'Earth Day, 22nd April 2009 - and every year...' .

• By 2030 the number of automobiles in the world will increase by 50%.According to Chevron, the world consumes two barrels of oil for every barrel discovered.
• It took 125 years to consume the first trillion barrels of oil - the world will consume the next trillion in only 30 years, according to Chevron.
• If nothing changes, by 2030 the world will consume 47% more oil than it did in 2003.
• During the last one hundred years the global temperature has warmed between 0.7-1.5?C. It is predicted that global temperatures in 2100 will be 1.4-5.8?C warmer than they were in 1990.
• The current pace of sea-level rise is 50% faster then in the last century. Scientists estimate the sea level will rise by 3.5-34.6 inches by 2100.
• The five warmest years over last century have likely been: 2005, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004. The top 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1990.
• Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide (a green house gas linked to climate change) in the atmosphere has increased by 35%.
• Diseases such as malaria are predicted to spread as the world grows warmer, due to the carriers of disease spreading out over a larger geographical area.
• Of particular concern is the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. A sudden collapse would raise sea levels 16-20 feet, though the likelihood of such a collapse before the year 2100 is low.
• Despite natural emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by volcanoes, for example, human activities are now adding about 7 billion metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year.
• New energy discoveries are mainly occurring in places where resources are difficult to extract-physically, technically, economically, and politically.
• Oil production is in decline in 33 of the 48 largest oil producing countries,3 yet energy demand is increasing around the globe as economies grow and nations develop.
• Oil and gas currently provide more than half of the world’s energy supply, and according to the International Energy Agency, they-along with coal (which also releases CO2)-will continue to be the major sources of energy well into the 21st century unless things are changed.
• The International Energy Agency estimates that the world will need to invest $16 trillion over the next three decades to maintain and expand energy supply.
• Over half the world’s oil supplies lie in just 5 countries.
• Agriculture and biodiversity are already being impacted by global warming. 10% of all known plant species are under threat of extinction.
• Diseases such as malaria and West Nile virus will occur in large numbers in the United States as a result of warmer temperatures.
• The Arctic ice pack has lost an area about twice the size of France since the mid-1970's.
• Vehicles in the United States release more CO2 than all the energy sources (such as heating, electricity, vehicles, and factories) in all of India.
• As many as 15-37% of all wildlife species in some regions could be "committed to extinction" by 2050 years because of global climate change. Salmon, trout, and waterfowl are particularly vulnerable to climate change.
• Climate change is having a disastrous effect on coral reefs, including in the Great Barrier Reef, the Maldives, the Red Sea, Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Mexico.
• Winter temperatures in the Arctic have warmed by as much as 7? F over the last 60 years, a faster rate than in any other region. This affects wildlife such as foxes, caribou, walruses, and polar bears. It also affects the lifestyles of native peoples in the Arctic.
• By planting a large tree that creates shade, one can reduce heating and cooling costs annually by up to 40%.
• By walking, riding a bicycle or sailing, instead of using petroleum for transport, each individual can make a difference.

by Sail-World Cruising