Our Planet Earth has been warming, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded some years ago. Global surface temperature has gone by over 1.5 deg F during the last century. IPCC cautions that if we don't reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to pre-90s levels before 2025 we run a risk of seeing an increase of 2.0 to 11.5 °F by the end of twenty first century. Most of the warming from pre-industrial, pre-war times till 1950 or so came from solar radiation and volcanoes. Modernization brought in excess emissions primarily in the form of CO2 and other harmful gases. Two of the largest carbon sinks in the planet, the oceans and the forest cover, reached its full capacity to absorb and convert CO2 into calcium carbonate and plant food some years ago. We are running this planet at about 125% capacity of our CO2 sinks. This essentially increases the gas content in the atmosphere and thereby decreasing its capacity to act as an effective insulation layer. The radiation bounces back to the earth's surface more thereby increasing our planet's surface temperature. Global warming will cause sea levels to rise, precipitation levels (rains) will alter significantly, desertification will be alarmingly unpredictable and more rapid, glaciers, permafrost and sea ice will melt particularly in the Arctic. Extreme weather conditions will leave a drastic effect on human, plant and animal life. Increase sea levels will drive over ten million people away from their native lands as climate refugees.

Luckily, you and I can help. Let us start with two simple steps today:

1) Watch out for how much we consume. Reduce it wherever we can.
2) Look to reduce travel and energy needs.

I Am New,
Krish Murali Eswar.