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Abstract There needs to be a reduction if not extinction with the increasing amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), per-fluorocarbons (PFCs) and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere because it is directly affecting global warming. The combustion of fossil fuels and greenhouse emissions mainly contribute to the increase of these gases. The longer we go without solving this global problem the more conflicts we will have in the future. Although global warming does make the earth warmer there is more to worry about than heating to death. Major concerns revolve around effects on agriculture, water resources, ocean level and coastal regions, and disease. Many scientists and experimenters still disagree with global warming using excuses such as ‘primitive’ climate models, which predict global warming trends, can not accurately simulate the Earth; it is too difficult because there are thousands of variables to consider. With the issue of global warming alternative sources of energy are looked for. “Data indicates that hydrogen is [the] only suitable future fuel.” (Williams, 102). Many scientists agree, but how long will it take for us to get there? As we approach the future we are faced with many global problems. Most of these problems arise because we have caused them ourselves. We need to face these problems and find a solution. Global warming, although most often overlooked in importance, is a crucial problem of the future directly related to human activities. Global warming is caused by gases humans release into the atmosphere called anthropogenic gases and by deforestation. Anthropogenic gases include carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofl... ... middle of paper ... ... Opposing Viewpoints.. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 2014. 12-47. Athanasiou, Tom, and Baer, Paul. Dead Heat: global justice and global warming. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2012. Sources Consulted Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Climate Change 2012: Scientific Basis” 2012. Loehle, Craig. Climate Change: detection and attribution of trends from long-term geological data. 6 Feb. 2012 Web 13 May 2015 . Meehl, Gerald A. "Solar and Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Response in the TwentiethCentury." 2012. Web 13 May 2015 Tucker, Brian. "Science Friction: The Politic of Global Warming." Editorial. The National Interest 2007. Web 13 May 2015 Williams, Laurence O. An End to Global Warming. Ohio: Pergamno, 2012. Web 13 May 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780080440453
Over the past years, planet Earth has been warming up. According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, average temperatures have risen around1.4 degrees Fahrenheit/0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880. In fact, the rate of warming is increasing. It was reported by a number of climate studies that the last two decades were the hottest in 400 years. Global warming is a major threat to the planet. It is agreed that humans have caused most of the past century's warming by releasing greenhouse gasses, as we power our electronic lives. The “greenhouse effect” is performed when the gasses let out into Earth’s atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Through the burning of fossil fuels, humans are enhancing the greenhouse effect and increasing the temperatures of the planet. Although the greenhouse effect is what keeps the planet warm, thereby supporting life, too much would also result in severe issues. Now, with the increasing rate of greenhouse gases emissions, frozen glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and wildlife is scrambling to keep up with the fast pace. Above that, weather can also become more and more extreme. Something has to be done.
The use of fossil fuels has greatly increased the amount of atmospheric and oceanic CO2 to a point where it’s ruining the natural flow of the world; the earth’s temperature is rising. As a result, the polar ice caps are melting causing the seas to rise. With only a 1 meter increase in sea level the United States alone could lose over 10,000 square miles of land, and thousands of houses will be destroyed. The effects will be just as prominent around the world: many islands will become submerged, 17% of Bangladesh will be underwater, and tens of thousands of people will be displaced (“Global Warming” 3).
Currently, pollutants are destroying the environment and harming the health of U.S. citizens. Global warming threatens to change the lifestyle of many people around the world. Industries across the globe and goods that use or contain harmful contaminants have been the largest contributors to climate change. In recent years, there has been “artificially heightened levels of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere” and a dramatic increase in other pollutants, “resulting in an unnatural upward trend in global warming” (Global). The level of pollutants currently in the air is not considered to be linked to the earth’s natural cycle. In fact, for the past century, “human activities…have increased the atmospheric concentration of CO2 to levels far higher than any measured for at least 800,000 years” and the concentration of CO2 is becoming a devastating and possibly irreversible problem with each day (Global). Although some...
There are many things that can impact the economy, but many people would not think that global warming has much of an effect on it. Global warming is continuing to become a very large concern for people across the world. This topic is very controversial due to the fact that many people fail to believe that global warming even exists. In this case, it will often be looked at as climate changes instead.
Throughout history climates have drastically changed. There have been shifts from warm climates to the Ice Ages (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2009, p.204). Evidence suggests there have been at least a dozen abrupt climate changes throughout the history of the earth. There are a few suspected reasons for these past climate changes. One reason may be that asteroids hitting the earth and volcanic eruptions caused some of them. A further assumption is that 22-year solar magnetic cycles and 11-year sunspot cycles played a part in the changes. A further possibility is that a regular shifting in the angle of the moon orbiting earth causing changing tides and atmospheric circulation affects the global climate (Cunningham & Cunningham, 2009, p.205). Scientific studies suggest that all these played a role in past global warming and cooling periods. Today, however, there is a lot of conflict on whether humans are causing a global warming that could be disastrous to humans and all species of plants and animals on this earth. This paper will first explain the greenhouse effect, then take a look at both sides argument, and, finally, analyze the effect of global warming on world-wide sustainability
Global warming and global climate change is the study of future increases of temperature across the globe. Studying climate change refers to how the over- all climate will change such as the dry places getting dryer and the wet places getting wetter. Global climate is dependent on “the greenhouse effect a natural process that helps regulate temperature” (Easterling and Karl). In the past few centuries humans have had a monumental effect on increasing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Climate change is result of the increase amount of the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere such as methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone. “Global temperature has rose approximately 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over
Ever since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century, fossil fuels have been used constantly, slowly changing the planet’s atmosphere. According to Mann, “the preindustrial level of CO2 was 280 parts per million (ppm)” (N. pag). He predicts that at current rates, we will reach 560 ppm by the end of the 21st century. To make matters worse, Mann states that 450 ppm is dangerous as it will cause an increase in Earth’s average temperature by 2 Celsius. He recommends taking measures to keep CO2 at less than 405 ppm (N. pag). Mann takes note that in 2013, the value managed to reach 400 ppm (N. pag). It is needless to say that the point of no return is right around the corner. Unfortunately, the affects of pollution are already felt around the world. Pollution can cause many health issues and damage several organs in the body. When people think ...
One of the major issues in today’s society is Global warming. It is one of many kinds of climate that the Earth goes through. The primary cause of global warming is the human expansion of the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases keep the earth warm through a process called greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide trap heat from the atmosphere and maintain the soil warm. Without greenhouse gases, our planet would be too cold. However, people are adding extra greenhouse gases when they’re driving, using electricity, and in a factory. A lot of energy comes from fossil fuels. According to Environmental Protection Agency, the earth’s temperature has increased by 0.8 degree Celsius over the past century. More than half of this grew
Society, N. G. (2007). Effects of Global Warming. Retrieved May 6, 2014, from National Geographic
It is being understood that these gases, greenhouse gases concentration, are increasing. One problem resulting among others is a warming of the earth’s surface, which results in increasing temperature, climate changes, and subsequently associated sea level rises. Rapid increases in greenhouse gas concentrations are due mainly to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, intensive agriculture, coal-mining, and rubbish dumps. The greenhouse effect and global warming should be taken more serious by many people. Humans cause this problem. Humans can also stop this problem. If humans keep increasing the heat in earth’s atmosphere, there may not be an Earth. Humans should stop doing all these things that make the earth heat up and start doing more to cool off the earth.
Global Warming is a condition caused by greenhouse gases and human activities. The increased concentration of greenhouse gases due to activities such as deforestation and fossil fuel burning is causing the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans to warm up. As a result of this, global warming has some serious effects in the shape of extreme weather, species extinctions, and rising sea levels. These effects can contribute to the changes that are taking place all over the world, most of which are dangerous enough to pose a threat to the survival of life on Earth in the future.
Background and Audience Relevance: There are always conversations about our planet. We see our earths glaciers melting, weather temperature rising, and pollution affecting our resources. But for some reasons we tend to look away. We should be more aware of this potential event and I’m here to inform everyone about what actually is global warming and the effects of it.
As Robert Frost once said, “ Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire.” This excerpt can relate to the idea of global warming. Global warming can be defined as an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. During the past 10,000 years the earth has been in an ever-growing cycle that has significantly changed the climate. These changes are becoming more prevalent in our world today in the past 150 years. Scientists have been analyzing the causes and effects of the greenhouse effect and many other issues that global warming has presented. As John Houghton states in his book, Global Warming the Complete Briefing, on page 2 “ The 1980s and 1990s were unusually warm. Globally speaking, the decades have been the warmest since accurate records began somewhat over a hundred years ago and these unusually warm years are continuing into the twenty-first century.” There are countless records that show that our world as a whole is getting warmer, and the facts cannot be disputed. Everyone in the world today is experiencing the effects of global warming. These effects might be small now, but if we don’t protect our planet now then the consequences will greatly be increased.
The burning of fossil fuels has greatly harmed our environment and is a leading cause as to why climate change has become such a threat to our way of living. In May of 2013, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million, an increase of more than 40 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. This could cause the Arctic Ocean to be nearly ice-free during the summer by 2020(Overland and Wang, 2013).
Global heating and cooling has occurred on a cycle for millennia, however in the past thirty years the increased use of energy and fuels by humans has drastically changed this natural occurrence (Juerg, 2007). The largest cause of this warming is the release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide levels are twenty-five percent higher than they were in 1957 (UCS, 2013). This seemingly insignificant change has caused a myriad of negative effects. The endangerment of species, rising of sea levels, and increased natural disasters are just a few examples of change brought about by global warming (Juerg, 2007). Even though global climate change presents a massive problem there are many proposed solutions to fix or delay it. These theories range from creating a giant sun shield in space to the simple practice of “reduce, reuse, and recycle” (Gray, 2009). However the most effective solution is to find different sources of fuel to power our day to day lives. The earth is in need of renewable, effective, and long lasting fuels. Global warming can be slowed through the use of renewable energy as it is versatile, clean, a good investment, and can easily be put into place in several different climates and environments.