Global Warming

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Recommended: The impact of fossil fuels on our Planet

Global Warming:

“It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes…” The famous words of R&B star, Nelly, are truer than one might think. It really is getting hot in here. The world’s average temperature is rising every year and is expected to be 5 to 10 degrees higher by the end of the century, which is faster than they have increased in the last ten millennia, according to the National Resource Defense Council’s website.

But why is this epidemic happening? As the Defense Council states, global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other types of heat trapping pollution that are collecting like a blanket in the atmosphere, trapping heat from the earth as it tries to radiate back into space. As a result, the planet is getting warming. In fact, 2002 was the hottest year yet. In an article in World Almanac and Book of Facts, 9 out of the10 hottest years have been in the 90's.

There are a few major causes of theses heat trapping gases. According to a study conducted by Dr. Gerald Meehl, Warren Washington, T.M.L. Wigley, Julie Arblaster, and Aiguo Dai from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado, the main contributors to global warming are derived from human activities. Since the start of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of CO2, CH4, and N2O have increased by 30%, 145%, and 15%k respectively. The gases are emitted mainly by cars, power plants, and other industrial sources that burn gasoline, coal, and other fossil fuels.

Obviously, the emissions of these greenhouse gases in excess are leading to the planet’s consistent increase in temperature. For example, in a study conducted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, it was confirmed that earth’s early century warming was caused by mostly solar and volcanic forcing, and the late century warming, from 1940-2000, was mostly caused by the increase of greenhouse gases. The National Resource Defense Council states, if global warming persists, there will be more air pollution and problems with water supplies as precipitation patterns change, as well as huge threats to ecosystems from the Everglades to the glaciers. Not only will there be hotter, longer heat waves and more intense storm systems, but also forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases.

As a result, past pr...

... middle of paper ...

...o buying more fuel efficient cars and promoting an atmosphere friendly lifestyle.

References

Arblaster, J., Dai, A., Meehl, G., Washington, W., Wigley, T. (2002, July 2002). Solar and Greenhouse Gas Forcing and Climate Response in the Twentieth Century. Journal of Climate, pp426-444.

Carey, J. and Shapiro, S. (2004, August 16). Global Warming. Business Week, pp.60-69.

Frazier, I. (2003, March/April). As the World Burns. Mother Jones, pp.36-39.

Global Climate Coalition. Retrieved on March 28, 2003 from Global Climate Coalition the world wide web: http://www.globalclimate.org/index.htm

Jensen, M. (2004, August). Climate Warming Shakes up Species. BioScience, pp. 722-729.

Schulz, K. (2003, February 20). Global Warming Right Now. Rolling Stone. pp. 35-38.

(2003). Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. World Almanac & Book of Facts, p165.

(2003). Global Warming 101 What it is, How it's Caused, and What Needs to be Done to Stop it. Global Warming: In Brief. Retrieved March 28, 2003 from National Resource Defense Council on the world wide web: http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/f101.asp

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