Global Warming Essay - Problem And Solution

(environmental) Essay - 1,592 words

Global Warming - Problem and Solution (Environmental) There are many problems concerning the environment. Pollution,
destruction of the rainforests, and the consumption of all of our planet's natural resources are just a few. None of these issues quite
compare to the problem of global warming. Global warming is a problem that affects not just some people, but everything and
everyone. People must take action to stop global warming and must realize the severity of this problem before it is too late. The
future depends on what we do now to slow the process of global warming.

What exactly is global warming? Global warming is a problem that emerged as a major issue in the late 1980's. Global warming can
be defined simply as a rise in the average land temperature around the earth (Hynes 181). Currently, the average temperature of the
earth is roughly 57 degrees Fahrenheit (Schneider 16). This temperature could be the result of several different factors. Some of the
factors that cause the earth's temperature to rise are natural, but humans have caused many others. Surrounding the issue of global
warming is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect plays an important role in the issue of global warming, but it is not the
reason behind why global warming is occurring.

The earth produces greenhouse gasses naturally, and without this gas, humans along with many other forms of life, would not be able
to survive. The reason for this is that earth would be much too cold for many life forms to exist if it did not have some form of gas to
heat up the environment. Without the greenhouse effect the earth would be 40-60 degrees cooler than its current temperature
(Hynes 176). The problem though, is that the earth is producing an abundance of this gas, and we are going to become much too
warm (Schneider 13). Life cannot survive in a certain amount of warmth as well, so a middle ground must be sustained. Although
some scientists dispute that humans are in any way responsible for the rise in the amount of greenhouse gasses many others believe
that humans are partially responsible (What is global warming?). Numerous things can cause the amount of greenhouse gasses on
the earth to rise. The Industrial Revolution of the early 1900's is said to have increased the level of carbon dioxide by 30 percent,
methane by 100 percent, and nitrous oxide by 15 percent (Global Warming).

Another one of the factors that can increase the levels of greenhouse gasses is the burning of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels make up 90
percent of the commercial production of energy in the world today (Gribbin 235). This percentage is far too high for the environment
to handle. Along with the variety of causes for global warming, there are also many results from global warming. Several of these
results are negative; there really are not any benefits from the earth growing warmer. One of the major negative effects of global
warming would be an increase in disease (Hynes 182). Diseases such as Malaria, Hantavirus and many others would be much more
common because they would survive better in a warmer climate.

Another negative effect of our planet growing warmer would be an increase in the number of natural disasters (Hynes 182). There
are a number of natural disasters that would occur more frequently in a warmer environment. The occurrence of hurricanes most
importantly, along with a slight increase in the number of tornadoes, floods, droughts, acid rain along with warm and cold extremes as
well, would be much more common if the balance of our planet's temperature was thrown off. Natural disasters such as
"superhurricanes" for example, would occur because of warmer surface temperatures of ocean water (Hynes 182). Storms of this
magnitude would produce winds up to 225 miles per hour (Hynes 182). An increase in the number of floods and tornadoes would be a
result of these storms.

In spite of the fact that many of the problems concerning global warming are very serious, a large number of them would be able to
be dealt with by humans through some action. The biggest problem, though, is something that humans cannot control: rises in sea
levels and thermal expansion of our oceans. Thermal expansion takes place when the average temperature of the water in the ocean
is increased (Gribbin 20). Because the water is warmer it expands, and therefore occupies more space. Because of this, a one-to
three-foot rise in ocean levels could occur. If the seas do expand at the current rate, by the year 2075 the oceans could be as much
as seven feet higher than they currently are (Houghton 176).

This could cause the arctic ice sheets and some glaciers to partially melt. The melting of ice and its replacement by forest
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay

...................You are reading a preview................... Visit our Blog and Unlock Full Access to this essay
Continue READING the FULL Essay by clicking HERE

Essay Tags: global warming, warming, fossil fuel, temperature, greenhouse effect This is an Essay sample / Research paper, you can use it for your
research of: Global Warming Problem And Solution environmental