To show change or progress in a program, a reference point must be established. A reference point is a point before, during, or at the end of a program where indicators are used to establish the state of the program in terms of the audience’s knowledge, attitudes or behavior in order to provide a point of comparison as the program progresses. Steam Chemical Indicator Classifactions T 1243 T DARK BAR MUSTPASS THIS POINT Comply M SteriGage M Steam Chemical Integrator 1243 1244 T 1244 Blue bar must enter ACCEPT area Comply TM SteriGage TM EO Chemical Integrator T T 1243 T SteriGage DARK BAR MUSTPASS THIS POINT. 2005, Sterilization of health care products – Chemical indicators.
The Earth's climate is changing. Temperatures are rising, snow and rainfall patterns are shifting, and more extreme climate events – like heavy rainstorms and record high temperatures – are already happening. Many of these observed changes are linked to the rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, caused by human activities.EPA partners with more than 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile a key set of indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change. The indicators are published in EPA's report, Climate Change Indicators in the United States, available on this website and in print. Explore the indicators below. Arctic Sea IcePart of the Arctic Ocean is covered by ice year-round. The area covered by ice is typically smallest in September, after the summer melting season.
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The annual minimum extent of Arctic sea ice has decreased over time, and in September 2012 it was the smallest ever recorded. Arctic ice has also become thinner, which makes it more vulnerable to further melting. March sea ice extent reached a new low in 2015 and hit roughly the same low again in 2016—about 7 percent less than the 1981–2010 average. Heat-Related DeathsSince 1979, more than 9,000 Americans were reported to have died as a direct result of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke. The annual death rate is higher when accounting for deaths in which heat was reported as a contributing factor. Considerable year-to-year variability and certain limitations of the underlying data for this indicator make it difficult to determine whether the United States has experienced long-term trends in the number of deaths classified as “heat-related.”. Heating and Cooling Degree DaysHeating and cooling degree days measure the difference between outdoor temperatures and the temperatures that people find comfortable indoors.
Climate has warmed in recent years, heating degree days have decreased and cooling degree days have increased overall, suggesting that Americans need to use less energy for heating and more energy for air conditioning. In this map, “warmer” colors indicate an increase in temperatures, leading to less of a need to turn on the heat—that is, fewer heating degree days.
“Cooler” colors indicate the opposite.