Humanactivitiesaretheprimarycauseofglobalwarming.Deforestationandunsustainableagriculturalpracticescoupledwiththeburningoffossilfuelstotransportgoods,driveourvehicles,heatourhomes,andgenerateelectricityhaveincreased

WHATISGLOBALWARMING?

Theconsequencesofglobalwarminghaveimpactedpublichealth,safety,theenvironmentandtheglobaleconomyfordecades.NASAreportsthat2000to2009wasthehottestdecadeeverrecorded.Extremetemperaturesandweathereventsin2010madeheadlinesandsetnewrecordsworldwide.

carbondioxide(CO2)andothergreenhousegasesinouratmospheretodangerouslevels.CO2levelsarecurrently30%higherthananytimeoverthepast800,000years.Withoutstrongpoliciesthatlowerglobalwarmingpollution,CO2levelsareexpectedtoskyrocketto2‐3timesthislevelby2100.ExcessCO2andwatervaportrappedinouratmospheredriveuptemperaturesandsignificantlyalterweathersystemsworldwide.Otherimpacts,suchasmoreextremeweather,rapidmeltingofglaciers,sealevelriseandmanyothersareexpectedtobecomemoresevereandintenseovertimeasglobalwarmingcontinuestogounchecked.

WHYSHOULDICARE?• Globalwarmingincreasesepisodesofextremeweather.

2007markedseveredroughtconditionsandthedriestyeareveronrecordinAtlantaandAthens;bothcitiesinitiatedwateruserestrictions.Decreasedwatersuppliescanaffectenergyproduction,whilehighertemperaturesforcegreaterdemand.

• Globalwarmingwillincreasethenumberofheat‐relatedillnessesanddeathsparticularlyinurbanareassuchasAtlanta,AugustaandColumbus.Theelderly,theveryyoungandpeoplewhosehealthisalreadycompromisedareparticularlyatrisk.

• Globalwarminginducedsealevelrisewilllikelycausesignificantandpermanentfloodingofcoastalcommunitiesandhabitats.Salt‐waterintrusionintocoastalmarshesharmsshrimp,oystersandothercriticalspeciessignificanttoGeorgia’sfisheriesindustry.

• GlobalwarmingimpactstoGeorgia’secosystemsaffectthestate’seconomy.Over3.7millionpeoplespentnearly$3.5billiononeco‐tourism,huntingandfishinginGeorgia(2006).Furtherlossofwildlifeandhabitatwillcontinuetonegativelyaffecttheindustry.

GLOBALWARMINGIMPACTSINGEORGIA

GAcoal‐firedpowerplantsproduce73,142,066tonsofCO2eachyear.

HeatrelateddeathsareexpectedtomorethandoubleinAtlantabytheend

ofthecentury.

TAKEACTIONAGAINSTGLOBALWARMING

1. Uselessofallkindsofenergybybeingenergyefficientathomeandatwork.2. Findalternatemodesoftransportationasoftenaspossibletolessenyourfuelconsumption.

3. Shopandeatlocally.Doingsowillhelpreduceyourcarbonfootprint.

Tofindoutotherwaystoreduceyourcarbonfootprint,clickhereorvisitwww.cleanenergy.org!

STATERESPONSE

Currently29statesplusD.C.haveRenewableEnergyStandards(RES).AnRESrequiresacertainpercentageofenergytocomefromrenewablesourcessuchaswind,solarandbiomass.TheSoutheastlagsthenationinimplementingthesepolicies.NCleadsastheonlystateintheregionwithastate‐styleRESthatrequires12.5%ofenergyproducedtocomefromrenewableenergyandenergyefficiencyby2021.

GAcandobetter!Twoindependentreports(1)(2)foundthat~40%ofGA’senergycouldcomefromrenewablesources.Ifastrong,federalRESwascreatedwecouldgoalongwaytowardmakinguseoftheselocal,sustainableresources.

PERSONALRESPONSE

TAKEACTIONTODAY!

FindandContactyourLegislatorshttp://tiny.cc/xxdbr

BecomeaMemberofSACEToday

www.cleanenergy.org

JointheSoutheastCoastalClimateNetworkhttp://www.seccn.groupsite.com

NATIONALRESPONSE

Nationalclimateandenergypoliciesareimperativetoensureprotectionfromtheworstimpactsofglobalwarming.

Chinaleadstheworldinrenewableenergyinvestment,spendingalmosttwicetheU.S.

Callyourlegislatorsandtellthemwemustleadthewayinclimateandenergypoliciesthat:

•Putascience‐basedcaponcarbonemissions;•Investincleanenergytechnologyandindustriesthatcreatejobs;•Holdpollutersaccountableandendfossil‐fuelsubsidies;•PreserveandstrengthentheCleanAirAct.