Threat of Global Warming Essay - 1930 Words

Threat of Global Warming There are two burning questions that I feel need to be answered before exploring the aspects of global warming. They are what is the greenhouse effect and how does the green house effect contribute to global warming? Gases in the atmosphere are transparent to visible light but absorb infrared (heat) waves that are reradiated from the earth’s surface (Cunningham, Cunningham, Saigo 05). However, some greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, while others result from human activities. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal),†¦show more content†¦Increasing levels of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere since pre-industrial times have been well documented. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased nearly 30 percent, methane has more than doubled, and the nitrous oxide concentration is up about 15 percent. All those extra greenhouse gases mean more and more solar energy is being trapped in the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and making things warmer. In the simplest terms, global warming is just what it sounds like: the worldwide rise in surface temperatures. The cause of global warming is what’s called the greenhouse effect. That’s shorthand for the ability of gases in the atmosphere to slow down the release of heat into space at night. Some gases are better at this than others. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are the top three greenhouse gases. They are very good at absorbing sunlight and converting that energy into heat – rather like a rock does just sitting in the sun. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased nearly 30 percent, methane has more than doubled, and the nitrous oxide concentration is up about 15 percent. All those extra greenhouse gases mean more and more solar energy is being trapped in the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect and making thingsShow MoreRelatedThe Threat Of Global Warming976 Words   |  4 Pagescentury more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate â€Å" ( Barack Obama ). Global warming is the increase of earth’s average surface temperature. The threat has presently widespread over a 50 year timeline. The human race has birthed a disastrous world that is deteriorating every second of the day. It is becoming almost too hard to come back from this catastrophe. Global Warming is a threat that we sometimes call â€Å" the greenhouse effect. â€Å" The greenhouseRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming1447 Words   |  6 PagesGlobal warming is a terrifying thing to think about. People try to ignore it because they are afraid of what it will cause. They don’t want to accept what scientists are saying, â€Å"Humans are to blame†. I, being a future scientist, also believe that humanity is the cause of global warming. This believe of mine stemmed from a class I took in middle school that put us, students, in the shoes of United Nations members. We had to take sides on issues such as deforestation and the usage of fossil fuelsRead MoreGlobal Warming Is A Threat Essay1533 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal warming has been a controversial issue since the first publication of global warming, â€Å"Worlds in the Making,† by Svante Arrhenius in 1896. 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During this, the resultingRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming1816 Words   |  8 PagesHumanity’s Biggest Threat Recently, the issue about climate change has been on and off the news headlines. The debate whether if global warming is real or hoax is gradually getting more attention to the public. Global warming is defined as phenomenon that causes global average temperature to rise in a steady rate.While many people speculate that global warming is a temporary issue that won’t be a serious issue after a while, scientific data point out that it could be a big threat to the world andRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming3159 Words   |  13 Pagesworld governments about the threat that global warming poses to life on Earth. The scientists have raised the alarm numerous times, even as the effects become noticeable today. But why then, as the effects of global warming are becoming more obvious as time passes, have countries like the US, Australia, and Canada done nothing to address the problem? As Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, and other pacific island nations sink due to rising seas p erpetuated by global warming, these countries have beenRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming988 Words   |  4 Pagescatastrophic global warming have been found, after nearly two decades of temperature stasis, to be in error,† writes Maurice Newman, chief business advisor to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (Dunn). With this bold declaration, Australia thrust itself onto the international stage where it was widely criticized and condemned by the United Nations and environmental supporters worldwide. Already behind the world in climate change legislation, Australia quickly became the face of global warming denialRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming1129 Words   |  5 PagesHuman activities have been identified as the most significant cause of recent climate change; it is often referred to ‘Global Warming’. The main cause of global warming is emission of greenhouse gases .The main source of energy today - coal, gases and oil produce greenhouse gases, in pa rticular carbon dioxide. Nuclear energy can reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. It is used to generate electric power but unlike fossil fuels it does not emit greenhouse gases. Therefore, the best possible solutionRead MoreEssay on The Threat of Global Warming1667 Words   |  7 PagesThe Threat of Global Warming Through the eyes of most scientists, global warming is seen as a very serious and severe threat. The actions taken by humans, such as industry and consumption of fossil fuels plus the increase in population and agriculture have played a big part in global warming. If something is not done soon the results could be very bad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the middle of the twenty first century, there is evidence that the Earth will be warmer than it has been at any time in human historyRead MoreThe Threat Of Global Warming1779 Words   |  8 Pagespaying the consequences from past generation’s inability to make the right but hard choices, in order to protect and preserve our environment. The NRDC website lists the top global warming symptoms as melting glaciers, rising sea levels, severe weather patterns, the human health, and wildlife. (Consequences of Global Warming). Drilling in ANWR would cause horrifying situations for the wildlife ecosystem and inescapable affects on life in America and around the world, as we know it. In the National