Global Warming

JOSE LORENZANA
Introduction
Global warming is one of the most crucial problems facing the
world. Though the average surface temperature on Earth fluctuates
naturally on geological timescales, temperature increase over the
past century has been commonly associated as human caused.
Facts
In 2009, the United States alone
produced about 20% of global
carbon emissions. Although China
is now considered to be the
worlds largest overall emitter of
carbon dioxide (the primary
greenhouse gas), the United
States contributes far more
emissions per capita. With only 5%
of the global population, the
United States emits 19.10 tons of
carbon dioxide per person per
year, compared to 4.85 tons in
China and 1.18 tons in India.
(Smith and Leiserowitz)
IMPACT ON WORLDS OCEANS
Oceans are the lifeblood of planet. They
flow over nearly of our planet and hold
97% of the planets water. They produce
more than half the oxygen in the
atmosphere, and absorb the most carbon.
However as CO2 levels rise it has led to the
oceans becoming more acidic. When
atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in the
oceans it forms carbonic acid, which in turn
has a negative impact on marine life.
Laboratory studies show that as seawater
acidity increases, the calcium carbonate
shells and skeletons of many marine species,
such as hard corals, sea urchins, and stony
seaweeds, begin to corrode. (Ocean)

Deforestation
The Environmental Defense Fund
(EDF), a leading green group,
estimates that 32 million acres of
tropical rainforest were cut down
each year between 2000 and
2009. Deforestation is happening
at an alarming rate, an acre of
tropical forest every second.
(Deforestation)
About 10 percent of carbon
emissions come from tropical
deforestation, equivalent to the
annual tailpipe emissions of 600
million average U.S. cars.
Floods
In the United States, where flood
mitigation and prediction is advanced,
floods amount to $6 billion worth of
damage and kill about 140 people every
year. A 2007 report by the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and
Development found that coastal flooding
alone does some $3 trillion in damage
worldwide. (Climate)
When floodwaters recede, affected
areas are often blanketed in silt and mud.
The water and landscape can be
contaminated with hazardous materials,
such as sharp debris, pesticides, fuel, and
untreated sewage. Potentially dangerous
mold blooms can quickly overwhelm
water-soaked structures. Residents of
flooded areas can be left without power
and clean drinking water, leading to
outbreaks of deadly waterborne diseases
like typhoid, hepatitis A, and cholera.

Hurricanes
Hurricanes are subject to various climate change-
related influences. Hurricane Sandy, which caused
an estimated $65 billion in damages, in New York,
New Jersey, and Connecticut in 2012, of which
most can be attributed to coastal flooding.
(Global)
The warmer sea surface temperatures are,
combined with greater intensity of tropical storms
wind speeds, are delivering more damage when
they make landfall.
In addition, sea level rise is likely to make future
coastal storms, including hurricanes, more
damaging. Sea level is expected to rise by 1-4 feet
during the next century, which will amplify coastal
storm surge.
















Hawaii prepares to receive two hurricanes head on.
Hurricanes Iselle followed by Julio. The last time a hurricane
affected the islands was in 1992 when Hurricane Iniki caused
$1 billion in damage and killed six people. (Hawaiis)
Conclusion
Global climate change is no longer a
myth made up to scare the general
public. Its effects are having a
tremendous impact on us as a society as
a whole. I think that as a species we need
to be able to look past our insignificant
differences and see beyond of whats in
front of us. Though true much of the
damage that was done was from our
previous generations, we have also
learned from our past mistakes and are
capable of leaving a better world than
we found it. Although we (humans) may
have dominion over the planet, Mother
Nature has showed us that we are no
different than fish in a fishbowl. She has
showed us that she has reign supreme
long before we arrived, and will continue
long after we are gone.

Heavy rains caused the soil on top of the hill to be
unstable, leading the hill to give way and crushing this
house along with endangering other nearby houses in
a North Salt Lake neighborhood.
Works Cited
"Hawaii's Hurricane History." <i>Hawaii's Hurricane History</i>. Hawaii News Now. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.
&lt;http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/6921152/hawaiis-hurricane-history&gt;.
Smith, Nicholas, and Anthony Leiserowitz. The Rise Of Global Warming Skepticism: Exploring Affective Image
Associations In The United States Over Time. Risk Analysis: An International Journal 32.6 (2012) 1021-1032. Business
Source Premier. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.
"Global Warming and Hurricanes." Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. GFDL - Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Laboratory, 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 07 Aug. 2014. <http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warming-and-hurricanes>.
"Deforestation and Its Extreme Effect on Global Warming." Scientific American Global RSS. Scientific American, 13
Nov. 2012. Web. 06 Aug. 2014. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deforestation-and-global-warming/>.
"Climate Change Threatens Health: Flooding." NRDC:. Natural Resource Defense Council, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.nrdc.org/health/climate/floods.asp>.
"Ocean Acidification." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 06 Aug. 2014.
<http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-ocean-acidification/>.