Global Warming Essay
Blanc
BIO-220
June 3, 2014
Tina Salat
Global Warming caused by Human activities
Global warming is, in essence, the gradual rising of temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere. As global warming increases, temperatures become higher; mostly in the Earth’s oceans, which can have devastating effects on the Earth’s ecosystem (Weart, 2004). Global warming in when “the Earth's atmosphere is overloaded with heat-trapping carbon dioxide, which threatens large-scale disruptions in climate with disastrous consequences” (nrdc.org, 2014). Global warming has become a prevalent issue as of late, given our increased acknowledgement of our own complicity and role in the dramatic increase in global warming in recent years. Global warming can happen for a number of reasons, but the most commonly cited one is the greenhouse effect, in which carbon emissions flow between the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and outer space, increasing in volume within the atmosphere (EPA, 2014). This essentially keeps solar radiation trapped in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping and making temperatures rise further. Global warming is a very urgent, immediate issue that human intervention plays a big part in, both in our role in facilitating and minimizing contributions to global warming.
Human activities have a significant impact on global warming, not the least of which through our contribution to the increase in carbon emissions and physical waste on the planet. Through our industrialized, globalized lifestyles and economy, we use a tremendous amount of power, usually sourced from oil and fossil fuels (Weart, 2004). Due to this, the use of power plants, cars and electricity pumps carbon emissions into the air, where they contribute even further to the greenhouse effect. What’s more, our manufacturing of non-biodegradable products like plastics and the like is leading to the filling up of our world’s landfills, taking up more and more space on the planet and emitting more and more methane
BIO-220
June 3, 2014
Tina Salat
Global Warming caused by Human activities
Global warming is, in essence, the gradual rising of temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere. As global warming increases, temperatures become higher; mostly in the Earth’s oceans, which can have devastating effects on the Earth’s ecosystem (Weart, 2004). Global warming in when “the Earth's atmosphere is overloaded with heat-trapping carbon dioxide, which threatens large-scale disruptions in climate with disastrous consequences” (nrdc.org, 2014). Global warming has become a prevalent issue as of late, given our increased acknowledgement of our own complicity and role in the dramatic increase in global warming in recent years. Global warming can happen for a number of reasons, but the most commonly cited one is the greenhouse effect, in which carbon emissions flow between the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and outer space, increasing in volume within the atmosphere (EPA, 2014). This essentially keeps solar radiation trapped in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping and making temperatures rise further. Global warming is a very urgent, immediate issue that human intervention plays a big part in, both in our role in facilitating and minimizing contributions to global warming.
Human activities have a significant impact on global warming, not the least of which through our contribution to the increase in carbon emissions and physical waste on the planet. Through our industrialized, globalized lifestyles and economy, we use a tremendous amount of power, usually sourced from oil and fossil fuels (Weart, 2004). Due to this, the use of power plants, cars and electricity pumps carbon emissions into the air, where they contribute even further to the greenhouse effect. What’s more, our manufacturing of non-biodegradable products like plastics and the like is leading to the filling up of our world’s landfills, taking up more and more space on the planet and emitting more and more methane
References: Environmental Protection Agency (2014). Overview of greenhouse gases. EPA.gov. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html NRDC, Global warming, n.d., Retrieved July 3, 2014, from: http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/ Weart, S.R. (2004). The discovery of global warming. Harvard University Press