Newton 1

Dan Newton
Lucinda Clark
Geography 1000
4/17/2016
Climate Change
The Issue of global warming is a big topic of discussion in the world right now.
The question I have is, Is it due to the way humans are treating the planet by producing green
house gasses warming up the atmosphere or is part of earths natural cycle? What can we do as
people to prevent the warming of the planet, and why? Is it to late to prevent the changes
happening on earth?
With talk of climate change, I think its hard for humans to get a full grasp on the issue.
Everyone is concerned with their busy lives. Getting people to think beyond a couple of weeks or
months, let alone hundreds of years is difficult. A scientist llissa Ocko says, Human emissions
just cancelled the next ice age. Ocko talks how we are not only altering the climate today, but
also the distant future with potentially dire consequences. We have done this by burning fossil
fuels for centuries, which has added so much extra carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The next
Ice age isnt due for another 50,000 years, but with all the carbon dioxide we continue to emit, it
will still be in the atmosphere for thousands of years. A study published in Nature magazine says
an ice age is unlikely to form within the next 100,000 years. Ocko claims, Its unclear what
skipping an ice age will mean for our planet long-term. What we do know is that climate change
is here and already causing irreversible damage. This was amazing to me that we are impacting
the planet in such a negative way, that future generations will have to pay the price for our
decisions made today.

Newton 2
Scientists say that the earths climate naturally changes from hot to cold periods. So is the
earth just doing what it naturally does and has done for millions of years? From what I have
found the answer is yes and no. An article from Climate Central says, If the Earths temperature
had been steady for millions of years and only started rising in the past half century or so, the
answer would be obvious. But the fact is the temperature has not been steady at all. Twenty
thousand years ago, the planet was going through an ice age with glaciers covering much of
Europe and North America. A hundred million years ago, the Earth was so warm that crocodilelike creatures prowled through tropical vegetation not far from the North Pole. So that does
prove that the earth changes naturally, but there are many reasons that it is caused by humans.
Scientists have been measuring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since the 1950s and reports that
about a quarter are the result of humans burning fossil fuels.
One suspect for a natural cause of global warming is the sun. Astronomers say that the
brightness of the sun can vary, which can increase the amount of heat it sends to earth. Satellites
have monitored the sun since the 1970s, which has been the fastest warming period taken place.
They have ruled out this theory because they have not found the brightening needed to cause the
increase in earths temperature. So what is the big deal if the planet naturally warms up anyway,
even if this time it isnt natural? Well, where we get fresh water and grow food is all based on the
climate. And we could suddenly find those things in the wrong places if are climate changes.
So after researching I feel confident I have the answer to my questions. The evidence that
supports man-made global warming is there, from measuring the amounts of carbon dioxide we
emit into the atmosphere.

Newton 3
There are other factors that we are contributing also:

Deforestation which has several negative affects on the planet. Trees play an

important role in absorbing and storing the green house gases.

Methane gas found in landfills and in agriculture.
Nitrous oxide found in fertilizers

The fact that we have changed the planet is something future generations while have to live with
forever.

Works Citied
Ocko, IIissa. Human Emissions Just Cancelled the Next Ice Age. Heres Why We Should
Care. Environmental Defense Fund. 11 Feb, 2016. Web. 16 April, 2016.
How Do We Know Global Warming Is Not a Natural Cycle. Climate Central. 7 Nov
2009. Web. 16 April, 2016.