Laying Blame or Global Warming

Laying Blame for Global warming

Margaret E. Bridges

SCI 207

Jody Emeterio

09/03/2012

Laying blame or global warming

Unfortunately global warming is here. Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans. This happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the earth's atmosphere. Many individuals, including scientists, believe that humans are the major cause of global warming. With the climate changes, global warming will have a huge impact on our planet. "What concerns scientist is the degree to which human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, enhances this natural greenhouse effect and causes global warming and global climate change (Turk & Bensel, 2012). Although many individuals would agree that humans are the cause of global warming, many experts say that it is due to natural effects and not human effects

Global warming is the process o the gradual increase of average and annual temperature of the earth's atmosphere. Global warming is becoming more than a false belief. There are many environmental issues with global warming. It is very simple, to understand for example when a car is parked in a parking lot with the windows up it gets hotter because the heat and light get in the windows but cannot get out. This is basically the greenhouse effect. Heat and light get into the atmosphere and cannot get out. Global warming has affected many parts of the world, the seas, oceans, people, plants, and animals. Basically life as we know it is disappearing.

Many individuals, including scientists believe humans are the cause of global warming. In fact many of our daily activities are the main contributors. Human made causes are deforestation for crops, homes and businesses. Pollution from transportation releases carbon dioxide into the air. The use of electricity creates greenhouse gases. Transportation is a huge contributor to greenhouse production and our population has increased meaning more crops and more houses build using more land. Driving our cars releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and buying homes in the suburbs means cutting down existing trees and plants, which store carbon, are ways in which humans can be the cause of global warming. To understand how we cause global warming it is crucial that we become aware of how our daily activities are linked with the greenhouse effect. Deforestation, which is cutting down trees to use the land, has contributed toan increase in CO2 allowing more to be trapped in the ozone layer. We use fossil fuels to power machines. By burning fossil fuels the amount of carbon released is increased, which increases the greenhouse effect. Other examples of using energy and polluting the air are "turning on the lights, watching television, listening to a stereo, washing or drying clothes, using a hair dryer, using the microwave, an air conditioner, playing a video game, and using a dishwasher. All of these things are causing more greenhouse gasses to be sent into the air" (Global warming, thinkquest.org, 2012). According to the national wildlife federation, global warming is human caused. "Scientists have concluded that most of the observed warming is likely due to the burning of coal, oil, and gas" (NUSF, 2012). Humans have been adding to the affects of global warming for centuries.

There are many steps we can take to control and eventually stop global warming. We can sell our cars, ride our bikes and buy goods and services from the most local sources available, grow our own food instead of importing it from thousands of miles away, and retrofit our home or build a new one for maximum energy efficiency (acoolerclimate.com). Humans take advantage of the fact that government will handle this situation, so they do not worry with it. This is a huge problem and the entire world must work together to get it under control. If we keep living the way we are accustomed to everything will eventually be gone. Our plants and fresh water will disappear. We will have more extreme weather due to climate change and "climate change will alter the quantity and quality of available fresh water" (Turk & Bensel, 2011). Heat and heat related illnesses are expected to rise. "Climate change is expected to affect human health directly" (Turk & Bensel, 2011).

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, why did we not think of this sooner. The three R's are a crucial aspect in resolving climate control and global warming. In my opinion, the government should be doing more. They should be putting policies into