Saturday, January 20, 2007
Global Warming IS Affecting Earth
Global warming is a result of human activities. These activities are puncturing holes in the ozone layer which is allowing more ultraviolet rays from the sun to enter through the layer. As a result, the world's temperature is rising causing the polar ice caps to melt.
Human activities cause pollutants which have negatively impacted the atmosphere. Pollutants significantly contribute to global warming. Pollutants such as soot, ash and gases from burning fossil fuels have been added to the air. The destruction of trees and forests is another human activity that is affecting global warming. The trees basically purify the air by taking in the carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. As forests are being depleted, the amount of carbon dioxide is increasing everyday. In addition, carbon dioxide is consider to be a greenhouse gas as well as methane and water vapor and greenhouse gases "trap" heat close to the surface which is increasing Earth's temperature.
- Since the Industrial Revolution which occurred in late 18th century to early 19th century, human activities associated with industrialization affected the Earth drastically. Man was and still is finding faster ways to produce items and consumer needs. In order to produce the goods a source of energy is necessary and fossil fuels are the most economical to use. When you burn coal, natural gas and oil they emit a by- product called carbon dioxide into the air. The atmospheric carbon dioxide levels has increased severely. In 1991, the total global emissions of carbon dioxide was 26,073,000,000 metric tons and this number is enlarging each day. With the increase of carbon dioxide levels the amount of ultraviolet rays absorbed by the Earth is increasing which is affecting the temperature of the Earth. Over the past hundred years the surface temperature has increased from 0.5 to an alarming 1.1°F and over the next 200 to 300 years scientists are estimating the temperature to rise two or three more degrees.
- The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty which was designed to reduce and limit greenhouse gas emissions. There are about 160 countries involved in the Kyoto Protocol. The major countries are Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, and Greece. In addition to Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States of America.
Three Possible Effects of Global Warming
- Climate Change
- Melting of the caps resulting in flooding of low land areas
- Acid Rain - destruction of forrest and streams.
Three Ways To Reduce Your Energy Consumption
- Buy a Hybrid Car
- Plant a Tree
- Use energy conservative products such as fluorescent lamps
New and emerging technology that could change the energy patterns of people would be solar panels and a hybrid car could reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/international/kyoto/
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/278.html
