Published: 2006
Total Pages: 26
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What do hurricanes, melting glaciers, rising ocean levels, eroding coastlines, worldwide crop damage, food shortages, absence of rainfall, shrinking aquifers, wildfires, and lowered water tables all have in common? These are some of the possible results of an increase in the accumulation of "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere, commonly referred to as global warming. Scientists study climate change from the perspective of eons of the earth's history as well as the short-term effects of recent human-induced changes in the atmosphere, while engineers attempt to devise technological solutions, and politicians struggle with international protocols and methods of enforcement. The ever-increasing demand for fossil fuels, and energy consumption worldwide, complicates the problem. Are there solutions? Can technological innovations in energy production, conservation methods, and even innovative market solutions reverse the current trends soon enough? These are the questions that confront us as we face the possibility of crossing the "point of no return." The following guide is intended for those who are looking for a review of the literature and vetted online resources on these topics. Materials cited are available in the collections of the Library of Congress or on the Internet.