Causes

1. Plate tectonic
2. Solar Output
3. Orbital Variations
4. Gradual Push/Sudden shift
5. Volcanism
6. Ocean Variability
7. Human Influence

Climate Change

1. The most general definition of climate change is a change in the statistical properties of the climate system when considered over periods of decades or longer, regardless of cause.
2. Accordingly, fluctuations on periods shorter than a few decades, such as El Niño, do not represent climate change.

The term sometimes is used to refer specifically to climate change caused by human activity; for example, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change defines climate change as "a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.

3.In the latter sense climate change is synonymous with global warming

Essentials for preparedness

Essentials of preparedness

Every family and household should cover basic preparedness needs. The primary areas to consider are:

WATER: You must have water to survive even a couple of days. Low-cost preparedness options involve filling empty soda bottles with water and storing them around your house or apartment. You can also fill your bath tub with water if you have advanced warning of an approaching emergency.

A medium-cost solution is to purchase water storage containers and fill those in advance. You can add a few drops of plain clorox bleach to each container to discourage the growth of bacteria (for long-term storage). You'll find affordable water storage containers at www.BePrepared.com

It's also a good idea to have a hand-pump water filter on hand. I recommend an affordable water filter bottle made by Katadyn (a water filter company I've used and recommended for years). You can find other water filters at any camping store or outdoors equipment supplier such as www.REI.com

FOOD: Having extra food on hand is easy. Just buy some extra dried or canned goods at your local store. Raw, fresh nuts are good to store, as well as dried foods in #10 cans. Avoid salty, sugary foods because they dehydrate you and suppress immune function. Stick to bland foods that provide nutrition, not entertainment. They key here is to store your food before the emergency hits and make sure you have enough water to rehydrate dried foods.

A source I recommend is www.BePrepared.com but avoid their pre-made food recipes. Stick with their freeze-dried fruits, vegetables and meats in #10 cans. And remember, none of it is organic. (That's too bad. I still cannot locate an organic freeze dried storable food manufacturer that doesn' use hidden MSG.)

LIGHT: You'd be amazed how difficult life gets when you're fumbling around in the dark trying to find something to eat or drink. Don't be caught in such a situation: Get some reliable light!

But what works best in emergencies? Candles are a terrible choice because people fall asleep and burn down their homes with candles. (No kidding.) Flashlights that need batteries are also a terrible choice because few people bother to check the batteries, and they always seem to be dead right when you need them.

The best choice is a dynamo-powered LED flashlight that allows you to generate light by simply turning the handle. One minute of winding the dynamo handle can provide up to 30 minutes of light with the LED flashlights we offer through www.BetterLifeGoods.com and we've put together an amazing 50% off discount package on dynamo LED lights, radios and combo tools (see below for discount link).

HEAT and SHELTER: In every emergency, you'll need heat and shelter. (Or, if you're in the desert, you'll need shade and water.) Heat is easy to conserve with a well-made low-temperature sleeping bag. A wood-burning stove is also a fantastic solution and far better than any fireplace (which loses most of the heat it generates). Don't try heating your house with a propane heater or outdoor cooking stove, either: The carbon dioxide emissions will fill your house and cause you to never wake up again. So prepare with ample clothing and a good sleeping bag for each person in your home. Again, you can find quality sleeping bags at www.REI.com (get yourself some lightweight, hi-tech fiber sleeping bags that are easy to carry, yet still very warm).

COMMUNICATIONS: In emergencies, keeping in touch with emergency broadcasts is crucial. That's why a radio is one of the most important tools you can have. But guess what? Most people don't have a radio that actually works when the electricity is out!

This is why a dynamo-powered radio is the best solution for emergency preparedness. By turning the dynamo handle for one minute, you can generate up to 30 minutes of radio listening time. No batteries are required, and the units are so small and portable that you can slip them into your pocket or store them in the glove box of your car.

The best dynamo devices can also charge your cell phone. This lets you make outbound emergency calls when needed, even if your batteries are empty. When the electricity is out, it's crucial to have a reliable way to make a cell phone call. (In many cases, cell phone towers are still working even when the electricity is out in a particular region.)

Preparedness

"Preparedness" simply means having some backup supplies on hand to help you get through unexpected events or hard times, and over the last decade, we've seen numerous examples of why preparedness is so important: Hurricane Katrina, power grid blackouts, ice storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, riots, nuclear accidents, terrorist events and freak weather patterns.

In every case, those individuals who were prepared fared much better than the unprepared masses. People who had stored some water, food, heat, blankets, flashlights, fuel, radios and cash were in a far better position to get through the events than everyone else.

In terms of preparedness for coming events, including dwindling oil supplies, climate change and freak weather patterns, there are two things every person must carefully consider right now:

1) The frequency and severity of such emergency events is increasing each year. (Things are getting worse...)

2) Most people will not prepare in advance, meaning that they will truly find themselves in an emergency during the next unpredictable event.

Keep reading to learn how to avoid becoming an unprepared victim. Below, I've also listed some recommended sources and a tremendous discount (50% off for NaturalNews readers) on some essential preparedness items that you may want to consider acquiring before the next difficult event appears.

Impacts of climate change

Climate change has led to such phenomena as:

* a hotter and drier planet

* loss of forests, trees, plants, animals, and ground covers

* depletion of soil health and minerals from using chemicals, over-farming, and mowing

* loss of usable fresh water from both pollution and over-consumption

* drying out of the soil layers as water tables lower and rain patterns change

* loss of biological diversity including birds, bees, worms, insects, and much more

* mass extinction of many of Earth`s species - forever

* storm patterns and fires increasing in number and intensity

Some prevalent causes of climate change include:

* unsustainable production processes

* unsustainable and inhumane agricultural practices

* unconscious and wasteful consumption habits

* unchecked use of and dependence on fossil fuels

* unquestioned use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides

* unquestioned use of chemical cleansers and other chemicals

* rapid and rampant deforestation (including in individual`s lawns and developing neighborhoods)

Mental illness by climate change

According to some leading mental health experts, the negative health effects associated with climate change will be most experienced by those with mental illnesses. Drs. Lisa Page and Louise Howard from the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) published an article in Psychological Medicine that examined research on the subject and came to their own conclusion that not only will climate change negatively affect the mentally ill but it will also cause more mental illness.

Study authors claim that climate change will lead to increased natural disasters like major storms, droughts, and hurricanes. As a result, people will become more depressed and experience various disorders and mental problems if they don't have them already.

Since resources are expected to be limited following major catastrophic events, the authors also fear that the mentally ill will not receive the treatments they need because efforts will be diverted towards the many whom will be experiencing trauma due to the catastrophe. Other concerns include that the mentally ill will not cope well with higher temperatures because they are more prone to heat-related death.

For those that are not mentally ill, it is feared that various mental illnesses could develop due to infectious disease outbreaks, mass migration because of flooding, increased urbanization, and even just thinking about the concept of man-made climate change possibly wreaking havoc.

Study authors fear that international leaders will fail to address these issues at the upcoming United Nations conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where climate change issues are expected to be discussed and solutions presented.