Josh Bovill

09/03/09
GCE AS Biology Unit 3 Issue Report.

Biologists are trying to solve the problems of Global Warming. Global warming is
one of the consequences of the greenhouse effect and causes global changes to
climate patterns; such as an increase in the average temperature of the Earths surface.
It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide,
methane) trap heat and light in the Earths atmosphere, which increases the
temperature. This is a big problem for people, animal and plants because many cannot
take the change so they die. The diagram (1) below shows how global warming
works; the source of the diagram is www.global-greenhouse-warming.com and is
reliable because Biologists research it. The validity of this source is high because it
the information used is about the issue researched; furthermore knowledgeable
scientists who know what theyre talking about drew it.

The biologists collect information by measuring the day-to-day changes in

greenhouse gas concentration, climate, air and water purity and also the melting of
the polar ice caps. This data is collected in the field by physically measuring these
properties of the physical world; in ways such as taking air and water samples and
recording the weather. For example the graph (2) below shows the change in Global
temperature over the last 120 years; the source of this graph is wikipedia and is
reliable.

Josh Bovill

09/03/09

The methods used by the biologists to tackle this problem include fitting catalytic
converters to motor vehicle exhaust systems, however they are also used on generator
sets, forklifts, mining equipment and other engine-equipped machines. Catalytic
converters reduce the toxicity of emissions from an internal combustion engine. A
catalytic converter provides an environment for a chemical reaction wherein toxic
combustion by-products are converted too less toxic substances. This is an appropriate
method of decreasing the effects of Global warming because as engine-equipped
machines are used frequently in vast numbers they have a large and negative effect on
the environment; so reducing the toxicity of there by-products has a large and positive
outcome on the concentration and amount of damage they are doing and as you can
see in the graph (3) below; we need to significantly decrease the amount of global
fossil carbon emissions; the source of this graph is wikicommons and is reliable.

The image (4) below shows clearly the significance of reducing our emissions and
why it is appropriate to do so; the source of this image is Google images and is
reliable.

Josh Bovill

09/03/09

There has been a significant increase in industrial emissions from 1950-2001. This is
shown in the graph (5) below; the source of this graph is Worldwatch institute and is
reliable because Biologists collect the data.

The methods used by the biologists are there to reduce the worlds emission; which is
an appropriate solution to save our environment effectively from the disastrous
consequences of global warming. The validity of this source is high because it the
information used is about the issue researched; furthermore experienced biologists
very carefully collected the data collected for the graph.
The implications of these methods make them hard to put into action. These include
economic and environmental implications. The economic implication is that the cost
of producing products that help the environment cost a lot of money and there is no
way around this; this is a problem in the current economic crisis. The cost of a single
catalytic converter can be as much as 100; this doesnt seem extortionate, however
when u think of all the cars in all the countries the cost becomes massive and in
countries where the people have no money; there priority wouldnt be to make sure
they were green, it would be to stay alive. The environmental implication is that the
methods taken to help the environment also hinder it, the way in which plastics are
recycled means by-products are produced; these by-products are not environmentally
friendly and add to the greenhouse effect, which means we are still having a
negative effect on our world.
The advantages of the methods being used by biologists are an overall decrease in
carbon emissions, although the emissions problem is still there it is not as bad. The
benefits are cleaner air, water and less extreme variations in weather. The
disadvantages of the methods used by biologists are higher taxes and fines for
disregarding the environment, although this maybe seen as justice for the rest of the

Josh Bovill

09/03/09

world, however some people just cannot afford the costs of being environmentally
friendly and this is a problem because if we are to save our planet we need everyone
to cooperate.
A solution to the issue would be to live simpler lives, like our ancestors. If we stopped
using what we see as normal day-to-day things like central heating, fuel powered
transport and television. We could replace them with handmade natural fibre clothes
to keep us warm and we could travel by walking and cycling. Another solution would
be to stop trading with the main perpetrators of climate damage; this would mean
countries such as China and the USA would be forced to change their ways if they are
to function properly as nations. If these methods were put into place then the future of
our environment would be greatly improved and eventually our quality of life would
also follow, although admittedly it would not be easy, but I think the pros outweigh
the cons.
My non web-based source is an article from Planet Earth magazine (6); it was written
by two writers (Nico Caltabiano and Howard Cattle) and is dated autumn 2008. It
says, Biologists work on monsoon shifts provides another example of how we are
determining the predictability of climate. Monsoons directly affect the lives of not just
millions, but billions of people. Climate change will alter monsoons in ways we still
cant predict. But what is a monsoon? It is seasonal change in wind direction
influenced by ocean conditions, in particular sea-surface temperature that brings
alternate very wet and very dry seasons to regions of the tropics and sub-tropics. The
source is stating that climate change is a global challenge requiring global solutions.
The source is reliable as it uses factual information and is written by the Natural
Environment Research Council.

Bibliography.
(1): The source of the diagram is www.global-greenhouse-warming.com.
(2): The source of this graph is wikipedia.
(3): The source of this graph is wikicommons.
(4): The source of this image is Google images.
(5): The source of this graph is Worldwatch institute.
(6): My non web-based source is an article from Planet Earth magazine; it was written
by two writers (Nico Caltabiano and Howard Cattle) and is dated autumn 2008, this
source is reliable as it is written by scientists.

Josh Bovill

09/03/09