For tonight's class, we learned about the science of global warming. Dr. Dan Plover showed us many graphs to help explain why global warming is happening (Dr. Plover is an expert on root and soil systems). Many people want to believe that the earth is warming up just because it's "natural" and that humans aren't doing anything to make this happen. For them, the truth is "inconvenient" and means they would have to change the way they live to be more responsible and less wasteful.
Dr. Plover showed us evidence from scientists all over the world that proves humans really are doing a lot of things to cause the earth to get warmer. The greenhouse effect is a natural process. It is the reason why there can be life on this planet of ours. Unfortunately, the greenhouse gases that keep the earth warm enough for life are building up to the point where it has become dangerous for life. Our water supply is shrinking, species of animals are dying, diseases are moving to new places, and floods, droughts, fires and storms are becoming more destructive. The gases that are reaching dangerous levels in our atmosphere are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, and something called halo-carbons (this is the only gas that is not natural--it is used in refrigerators and spray cans). The gas that is causing the most trouble is carbon dioxide and most of it comes from the use of electricity in people's homes!
Do you think you could talk your family into using less electricity at home? Do you think they would listen to you if you told them that they could really help change the way things are going just by unplugging things when they are not using them? Imagine if every family and teacher at Fairmount did this? What if every school in San Francisco made a promise to be less wasteful? What if every school in California and then the whole United States started changing the way humans live?

"The world we have created is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed
without changing our thinking." --Albert Einstein

The other teachers with me in this program are from New York, Texas, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Louisiana and New Jersey. That's already seven states that could get the ball rolling. Did you know that the United States is contributing more greenhouse gases and pollution to the earth than any other country? Do you want to be the 'bad guys'? It's a good time to start feeling love for our planet. Remember waking up at Slide Ranch? (Here's a reminder.....)