Tonight my local ETV/PBS channel ran an episode on global warming wherein heat waves and periods of unusually warm weather, ocean warming, sea-level rise and coastal flooding, melting glaciers, artic and antartic warming all contribute. Sadly, global warming causes:

Spreading disease
Earlier spring arrival
Plant and animal range shifts and population changes
Coral reef bleaching
Downpours, heavy snowfalls, and flooding
Droughts and fires

Additionally, the show indicated several ways in which to conserve energy and slow the process of global warming; i.e., hybrid vehicles, construction practices for both commercial and residential, and as simple as switching light bulbs and planting trees. Sorry, I really got into it!