Presentation

My opinion in "We'll save the planet only if we're forced to"

I think that forcing people to make other changes will help climate change. Additionally, I believe that many people will take to heart rational arguments and proof as to the disaster awaiting us. However, most people even in the environmentalist or green community will resist to the bitter end. In my opinion, I think that we need to reduce the consumption in general because we have become a nation of consumers. We need to reduce, and recycle the items. It's more nationalistic to consume, than to conserve for the good of the planet.

Masdar City (Video)

A Cool City: Masdar

Masder is a planned city in Abu Dhabi. It is designed by the British architectural firm Foster and Partners. Masder will rely entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources. It will be with a sustainable, zero-carbon and zero-waste ecology. The city is being constructed 17 kilometers (11 miles) east-south-east of the city of Abu Dhabi, beside Abu Dhabi International Airport. The project is estimated to cost US$22 billion and take some eight years to build.

In my opinion, I believe that this city will be the coolest city in the world because it will be with sustainable, zero-carbon and zero-waste ecology. Additionally, it will use a variety of renewable power sources and the water management has been planned very well. About 80 percent of the water used will be recycled and waste water will be reused. Also, the city will try to reduce waste to zero. Finally, I hope the project can succeed and good luck for those who are trying to build a cool city.

Steps to become a cool city

In fact, there are four steps to become a cool city. The first step is that the mayor has to ask for the agreement from the government to reduce citywide global warming carbon dioxide (CO2). The second step is to conduct an inventory of your city’s current global warming emissions. This step will recognize the city’s major CO2 source. The third step is to make a plan of how to reduce emissions while lowering energy costs for the city. The plan should include three important points which are the green vehicle fleets, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. The last step is to implement and monitor progress because a plan alone cannot cut global warming pollution but the city should put the plan into action and monitor its progress.

In my opinion I think that these steps are easy and not complicated and any cities around the world can follow them. Additionally, I think that the number of cool cities will increase because the awareness of the global warming will increase.

Cool Cities, Abu Dhabi

Cool cities are the cities which are trying to reduce the carbon emissions and carbon footprint. There are a lot of cool cities around the world such as Seattle, Tacoma and Bellingham. These cities are reducing the emissions and footprints.

Abu Dhabi is one of the cities which are trying to become a cool city. Abu Dhabi is promoting initiatives to reduce the negative environmental footprint of urban development and reduce consumption of energy. Abu Dhabi plans to use available green technology in transport, urban development and architecture with a low carbon footprint.

I think that Abu Dhabi will succeed to become a cool city because their plan is very efficient. Additionally, I think that Abu Dhabi may face some problems because of the weather which is hot and warm.

Global Warming

Critical Thinking

My Result of Carbon Footprint Quiz

Carbon Footprint

There are many simple ways to reduce the footprint you leave on the planet. Learn how to reduce your footprint in each consumption category–carbon, food, housing, and goods and services—but don’t stop there. Amplify your impact by encouraging others to follow your lead. Engage your friends and community with local and global movements for social change, or start your own movement!

Reduce your Carbon Footprint

Use cleaner transport

• Walk, bike, or take public transit whenever possible.
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  Avoid allowing your car to idle. If you’ll be waiting for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine (except in traffic). And don’t take the drive-through—park the car and walk inside instead.
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  Have your vehicle serviced regularly to keep the emission control systems operating at peak efficiency. Check your car's air filter monthly, and keep the tires adequately inflated to maximize gas mileage.
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  Avoid short airplane trips—take a bus or train instead.

Add energy-saving features to your home

• Install compact fluorescent bulbs in all your home light fixtures—but remember, compact fluorescents contain mercury, so look for low-mercury models and be sure to dispose of old bulbs safely through your local hazardous waste program.
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  Weatherproof your home. Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated, and consider double-pane windows. Eliminate drafts with caulking, weather strips, and storm windows and doors.
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  Insulate your water heater. Even better, switch to a tankless water heater, so your water will be heated only as you use it.
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  Choose energy efficient appliances.

Adopt energy-saving habits

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  Keep thermostat relatively low in winter and ease up on the air conditioning in summer. Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended to keep the A/C operating at peak efficiency.
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  Unplug your electronics when not in use. To make it easier, use a power strip. Even when turned off, items like your television, computer, and cellphone charger still sip power.
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  Dry your clothes outside whenever possible.
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  Make minimal use of power equipment when landscaping.
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  Defrost your refrigerator and freezer regularly.
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  Choose green electricity. Many utilities give you the option to purchase electricity generated by wind and solar power for a small rate surcharge.
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  Purchase carbon offsets to make up for the energy use you can’t eliminate.

Reduce your Food Footprint

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  Eat more local, organic, in-season foods.
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  Plant a garden—it doesn’t get more local than that.
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  Shop at your local farmer’s market or natural foods store. Look for local, in-season foods that haven’t traveled long distances to reach you.
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  Choose foods with less packaging to reduce waste.
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  Eat lower on the food chain—going meatless for just one meal a week can make a difference. Globally, it has been estimated that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption.

Reduce your Housing Footprint

Choose sustainable building materials, furnishings, and cleaning products.

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  Explore green design features for your building, like passive solar heating, a rainwater catchment or grey water recycling system, and recycled materials.
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  Choose efficient appliances, including low flow shower heads, faucets, and toilets.
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  Choose furnishings that are second-hand, recycled, or sustainably produced.
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  Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden and yard.
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  Use biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products.

Adopt water-saving habits

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  Take shorter, less frequent showers—this not only saves water, but the energy necessary to heat it.
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  Don’t use the garbage disposal. Compost instead.
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  Run the dishwasher and the laundry machine only when full.
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  Wash cars rarely, or better yet, take them to a carwash. Commercial carwashes use less water per wash than home washers, and they are also required to drain used water into the sewage system, rather than storm drains, which protects aquatic life.
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  Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck, walkways, or driveway.
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  Regularly look for and fix leaks.

Reduce your Goods and Services Footprint

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  Buy less! Replace items only when you really need to.
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  Recycle all your paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Don’t forget electronics!
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  Compost food waste for the garden. Garbage that is not contaminated with degradable (biological) waste can be more easily recycled and sorted, and doesn't produce methane gases (a significant greenhouse gas contributor) when stored in a landfill.
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  Buy recycled products, particularly those labeled "post-consumer waste."
  

Causes and Effects of the Global Warming

There are several effects of the global warming. One of them is raising sea levels. With increasing average global temperature, the water in the oceans expands in volume, and the water enters them which had been locked up on land in glaciers. Another effect is that the glaciers are retreating. Glacier retreat declined and reversed in many cases from 1950 to 1980 as a slight global cooling occurred. Arctic shrinkage, and altered patterns of agriculture are cited as direct consequences, but predictions for secondary and regional effects include extreme weather events, are also examples of the global warming effects.

There are many causes of global warming. The major cause of global warming is the emission of green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc into the atmosphere. The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plants. These power plants emit large amounts of carbon dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation. In developed countries, building structures require a lot of fuel to be burnt which emits a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Another cause of global warming is deforestation that is caused by cutting and burning of forests for the purpose of residence and industrialization.

An Inconvenient Truth

During the last week, I watched the film which was about the global warming. The title of the film is "An Inconvenient Truth". The film was presented by former United States Vice President Al Gore and directed by Davis Guggenheim. I think that the film was very interesting because it talks about one of the important issue in our life which is the global warming. Some people aren't aware of it because they think it won't happen in the future. However, there is a lot of evidence which demonstrate that it will happen in the future. The film could encourage people to make changes to have a positive environmental impact.

What is Global Warming?

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans. For example, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, cloud forests are drying, and wildlife is scrambling to keep pace. Humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing heat-trapping gases as we power our modern lives.

There is a lot of evidence of global warming. One of them is that the methane is increasing. Another evidence of global warming is that carbon dioxide is also increasing in the atmosphere. The last evidence is melting Arctic Sea Ice. The Antarctic has seen an increase in average temperatures of almost 5 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 50 years.

About myself

My name is Abdulrahman Ahmed. I'm 19 years old. I'm living in Abu Dhabi. I'm studying at HCT. My major is IT-Business.

I was studying at the Petroleum Institute. I left the PI because it is very difficult for me and their roles are not flexible so I left the PI and now I'm studying at HCT and I'm very happy to study here. Actually, it was very difficult to join HCT so I was thinking to study later and I didn't know where and when. So I worked with HSBC bank. I was working there for three months. After that I had a call that I had been accepted at HCT. So I decided to work on Saturday at HSBC and study at HCT on regular days.

Now, I'm in my second semester. My GPA is 3.00 and I hope to increase it. This is some information about me.