Global Climate Change
Essays

Environmental Articles The articles by Michael Pollan ("Why Bother?") and Anna Lappe ("The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork") are both focused on providing well-defined information about reducing individuals' carbon footprints as the climate continues to heat up. They are both centered on issues related to the warming of the planet and on wise responses that can be made in light of that threat. And both articles, while quite different in focus and in tone, embrace the idea of reducing one's carbon footprint by changing food habits. Why are these articles valuable? There are elected representatives and high-visibility media personalities that have been carrying on a constant negative attack against those who believe in and are responding responsibly to global warming. To deny what is happening is to be ignorant about science, but those campaigning against global climate change are in fact having an impact on public opinion. So the truth about what an individual can and should do to lesson his or her carbon footprint is vitally important. Both of these authors present believable and practical advice regarding climate change and what people can do in their own homes and communities. This paper will discuss the salient ideas presented in both articles and how those ideas are both similar in message and practical in substance.

Less than six months into his second administration, it is clear that President Bush remains dedicated to deluded political decision-making. His bold nomination of John Bolton for the esteemed position of ambassador to…

The problems resulting from factory farming are enormous and devastating to animals. Factory farming worldwide results in the slaughter of 650 animals every second of every day; 56 billion animals (pigs, cows, chickens) are slaughtered annually to provide food for the world's population. But along with the inhumane process of slaughter, animals are raise in hideously unhealthy conditions and they stand shoulder to shoulder in their own excrement in many cases. Vegetarianism is given as an alternative to this cruelty.

Regulating Oil and Gas Drilling and Transport Introduction. The American economy runs on energy produced from oil, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric power, nuclear power and renewable sources like solar and wind energies. In fact according to a report in the Congressional Research Service, oil provides the United States with 40% of its total energy needs. It is used in myriad ways, providing "…fuel for the transportation, industrial, and residential sectors" (Ramseur, 2012). Because of the great need for energy to fuel the American economy, oil in "vast quantities" enters the country and moves through the country by ships and by pipelines, Ramseur explains in the Congressional Research Service. Hence, it is inevitable that some spills will occur, and they certainly do occur, notwithstanding the attempts by the industry to conduct its business safely. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that the U.S. consumed 6.87 billion barrels (about 18.83 million barrels a day) in 2011, and that was a slight reduction from the 7.0 billion barrels consumed in 2010 (www.eia.gov). As for the amount of natural gas consumed in the U.S. annually, the EIA reports that Americans used approximately 24.38 trillion cubic feet in 2011 (www.eia.gov). There is no doubt that until such time as renewable sources provide far more energy for the nation, oil and natural gas in particular will be in great demand. This paper reviews current environmental problems associated with oil and gas production and offers strategies for safer ways to regulate oil and gas production. Thesis: Because of the risky strategies energy corporations take in retrieving oil and natural gas – and due to the leaks, spills, blowouts, tankers running around and other errors and disasters associated with oil extraction and transport – major new environmental regulations must be put on place regarding the drilling for oil. Moreover, current tactics for producing natural gas from existing wells – a process known as "fracking" – are not safe, do not protect the environment, have the potentiality of bringing harm residents and communities, and should be strictly regulated.

Legal Issues in Fracturing Introduction Hydraulic Fracturing – also commonly referred to as "fracking" – is a technique for extracting natural gas and oil from the crust of the earth. It has become a controversial program because there are environmental impacts associated with fracking. This paper reports on existing laws and policies in states and at the federal level that have to do with fracking. What is Fracking? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains that hydraulic fracturing creates "fractures in the rock formation that stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil" – and by creating fractures, it makes it possible to recover volumes of oil and gas that might not otherwise be within reach of the energy companies that do the fracking. The process of fracking can be conducted by drilling vertically for "…hundreds to thousands of feet" beneath the surface of the earth, and once the drill has reached a certain point it can also drill horizontally (EPA, 2012).

Following Hurricane Sandy, it has become increasingly difficult to deny the reality of global climate change. The essay here discusses the implications of this phenomenon. The discussion reviews some of the root causes of global warming, some of the pertinent consequences and a review of the prospects for policy improvement on this issue.

Introduction Main Purpose The Empathic Civilization, by Jeremy Rifkin is a fresh analysis of the history of civilization, how we got to the place we are in presently, and what we can do to guarantee the highest likelihood of survival of our species. Jeremy Rifkin is one of the most well-liked social thinkers of our time. He is a counselor to the European Union and other heads of state just about anywhere around the world. He is in addition the president of the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington, D.C.

(LO 1) Legoland, Denmark and the Sydney Opera House

Without question, climate change is having a profound impact on the global economy. Evidence is mounting within increasing intensity to suggest that the patterns of climate and weather are shifting and that these shifts…

Global warming has become a modern issue of considerable significance. It has been the subject of many debates, articles and conferences. Despite the amount of debate around the issue, there is still no clear conclusion.