Essential Principals The atmosphere and humans are inextricably linked (humans are dependent upon and affect the atmosphere)

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Essential PrincipalsThe atmosphere and humans
are inextricably linked(humans are dependent
upon and affect the atmosphere)

• Breakout session 8c
• Recorder Rhonda Spidell

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Fundamental Concept 1

• The interconnected relationship between humans
  and the atmosphere is complex and difficult to
  isolate.
• (scrap this point but somehow rescue that the
  relationship is complex
• use quantify or limit)

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Fundamental Concept 2

• Human beings are dependent on and vulnerable to
  Earths atmospheric processes.
• Humans breathe to inhale oxygen and release
  carbon dioxide and are dependent on water
  distributed through the hydrologic cycles which
  determine human activities.
• Living organisms including humans depend on the
  atmosphere and cause changes to the atmosphere.
• vulnerable to natural hazards

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Fundamental Concept 3

• Living organisms including humans depend on the
  atmosphere and cause changes to the atmosphere.

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Fundamental Concept 4

• Human activities, such as changes in land use and
  burning fossil fuels, alter the atmosphere,
  affecting human and ecosystem health and climate.
  
• Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels
  and increasing the amount and variety of
  chemicals released into the atmosphere, reducing
  the amount of forest cover, and rapidly expanding
  farming and industrial growth have changed
  Earths land, oceans, and atmosphere and altered
  Earths climate. Atmospheric contamination
  degrades human health.
• The increase in global average temperatures since
  the mid-20th century is very likely due to the
  observed increase in human-induced greenhouse gas
  concentrations in the atmosphere, primarily from
  fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. (Based
  on IPCC, 2007)
• Add Goddard examples

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Fundamental Concept 5

• Individual and societal activities are affected
  by weather forecasts and climate expectations.
  Many decisions are based on assumptions of a
  stable climate.
• (some reservations about the second sentence)
• some consensus about an educated citizenry and
  decision making---local to global