One of our aims at the ClimateCorps is to awaken the sleeping giant. That is, the mass of humanity that is either uninformed about the causes and consequences of global warming, skeptical, apathetic, rationalizing, or just too self-centered to give a hoot. Wake them to what? Wake them to the reality and peril of the situation. Wake them to the fact that they can personally make a difference. Wake them to accepting the responsibility of changing how they operate in the world so that our planet remains habitable for humanity.Toward that end, we present the following categories, and their respective lists of ‘talking points’. There appropriate, each talking point will be accompanied by a link to further background. Assimilate as many of these talking points as you can. They will become part of your repertoire when you talk to others.

Background

• The ‘greenhouse effect’ is the trapping of more than normal amounts of escaping infrared radiation (heat) by the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere. This layer has been thickened as a result of massive releases of CO2 and other ‘greenhouse gasses’. The result has been a slow, but accelerating increase in the heat retained, and thus the warming of the earth.
• Global warming is the result of the greenhouse effect. The northern most and southern most lattitudes have felt and will continue to feel this global warming the most. They are the ‘canaries in the coal mine’, so to speak.
• Several of the major ice masses on earth are already feeling the effects of global warming. Over 95% of the earth’s glaciers are in decline.
• The north polar ice cap is currently expected to disappear completely in summer time by 2020, way ahead of the previous 2050 predictions due to faster than expected melting observations.