Global Warming: Is Mankind to Blame?

“Global warming is controversial, of course, but the controversy is mainly over whether human activity is driving it (Michio Kaku).” For years, the suspect or suspects that cause global warming have been unknown. Two of the well-assumed and controversial possible defendants are balancing on a slightly unbalanced seesaw with scientific evidence that back up or refute their degree of involvement in the crisis. There is evidence that global warming is taking a toll on the earth and will continue to further affect it significantly in the future. To begin preventing these future calamities caused by global warming, society must first assess whether mans’ actions are causing global warming or if it is a natural phenomenon.

Future environments on certain parts on Earth have been foreseen, and global warming seems to be a leading game changer in it. The term “global warming” and “increased global temperatures” have been a hot topic for years now, but what are they? Global warming is simply, the gradual warming of the Earth. Climate change is also synonymous to global warming. The Earth getting warmer is not at all new; “Since 1951, Earth’s climate has warmed by about 0.6 degrees Celsius…” (Spotts). However, prior to the presence of humans, climate changes happened completely from natural causes such as changes in volcanic eruptions, natural changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and solar energy changes (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

In this day and age, fossil fuels are a major source of energy around the world. The carbon cycle exists in order to flow carbon through the many different aspects of the Earth’s system - which includes water, air, land, and etc. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is labeled a greenhouse gas because it contri...

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...nd no air conditioning. “The recent heat waves in the United States during the summer of 1999 took their heaviest tolls in urban areas. The victims are usually people with heart disease or lung infections, as well as children and the elderly” (Martens).

It is evident to see that the majority of research suggests that global warming is driven by man-made activities. The Earth has been warming itself since the beginning of life. However, the escalated warming activities that began at the birth of the Industrial Revolution has caused such a rapid increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases, which the Earth naturally could not have done on its own in the same time span. It is apparent that the small things we do such as switching on a light adds up heat to the environment. We have an affect on global warming just as much as it will have an affect on society in the future.