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An Introduction:  According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth’s surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed although uncertainties exist about exactly how earth’s climate responds to them. Go to the Emissions section for much more on greenhouse gases.

Our Changing Atmosphere:  Energy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse.  Without this natural “greenhouse effect,” temperatures would be much lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. Instead, thanks to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a more hospitable 60°F. However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases.

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Global Warming Links    

Human population is still growing fiercely. At the turn of the century we reached 6 Billion in number. Where will the energy come from if we continue to double the earth’s population every 40 years? What about food, clean air, clean water, enough lumber and forests too? How can we possibly address the rapid growth of our population? Solar electricity is a good answer to start, at least to buy a little more time in which we must discover how to live well with available sustainable resources, and with each other.  

There are opportunities to choose solar power other than remote living where it is the only available source of power. Increasingly, people are conscious of environmental concerns related to our society’s energy use. It is now possible to live comfortably and still choose natural and clean sources of energy rather than oil, coal, or nuclear sources. Many of our customers are people who choose to demonstrate this with their lives and their homes, even if it costs a little more, and even where utility lines are easily available. Backwoods solar applauds the service these folks are providing in pioneering cleaner technology and educating our society. Many states now provide financial incentives, rebates, or low interest loans to encourage use of renewable energy where it would otherwise not be competitive with utility power. 

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Environmental Concerns Links    

More Climate Impact Links   

tanker train run to Rotterdam, Netherlands. Location Blerick, Netherlands

Scientist David Fridley explains the inherent cost and production problems with ethanol and similar biofuels.

CEO of E3 Biofuels discusses company’s pioneering closed-loop system for ethanol production with virtually no fossil fuels.

Japan is a forested country with about 70% of its land comprised of bountiful woodland. The Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute is the only research organization in Japan that comprehensively researches forests in order to know, protect, and utilize this asset. The institute is currently developing a bio-ethanol production technology based on simultaneous glycosylation fermentation using alkali pretreatments and cellulose-producing microorganisms. As a raw material for bio-ethanol, woody biomass doesn’t compete with current food-based ones….

Research at Oklahoma State University

November 2006 (Medialink) — With the recent run up in gas prices and the lingering war in the Middle East, there has been talk of renewable energy sources to power our cars and J11544trucks. Ethanol, a biofuel, can be produced not only from corn, but sugar cane, switch grass, and wood. And using it, instead of gasoline, decreases the amount of pollutants a car emits. But the question remains, "Are there any cars that can run on it?" Brazil started an ethanol program. Recently, Brazil introduced flex fuel vehicles. These vehicles can run both with ethanol, gasoline, ethanol and gasoline in any blend. So these vehicles can be used anywhere. Sweden is also dedicated to reducing its dependence on oil. …