Earth Warming 101

By the by, Daddy gnome settled the gnomelets into bed. He opened the gnomelets' favorite bedtime story book, Fairy Tales.

But before Daddy gnome could start, a gnomelet asks, "Daddy, what is earth warming?"

Mama gnome took over and said...

Once upon a time, there was a planet called Earth.

Earth was different from other planets that looped around the Sun. All sorts of creatures and humans lived on this special planet.

But through the years, the humans became industrialized...building giant factories, cars, massive farms and power plants.

Most of the things man made relied on fossil fuels. They burned off fuels and released gases including carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

They're called greenhouse gases because they act like a greenhouse with Earth the figurative plant housed underneath its dome.

Greenhouse gases mainly trap the sun's radiation in the atmosphere. Thus causing earth warming or as humans call it Global Warming.

According to a National Geographic News article:

"The rate of warming is increasing. The 20th century's last two decades were the hottest in 400 years and possibly the warmest for several millennia, according to a number of climate studies. And the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that 11 of the past 12 years are among the dozen warmest since 1850."

"Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and indigenous cultures are already suffering from the sea-ice loss."

"Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting—for example, Montana's Glacier National Park now has only 27 glaciers, versus 150 in 1910."

Mama gnome said, "Come out from underneath the blanket, sweetie. I know it's scary. But let's finish the story---"

Some humans and gnomes tried to help Earth. But they are not enough to offset the effects of countless factories, machines, power plants...and more than six billion people.

Mama gnome wishes she could say, "And they lived happily ever after."

Then I would start over. And I will tell you,

Once upon a time, there was this beautiful planet. She was called EARTH.



video link: http://tinyurl.com/3b9em4


(c) 2009 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog