Page 33 - Alternative Energy Systems in Building Design

10 GLOBAL WARMING: CLIMATIC AND ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES

CRUDE OIL AND NATURAL GAS

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the advent of the internal combustion engine,
the discovery of vast crude oil reservoirs in Texas, and the proliferation of electrical
energy generation and distribution brought the industrial revolution into a new era of
accelerated expansion.
Mass production of automobiles necessitated the construction of roadways (facili-
tating rapid land transportation), the creation of new suburban communities, unprece-
dented real estate development, and the production of new goods and services, all of
which became possible owing to the abundance of fossil fuels. Advances in aviation
technology furthered the demand for gasoline and created an acute increase in depend-
ency on fossil fuels.
The rapid expansion of urban dwellings and technology created an ever-extensive
demand for electrical energy and necessitated the massive construction of coal- and
crude oil–fired steam turbines, which have contributed significantly to atmospheric
pollution and deterioration of the global environment. In the past century, global
dependency on crude oil has increased to such an extent that it has become the most
significant commodity sustaining modern life. Without fossil fuel energy, hydroelectric
and nuclear power plants would not have sufficient power production capacity to sustain
the minimal energy requirements of 6.6 billion people globally.

FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCY
Dependency on fossil fuels over the last century has shaped our way of life, customs,
moral standards, population distribution, demographics, hygiene, life expectancy, standard
of living, global economies, security, and international politics. Control of global
fossil fuel resources has caused political upheavals and international strife, defined
international geographic boundaries, displaced multitudes of populations, caused wars,
and resulted in the destruction of property and human life. However, the most signifi-
cant effect has been the deterioration of the global habitat for all living species.
Control of fossil fuel resources, particularly crude oil and natural gas, has signifi-
cantly shifted the international balance of trade and power, polarized ideologies, and
created a divide between the resources of rich and poor countries.

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HUMAN HEALTH

There is a close link between the increase in anthropogenic atmospheric pollution,
increases in the size of the inversion layer, global temperature rise, and the occurrences
of diseases related to elevated temperatures. It is well known that extreme global
temperature rise can directly cause loss of life and promote environments for the
growth of pathogens that cause serious diseases. Global temperature elevation, whether
owing to natural or anthropogenic causes, increases air and water pollution, both of
which harm human health.
The most significant effect of climate change is the increase in human causalities
owing to dehydration and heat stroke. People with cardiovascular impairments become