“I see tons of old semi trucks with HORRIBLE exhaust problems, and no one seems to care.  They spew clouds of thick black pollution into the air, creating smog that doesn’t seem to go anywhere.”
—Anonymous youth

What's the deal with global warming?

Alaska is getting hotter. While a lot of us who have lived through an Alaskan winter might think that's a good thing, it is actually a problem. In fact, it is very likely that global warming will be the greatest ecological, economic, and social problem that our state faces. Diseased salmon, forest fires and dying polar bears are all impacts that we have seen already. As you read this, many coastal villages are literally eroding away into the sea.

What is the culprit of these horrible crimes? Scientists tell us it's greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, the chemical released from burning fossil fuels

The Science

For a simple explanation of the greenhouse effect check out this Nova webpage: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ice/greenhouse.html

Or for a more advanced and complete explanation check out what Wikipedia has to say: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect.

Your Impact

Because each and every one of us uses fossil fuels either directly (by heating our homes with oil or gas or driving motor vehicles) or indirectly (by using lights and appliances that get their energy from gas or coal fired power plants), we all are responsible for the emission of carbon dioxide. Find out how much you are contributing; all you need is an electricity/heating bill and an estimate for how far you travel every year:

Also check out the Alaska Carbon Reducer in our Take Action section to see how you can reduce your emissions.