Scientists have concluded that human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, is the major driving factor in global warming. read: how global warming has developed

Global warming can be slowed, and stopped, with practical actions that yield a cleaner, healthier atmosphere. The question is: will we act soon enough. It is a matter of time.

"Many people don't realize that we are committed right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea level rise," said Gerald Meehl of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. "The longer we wait to do something about it, the more change we will have."

Ultimately it is up to each of us, as individuals and families, to take action to slow down and eventually reverse global warming through everyday awareness of our energy use and attention to ways we can conserve electricity and minimize fossil fuel usage.