Humans The Cause Of Global WarmingAlicia

Humans: The Cause of Global Warming
Alicia Ferrell
Miller-Motte Technical College

Humans are responsible for global warming for many reasons and if it is not controlled properly it can affect the future of this planet. The burning of fossil fuels, mass deforestation, and increased population are all causes of global warming. "Global warming is believed to be caused by changes in the earth 's atmosphere as a result of industrial process."(Leggett 124) Global warming is the rise of Earth’s temperature causing a vast amount of issues. The sign that supports the human cause is abundant and powerful, some say it is normal for the planet to undergo such changes in atmospheric temperature. If we, as humans, do not change the way we use resources, our planet will be doomed for the future. Deforestation is a major topic in today’s era. Man has cut down trees in great amounts that has led to the obliteration of great forests and the lives of countless animals and plant types. We are unsuccessful at realizing that trees are the most important characteristics of our planet and the presence of tress does play a dynamic role. They provide homes to many, controls the climatic surroundings, and avoids soil in erosions and many more. However, trees have been disappearing at a disturbing rate and it is projected that, about 50 % of the tree cover has been removed. Trees are being cut for numerous purposes and when reforestation is not happening, the proportion between the cut trees and young trees gets extended thus causing in infertile lands, which may at times become beneficial for economic purposes, just gets misused for no reason. Global warming is an issue that is being deliberated and explanations trying to be found out. In-fact, man has created such circumstances. With trees on the earth, they help in the immersion of carbon dioxide and discharge of oxygen which preserves a balance. However, with the cut down of trees, the content of carbon dioxide has amplified in the atmosphere resulting in global warming. We all depend on one other for presence and thus do require plants, animals, and every other life form. Stabilizing the natural habitat is the best way of getting back at least some of what we have lost if not all.
Global warming is destroying our planet. It is one of the most recent and widely debated dynamics. It has far-reaching impact on biodiversity and climatic surroundings of the planet. Melting ice caps, rising sea levels and significant climate changes are several issues brought up with the subject of global warming. In short, global warming indicates an imperative danger to all living things on earth. According to The Global Issues Sourcebook, "global warming leads to uncontrollable releases of greenhouse gases from various sinks resulting in uncontrollable warming."(P 499) The greenhouse effect is very different than global warming; one contributes to the other. Global normal temperature rose considerably during the past era. The leading view is that most of the temperature rises since mid-20th century has been caused by population growth and rise in greenhouse gases. As a result, the world is getting warmer. Carbon dioxide (C02) which is a significant factor of environment is causing a warming outcome on the earth’s surface. It upsurges the loss of water into the atmosphere. Since water vapor itself is a greenhouse gas, this causes still more heating. The warming causes more water vapor to be vaporized. The C02 level is predicted to rise in future due to ongoing destruction of fossil fuels.
There is a close relation between global warming and population growth. According to the United Nations Population Fund, human population raised from 1.6 billion to 6.1 billion people during the course of the 20th century. Humans use fossil fuels to power their increasingly mechanized lifestyles. Added people means more demand for oil, gas, coal and other fuels mined or penetrated from below the Earth’s surface that, when burned, spew enough carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere to trap warm air inside like a greenhouse. A Swedish chemist by the name of Svante Arrhenius had a theory that a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions as a result from combusting fossil fuels could enhance the average surface temperature of the earth (Maslin, 2004). With the rise of population, more fossil fuels are being used and more products are being consumed. Countries with a higher population rate should be trying to designs ways to decrease fuel consumption. By 2050 the concentration of atmospheric CO2 may be double what it was in the 1700s (University of Phoenix, 2008, P 4). Rise in technology with the growing population is another concern. Two reasons for a growth in population is people are living longer to the development of modern medicine and the average age of a woman having children is decreasing.
Global warming is something that is now damaging our ecosystem severely: ice is disappearing, diseases are spreading, and temperatures are rising. The rise in sea levels is a major cause of concern. A large number of cities located in coastal regions will sink in the sea. Rising temperatures causes drought for longer period of times and less rainfall in certain areas. More natural disasters are arising from the effect that global warming has caused on earth. Climate change will also have a growing impact on health concerns. Studies show that the lower part of the United States will suffer from water shortages by midcentury. Dirty water is the largest health risk in the world and threaten quality of life. With rising sea levels and flooding, it contaminates drinking water causing water shortages throughout the world. Because of higher temps in northern regions, mosquitos are traveling further north and infecting more of the population with disease. Bacteria thrive in warmer climates meaning more outbreaks of illnesses and more chances of resistants’ to antibiotics. Warmer lakes cause bacteria to thrive and it makes summer activities more risky. More worldwide travel, import and export of goods, and increasing population leads to more threatening illnesses.
Planting more trees and decreasing deforestation worldwide will hopefully help restore the balance of the eco system. Recycling or reusing materials can decrease the amount of products being used. “An increase in the earth’s atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2008). We as the inhabitants of this planet should know the cause and effect of materials we use. We need to keep this planet healthy for generations down the line. Public awareness campaign can be of great help in this regard because unless each and every individual is mindful only governments’ effect cannot bring anticipated transformation.

References

Afzal, Brenda (May 2007) Global Warming: A Public Health Concern. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229554480?accountid=159009
Mohan, Vishwa (09/28/13) UN panel 95% sure humans causing global warming. Retrieved from http://lirnproxy.museglobal.com/MuseSessionID
Pearce, Fred (06/11/05) Climate evidence finds us guilty as charged. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200441561?accountid=159009
The Age (Melbourne, Australia) (Sept. 5, 2014) 99.999% certainty that humans are causing global warming. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/

References: Afzal, Brenda (May 2007) Global Warming: A Public Health Concern. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229554480?accountid=159009 Mohan, Vishwa (09/28/13) UN panel 95% sure humans causing global warming. Retrieved from http://lirnproxy.museglobal.com/MuseSessionID Pearce, Fred (06/11/05) Climate evidence finds us guilty as charged. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/200441561?accountid=159009 The Age (Melbourne, Australia) (Sept. 5, 2014) 99.999% certainty that humans are causing global warming. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/