Written by Sarah Paulin
Global Warming Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about the realities of human-motivated environmental changes. One of these is the label Global Warming when pertaining to recent atmospheric fluctuations.
Though parts of the world are in fact getting warmer, the correct term is Global Climate Change. Due to mostly human-generated carbon dioxide and methane pollution, Earth's gasses are not able to escape pa
st the lower atmosphere. This is commonly known as the Greenhouse Effect and results in an overall climate change, effecting the entire world.
Climate vs. Weather
Climate is different from weather in that climate encompasses a long period of time, usually around thirty years. Weather refers to day-to-day temperatures. For example, San Diego is known for having a sunny, warm climate year-round. However, San Diego does experience weather, such as cloudiness and rain.
The evidence supporting Global Climate Change stipulates that the climate across all nations will change at an increased rate.
Natural vs. Increased Earth Cycles
The Earth naturally undergoes fluctuating climate cycles. According to NASA, in the last 650,000 years, the Earth has had seven cycles of glacial advanceand retreat. This is determined by excavating ice cores and testing the air pockets trapped inside the ice for as far back as 400,000 years ago. The best marker for climate change is carbon dioxide. Currently, carbon dioxide levels are rising beyond 380 CO2 parts per million. This is higher than it has ever been in the history of the Earth. This directly corresponds to and increase in global temperature and the resulting increased rate of the Earth's natural climate cycle.
These Late Pleistocene cycles occurred gradually and were due to small changes in Earth's proximity to the sun and slight fluctuations in greenhouse gasses. NASA also states that due to increased human activity and production of greenhouse gasses, the rate at which Earth's climate is currently changing is unnatural and will lead to a rise in sea levels and average global temperature, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, declining arctic sea ice, glacial retreat, and ocean acidification.
The Sea Bird Adventure
As an environmental organization, The Sea Bird team is committed to environmentally friendly practices, including reducing emissions of harmful greenhouse gasses. Half of the Sea Bird Adventure's mission is to equip the Sea Bird Adventure vessel with a turbine that will not require diesel fuel and therefore not release carbon dioxide, further polluting the atmosphere. The success of this project will allow other ships to modify their own fuel-intake systems and adapt a more sustainable method of power.
For more information Global Climate Change, visit the NASA website: http://climate.nasa.gov/
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If every house in the US did this then we would save 18 million trees every year.
1944: Camano Class Light Cargo Ship was laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding in Whitestone, NY.
1945: Delivered to US Army.
1950: Acquired by the US Navy on July 1, 1950 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1954: The movie, Mister Roberts, was made on the USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1955 - 1963: Used as a cargo supply ship for the Texas Towers, a network of advanced radar stations located off the Eastern Seaboard. In 1957, Capt. Sixto Mangual was commander of the AKL-17 and in 1961 it was rechristened the USNS New Bedford. The New Bedford, sailing out of State Pier, was keeping vigil when Texas Tower No. 4 callapsed off the New Jersey coast during a January 1961 nor'easter.
1963: Reclassified as Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX-308).
1971: The New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area.
1994: Ceremony in New Bedford.
1995: The ship was struck from the Naval Register on April 4.
2004: The Sea Bird's current disposition is a tuna long liner (fishing boat) out of San Diego, CA.
2006: Design of the Tesla Turbine began on June 11, 2006. The Sea Bird was sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for commercial service.
2007: The Sea Bird was drydocked for renovations.
2008: The Sea Bird setting sail to Sea-Tac in Seattle, WA.
2009 - 2010: The Sea Bird is currently docked at Seattle Sea-Tac.
