What is Global Warming
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of Earth's surface. Since the late 1800's, the global average temperature has increased about 0.7 to 1.4 degrees F (0.4 to 0.8 degrees C). Many experts estimate that the average temperature will rise an additional 2.5 to 10.4 degrees F (1.4 to 5.8 degrees C) by 2100. That rate of increase would be much larger than most past rates of increase.
Scientists worry that human societies and natural ecosystems might not adapt to rapid climate changes. An ecosystem consists of the living organisms and physical environment in a particular area. Global warming could cause much harm, so countries throughout the world drafted an agreement called the Kyoto Protocol to help limit it.
The premise of global warming is that industrial growth coupled with non-structured methods we as humans use to sustain ourselves has created a situation where our planet is getting hotter by the minute. We have seemingly negatively affected our environment by a cycle of harmful processes that now seem to be feeding upon themselves to exponentially increase the damage to our ecosystem.
Causes of Global Warming
Climatologists (scientists who study climate) have analyzed the global warming that has occurred since the late 1800's. A majority of climatologists have concluded that human activities are responsible for most of the warming. Human activities contribute to global warming by enhancing Earth's natural greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect (carbon dioxide, methane and ozone as well as nitrous oxide and other naturally occurring gases, the levels of carbon dioxide and methane have increased significantly over the past 650,000 years due to fossil fuels being burned, deforestation and other causes) warms Earth's surface through a complex process involving sunlight, gases, and particles in the atmosphere. Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are known as greenhouse gases.
The main human activities that contribute to global warming are the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and the clearing of land. Most of the burning occurs in automobiles, in factories, and in electric power plants that provide energy for houses and office buildings. The burning of fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide, whose chemical formula is CO2. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that slows the escape of heat into space. Trees and other plants remove CO2 from the air during photosynthesis, the process they use to produce food. The clearing of land contributes to the buildup of CO2 by reducing the rate at which the gas is removed from the atmosphere or by the decomposition of dead vegetation.
Finally, solar variation is considered a cause of global warming. Some researchers, such as from Duke University, believe that the sun may have created 45-50 percent of the increase in average global temperature from 1900-2000 and 25-35 percent from 1980-2000. It is also considered that solar output may have contributed to global warming; the magnetic properties of the sun may deflect cosmic rays, influencing cloud condensation and thus affecting the Earth’s climate. A small number of scientists argue that the increase in greenhouse gases has not made a measurable difference in the temperature. They say that natural processes could have caused global warming. Those processes include increases in the energy emitted (given off) by the sun. But the vast majority of climatologists believe that increases in the sun's energy have contributed only slightly to recent warming.
Impact of Global Warming
Global Warming threatens local communities, wildlife habitats, and endangered species. It alters weather patterns, potentially causing more floods, famines, droughts, and ecological devastation such as:
Weather Damage - Changes in rainfall patterns could increase both flooding and drought in some areas. More hurricanes and other tropical storms might occur, and they could become more powerful.
Threats to human health - Tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue, might spread to larger regions. Longer-lasting and more intense heat waves could cause more deaths and illnesses. Floods and droughts could increase hunger and malnutrition.
Rising sea level - Continued global warming might, over centuries, melt large amounts of ice from a vast sheet that covers most of West Antarctica. As a result, the sea level would rise throughout the world. Many coastal areas would experience flooding, erosion, a loss of wetlands, and an entry of seawater into freshwater areas. High sea levels would submerge some coastal cities, small island nations, and other inhabited regions
Harm to ocean life - High water temperatures can cause a damaging process called coral bleaching. When corals bleach, they expel the algae that give them their color and nourishment. The corals turn white and, unless the water temperature cools, they die. Added warmth also helps spread diseases that affect sea creatures.
Changes of habitat - Many species would have difficulty surviving in the regions they now inhabit. For example, many flowering plants will not bloom without a sufficient period of winter cold.
Unsustainable development – Componu resources on natural resources
Loss of Biodiversity – Significant loss of biodiversity is projected to occur in ecologically rich country such as Australia and New Zealand.
Steps to prevent global warming
There are many things you can do in your daily life that can have an effect on your immediate surrounding, and on places as far away as here in Multimedia University Cyberjaya. Here is a list of things that you can do to make a difference.
- Lower the consumption of carbon emission (energy efficient appliances and things as easy as changing your lightbulb)
- Buy recycled product
- Plant trees
- Drive an energy efficient car
- Stop pollution (air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, environmental pollution, soil and gas pollution).
- Reduce garbage
- Un-plugged unused electronics
- Carry canvas or mesh shopping bags to the grocery store with you to conserve plastic or paper bags supplied by the store.
- Use pesticides very sparingly, and use those which have a short active potency on the plants or in the soil.
Support event/charity preventing global warming all around the world such as:
Earth hour - Earth Hour 2009 was a global initiative by the World Wide Fund for Nature which acted as a worldwide call to action to every individual, business and community to take a stand against Climate Change.
Global Warming State of Action - Explore, enjoy and protect the planet (awareness campaign).
UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme
IOWA Global Warming Campaign
YCC – Youth Climate Conferences
Environmental Film Festival
The Green Generation
Event here in Malaysia:
Earth Hour - Earth Hour in Malaysia is planned and run by WWF-Malaysia and its partners. We welcome all parties to participate in Earth Hour by turning off your lights for one hour from 8.30pm-9.30pm.
CETDEM hopes that this educational project is well received and actively used by school in order to combat this very serious issue of global warming and climate change that we are facing in the World today. By implementing the recommended measures, the school and students can help reverse the impacts that global warming and climate change are having on the world and environment around us.
Malaysian Nature Society – MNS School Nature Club, Wira Alam Programme and KL Green Lung Seminar
PATT (Plant a Tree Today) - campaign for better environmental practices, take action against climate change, implement reforestation projects as well as provide funding for partner projects, set up school tree nurseries and provide environmental education, and fund community development projects in rural communities cantered on tree planting and reforestation.
Analysis
• To create an installation art that interacts with user by combining both the eco elements and technology.
• The main use of this installation is so that the user can interact with the eco elements and to provide awareness about the global warming.
• User can feel the necessity of preventing global warming by exploring/interact with the installation art.
• Using the research. The awareness in preventing global warming is little known by the student in MMU, the installation will perhaps be more emphasize on the preventing part.
• Using material, component, hardware/software and eco elements ( tree, water) that is compatible and can work together in creating the installation art
Approach
Environmental art/green art
The environmental art movement can be traced back in the late 1960’s or the late 1970’s and was mostly associated with sculpture in its early years. Environmental art or some called it green art/sustainable art is a kind of art that informs and interprets nature and its processes, concerned with environmental forces and materials, creating artworks affected or powered by wind, water, lightning, even earthquakes or educates us about environmental problems. In other words, it is a kind of art that helps to improve the human relationship with the world. “My work is inspired by my desire to understand and heal the environment. By working intimately with natural materials such as rocks, branches, leaves, and sand, I deepen my knowledge of nature and natural forces” Zach Pine (Nature Sculpture).Much environmental art is temporary (made to disappear or transform), designed for a particular place (and can't be moved) or involves collaborations between artists and others, such as scientists, educators or community groups. Arborsculpture, frail loop, sculpture out of scrap and glass works are some of the example of the environmental art.
Unlike the usual art, the environmental artist creatively tend to use a recyclable, used or even trash item to make their art, this is to help in maintaining the environment. “I’m not starting any rallies. I’m not making a political statement,” he says. “It’s more like a personal display of how I feel about [recycling].”It just goes against my nature to use up something new if it’s already available, taking up valuable space on a trash heap,” Erwin Timmers.
Knowledge and Ethics
There are many ways to prevent global warming such as planting tree, drive an electric or hybrid car that low in fuel consumption, recycled, stop pollution, using eco friendly item or things as simple as changing your light bulb and many more but do MMU student know or involve in any of the ways to prevent global warming. This project aims to provide consciousness for the student about global warming
- To study about the cause of global warming
- To study on how student can help and participate against global warming
- Provide a better understanding and information such as impact and ways to prevent global warming for the student
- Create an awareness amongst the student about the importance of taking care of the environment for a better future
- Using installation to provide a user experience about the global warming, student can actually feel/interact with the art itself.
Planning
Approach
Literature review – Books, article, newspaper, magazine
Data Collection – Surveys, internet, messenger and discussions
Design development
Concept and Implementation
•Managing the eco elements and the technology to work together
-software and hardware compatibility to work with the eco elements such as tree
•Combining the installation art with the art movement (environmental art)
-creating the installation based on the environmental art to provide awareness
•Dark art
-creating a kind of art that allow user to experience and bear to put in their mind for future reference about the importance and awareness of preventing global warming.
To create an installation art where user can interact by exploring/play/touch the art itself to give the user a personal experience and conducting a message about the importance of global warming.
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