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Global Climate Change
Climate change is not a new concept; in fact there is evidence of major climate changes throughout the earth's history. However since the industrial revolution and especially since world war two, there has been an unprecedented change in the earth's atmosphere (Gates 4). As of March 1999, scientists reported the construction of a thousand-year record of the average temperature on earth. The results of their study concluded that a nine hundred-year cooling trend has been decisively reversed within the last fifty years (Bell and Strieber 9-10). The effects of these rapid atmospheric changes are seen in increased storm intensity, rising seas, drier cropland, dying forests and coral reefs, proliferating diseases, floods, droughts, fires, and heat waves (Gates 2). These effects have hit home for many in the United States already with the intense flooding of the southeast coast that came with hurricane Opal in 1995 and the extensive flooding of the southeast Florida coast from hurricane Hugo in 1998 (Read 68). These storms are causing increasing amounts of damage due to their growing sizes. In June of 1999, a tornado struck the Midwest with record-breaking winds reaching up to three hundred and thirteen miles per hour (Bell and Strieber 126). #Also in 1999, hurricane Floyd set a record by reaching the size of Texas at its strongest point. Increasing numbers of forest fires spread throughout the southwestern regions of the United States every year. By June of 1998, after a great period of drought, giant fires in Texas together with fires in Mexico and Guatemala created a cloud of smoke thousands of miles long and thick enough to block the suns light at noon in the worst places. This was the second w...
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...al gas instead of coal or oil reduces emissions significantly (Verma 130). There are also emission-controlling devices found on automobiles as well as power plants. The catalytic converter helps reduce emissions from automobiles, while chemical processes help reduce emissions from power plants (Gates 250). These methods however are not cost effective or energy efficient. The burning of fossil fuels will always cause pollution. So then it is up to us as individuals to help each other make the transition away from our dependence on fossil fuels. By using public transportation and conserving energy, with the incentive of environmentally friendly legislation like gas taxes and parking fees, we can start to fix our accelerated rate of warming and global instability (Lowe 34-35).
For years to come there will always be a speculation on whether the climate change has really taken place or not. Many believe that large companies launched this topic in order to benefit from it in profit, as there are also those who are convinced that this are consequences that have emerged from human mistakes in understanding the environment. As humans are struggling to trust one another whether it is just a big conspiracy or not or environment changing itself, we are slowly starting to feel the effects of climate change. Because of the gasses (CO2) that are in the air, atmosphere is getting warmer, thereby triggering the Greenhouse effect. Almost 70% of emitted gasses in air are CO2, which leads us to believe that this is the main cause of Global Warming. Since it is billions and billions of metric tons per year that are being released in air, many scientists conclude that temperature will most likely be more higher in twenty years from now, than it was in near past.
There needs to be a reduction in emissions, yet we cannot focus on this aspect of global warming alone. There are many indicators that climatic change is influencing the frequency and intensity of natural catastrophes. If scientific global climate models are accurate, the present problems will be magnified in the near future. Already scientists have observed that more than 75% of the recent economic losses are caused by natural hazards, which can be attributed to wind storms, floods, droughts and other climate-related hazards. In the year 2008, the U.S. state of Iowa was on the front pages of newspapers all around the world.
On a daily basis, millions of cars are driven by millions of Americans to millions of different places. For most of those millions of people, their cars are their lives and that's all that matter. A second thought is rarely given to the fact that conventional gasoline vehicles are depositing millions of harmful chemical gases into the atmosphere. Many people in America are not aware of what automobile emissions are doing to our environment. If every American knew all the facts about gasoline vehicles, perhaps then they would be motivated and willing to contribute whatever is needed to save the environment from the destruction that gasoline vehicles are causing. Zero-emission vehicles are a new development and are one of the most aggressive approaches toward preventing global warming. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to eliminate conventional gasoline vehicles and begin widespread use of zero-emission vehicles. If there were a national fund for the further development of these vehicles, the effort to eliminate gasoline vehicles would advance much faster. That is why a proposal for the federal government to raise the gasoline tax by $1 per gallon in order to fund further research and development of zero-emission vehicles sounds entirely plausible. If nothing more, it would be giant step in the effort to conserve our natural environment.
Widely because fossil fuels are the number one source of energy in the world today. Humans consume 3,570,000,000 gallons of gas in just one day! Using fossil fuels is extremely dangerous to our environment, but there are plenty of ways one can reduce their fossil fuel intake. Carpooling with your friends to school, work, and just in general is a great choice to make. Not only would it improve the environment, but it would save money, too. Another great way to cut down on fossil fuels is to walk to get from place to place. Walking is an easy way to get an exercise in and is even proven to increase happiness. No matter how big or small, any change will help combat global
Planet Earth is under attack by the very entities charged with its protection. Human beings are systematically destroying the planet and are deaf to its, so far, relatively subtle warnings. When temperatures rise by just a fraction of a degree, or yearly precipitation amounts increase by just an inch or two, these changes can be imperceptible. However, when these small changes accumulate after a period of years they can result in natural disasters that are uncommon to certain geographic areas. Ocean temperatures have steadily been on the rise for years. These changing temperatures have the potential to irrevocably change weather patterns for the entire world. In August of 2011, Hurricane Irene gave much of the east coast of the United States a taste of what changes in global weather patterns can do. The hurricane showed many communities how vastly underprepared, and unequipped they are to deal with such a storm, and it served as a wake up call to the human race, to take better care of the planet. A case study of these realizations can be viewed through the prism of severe weather related events at the Humane Society of Ocean City.
Pollution is a major problem for all of us. People need to recognize this situation so we can start making a difference to this problem. In order to start making a difference, the federal government should increase gasoline tax by one dollar a gallon. Fifty percent of this dollar will go towards public transportation, since passenger cars and trucks are a major contribution towards air pollution, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, E.P.A (10/4, http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions/emsns.html). Due to the expected increase after this is put forth, the remaining fifty percent of the dollar will go towards safety on these transits. When public transportation increases, air pollution will decrease, which will lessen the harmful health risks towards the environment.
There are a number of measures that have already been shown to have a positive effect on the environment and, if we redouble our efforts, could help to reverse the situation. I believe that, while it is true that there is a lot of negative news to this situation, there are many positive and effective actions that can be taken to restore a lot of what we have lost, or are in danger of losing. Consequently, a number of feasible measures can be implemented which will go a long way in slowing, stopping and, over time, reversing some of the harm caused. Initially, and perhaps the most important, is that we need to tackle the problem of carbons in our atmosphere. Consequently, if CO2 emissions are cut or drastically reduced, this will in turn help to reduce the level of greenhouse gases meaning that further global warming will diminish. (Climate Change Evidence and causes, 2013:33) This can be done in a number of ways. By continuing to develop new, greener technologies, cars and traffic in general will become cleaner, emitting fewer exhaust fumes and releasing less carbon into the air. This is already being done. At the recent UN climate-change conference in Doha, some 37 countries agreed to abide by legally-binding emission reduction measures. (Figureres C, 2012) We have seen the development of more efficient engines and hybrid models that use both petrol and electricity. Electric-only vehicles are also becoming more popular and new designs that are powered by solar energy are coming onto the market. Industry is also looking at ways to harness bio-mass and the possibility of hydrogen engines. These measures have already had a noticeable effect on the quality of life in a number of
Hong Kong nowadays has a major problem on global warming due to climate change. Climate problems may not take up any awareness among people in today’s society. Humans are responsible for many of the climate problems we are facing. Climate changes naturally and the current trend of global warming started before the industrial revolution. Before the climate change the climate was a lot warmer. Weather and temperature could be one of the major issues that affects global warming and climate change.
CO2 emissions introduce many alterations to the earth’s climate that negatively affect humans. Some of these alterations include the shrinking of water supplies, which has become more and more crucial as the demand for water increases with the rapid growth of the earth’s population. This effect on the water supply has shown that it can in turn effect agricultural production. Major changes in food production as a result of climate change will cause food prices worldwide to increase, posing major economic challenges to people everywhere. Finally, there is the issue of increased incidence of natural disasters. Many climate and environmental scientists attribute the growing frequency of devastating natural disasters such as droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes to climate change. The last of these was the one that specifically affected Houstonians this past year with the Category 4, Hurricane Harvey, that tore through the city in late August of 2017. The ramifications of this hurricane were felt throughout Houston, dealing $125 billion dollars’ worth of damage and claiming 88 lives (Allen & Davis, 2017). Geert Jan van Oldenborgh of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute was one of the central figures in noting that Hurricane Harvey and the torrential rainfall that came with it were direct result of climate change. The manipulation of ocean currents, and the retention of water in clouds caused by warm weather, both facilitated the production of the brutal tropical storm. Some estimates claim that the increase in rainfall at the hands of climate change were anywhere from 15 to 38 percent (jan van Oldenborgh, van der Wiel, & Sebastian, 2017). Van Oldenborgh noted that while the “likelihood of a Harvey-like storm was perhaps once in every 3,000 years in the past, now it’s once every 1,000 years or so”
“In the last three decades, the United States has had an average of 80% consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil; all of which contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases” (Josef). All over the world, climate is varied; however, that is not the problem. The problem is that our climate and weather patterns are changing and leaving disaster and catastrophe in its wake. The common question of debate is whether humans are the main cause of this climate change, if it is solely a natural occurrence, and what can we do about it? “Climate change refers to any significant change in the measures of climate lasting for an extended period of time. In other words, climate change includes major changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind
In this essay, the effects of climate change on agriculture and how to manage it shall be discussed. Climate change has and will greatly affect agriculture. As time progresses, the effects of climate change will worsen and become detrimental. Mendelsohn and Dinar (2009:1) state,” if future climate scenarios lead to a widespread reduction in food supply, there could be massive problems with hunger and starvation”. Climate change is a change in global climate patterns which is mainly caused by the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by fossil fuels. The writer chose this topic because climate change is a global problem that will pose a threat to people’s lives around the world and must be dealt with sooner than later.
People can also reduce the use of fossil fuels by doing simple things for instance switching off lights and appliances when leaving the room. Walking or cycling instead of driving a car or use public transport for maybe longer journeys. Little things like this will make a big difference, making our planet a better place.
A huge level climate change in the current time attracts the people’s attention very easily. Every one of us is feeling very clearly from the short-term changes in the seasonal patterns of temperature, drought, rainfall without season, changing weather patterns, etc. to the long-term changes affecting the entire earth. Climate is a long-term weather trend affecting human lives positively or negatively. Climate change is the long term variations in the weather patterns.
Electric cars help lower emissions because they have completely clean motors. As time progresses, emission standards rise and will become harder to meet for automakers. Electric motors will always have zero emissions and auto makers won't have to spend extra money to make their engines cleaner and more fuel efficient. Originally, when the internal combustion engine was invented, pollution wasn't a problem. After hundreds of years and the many combustion engines created, all the exhaust has built up. Today, pollution is one of the largest problems in our environment. Every year the average miles driven rises for everyone. When this rises, the pollution rises as well. Toni Marzotto, in "The Evolution of Public Policy: and the Environment," explains how air pollution will continue to keep on increasing:
Hardy, J. T. Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions. New York: J. Wiley, 2003. Print.