon dioxide

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