Global Warming (and Florida) UF, School of Building Construction August 28, 2003 Mark van Soestbergen ICBE

Carbon Dioxide Intercepts infrared waves going into space

Gasoline is 85.5% carbon 1 gallon of conventional gasoline becomes 172 cubic feet / 4.87 cubic meters of CO 2

125 gallon makes one ton CO 2 1 ton of CO 2 easily fills up a 19,866 cubic feet / 556 cubic meters container

10 ton CO 2 fills Florida Field 3 foot high Every year, the United States produces 20 tons of CO 2 per person

Humans add about 3 billion tC to the atmosphere each year

Copyright 2002 IPS-Inter Press Service Asian Brown Haze

Notice the air over the Tibetan Plateau is very clear. Most of this air pollution comes from human activities. These particles impact local health, the region's hydrological cycle and average climate. Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Image courtesy SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE SeaWiFS Project,

Image courtesy SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, and ORBIMAGE SeaWiFS Project,

Global Climate Change changes everything More CO2 changes plant behavior More CO2 increases temperature of the atmosphere, the the earth’s crust and the oceans Global hydro cycle; rain and moisture

The Coldest Areas Warm the Most

Summers will be scorchers These maps show the projected increase in average daily July heat index relative to the present. The largest increases are in the southeastern states, where the Canadian model projects increases of more than 25°F. For example, a July day in Atlanta that now reaches a heat index of 105°F would reach a heat index of 115°F in the Hadley model, and 130°F in the Canadian model.

Florida - Average temperature increase of 5 ~10°F - Reversal of summer-wet, winter-dry - Vectors - Sea level rise - Storms

Impacts on: - Agriculture - Tourism - Health - Insurance - Tax Base - Economy

Currently identified vulnerability zones

Expected sea level increase 21 st Century: meter Florida + 5 meter, unavoidable w/out action Courtesy: PBS

Much reduction is needed to reach stability Human emission rate in billion tC/yr t Equilibrium Latent atmospheric C is about 188 billion ton Emissions the earth absorbs in billion tC/yr

Climate Change: A hundred year problem Achieving carbon-neutrality (the switch to clean energy) = 30 years? Absorption of latent carbon (sequestration) = 7% of planet surface & 150 years?

Annual school budget vs electrical: - UM 470m / 6m = 1.3% - UF 1,857m / 26m = 1.4% - UCF 578m / 9m = 1.6%

UF is planning 16% growth over the next 10 years.. What are the dollar savings if all new buildings are Green? $1,743,000 per year And CO2 savings over the building lifetime? 2,100,000 tCO2

U.S. commitment under Kyoto

Links and Resources

- Nice meeting all of you! Mark van Soestbergen tel fax Toward Climate Stability ™