2008 Woodie Awards
Climate Change: The Greatest Story Never Told
Deepika Mehra
Issue date: 10/27/04 Section: News
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On October 20, 2004 in Smith Auditorium, about 200 Honors Enrichment Program students attended the Symposium on "Climate Change: The Greatest Story Never Told." Larry Schweiger, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation delivered the lecture. The Manhattan College Honors Enrichment Program and The International Studies Program sponsored the Symposium. "Schweiger is an active community leader, having served on more than 40 governing boards, commissions and committees. He currently serves as a board member of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, and has received many awards for his efforts in conservation." (nwf.org)
Schweiger explained, "Over 400,000 acre of land was burnt because of the tremendous change in Alaska." Many species are in danger as a result of this change in climate as well as the environmental upheaval. It was estimated that in the year 1750, the total consumption of carbon was 280 parts per million in the atmosphere as compared to the year 1999, which was 369 parts/million. This means that the aforementioned uptake is causing our planet to give off its own carbon dioxide.
Maria Trefz, a sophomore said, "Global warming is a term I had heard many times before attending Larry Schweiger's lecture, but it never really meant anything to me. Through concrete examples and personal stories, Larry painted a picture of what climate change is doing to our world. All over North America, glaciers are melting and fish are migrating because of the rising temperatures. After attending this symposium, I feel more environmentally aware and I understand that even the smallest things like turning off the light when I leave a room can help preserve the environment for future generations."
Moreover, Schweiger, stressed that its time to "...make some tough choices about how we are living." We have been living our life apart from nature and it is time to act. "Nature will strike back if we keep on ignoring the emergent warning about weather patterns." Our world is warming up, According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, "As the Earth continues to warm; there is a growing risk that the climate will change in ways that will seriously disrupt our lives. While on average the globe will get warmer and receive more precipitation, individual regions will experience different climatic changes and environmental impacts." Among the most severe consequences of global warming are a risk of a greater rise in sea level, more heat waves and droughts, resulting in more and more conflicts for water resources, more extreme weather events, producing floods and property destruction, and a greater potential for heat-related illnesses and deaths as well as the wider spread of infectious diseases carried by insects and rodents into areas
Schweiger explained, "Over 400,000 acre of land was burnt because of the tremendous change in Alaska." Many species are in danger as a result of this change in climate as well as the environmental upheaval. It was estimated that in the year 1750, the total consumption of carbon was 280 parts per million in the atmosphere as compared to the year 1999, which was 369 parts/million. This means that the aforementioned uptake is causing our planet to give off its own carbon dioxide.
Maria Trefz, a sophomore said, "Global warming is a term I had heard many times before attending Larry Schweiger's lecture, but it never really meant anything to me. Through concrete examples and personal stories, Larry painted a picture of what climate change is doing to our world. All over North America, glaciers are melting and fish are migrating because of the rising temperatures. After attending this symposium, I feel more environmentally aware and I understand that even the smallest things like turning off the light when I leave a room can help preserve the environment for future generations."
Moreover, Schweiger, stressed that its time to "...make some tough choices about how we are living." We have been living our life apart from nature and it is time to act. "Nature will strike back if we keep on ignoring the emergent warning about weather patterns." Our world is warming up, According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, "As the Earth continues to warm; there is a growing risk that the climate will change in ways that will seriously disrupt our lives. While on average the globe will get warmer and receive more precipitation, individual regions will experience different climatic changes and environmental impacts." Among the most severe consequences of global warming are a risk of a greater rise in sea level, more heat waves and droughts, resulting in more and more conflicts for water resources, more extreme weather events, producing floods and property destruction, and a greater potential for heat-related illnesses and deaths as well as the wider spread of infectious diseases carried by insects and rodents into areas