Environment - Earth: The Operators' Manual

All over the globe people are trying to decrease their reliance on fossil fuels and endorse sustainable energy alternatives. In some parts of the world - China, Europe and Brazil - energy novelties are altering the way we live, and the US military is trying to reduce its carbon footprint. In this documentary, well see how we know that Earth is heating up, and why, and find out what science advise us about clean, green energy possibilities. Richard Alley is a geologist at Pennsylvania State University, but his inquiries made him travel all over the planet, from Greenland to Antarctica. Hes captivated by how our climate has seriously and frequently transformed our planet, from times with ice in all places to no ice on the planet. Richard was also a former oil company employee, and hes aware how much we all depend on energy. The best science clearly demonstrates well be much better off if we focus on the narratives of climate change and energy, and the sooner we take matters into our own hands the better. Our exploitation of fossil fuels for energy is driving us towards a climate conditions never before seen in the history of the mankind. Homo sapiens is energy dependent... we always were, and always will be. But how we apply energy is now crucial for our continuation. It all began long time ago with a simple fire and today we ended up burning fossil fuels. Now were seven billion of us and were heading toward 10 billion. Today, the cities, nations, and civilizations rely upon gigantic quantities of energy. Fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) make up almost 80% of the energy consumed in the whole world. Nuclear is lower than 5%, hydro-power a little over 6% and the other renewable sources (solar, wind and geothermal) about 1%, but increasing rapidly. Timber and manure provide the rest.