Development of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over millions of years. The effect happens because of certain naturally occurring substances in the atmosphere.
Indicate how the original gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, were produced by volcanic activity, as the Earth cooled.
Discuss how carbon dioxide is a colorless gas that is a bi-product of the combustion of organic matter.
The original percentage of gases in the atmosphere made up less than 0.04%, but today, human activities are pumping huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
These increased concentrations are considered the primary factor in global warming, because carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation. Most of the enery that escapes Earth's atmosphere comes in this form, so extra carbon dioxide means more energy absorption and in overall increase in he planets temperature.
Discuss the actual tonnage rise in carbon dioxide since 1900 and the corresponding temperature increase.

A short research assignment was given to report on what the Earth would look like if there weren't any greenhouse gases.
To help explain the greenhouse effect, an analogy using a car left out in the Sun for a few hours. Through a series of steps, it was explained why and how the car became very hot.
Continuing from the car analogy, a series of steps involving absorption and reflection of the Sun's energy to create heating of the planet through reflection of radiated heat from clouds, snow, and ice is trapped by greenhouse gases and produces a slow warming.

Discussion of an article written by Julia Layton for Green Science.
The discussion is centered around that by 2006, after the release of Al Gore's "An inconvenient Truth", most of the world had accepted the fact of global warming, but not humanity's causative role in it.
Most of the developed world is now onboard in the fight to save the world from certain doom- but is the effort futile?
Review the causes of the increase in world temperature; factories, cars, and power plants releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Why are these gases not being controlled and contained, as they used to be?
Discussion about deforestation and lack of photosynthesis to absorb the carbon dioxide followed

Discussion on the IPCC observations:
Ocean water depth temperature increases-
Glacial snow cover decreases leading to rise of sea levels-
Average arctic temperatures increased by 2x the global average rate over the last 100 years-
Frozen Arctic ground decrease by 7% since 1900-
Increase in precipitation in northern Europe and Asia-
Intense droughts in areas-
Increases in extreme temperatures-
Increase in observed intensity of tropical storms-

Discussion of statistics regarding global warming trends from 1900 to 2000 and from 1906 to 2006. Stats show that by pushing the readings up by 6 years, the Earth's warming went from an average of 0.6 degrees to 0.75 degrees centigrade.
Observations from the intergovernmental panel on climate control, the IPCC are as follows.
Of the last 12 years, 11 have been the warmest on record since 1850.
The warming trend of the last 50 years is nearly double that of the last 100 years. The rate of warming is increasing
The ocean's temperature has increased to at least a depth of 3,000 meters ( 9,800 ft.). Oceans absorb more than 80% of all heat added to the climate system.

Discuss global warming as a significant increase in the Earth's climatic temperature over a relatively short period of time, due to human activity.
A significant increase is 1 degree or more over a period of 1-2 hundred years.
Review and discuss the difference between weather and climate and introduce the term anomaly as an event that falls ouside of the usual statistical range.
Note that a change in climate may involve tens of thousands of years.
Modern climate change is based on records kept for about 150 years.
Charts showing average temperature increase, mean sea level change, and average snowfall over 150 years verifies that climate change has been occurring.

Continue reading and discussing the report on global warming.

Discussion of printed article dealing with global warming, is it real, what are its affects on the planet, how does it differ from weather and climate, what proof is their of its existence, and how can we begin to combat it.

Watch a news report dealing with PFAS compounds, the products, where they are located and the health risks associated with their use.
Dupont and teflon are singled out for their "inability" to remove these compounds from their product.
The accumulation within cells and tissue and the long term health affects were discussed.

Read from the Consumer Reports article on the hazards of polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are very tightly bound chemical compounds of carbon, fluorine, and oxygen.
They are found in non stick pans, waterproof gear, and grease resistant packaging for takeout food and regular food from markets.
The health hazards caused by the leaching of the compounds into the food, which includes immune system suppression, lower birth rate, and increased risk for cancer.
The dangers presented when cartons and wrappings were discarded into land fills, run off into water, and also incinerated with the release of particles into the atmosphere was discussed.
The comparison to Rachel Carson's warnings of 60 years ago was introduced, the only difference being her warnings involved pesticides and these new warnings involve "pesticide line" products.