
From a JPEG file transformed into a vector image
Title of symbol: Greening fridge
Meaning of the symbol: The main meaning or the message in this symbol is to alert people about the effects of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) that will harm the environment.
Metaphor: CFC gasses that are released by the fridge are the causes for green house gasses
Meaning of the shape of the symbol: The two leaves represents greening for the environment, the white box represents the fridge, the circle behind this two shapes represents the globe.
Meaning of the colour of the symbol: Green obviously represents nature and means that we need to promote greening around the world in order to put a stop to global warming. A gradient is applied to show that there is still hope if we start to realize our mistakes and start the whole go green campaign.
Relation to the area of global warming of my choice: I choose the pollution part of global warming, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) is indeed falls under this category and other factors that contribute to pollution are such as Carbon Monoxide (CO) that our vehicles emits. The other factors are such as factory smoke, many factories in Malaysia are not following the standard environment rules and regulations. Open burning that are openly done is also another culprit the burning of used tires releases thick black smoke and these gasses are so toxic that it can instantly kill a person when its inhaled in a large quantity. In a nutshell I personally think that pollution is the greatest threat to the overall global warming issue.





For over the past 200 years, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and deforestation have caused the concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in our atmosphere. These gases prevent heat from escaping to space, somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse.
Greenhouse gases are necessary to life as we know it, because they keep the planet's surface warmer than it otherwise would be. But, as the concentrations of these gases continue to increase in the atmosphere, the Earth's temperature is climbing above past levels. According to NOAA and NASA data, the Earth's average surface temperature has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4ºF in the last 100 years. The eight warmest years on record (since 1850) have all occurred since 1998, with the warmest year being 2005. Most of the warming in recent decades is very likely the result of human activities. Other aspects of the climate are also changing such as rainfall patterns, snow and ice cover, and sea level.
If greenhouse gases continue to increase, climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earth's surface could increase from 3.2 to 7.2ºF above 1990 levels by the end of this century. Scientists are certain that human activities are changing the composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases will change the planet's climate. But they are not sure by how much it will change, at what rate it will change, or what the exact effects will be.
Sources :Figure 1: The destruction of stratospheric ozone (6) |
Chlorofluorocarbons (which are used in aerosols, refrigerants, and other industrial products) are remarkably inert and nonreactive. Indeed, it is because of these characteristics---specifically because they are nontoxic and nonflammable---that they were invented. But when they eventually rise into the stratosphere, they are decomposed by solar ultraviolet radiations into free chlorine atoms:
Chlorofluorocarbon ---> Cl,
Cl + O3 ---> ClO + O2,
ClO + O ---> Cl + O2.
The chlorine atoms are recycled in these reactions, and are then free to attack other ozone molecules. A single chlorine atom, released by the action of UV radiation on chlorofluorocarbons, is capable of destroying catalytically tens of thousands of ozone molecules during its residence in the stratosphere.
The emission of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosols attributes to an increasing “hole” in the ozone layer in the atmosphere above Antarctica, coupled with growing evidence of global ozone depletion. (7)
Source : Wei Zhong , Department of Chemistry University of Georgia