Global Warming

What is Global Warming? Global warming is the unequivocal, continual rise in the temperature of earths climate system. 90% of the warming has occurred in the oceans since 1971. Since the 20th century the air and earth surface has increased 1.4 F. Scientists reported that they are 90% sure most of global warming is caused by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, produced by humans. In the 21st century it is estimated to rise from 4.3 to 11.5 F. Future change will vary from region to region. Some effects from the climate change will be, a rise in sea levels, change in precipitation patterns and maybe expansion of subtropical deserts. The warming will most likely be strongest in the arctic, melting glaciers, and sea ice. Other effects include droughts, heat waves, and heavy rain. And possible species extinction, due to temp. It is going to affect humans a lot, we will lose a ton of food supply, such as crops and animals. The greenhouse effect is the absorption and emission of infrared radiation gases in the atmosphere warm the lower atmosphere and gases. Major greenhouse gases are, water vapor, which is 36-70% of greenhouse effect, Co2 9-26%, methane 4-9%, and ozone 3-7%. The level of these gases now, are higher than they ever have been in the last 800,000 years. Fossil fuel burning has produced a ton of the rising Co2 levels from human activity in the last 20 years. Coal burning is responsible for 43%, oil 34%, gas 18%, cement 4.9% , and gas flaring 0.7%.

After reading all of this about global warming, my opinion is that we (humans) are changing the temperature. I do believe also that it is climate change, but we are the ones causing the climate change. Some parts of the world are worse than others, but that is because some parts of the world drive less, and burn less harmful stuff that is killing our ozone layer. If we do not start taking care of the air and the ozone layer, many bad things are going to happen, and some of them have already started. For example, California is in a drought, Icebergs are melting, the ozone layer is breaking. We are losing our environment, slowly but surely. We are losing animals and crops already, because of the rising temperatures. If this keeps going on we will have no crops, and no animals, species will go extinct, also if the ozone layer keeps breaking, it will only get worse since it is what keeps out the UV rays. And if the UV rays are not blocked, a lot of bad stuff will happen, including total melting of glaciers, which leads to flooding everywhere. So overall, I think humans need to not be so oblivious to what is going on around them, and start trying to rebuild what we have broken. Start walking to work, or to places not too far away. Dont burn things that are unnecessary, try taking care of our world.

-Sarah Richards

Wikipedia.com