With much of the focus of atmospheric pollution on climate-changing gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), there can be a tendency to downplay the risk posed by other pollutants. One such pollutant is sulfur dioxide, the chemical involved in acid rain, which is discussed in your chapter readings, and can also have a cooling effect on the climate. Other pollutants -- among others -- that are often overlooked as important to global climate change are methane, nitrous oxide, and black carbon (dark sooty particulates from burning of fossil fuels and biomass).

Read:

Read the article Accelerated Warming: The danger of clearing the air (Links to an external site.) by Anil Ananthaswamy in New Scientist (Note: You must be logged into ERNIE to use the Hunt Library). Consider the danger that these other pollutants may pose to the Earth's climate, what their sources are, and if humans or nature are the drivers of these pollutants. Compare and contrast the effect of reducing these other "non-CO2" gases and aerosols, and postulate whether such reductions are feasible, either economically or socially.

Post:

State your opinion on which of these pollutants other than CO2 are of more concern to you and why, backing your opinion with data from your readings, or from other sources outside the class. If you use sources outside of class, be warned: Use your Critical Thinking Habits-of-Mind when comparing and contrasting different sources, and consider - really CONSIDER - where your sources are coming from. Do you feel they're trustworthy? If so, why? If not, explain