Global Warming - Caused by Gasses

The challenge is not lack of knowledge of global warming, people are aware of what global warming is and many people even know the causes and what they can do to help the environment. One of the challenges we face is to educate people on the importance of doing something now, not waiting for the problem to be more obvious. As R. Kates explains in Turning the Corner (n.d.) “…62 percent of Americans now believe that global warming is an urgent threat requiring immediate and drastic action…48 percent now believe that global warming is already or soon will be dangerous…” (para. 4). The fact is, global warming is already dangerous, and immediate and drastic action needs to happen now.

Global warming is caused by gasses such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone building up in the atmosphere due to our, as humans, actions (Global Atmospheric Changes, n.d., pg. 217). What happens is these gasses absorb heat energy given off by the Earth’s surface; instead of the heat going back into space, some gets trapped in the Earth’s lower atmosphere warming the Earth. The gases listed are known as greenhouse because they “…trap the sun’s infrared radiation somewhat like glass does in a greenhouse…” (Global Atmospheric Changes, n.d., pg 218).

Unless social marketing efforts make the urgency and certainty of global warming more obvious, it may be several years before climactic events are such that North Americans are jerked from their lethargic indifference and recognize that their lifestyles have put them in peril.

(Bird, 2008, para. 19)

“We are witnessing a collision between our civilization and the Earth,” (A. Gore, 2006, An Inconvenient Truth). As we go on burning carbon-containing fossil fuels, we continue to add to the most human-made carbon dioxide (Global Atmospheric Changes, pg.217). The emissions automobiles give off are “…not only carbon dioxide but also nitrous oxide, which triggers the production of troposheric ozone,” (Global Atmospheric Changes, pg.217). With our population, over-developed lands and deforestation, is it any surprise we are facing global warming? We take more resources from the Earth than we can replace at an unbelievable rate.

Polar ice caps and glaciers are melting at such a fast rate those who study them are astonished. Animals of all types of species are being affected by global warming. Polar bears have been discovered dead from drowning, swimming to find ice, (A. Gore, 2006, An Inconvenient Truth); krill have declined in the waters of Antarctica affecting the penguin population as they feed on the krill (Global Atmospheric Changes, n.d.); it’s an endless cycle. Coral reefs are being bleached, boats have been found stranded in what was water, is now dry land due to drought.

“Environmental scientists estimate that if trends don’t change, Earth’s mean temperature could rise 2.5˚ to 10.4˚ by the end of the 21st century” (How Ecosystems Work, n.d.). If this happens, glaciers and ice caps will melt at a higher rate than they already are. Hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world will be flooded out of their coastal homes. Major cities will be under water, much of the San Francisco Bay Area, Florida, Manhattan, and areas in Japan, China and worst of all, with the highest population at threat, India.

The only positive aspect to global warming that I could find was the warmer climate brings more food, as the weather will permit for more farming with longer seasons to do so; but, how will this happen if our lands are flooded and our water resources are limited due to drought? If global warming continues on the path it is on death rates will go up due to flooding, heat waves, illness brought by misquotes that thrive in warm weather and by other means.

The good news to all this bad news is there is all types of things each and every person can do to turn around the global warming effect. Below is a list from ClimateCrisis.net, the website linked to the movie, An Inconvenient Truth, of things each of us can do, even more can be found on the website:

Change out regular incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (clf).

They use 60% less energy. They are more expensive, but will last longer.

Install a digital thermostat and move it down 2Лљ in the winter and up 2Лљ in the summer.

Clean and replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.

Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.

Use less hot water.