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Global Warming
Global warming is denoted by unfavorable climatic changes that have caused an increase in the average global temperature for the last few decades. These climatic changes can be attributed to the growing number of industrial, agricultural and human activities over the last few centuries. The principal cause of global warming is the increase of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere (McCaffrey, 7). Greenhouse gasses produce the greenhouse effect by permitting light of short wavelengths from the sun to pass through but transform the light into long wavelength. However, these radiations remain within the earth’s atmosphere since they cannot escape through the greenhouse gasses. Global warming has developed into a universal calamity that requires speedy attention to limit human activities that contribute to the greenhouse effect.
The leading cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect which ensues when the sun’s heat and light are trapped within the earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses in the earth’s atmosphere trap energy and heat from the sun. It all starts when the sun rays reach the earth’s atmosphere; some is absorbed while the rest reaches the earth’s surface (Akbangia, 1). Light reaching the earth’s surface is radiated back into the atmosphere as heat. Solar radiations from the surface of the earth should move out of the earth’s atmosphere, but greenhouse gasses trap this heat and thus raising the average earth’s surface temperatures.

Research shows that carbon dioxide stands out as the most emitted greenhouse gas. The primary source of the carbon dioxide gas is the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or even oil. However, car exhaust fumes and gaseous industrial emissions are entirely made of carbon dioxide gas. According to the US Natural Resources Defense Council, two billion tons of carbon dioxide gas are produced annually when fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity (Macmillan, 1). Burning of coal accounts for the largest percentage of pollution as a result of burnt fossil fuels. Consequently, vehicle emissions within the transport sector generate a total of 1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide gas annually. The ecosystem is balanced with trees taking up carbon dioxide gas to manufacture food and in result give out oxygen gas as a byproduct. On the other hand, the human respiratory system takes in oxygen from the trees and gives out carbon dioxide as the end product. Unfortunately, cutting down of trees has caused an imbalance in the ecosystem. An increase in carbon dioxide denotes a decrease in oxygen, and this acts as an imminent threat to humanity since they solely depend on oxygen for survival.
According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the effect of other greenhouse gasses cannot be overlooked in studying the latest scientific findings on global warming. Methane is one of the principal contributors to the greenhouse effect, and it is ranked as the second most prevalent greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. The gas may reach the earth’s atmosphere either naturally where some gas may leak during the drilling of natural gas or through human activities such as farming, industrial emissions, and landfills (“Global Warming Facts, Separating Fact from Fiction”). The primary source of methane emission is from the decay of domesticated animal waste. However, the increase of nitrous oxide gas is attributed to greater use of chemical fertilizers in farming. The burning of fossil fuels releases a surmountable amount of nitrous oxide gas. Nitrous oxide gas is the third potent greenhouse gas whose effect to the greenhouse effect cannot be ignored.
Research shows that chlorofluorocarbon gasses are also contributors of the greenhouse effect. The primary sources of chlorofluorocarbon gasses are aerosols and gasses used for refrigeration and air-conditioning purposes in buildings and vehicles. Consequently, human activities such as deforestation lead an imbalance to the ecosystem since the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will increase (Akbangia, 1). Trees use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and thus cutting down of trees increases carbon dioxide in the air.
The effects of global warming can be felt at every location of the universe. The major effects of global warming are an increase in the average earth’s temperature and the rise of the sea level. According to the National Climate Data Center, the earth’s surface temperature will have increased by 3 to 5 degree Celsius by the year 2100 (“Global Warming | Monitoring References | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)). The globe is progressively warming with melting glaciers and sea ice. The rise in the sea level causes flooding along the coastline which discourages settlement along the coast. However, rising temperatures lead to frequent and intense heat levels which may lead to skin cancer in acute cases. The climatic patterns and seasons have also changed with significant changes being experienced on both poles of the planet (Dinçer et. al, 20). There have been several reported cases of heavy downpours in most locations of the globe due to increased rates of evaporation.
The International Panel on Climate Change has proposed several preventive measures that can be used to mitigate global warming. Some researchers claim that the causes of global warming can either be natural or human-made. However, human causes are more dominant although humankind has devised several preventive measures of global warming. Everyone should take personal responsibility for ensuring that they limit their engagement in activities that lead to increased emissions of greenhouse gasses (McCaffrey, 14). Both the federal and state governments should impose restrictions on industries whose product or byproduct is carbon dioxide or any other greenhouse gas. However, using the public transport system ensures that only minimal vehicles are on the road and thus reduced car emissions.
Fossil fuels have consistently been burnt to produce energy but with alternative sources of energy such as the wind and solar energy; it is easier to limit the global warming crisis. Adoption of organic farming where biotic manure is used to enrich the farm’s nutrients is pivotal at reducing the amount of nitrous oxide in the air. Both the federal and state governments should launch campaigns aimed at emancipating the public on the need for stopping deforestation (Dinçer et. al,108). Instead, members of the community are encouraged to plant more trees annually in the quest to attain the original balance of the ecosystem. Afforestation reduces the level of carbon dioxide gas in the air.
Despite all the consequences of global warming, this menace can be regulated by addressing human activities that lead to the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Human activities have proven to be the principal causes of global warming (Shrivastava, 67). However, the federal and state government should organize campaigns aimed at emancipating the public on the need for preserving the environment. This calls for a collective responsibility to fight misinformation emanating from media houses based on the undervalued gravity placed on the global warming issue. We must acknowledge that global warming is inevitable and humanity should always be prepared for any detrimental effects that may prevail at any time in future. The bottom line is to ensure that the universe is still conducive to human survival for the current and future generations.
Works Cited
Akbangia. “GLOBAL WARMING (Cause, Effect & Solutions).” Project Smile India, 2010,
https://projectsmileindia.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/global-warming-cause-effect-solutions/.
Dinçer, İbrahim, Can Ozgur Colpan, and Fethi Kadioglu, eds. Causes, impacts and solutions to
global warming. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.
“Global Warming | Monitoring References | National Centers for Environmental Information
(NCEI).” Ncdc.Noaa. Gov, 2016, https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/monitoring-references/faq/global-warming.php.
“Global Warming Facts, Separating Fact from Fiction.” Causesofglobalwarming.Net, 2016,
http://causesofglobalwarming.net/the_facts.html.
Macmillan, Amanda. “Global Warming 101”. NRDC, 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101.
McCaffrey, Paul. Global Climate Change. Bronx, NY: H.W. Wilson Company, 2006. Print.
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Shrivastava, A K. Global Warming. New Delhi: A P H Pub. Corp., in association with Council
for Training & Research in Ecology & Environment, 2007. Print.
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