Global Warming

Erica Mitchell

Professor Bannister

English 1113

July 2, 2016

Global Warming

One of the biggest problems facing the world today is global warming. “Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth's climate” (Bradford). We all live on Earth and should take care of it, which means learning what goes on in our world. Global warming is caused by human activities and affects the planet’s climate and increasing droughts.

        Today it is believed that increasing level of carbon dioxide gas and other greenhouse gases on the earth are the main reasons of heating the atmosphere of earth. Life on Earth depends on the energy coming from the sun, even though only about half of the light ends up reaching the atmosphere. When it finally gets to the surface it can be absorbed and then radiated upward in a form of infrared heat (Global Warming Effects). “About 90 percent of this heat is then absorbed by the greenhouse gases and radiated back toward the surface, which is warmed to a life-supporting average of 59 degrees Fahrenheit” (Global Warming Effects). The greenhouse effect is a natural process that helps make the Earth warm enough for us to live. It works like this: The Earth gets energy from the sun, heats up, and then gives off energy in a different form, called infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap some of this energy before it escapes to outer space, warming the atmosphere. But people's activities are adding extra greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, so the greenhouse effect is becoming stronger and the Earth is getting warmer. The greenhouse gases take a huge part of the impact that global warming has. “Emissions like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and other greenhouses gases will remain in the atmosphere for many years making impossible to eliminate global warming for several decades” (Global Warming Effects). Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning. We can eliminate these gases by switching to different sources that can take over the old ones that run our cars, fly our planes, and even the oil from oil fields. If we used electric powered vehicles, or even walked we could help eliminate the major sources of these gases.

        The planet’s climate has been difficult to understand in this last decade. Global warming is causing extreme weather changes that has shown its implications in the way of forest fires, heat waves and severe tropical storms throughout the world. There has been scientist that have confirmed that climate change will make more hurricanes more intense (Bradford). The earth has begun to gain heat and because of this, glaciers are melting. “Since 1880, the average temperature has risen by 1.4 inches’ degrees Fahrenheit” (Global Warming Effects). Due to the melting ice, sea levels have risen by .12 inches per year (Koch). The rising sea levels could threaten the lives of people living along the coastal areas and that region’s animals. This has caused many animals including polar bears to become endangered. Polar bears are dying because there is not enough ice for them to hunt for food for them and their young.