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Global Warming
Global warming is an increase in the earth's temperature due to fossil fuels, industry, and agricultural processes caused by human, natural, and other gas emissions. This results in an increased emission of greenhouse gases. Shortwave solar radiation sinks into the Earth's atmosphere and warms its surface; while long wave infrared radiation emitted by earth's surface is absorbed, and then re-emitted by trace gases. Climate changes occur in our earth's atmosphere due to a buildup of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases can occur naturally as well as a result of human activities. Problems can occur when higher concentrations of greenhouse gases are present in our atmosphere because they have enhanced our earth's heat trapping capability. There are many misconceptions about global warming. Some believe that pollution causes global warming, but the fact is global warming is the result of burning fossil fuels, coal, and oil that release carbon dioxide. Another misconception is nuclear power causes climate change. Nuclear power actually reduces emissions of carbon dioxide when used in place of coal. Some believe that global warming means that it will become warmer all over. The name is misleading because in some places, it will actually become colder. The majority of scientists believe global warming is a process underway and that it is humaninduced. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These gases occur naturally. The Earth uses those gases to warm its surface. Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels, wood, and wood products are burned. Each greenhouse gas absorbs heat differently. If natural gases did not occur, the temperatures would be 91.4 degrees cooler than the current temperatures. These gases trap heat and cause the greenhouse effect, rising global temperatures. Human activities add to the levels of these gasses, causing more problems. The burning of solid waste, fossil fuels, and wood products are major causes. Automobiles, heat from homes and businesses, and factories are responsible for about 80% of today's carbon dioxide emissions, 25% of methane, and 20% of the nitrous oxide emissions. The increase in agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production, and mining contribute a significant share of emissions too. The gases released into the atmosphere are tracked by emission inventories. An emission inventory counts the amount of air pollutants discharged into the atmosphere. These emission inventories are used by many organizations. The Centers for Disease Control have been involved in studying global warming's

effect on human health. Global warming is a danger to a human's health. Its affect on climate can adversely affect humans. Plagues have been attributed to global warming. An increase in temperature can result in a longer life cycle for diseases or the agents spreading them. Living in a warm area makes egg production a quicker process. Global warming will lead to more precipitation, which enables infectious diseases to be more easily contracted and spread. Effects of global warming on human health might not be immediately detected. Global warming can affect our future ability to obtain food. As climates change, plants and animals will change, leading to a change in the eating patterns of humans. An increase in precipitation is one result of global warming that could have devastating effects. First, the quality of crops would be affected by an increase in precipitation. Second, increasing rain could lead to an increase in soil erosion. There are ways that you can help prevent global warming. Car pooling, auditing the energy in your home, buying fuel-efficient cars, and reducing the electricity in your home are ways to help prevent global warming. You can also write to your local congress representative or your local newspaper in response to stories, which say global warming, does not exist. Government authorities can help by passing laws to reduce emissions from factories. They can also form a treaty with other countries to legally bind limits on emissions of heat trapping gases. The future of emissions damage depends on several factors, demographics, economics, technology, policies and institutional developments. Future predictions do not look good for this planet if nothing is done. Without the help of emissions control policies, CO2 levels are projected to be 30 -150% higher in 2100. Our renewable resources will be very limited. With cooperation from citizens and government officials, we can slow the effect of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-causes-global-warming.html Causes Global Warming? Global Warming is a major issue due to the industrialization and progress by humankind since the past few years. There has been a hue and cry about Global Warming ever since the idea was first put forward. There are many articles on Global Warming on the internet as well print media which give further details about the causes of Global Warming. Here is some further information on global warming. Global warming has been and is being caused due to a various number of factors. Global warming is basically a change in the climatic conditions of the earth. These climatic conditions vary due to various reason, external and internal. Changes to climatic conditions and therefore Global Warming can be caused to

to natural or man-made circumstances also. Some of the factors causing global warming are volcanic emissions and solar activity. According to the solar variation theory,the sun has been gaining strength and is at it's strongest since a sixty years. Therefore, it may now be acting as a cause of global warming. Sunspots are also said to be a cause or catalyst for Global Warming. Recent reports suggest that the number of sunspots in an area directly affects the amount of time the nearby earth takes to cool. The sun is the main source of energy to the earth. The earth absorbs about seventy percent of the earth's solar flux. This solar flux increases the temperature of the earth's atmosphere, land and oceans. Orbital forcing is also said to be one of the natural causes of Global Warming. The reports show the effect of the slow tilting of the earth's axis on the climate of the earth.The greenhouse effect is said to be the most important factor regarding global warming. When infrared radiation from the atmosphere increases the temperature of the earth's surface, it is termed as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect has increased the earth's temperature by about twenty four percent. Carbon dioxide contributes about twelve percent of the greenhouse effect, while water vapor contributes thirty six percent of the greenhouse effect. Methane causes five to ten percent of Global Warming, while Ozone makes around three to seven percent of the greenhouse effect possible. Solar variation is said to be another reason of Global Warming. The changes in the amount of radiant energy emitted by the Sun are known as solar variation. This solar variation has been correlated with the changes in the Earth's climate and temperature. Along with the natural causes of Global Warming, scientists have also contributed rapid industrialization to the increase of Global Warming today.Humans had first affected global warming some eight thousand years ago, with the start of agriculture. Due to the clearing of the forests for agriculture, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased drastically. Scientists are of the opinion that industrialization releases various gases like carbon-dioxide and methane which are known to contribute to Global Warming. Deforestation is also said to increase global warming. Trees contain a high level of carbon, and therefore their cutting creates an increase of carbon in the atmosphere. Humankind also contributes to the increase of carbon dioxide by the burning of fossil fuels. The contribution of humankind to global warming due to the burning of fossil fuels has increased by about eighty percent in the past twenty years. If the greenhouse effect didn't exist, the temperature of the earth would be

around twenty seven Celsius less. Some scientists are of the opinion that human life would be impossible on planet earth if the temperature would be so less. http://www.articlealley.com/article_110728_27.html If you are the only person to implement the following recommendations, you'd be right; your actions wouldn't have a big impact. But, by making these simple changes you show the people around you how to prevent global warming by leading by example Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_110728_27.html?ktrack=kcplink y being the change you wish to see, you greatly increase your credibility in the eyes of your peers, which makes it much easier for you to enroll them in helping to prevent global warming with you. So, don't underestimate the power of these four easy ways to prevent global warming! Prevent global warming by minimizing drafts in your home. One of the simplest and easiest ways to prevent global warming is to make sure all your windows and doors are draft free. Small gaps in your windows and doors can cause you to consume a lot more energy than you really need to in order to heat and cool your home. To make your home free from drafts wait until a cold day, then hold your hand along the edges of your doors and windows feeling for cold air Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_110728_27.html?ktrack=kcplink If you detect drafts, buy weather stripping from your local hardware store and install it wherever it is needed. Prevent global warming by reducing your waste electricity use. Amazingly about 11% of residential electricity consumption is used by "phantom loads." A phantom load is caused when an electrical appliance draws electricity when it isn't in use. For example, a DVD player has an electrically lighted display that stays on even when you turn the power off. An easy way to eliminate these phantom loads is to plug your computers, printers, scanners, DVD players, televisions, etc. into multi-plug electrical surge protectors. Then, with one flick of the switch, you can make sure that the appliances plugged into your surge protectors are drawing no electricity at all. Prevent global warming with more efficient light bulbs! Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_110728_27.html?ktrack=kcplink One of the simplest ways to prevent global warming is by using more efficient light bulbs. The Union of Concerned Scientists tell us that if every American household replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent one, then over the life of the bulbs 90 billion pounds of CO2 emission would be

prevented from going into the atmosphere. This is like taking 6.3 million cars off the road! Prevent global warming by turning down your hot water heater. Most of us have our hot water heaters turned up too high. If you turn down your hot water thermostat just 10 degrees Fahrenheit, you reduce 3% to 5% of your energy consumption. You'll have plenty of hot water if you set your water heater between 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit. These four simple ways to prevent global warming can be implemented quickly, easily, and with little to no expense. If the potential effects of global warming are really scary to you, then you should implement these changes in your life today, but don't stop there! Once you've implemented these solutions, share this article with your friends, and explain to your friends how you've made these simple changes. Be sure to offer your friends help and support in making these changes themselves to make it extra easy for them to prevent global warming with you. Also, when you tell your friends about this article and the changes you've made, be sure to explain all the benefits you've received from doing so. Help your friends feel how these four simple solutions have helped give you more hope, save you money, etc! The more your friends can feel the emotional and financial benefits you've experienced from preventing global warming, they more likely they are to join you! Lead by example, and help others to do the same! The cumulative effect will be significant if you put dedicated effort into changing yourself while supporting those around you to do the same. So don't delay, be the change you wish to see. Implement these four recommendations so you can help in preventing global warming today, and then get others to join you in your efforts! Read more at http://www.articlealley.com/article_110728_27.html?ktrack=kcplink

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