From Larry West,
Your Guide to Environmental Issues.
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Climate change, specifically global warming, has captured the attention of people worldwide and has inspired more debate and action—personal, political and corporate—than perhaps any other environmental issue in history.

But all of that discussion, along with the mountains of data and conflicting points of view that go with it, sometimes make it hard to really know what’s going on. This guide will help you cut through the rhetoric and confusion and get to the facts.

THE CHALLENGE OF GLOBAL WARMING
The first step toward learning what can be done to reduce global warming, and how you can help, is to understand the problem.

• What Causes Global Warming?
• Global Warming is Unstoppable and Humans are to Blame
• How Do Humans Contribute to Global Warming?
• U.S. Autos Account for Half of Global Warming Linked to Cars Worldwide

Greenhouse Gases and the Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon, and many greenhouse gases occur naturally, so why are they cited as problems whenever global warming is discussed?

• What is the Greenhouse Effect?
• What are Greenhouse Gases?
• Greenhouse Gases at Highest Levels in 650,000 Years
• Are Greenhouse Gas Levels Increasing?
• Record Increase in U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sparks Global Controversy

CURRENT AND FUTURE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING
The effects of global warming are often discussed in future terms, but many of those effects are already under way and having an impact on everything from biodiversity to human health. But it’s not too late. If we act now, most scientists believe we can avoid many of the worst effects of global warming.

• Serious Effects of Global Warming Already Have Begun
• Scholars Predict 50 Million Environmental Refugees by 2010
• Fire and Ice: Melting Glaciers Trigger Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanos

Global Warming and Human Health

• Global Warming Leads to 150,000 Deaths Every Year
• Global Warming May Kill Billions This Century

Global Warming, Wildlife and Biodiversity

• How is Wildlife Affected by Global Warming?
• Bird Extinctions Occurring Faster than Previously Believed
• Polar Bears Threatened by Global Warming, says Bush Administration

Global Warming and Natural Resources

• Global Warming Linked to Increase in U.S. Forest Fires
• Global Warming Puts 12 U.S. National Parks on the Endangered List

GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS
Reducing global warming and mitigating its effects will require a combination of enlightened public policy, corporate commitment and personal action. The good news is that the world’s leading climate scientists have agreed that there is still enough time to address the problem of global warming if we act now, and enough money to get the job done without undermining national economies.

• Controlling Global Warming is Cost-Effective and Within Reach

Global Warming and You
As a citizen and a consumer, you can influence public policy and business decisions that effect global warming and the environment. You can also make lifestyle choices every day that reduce your contribution to global warming.

• Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming
• How One Person Can Change the World
• Get a Free Home Energy Audit
• Stop Receiving Junk Mail
• Stop Mowing Your Lawn

Global Warming and Renewable Energy
One of the best ways to reduce global warming is to use renewable energy that doesn’t emit greenhouse gases.

• Top 7 Renewable Energy Sources
• What is Wind Power and How Does it Work?
• The Pros and Cons of Solar Power
• Is Ocean Power a Viable Energy Source?

Global Warming, Transportation and Alternative Fuels
Transportation accounts for 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States—two-thirds of that from automobiles and other vehicles—and many other developed and developing nations face similar challenges.

Alternative Fuels

• Top 8 Alternative Fuels
• The Pros and Cons of Biofuels
• Ethanol: Frequently Asked Questions About Ethanol
• Careful Driving Saves Gasoline—But Not in America

Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles

• Traditional vs. Plug-in Hybrid Cars: Which is Better and What’s the Difference?
• New Tax Incentives and Benefits Make Hybrid Cars More Appealing than Ever
• New Google Charity Developing Super-Efficient Hybrid Car to Fight Global Warming
• Sales of Honda’s New Natural Gas-Powered Car Pick Up Speed as Fuel Prices Accelerate
• Consumer Reports Fixes Error on Cost of Hybrid Car Ownership

Public Transportation

• The Great American Streetcar Scandal
• Public Transportation: Fast Track to Fewer Emissions and Energy Independence

On page 2, learn what governments, the business community, environmentalists, and science skeptics are saying and doing about global warming .