“The pace of global warming is accelerating and the scale of the impact is devastating.” Says American lawyer, Eliot Spitzer (Eliot). This is the most accurate statement about global warming. The environmental issue has seen an incredible escalation lately, and the effects on our environment and especially our health, are desolating. There are many readily identified and advertised effects of global warming. The obvious climate change, the pollution of air, the destruction of ecosystems, and plenty more. But those all impact the planet. And many ask “why does that matter to me?” True, those are huge effects on the planet, however they can have disastrous consequences on humans as well. If we continue to destroy our planet through global warming, …show more content…
Although air pollution is not really thought of to be a big contributing factor to declining health, according to Medical Doctor, Harry Heimann, it can be one of the biggest killers. We do not see air pollution, so we are not inclined to think much of it, but it can be extremely harmful. Certain illnesses are air-borne and of course we acquire the ever-present aerosols and gases that greatly poison the air we depend on, and not only that, but can help aid in the spread of these harmful agents (Heimann). Not only can air pollution affect the general population, but it can have a disastrous effect on those with asthma or other allergic diseases. An estimated twenty-five million people in the United States alone suffer from asthma, which accounts for approximately forty percent of the United States population. That is already a large number, but as air pollution increases, those numbers are increasing concurrently. The diagnosis of asthma is rising to an extremity, with approximately thirty percent of those diagnoses in children, with environmental factors such as air pollution as the cause (WHO). In the most severe cases, asthma can cause death. Approximately 3,000 asthma cases each year in the United States are fatal, and that number could gradually increase if we do not stop global warming and decrease our role in air pollution. …show more content…
Florida houses one of the widest varieties of ecosystems, including mangrove swamps, marshes, and the Everglades, to name just a few (Florida Habitats and Wildlife). The change in weather caused by global warming, has already begun to modify the growing season, forcing plant and animal species to adapt, and if they cannot adapt, they face the possibility of extinction. This change in the growth seasons has already caused a disturbance in the life cycles of plant and animal species, limiting the resources of food and throwing reproduction and survival out of synch (NASA). Now, this is bad enough in itself, but put it into the perspective which benefits us. We rely on these plants and animals for our food, our ability to live. Following the cycle of life, we expect the meat we consume to be able to provide us the nutrients we need to live, the proper amounts crucial to our health. With plant species dying out, animals are getting less nutrients, thus, we are receiving less as well. Because of this, our health will deteriorate, and that vicious cycle will continue. This lack of nutrients can cause malnutrition, which can cause or exacerbate disease or at an extremity can cause death (World Food Programme). The Child Welfare League of America estimates over 30 million Americans experience starvation on a regular basis or are high at risk (Livestrong). As our amount of resources
The consequences as the result of the earth warming up cannot be ignored any longer. We need to stop wasting our time debating if climate change is man-made or a natural phenomenon. It is clear to me, and many scientists, that we are slowly killing our planet and all its inhabitants (human and non-human animals). We need to stand united and stand tall in this fight to save the ecosystems. We have become an over populated consumerist society, consuming far more natural resources and energy than the generations before the Industrial Revolution. Thus giving off substantial amounts of greenhouse gases that dramatically change the temperature of our planet. It is well documented in various reports how much the Earth’s temperature is rising and is predicted to rise at a rate of 2°C in the next two to three decades. With two-thirds of the world’s population living within two hundred miles of seacoast, and with most of the world’s economy concentrated in coastal cities, rising sea levels would cause immense devastation. Climate change is happening before our eyes with unpredictable storms and weather patterns, severe droughts, and melting polar caps. It is up to each of us to change our behavior to a more sustainable one, by utilizing renewable energy sources--humankind and the Earth are depending on it (Lovelock
Global warming is an issue we are all pretty familiar with. It is the climate change that we, humans, are responsible for. The warming of the earth’s atmosphere is caused by the fossil fuels we burn, clearing of forests, and the carbon dioxide and other harmful gases we release into the air (Cunningham, Cunningham, 2009). There are other harmful toxins we use such as pesticides that are supporting global warming. Some effects of global warming include: increase in weather catastrophes, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and the impact on species could lead to extinction (Cunningham, Cunningham, 2009). “Many scientists regard anthropogenic global climate change to be the most i...
Global warming is amongst the most frightening environmental issues the modern world faces; it’s adverse effects have become significantly more prevalent since the dawn of the 20th century taking the forms of powerful
Global warming is a problem that is often overlooked by many and is hindered among other problems that require immediate actions. Over the last 136 years the temperature in earth has increased 1.7°¬¬¬F. Although an increase of 1.7°¬¬¬F over 136 years may not seem like a lot but humans are destroying the earth at a faster rate than ever before. Human omissions are roughly equal to 4 Hiroshima atomic bombs exploding across the planet every second leaving future generations of human in jeopardy. With warmer climate comes with catastrophic outcomes like drought, which can destabilize the food sources on earth leaving millions of people hungry. Widespread extinction of most species on earth and the melting of polar ice caps can raise the sea level leaving most of the world’s coastal cities under water. This cannot happen overnight but if humans keep omitting at the current rate the outcome of climate change will become prominent
While air pollution is currently controlled nationwide under the Clean Air Act and mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), air pollution levels that do not exceed those set by the EPA have been shown to be associated with an increased incidence of respiratory diseases, such as asthma. One indication that air pollution has affected acute asthma is the increase in hospital admissions above the normal annual trend that occurred in 1991 and 1994, an increase that coincided with increased air pollution and heavy haze due to forest fires and volcano eruptions near the study’s location (Chew et al., 1999). Further analysis conducted by Chew et al. (1999) suggests that these air pollutants also have influenced acute asthma beyond the episodes of increased air pollution. This finding has important implications for the growing number of asthma sufferers who are continually being exposed to rising concentrations of air pollutants.
For the first time in planet earth’s history, one of its inhabitants has acquired the power to change the global climate. By releasing the huge amounts of carbon stored in fossil fuels over millions of years, mankind has disrupted the natural carbon cycle. We have intensified the natural greenhouse effect and turned it into a planetary menace that is melting our ice caps. In his award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore (2006) states, “human activities, if unchecked in the next decade, could destroy one of the earth’s principle mechanisms for cooling itself” (p.291). The world needs to address the potentially disastrous consequences of our earth’s rapidly changing climate by acknowledging the existence of global warming and understanding its impact on the present and future generations.
Global warming is a topic of discussion that many people can debate or try to avoid. It is often argued that the causes of global warming are either caused by humans, nature, or both. Some of these people don’t even have a clue about the impact they have on Earth and the ozone layer. Some people may not even know what causes global warming. If people don’t know how they are contributing to global warming, how are they going to contribute to stop it? Humans affect global warming by activities that range from driving to expanding their family. In this case, global warming’s effects are overwhelmingly connected to human activity.
It is stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that “asthma is a serious, sometimes life-threatening chronic respiratory disease that affects the quality of life for more than 23 million Americans, including an estimated 6 million children”. Mayo Clinic defines asthma as “a condition in which airways narrow and swell and produce extra mucus” that “makes breathing difficult and triggers coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath”. Irena Buka (2006) reports that “the Committee on Environmental Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2004 emphasizing the link between ambient air pollution” (defined by WHO as pollution emitted from industries, households, cars, and trucks) “and children’s health”. “Children are known to be more vulnerable to the adverse health effects of air pollution due to their higher minute ventilation, immature immune system, involvement in vigorous activities, the longer periods of time they spend outdoors and the continuing development of their lungs during the early postneonatal period” (Buka, 2006). According to Coordinated Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities announced by EPA, “approximately 7 million children age 0 to 17 in the U. S. have asthma, with poor and minority children suffering a
Car pollutants cause immediate and long-term effects on the environment. Car exhausts emit a wide range of gases and solid matter, causing global warming, acid rain, and harming the environment and human health. Engine noise and fuel spills also cause pollution. Cars, trucks and other forms of transportation are the single largest contributor to air pollution in the United States, but car owners can reduce their vehicle's effects on the environment. Car pollution is one of the major causes of global warming. Cars and trucks emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contribute one-fifth of the United States' total global warming pollution. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, which causes worldwide temperatures to rise.
directly into the air in a harmful form and are substances directly emitted from a
Our planet has managed to survive and thrive for about 4.54 billion years. In the last 2 million years we have caused enough damage and destruction to make our world “broken” beyond repair. We will not be able to get back the world we once had. The reason behind this is global warming, specifically, the increase of the global temperature due to the burning of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere. If we do not make the issue of global warming a priority in today`s society, our entire way of life will be at risk. There are many reasons why so many people believe global warming should be a concern. Thoroughly examined points include: scientific predictions, rising temperatures, human causes, drastic climate changes and animal adaptations. Though there are several points arguing how global warming should not be a concern, the reality of the matter is that it needs to be taken into consideration on a global scale before it is too late, as to do nothing would have devastating implications on humankind.
In Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and China’s pollution directly correlates to the effectiveness and direction the government turns. The Korean government has taken many progressive steps in order to lessen the pollution over the years. While the Japanese government in response to the nuclear crisis after the 2011 tsunami, dumped 2 million gallons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean (Yang 23). The Chinese government has not done much to stop pollution and is named by World Bank in 2007, 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in China. Pollution is negatively affecting the countries of Korea, Japan, and China by causing illnesses for the people and wildlife and thus causing political unrest.
Air Pollution is when a poisonous or a harmful substance is released in the air. There are many form of pollution but air is one of them, it only occurs when dust, harmful gases or smoke enters into the atmosphere and makes it hard for species like plants, animals and humans to live in a difficult situation because of the dirty air.Air Pollution is classified in two sections, invisible air pollution and visible air pollution.. Hence any substance that makes it difficult for the living things that need the atmosphere is air pollution.Humans have been undergoing air pollution ever since the industrial revolution.In order to understand the causes of Air pollution, it is divided into divisions. Primary air pollutants and secondary air pollutants:
What is pollution? Pollution is a detrimental enemy to all species that walk on earth. It is a product of mankind carbon foot print on the environment. It consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surrounding; which brings about changes that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements of pollution which are generally waste materials of dissimilar forms. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem and the balance in the environment. With innovation and development in our lives pollution has reached its peaks; giving rise to global warming and human illness. When raw materials, water, energy and other resources
The vast economies, better living standards and the fight against poverty would not have gone this far were it not for the industrial growth and its pollution in general. The government as the main driver of social change should play a key role in ensuring the environment is not polluted, and resources are well taken care of. The environment we live in is gradually changing for the worst, and the government cannot just sit and watch the ecosystem get depleted in spite of the heavy taxes it reaps from those who pollute the ecosystems. Although environmental conservations is a call for everyone given that we all contribute directly or indirectly, the government plays central role both ethically and politically in regulating pollution and environmental degradation.