Global Warming Hendersonville NC

The Global Warming Task Force (GWTF) of Henderson County is a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution. The Task Force encourages informed and active participation of citizens in their government and seeks to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Minutes of Meetings

GWTF meets at 6:30 p.m. on the 2nd Monday of each month in the education building of Providence Baptist Church, 1201 Oakland St., Hendersonville. Concerned citizens of planet earth are cordially invited to participate. Become a Member - Click Here.

French Broad River Keeper Reveals Coal Ash Problem . . . In a Community Forum co-sponsored by the GWTF and ECO, Tuesday, June 1, Hartwell Carson, the French Broad River Keeper, presented information about hazardous coal ash waste that threatens the river and people who live near the Progress Energy plant in Buncombe County. Read his report here.

A Global Work Party . . . We are planning a local event in connection with 350 to highlight the critical climate change issues on the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of this century. Work Party 10/10/10 will be related to events in other towns and cities around the globe to highlight the message that we must reduce our carbon emissions to 350 parts per million.

350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere . . . Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 390ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt. Read More About the Science of 350.
Register Now to Participate in Henderson County 10/10/10 Work Party

Idle Not signs to be posted at schools . . . Mon. Mar. 8, 2010 ... the Task Force made a presentation to the Henderson County School Board asking them to post Department of Environment and Natural Resource's signs at each local school. These signs encourage folks to turn off their engines when waiting at the schools. Superintendent Dr. Page enthusiastically accepted the suggestion at the end of the presentation. These signs will be posted at 22 schools. GWTF will continue to work with the school community to educate the community about the problems associated with idling cars. It effects both their pocketbooks and the air shared by everyone.

Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change ... More than 100 religious organizations, representing almost every major religion in the world have signed the Interfaith Declaration on Climate change. "Respect for Life is a central doctrine of all faiths on Earth. Yet today we are endangering life on Earth with dangerous levels of greenhouse gas emissions. These gases are destabilizing the global climate system, heating the Earth, acidifying the oceans, and putting both humanity and all living creatures at unacceptable risk... Continued

Plant a tree to save up to 65% on energy ... Homeowners that properly place trees in their landscape can realize savings up to 58% on daytime air conditioning and as high as 65% for mobile homes. If applied nationwide to buildings not now benefiting from trees, the shade could reduce our nation’s consumption of oil by 500,000 barrels of oil/day. Read More About This

The CRU Hack - 20 November 2009 ... A large number of emails from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at the University of East Anglia webmail server were recently hacked. Comment: Breaking into computers and releasing private information is illegal and unethical.

Despite widespread misinformation, the facts are: There is no evidence of any worldwide conspiracy, no mention of George Soros nefariously funding climate research, no grand plan to ‘get rid of the MWP,' no admission that global warming is a hoax, no evidence of the falsifying of data. There is a peek into how scientists actually interact, and the conflicts show that the community is a far cry from the monolith that is sometimes imagined. People working constructively to improve joint publications; scientists who are friendly and agree on many of the big picture issues, disagreeing at times about details and engaging in ‘robust’ discussions; Scientists expressing frustration at the misrepresentation of their work in politicized arenas and complaining when media reports get it wrong; Scientists resenting the time they have to take out of their research to deal with over-hyped nonsense. None of this should be shocking.
Excerpts from article published in NY Times

The serious business of climate change began December 7th in Copenhagen, Denmark. In opening remarks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon predicted that a robust agreement to combat climate change will be reached in Copenhagen and implemented immediately. The official website is http://en.cop15.dk/. Along with news and articles on climate change, there is also a climate quiz that would make a great classroom activity.

Comment from Eva Ritchey ... The increasing body of knowledge on climate change as well as the increasing evidence that we see around us verifies clearly that something is changing. It is a verifiable fact that greenhouse gases are increasing due to human activity.

NATIONAL SOLAR TOUR in Hendersonville ... The GWTF of Henderson County sponsored a leg of the National Solar Tour, October 17. About 15 participants rode on the Hendersonville Trolley to visit solar installations in local homes, the Landmark, a local apartment complex, and then toured the new Mills River Elementary School which is LEED certified as a result of our efforts in past years. Below is a picture of some of the tour participants in front of the school.

PDA Agenda for Action ... The Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is offering a step by step action plan for individuals who are concerned about global climate change. Regardless of your political affiliation this list of specific action steps you can take as an individual person is worth a closer look. Click Here for details.

The Breathing Earth simulation... This real-time simulation displays the CO2 emissions of every country in the world, as well as their birth and death rates. Click Here!

Maybe Ten Years ??? .... Scientists tell us we have a 10-year window -- if even that -- before catastrophic climate change becomes inevitable and irreversible. The threat is real, and time is not on our side... The truth is that the threat we face is not an abstract concern for the future. It is already upon us and its effects are being felt worldwide, right now. Scientists project that the Arctic will be ice-free in the summer of 2013. Not in 2050, but four years from now. Click Here!

Why So Much Controversy? With such strong scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely due to human activities, why is there so much controversy in the press and among the public? Why do some people keep insisting it is just an unproven theory? Some reasons involve communication breakdowns, but even more important is ... Read More

Solar Solutions - by Dr. Hermann Scheer ... Our Earth is an open and a closed system at the same time: it is open to the constant flow of energy from the Sun, the force of gravity of the Sun and Moon and cosmic radiation; it is closed with respect to the potential of fossil resources, of matter, water, soil and air. As long as the global economy operates on this limited base of energy and raw materials, it has only a very restricted outlook left, for two irrefutable reasons: on the one hand, because fossil resources are finite, and on the other, because during their conversion, the finite, but indispensable elements of life on our globe—water, soil, and the atmosphere—are unavoidably overburdened, damaged and destroyed .... Continued

THE POVERTY OF CLIMATE CHANGE
For people of faith, addressing climate change is a justice issue. Water scarcity, drought, crop failure, increased disease and flooding are just a few of the issues brought on by global climate change that could impact those living in poverty. The National Council of Churches Eco-Justice programs is marking Earth Day Sunday on April 27 by recognizing the relationship between poverty and climate change. They offer a resource for worship, adult study and youth activities. Pass this on to your congregation. Copies are available online by visiting: www.nccecojustice.org .

Attention Kids of all Ages
Click the logo to the left to learn about a new program just for you.

Teach Your Children . . .
Think climate change is too big of a problem to solve? Think again. Small changes in our everyday lives can make a big difference. Just ask Patrick Gonzalez, a Nature Conservancy climate scientist who sits on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the scientific body assessing global climate change. Teach your children what they can do and set a good example... Continued

Top 10 Ways to Be Green

Tip #1: Unplug!
Taking a few minutes to turn off electrical devices won't just help you save the planet, it can also help you save a few bucks off your electric bill each month. At home, go ahead and turn off the lights when leaving a room (chances are the walls
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Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a "Green" Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It provides a suite of (Cont'd. Click Here)

Global Warming Task Force of Henderson County NC A nonpartisan and nonprofit organization working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution.

Global Warming Task Force
of Henderson County NC
A nonpartisan and nonprofit organization working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and pollution.