Global Warming: A Threat or a Myth?

Introduction

There has been a steady increase in the temperature of the earth in the past few decades, and yet we are looking for an explanation for this increase. The historical warming of the earth's surface over a period of time is known as global warming. Earth has observed a steady and evident increase in temperature, but people still ask if global warming is only a myth. The Earth's average surface temperature has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4ºF in the last 100 years. There have also been other changes in the environment such as the rain pattern, flowers blooming faster, and the disappearance of glaciers, among others. Global warming is not a myth but a serious threat to living creatures.

Analysis

There are many elements that make the global warming phenomenon so prevalent. The greenhouse effect is one of those elements. The greenhouse effect is the steady change in the temperature of earth's surface by the presence of an atmosphere containing gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor that absorb and emit heat radiations. “Certain gases such as carbon dioxide and methane play a crucial role in determining the earth's climate by preventing heat from escaping the atmosphere” (Inhofe, pp 39-189). The heat trapped in the atmosphere cannot escape, hence; it leads to the greenhouse effect increasing the temperature of the environment. There are many activities performed by humans which lead to the emissions of these gases. These include burning of fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Also, activities such as deforestation contribute to the increment of carbon dioxide. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which is a basic need of every living creature on earth. If these plants are destroyed, then there is no means of absorbing excess carbon dioxide. This process may then unfortunately lead to the greenhouse effect (Avery, pp 12-188).

Not only have bears and seals been the victims, but also plants have been affected by global warming. The increase in temperature has resulted in the growth of various plants. “The growth of birch has changed the ecology of tundra in some plots by covering and killing moss with large amounts of leaf litter”. There has also been a significant early blooming of many flowers. As the temperatures are getting higher, the blooming of these plants is also getting faster (Maslin, pp 34-288). Many researchers are warning that several species of plants are on the verge of disappearance because of global warming. The amount of nitrogen is chronically deficient in most of our soils and so if that small amount that's there is reduced even further it could have disastrous consequences, really tipping the balance if you like and pushing a lot of plant communities to change dramatically where you get a disappearance of a lot of species. These all point towards the same direction: global warming (Caplan, pp 34-289).

Another prediction made by scientists about global warming is irregular rain patterns and extreme weather ...