GLOBAL WARMING

Global Warming and Its Effect

Global Warming and Its Effect

Introduction

Global warming or climate change is one of the most recognizable problems in the world in 2011. Many scientists and government officials have recognized the signs of the deteriorating environment and have started to act on proactive solutions. Global warming solutions range between all levels of society; both individuals and global efforts play an important role in preserving the environment. What is global warming? Temperature records have been recorded around the world since the end of the 19th century. According to these records, temperatures on Earth have risen by an average of between 0.5 and 1 degree Fahrenheit over this time. The North Pole has experienced the most significant rise in temperature, around 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit. This warming effect is the result of both greenhouse gas emissions and natural changes in the activity of the Sun (Mann & Kump, 2009).

Global warming, also called climate change, is an environmental challenge currently facing the world. The trends and effects of global warming are a hot topic of debate, with many in the scientific community in agreement that it is a real and current threat. Scientists are making predictions well into the future as to the long-term effects of global warming, but the world is already experiencing the short-term effects, which are worsening every year. This paper will discuss global warming and its effects on earth, and human hand behind global warming.

Discussion

Human Hand behind Global Warming

Global warming is a natural process of warming within the Earth's atmosphere. Man-made causes of global warming produce a ripple effect, resulting in changes in natural animal habitat, animal reproduction and production of food sources.

Pollution and Population

Pollution from cars and other machinery directly impacts the rate of global warming. Cars burn fossil fuels, which give off carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 blocks heat from reaching the outer layers of the Earth's atmosphere, creating an oven-like effect on Earth. Heating fuels also give off CO2. Mining natural sources of fuel releases methane into the atmosphere, further impacting the natural dissipation of heat. As the population of the Earth increases, more people burn fossil fuels, causing a greater impact on the environment and global warming (Van and Riahi, 2008).

Deforestation

Trees transform CO2 to oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to convert CO2 to oxygen. The result is a greater concentration of CO2, causing increased global warming. Population directly impacts deforestation, as farmers cut down huge swaths of trees, clearing land for agriculture. More people require more food, and thus more farmland is needed to maintain food supplies (Singer and Avery, 2007).

Production of Animals for Food

According to a report released in 2006 by the United Nations, animal production for food impacts global warming more than the burning of fossil fuels by drivers. About 30 percent of the Earth's land mass is utilized for raising animals. This process increases animal waste, which emits nitrous oxide (NO2). Nitrous oxide has nearly 300 times the effect on ...