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The role of humans in climate change
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Global warming is one of the most tumultuous topics in today’s society. Some believe it is happening as we speak, while others question its very existence, So, is it real, or is merely a hoax? There is no one answer, but evidence does overwhelmingly support the former. Surely we have all heard this word at one time or another, but few individuals actually know its true definition. Justifiably, however, global warming is not that simply explained. In layman’s terms, it is the dramatic increase in the Earth’s average air and ocean temperature since the 20th century. This increase is primarily attributed to two main culprits: the greenhouse effect and human activity, such as fossil fuel burning. In both cases, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the enemy. The greenhouse effect is the process by which atmospheric gases, like CO2 trap the Sun’s infrared energy and stop it from radiating back into space. Shockingly enough, nearly half of all sunlight produced is absorbed by the Earth’s surface. However, the greenhouse effect would not be nearly as strong if it were not for human activity. By frivolou...
Swimming to Antarctica, by Lynne Cox, is about Lynne’s adventure to become a great long distance swimmer. Lynne started as a slow swimmer. During practice, she never rested for each instruction the coach gives. She later found out that she wanted to be a long distance swimmer. Her coach told her to join a race on a lake. She went and she loved to swim in the open waters. She then went to a different program that trained her to swim in the open waters.
In the essay, “Global Warming is Eroding Glacial Ice,” Andrew C. Revkin argues that global warming is the primary cause for many of the world’s natural disasters; including flash floods, climate change, and the melting of the polar ice caps. He includes multiple accounts of expert testimony as well as a multitude amount of facts and statistics to support his theory that global warming is a threat to the world. However, in the essay “Cold Comfort for ‘Global Warming’,” Phillip Stott makes the complete opposite argument. He argues that global warming is nothing to be worried about and the melting of the polar icecaps is caused by the interglacial period we are currently in. After reading both of these essays and doing extensive research on both viewpoints, I completely agree with Revkin that global warming is an enormous threat to our world today. My research not only helped me to take a stand but it also showed me the invalidity in Stott’s essay.
When taking a quick look at the two expeditions, one led by Ernest Shackleton to Antarctica and the other led by Arlene Blum to climb Annapurna, a quick summation can be made that Blum succeeded in her expedition and Shackleton failed. But this is a shallow view, not considering the nuances and actual experiences of the trips. Ernest Shackleton set out with his crew in 1915 to be the first expedition to cross Antarctica, but in fact, he never set foot on the continent. While failing at his initial goal, he was a highly successful leader and kept his 28 men safe for close to two years, while they were trapped on the ice floe and then, after the ice gave way, when they were paddling hundreds of miles across open seas in small, wooden lifeboats. He then completed the treacherous journey across South Georgia Island to reach a town and resources necessary to rescue his other men. All of his men were rescued alive and safe and all were able to return home to their families. In comparison, Arlene Blum set out from the United States in 1978 with 9 of her teammates as the American Women's Himalayan Expedition – the first all-woman group to attempt to climb Annapurna. Though their expedition was too often hazardous, it didn’t have the same level of urgency, because at any point during their climb, the group was at liberty to descend. Blum struggled with her role as the leader of this group of highly independent women. She too often hesitated and showed her lack of confidence, which in turn led to many problems within the group and with the hired Sherpas. On October 15th, 1978, two members of the expedition, along with two Sherpas, reached the summit of Annapurna, fulfilling the goal of the group. However, two days later, on Octobe...
It is an unquestioned fact that the climate is changing. There is abundant evidence that the world is becoming warmer and warmer. The temperature of the global land average temperature has increased by about 8.5 degrees centigrade from 1880 to 2012 (Karr, et al 406). The one or two degrees increase in temperature can cause dramatic and serious consequences to the earth as well as humans. More extreme weather occurs, such as heat waves and droughts. The Arctic Region is especially sensitive to global climate change. According to the data in recent decades, the temperature in the Arctic has increased by more than 2 degrees centigrade in the recent half century (Przybylak 316). Climate change has led to a series of environmental and ecological negative
Global temperatures have noticeably been rising since the mid 1800’s.The average temperature has increased by 0.6 ± 0.2°C since 1860 according to (John Sweeney, 2003)with accelerated warming apparent in the latter decades of the 20th century. The legitimacy of global warming had long been debated, however in a report by (IPCC, 2007) it states that warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level. Simulations on models such as EC-Earth provide us with predictions for future climate change. Depending on levels of emissions an increase of 1 to 5.5 degrees celsius is expected in average global temperatures by 2100.
The clock is ticking! Global Co2 emissions have increased exponentially since the industrialization of today’s developed world. Emissions have now passed the absorptive capacity of the earth and are accumulating in the earth’s atmosphere, warming the surface of the earth and inducing localized climatic changes. Climate change is often a localized issue. Many regions of the world will continue to become hotter, while others may experience highly variable weather patterns. Climate change poses a serious threat to ecosystems, economic sectors, and human welfare. Although almost entirely caused by the developed world, climate change will disproportionally affect the world’s poor.
Mankind’s industrialization of the world has caused a drastic increase in temperature. This rise in temperature is caused by solar radiation remaining in our atmosphere because of gases produced by humans through the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities. These gases block the radiation from escaping into space therefore warming our planet. The result is raising of ocean levels, extinction of species and threatening of children’s health because of disease and less freshwater to drink. While many view climate change to be a more natural occurrence than others do, scientists have proven the average temperature rise of the Earth between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the last 100 years.
In my cartoon I did a vending machine with everything American Imperialism strived for and the cost for either those values, or physical elements. The vending machine is meant to relate the feeling of how American’s were almost greedy for the stuff in it. It was as simple as clicking two buttons and America got what they want. I say that because on page 280 of our books, it writes how Great Britain and America had a treaty regarding a canal. The next sentence is about how the United States got what they wanted, exclusive rights to build the canal. I personally infer from that, that there was no war or anything behind it. It was simply America getting what we wanted easily and quickly. In short, my cartoon is focused on the negative sides of
Polar ice is sea ice created from the freezing of sea water, ice sheets and glaciers. These in turn are formed from the build up and compaction of fallen snow. Both the ice sheets and glaciers cover vast areas of the Polar Regions. This polar ice is hugely important to our globe and takes up a large part of it. Global sea-ice coverage averages about 25 million kilometers square; this is the area of the entire North America continent. The ice sheets, which cover the land, with the glaciers cover about 15 million kilometers square; this is almost 10% of the Earth’s land area, with the majority on Antarctica (Earthobservatory.nasa.gov, 2013).
Climate change is occurring at unprecedented rates and is mainly caused by the human expansion of the “greenhouse’ effect which can eventually cause potentially damaging effects in the decades ahead. The natural greenhouse effect is paramount to the maintenance of life because it regulates the Earth's surface temperature from becoming too cold that is unsuitable for life. The earth naturally produces greenhouse gases that make up the earth's atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These naturally produced gases are good for the earth in certain quantities by protecting it from receiving an excess amount of energy from the sun. When the sun shines light rays onto the earth, a number of the rays are absorbed by the planet, while much of the rays are reflected back to the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases within the atmosphere absorb some of this energy, whereas the rest is reflected back into space, as a naturally occurring cycle that is required to keep the Earth's surface warmer. The problem is that humans are producing far too much amount of greenhouse gases as a result of increased human activities that demand the utilization of energy, which has led to emissions and a elevate in greenhouse gases. A rise within these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere means more heat is trapped in the atmosphere, which tilts the odds of a warmer average temperature that has a greater chance to influence climate change. Nevertheless, a small increase in temperature grows the odds of the negative effects of climate change. Particularly, as the conditions on the planet get warmer due to the number of greenhouse gases being produced there is an increase in the occurrence of record-breaking events including heat waves, droughts, elevating sea level, and the increase prevalence of extreme weather. With the perpetuating vicious cycle,
Climate change has been nothing, but controversial in the last fifty years. Climate change is a change in the average weather of a region or city. Scientists have opted to use the term "climate change" instead of global warming because as the Earth's average temperature changes, winds and ocean currents move heat around the globe in ways that can cool some areas, as well as warm others. There is an ongoing dispute about the effects of humans on the global climate and about what policies should be implemented to avoid possible undesirable effects of climate change. Ninety-seven percent of published scientific research concluded that climate change is real, problematic for the planet, and has been exacerbated by human activity. But what about the three percent that contradicts that?
The commonly debated “greenhouse effect” refers to “the global-average temperature increase that has been observed over the last one hundred years or more” (Spencer). President Barack Obama addressed the issue as an effort to highlight its severity, "We have to all shoulder the responsibility for keeping the planet habitable, or we’re going to suffer the consequences – together” (Leader). The earth’s increasing atmospheric and oceanic temperatures result in climate changes due to cumulative amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
As we approach the future we are faced with many global problems. Most of these problems arise because we have caused them ourselves. We need to face these problems and find a solution. Global warming, although most often overlooked in importance, is a crucial problem of the future directly related to human activities. Global warming is caused by gases humans release into the atmosphere called anthropogenic gases and by deforestation. Anthropogenic gases include carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofl...
Global heating and cooling has occurred on a cycle for millennia, however in the past thirty years the increased use of energy and fuels by humans has drastically changed this natural occurrence (Juerg, 2007). The largest cause of this warming is the release of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide levels are twenty-five percent higher than they were in 1957 (UCS, 2013). This seemingly insignificant change has caused a myriad of negative effects. The endangerment of species, rising sea levels, and increased natural disasters are just a few examples of change brought about by global warming (Juerg, 2007).
Global Warming One of the most substantial problems in the world today is global warming. This gradual warming of the earth is in occurrence at an extremely slow rate but it is happening. Many scientists believe that as human’s work and release greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere, it can become dangerous for the long lasting life of humans and our environment. “Unless we take immediate action, the impacts of global warming will continue to intensify, grow ever more costly and damaging, and increasingly affect the entire planet - including you, your community, and your family” (“Global Warming Impacts”).