Mike

Hello. My name is Mike. I led the development of this project during my senior year at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota, USA. I first became interested in global warming education while watching a video by James Burke in my high school biology class. I decided to embark on a project to teach other students about it, and I named it Heat Watch.

I now continue to update this site as a student of the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology. My ultimate goal in the project is to get people thinking about how we affect Earth's climate.

Minnesota, the "land of 10,000 lakes," is located in the center of North America. The state is valued for its diverse forests, delicate waterfowl, and abundant lakes.

Scientists predict Minnesota will become both warmer and wetter as global warming takes effect. As a result, climate-sensitive trees and waterfowl might not be able to survive. Mosquitos, on the other hand, will most likely thrive in the warmth and wetness, causing more widespread disease. Will Minnesota still be the land of 10,000 lakes? Well ... probably, but after warming, frozen lakes would melt and evaporate faster in spring. This means fresh lake water, a main source of drinking water, could decline. Thus global warming will stress Minnesota's trees, wildlife, and lakes, unaccustomed to such rapid change.