Global Warming

By Jose Miguel Monge Fallas

Global warming is the increase in global average surface temperature due to natural or anthropogenic climate change, which means the production of greenhouse gases emitted by human activity. Scientist use global warming as a tendency for the globe to warm over a given period. The question is if we are prepared for that? Or if this is the world we want our children to enjoy? We cannot do anything about our mother nature, but is important to know what the greenhouse effect is and how we can contribute to preserve our world.
But, what causes the global warming? One natural cause is a release of methane gas from arctic tundra and wetlands. On the other hand, man-made causes do the most damage to our planet. Pollution is the biggest problem and it comes in many shapes and sizes. Burning fossil fuels, such as coal or oil give off a green house gas called CO2. Another cause is the population. More people mean more food; consequently, it means more manure which is a source of methane. It also means more methods of transportation that release CO2 in the atmosphere. Furthermore, the increase in population makes the problem worse because we breathe out CO2; as a result, we are building our own way to die.
Global warming is more than just higher temperature in summer time. Some effects brought as a result of global warming is the spread of diseases. Also, as the temperature of oceans rises, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes. On the other hand, other areas will suffer severe droughts and heat waves and it will exacerbate the conditions and could lead to conflict and war. But, is not just that, hurricanes causes billions of dollars in damage, diseases cost money to treat and control, and conflicts exacerbate all these. Finally, the most important effect is the polar ice caps could melt; consequently, it will raise sea levels, throw the ecosystem out of balance and will endanger several species of animals. Without ice caps, the only reflector of sunlight is the ocean, and darker color will absorb more sunlight, further warming the earth even more.
The problem is big, but the solutions are as many as your want. Chose clean power and look for energy start, it will contribute to eliminate tons of heat-trapping gasses. Unplug any appliance that you do not need and replaced light bulb for an energy saving one, it could reduce the pollution by 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulb. Think before you drive; the car you drive is the most important personal climate decision. Buy good wood by checking for labels that indicates the source of the wood and plant a tree; it can make the different. And the most important, let the policymaker know you are concerned about global warming by taking personal actions, encourage others and motivate our leaders.
Is scary just to think how the first people settled in America came walking from Mongolia across the Bering’ Strait. In these days that travel could be impossible. Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, the earth would still warm by another degree or so. But what we do from today forward makes a big difference. We can have different houses or places to go around the world, but just one world where we can live, our own planet earth. “The power of one is the power to do something… anything”.


Bibliography
Global Warming Climate Change Greenhouse Effect. At http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/index.html. Last access on 09/20/2010
Environmental graffiti. At http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ Last access on 09/20/2010
The Causes of Global Warming. At http://www.causesofglobalwarming.net/ Last access on 09/20/2010
Ten Personal Solutions to Global Warming At http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/what_you_can_do/ten-personal-solutions-to.html Last access on 09/20/2010
Watch change happen. At http://www.oneearth.org/. Last access on 09/20/2010




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