Global Heat
	More Bad News for Biodiversity!   The Latest Facts On Global Temperatures: 2007 Tied 1998 as Earth's Second-Warmest Year  Check-out this link! Very Cool! Thank You Jim Hansen and all the people at NASA for your dedication. Checking Earth's Temperature

Our Home... Planet Earth

How to slow Global Warming...   Give to Creative Earth, we have a job to do, regardless of of our passion for the earth, without your support good ideas are just good ideas. Our mission is to reach and teach every student and teacher in the world by the year 2015. We need to put the brakes on Global warming.  Creative Earth is a 501 c 3 charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Service tax code.  Please take a moment to read this. All hyperlinks are underlined.   There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now. Summary of Conclusions The Stern Review on the economics of climate change The Stern Review: Full Report Who is Sir Nicholas Stern?

Photo Courtesy of: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image

Our planet is a special planet, for it has the ability to create and foster life. One planet, full of life, we share it with all the other living organisms on this earth, everything is connected regardless of distance.  The oceans cover more than 70% of our planet. Phytoplankton provide our atmosphere with 70-80% of the oxygen we breathe.  The colder surface waters of the northern oceans are the most productive areas for these Phytoplankton. Without these tiniest of creatures, the essence of aerobic life on our planet, we would perish.

Ocean Color and Chlorophyll levels SeaWiFS data for the world with black land.

Courtesy of: SeaWiFS images

The red areas in this image are the regions of highest phytoplankton activity. The darker blue areas are the regions with the least amount of phytoplankton activity. Phytoplankton thrive in cooler waters, and as ocean temperatures rise phytoplankton numbers decline. Cold ocean currents bring essential nutrients to the surface. Phytoplankton rely on these nutrients to survive. The oceans act as a carbon sink, and phytoplankton are responsible for sequestering millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.

Phytoplankton contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll are complex molecules found in all photosynthetic plants. Chlorophyll is the molecule that absorbs sunlight and uses its energy to synthesize carbohydrates from CO2 and water. This process is known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the basis for sustaining the life processes of all plants. Since animals obtain their food supply by eating plants or eating other animals that eat plants, photosynthesis can be said to be the source of our life also. This image shows global ocean chlorophyll concentrations which is an index of phytoplankton biomass. It is the most common property that characterizes marine productivity.

According to NASA and NOAA scientists, Phytoplankton (the beginning of the oceans food chain) have declined in the northern oceans by as much as 30% in the last 20 years. Global temperatures are rising. The ten hottest years on record have occurred in the past 15 years. The glaciers and sea ice are melting. As we trap more heat in our atmosphere our climate changes, and everything is at risk. The biosphere has no borders. We are sharing our pollution with the whole planet. The worlds leading scientists  have concluded that global warming of more than 1°C, relative to 2000, will constitute "dangerous" climate change as judged from likely effects on sea level and extermination of species.  Our planet's temperature has climbed to levels not seen in thousands of years.  2005 Warmest Year in Over a Century The 20 Hottest Years on Record  The air, the water, the soil, the plants and the animals...it is all part of what makes the earth our home. A delicate balance for all natural things gives earth its amazing and abundant biodiversity. Let's take care of this beautiful planet, and like a good host it will provide us with everything we need for a pleasant stay. I think it is important to always remember: we're only visiting! Here are some links to the effects of climate change on our great planet. Thank you to everyone that applies their time and energy to address issues of climate change.

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH    Climate Crisis

Visible Earth    Visible Earth

Gary Braasch    World View of Global Warming Project

NASA's James Hansen Defusing the Global Warming Time Bomb             James Hansen NASA's Top Climatologist

EPA Climate Change