1

Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
Man, is the Main Culprit When It Comes to Global Warming

The Arctic is home to various kinds of plankton, fish, birds, seals, walruses, and even

whales. The beloved polar bear also roams freely and claims the Arctic as its home. Imagine a

mother polar bear and her cub are evocating the icy grounds for food, looking for seal to claim.

In the distance, the mother and the cub noticed a hungry male polar bear roaring and running at

the two with the means and determination as if they were his next meal. The mother and cub ran

for their lives, yet the cub was falling behind. The male polar bear was on their tail so the mother

polar bear turned around to defend the cub. Her attempt to defend the cub was futile, for the male

was stronger and the blood thirst that was coming from the polar bear could be felt from anyone

who was viewing this incident. The male polar bear snatched the cub from this reality and left

the mother to watch her cub be cannibalized. She soon left in fear that she would be the next

victim of the male polar bear. This horrid event was captured during a Lindblad Expeditions trip

on the National Geographic Explorer in the Arctic. Crew and passengers spotted a male polar

bear hunting and then eating a polar bear cub, despite the efforts of the cub's mother to protect it

(Polar Bear Cannibalizes Cub). Experts say this cannibalistic behavior could be occurring

more regularly, because the loss of ice due to climate change makes it harder for the bears to get

to their typical food sources, such as seal who follow migratory patterns. Climate change is a real

social and environmental issue and it is all part of a greater issue, global warming. Members of

society would say that global warming does not exist but, if one pays close attention to the

information and the environmental effect, one would notice and see that man is the major key

player in fueling global warming. Man, cannot control how nature contributes to global warming,

for it is an uncontrollable variable. The variable man can control is our own conscientious
 2
Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
actions we that we inflict upon our environment. Mans induced deforestation and the burning of

fossil fuels are the top two problems resulting from mans actions. We can solve this by limiting

the amount of greenhouse gas that spew into the atmosphere.

Merriam-Webster states that global warming is an increase in the earth's atmospheric

and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect

by increased levels of carbon dioxide, and other pollutants (Merriam- Webster). Man-induced

deforestation has a huge impact on global warming. There are two main effects of deforestation

on global warming. The first effect is the "slash and burn" which is a technique used to clear the

forest, this technique releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The second is the destruction

of living trees, which reducing the amount of photosynthesis, is a process that removes carbon

dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and stores it in the plant and converts it to oxygen after it

changes it into glucose. Meaning less trees equal more CO2, greenhouse gas, in the ozone layer.

Large-scale conversion of tropical forests into pastures or annual crops could lead to

changes in the climate. We have used a coupled numerical model of the global

atmosphere and biosphere (Center for Ocean-Land- Atmosphere GCM) to assess the

effects of Amazonian deforestation on the regional and global climate. We found that

when the Amazonian tropical forests were replaced by degraded grass (pasture) in the

model, there was a significant increase in the mean surface temperature (about 2.5C) and

a decrease in the annual evapo-transpiration (30% reduction), precipitation (25%

reduction), and runoff (20% reduction) in the region. The differences between the two

simulations were greatest during the dry season. The deforested case was associated with

larger diurnal fluctuations of surface temperature and vapor pressure deficit; such effects
 3
Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
have been observed in existing deforested arms in Amazonia. The calculated reduction in

precipitation was larger than the calculated decrease in evapotranspiration, indicating a

reduction in the regional moisture convergence. There was also an increase in the length

of the dry season in the southern half of the Amazon Basin, which could have serious

implications for the reestablishment of the tropical forests following massive

deforestation since rainforests only occur where the dry season is very short or

nonexistent. (American Meteorological Society)

The burning of fossil fuels, which is a product of the use of vehicles, electricity, and

industry, also pollutes the earth. Due to the burning of oil, coal, and gas (fossil fuels)

increases the amount of greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere. Electricity pollutes in

many ways. According to Natural and Man-Made Causes of Global Warming. over

75% of the electricity worldwide is produced by burning of fossil fuels. Many gases are

sent into the air when fossil fuels are burnt of which main is the carbon dioxide gas

(CO2). Fossil fuel like coal is burnt to produce electricity.

The generation of electricity is the single largest source of CO2 emissions in the

United States. The combustion of fossil fuels such as coal is the primary source of

these air emissions. Coal supplies 57 percent of the total energy harnessed to

generate electricity (and approximately 86 percent of all coal consumed in the

United States is used for electricity generation). Burning coal produces far more

CO2 than oil or natural gas. Reducing reliance upon coal combustion has to be the

cornerstone of any credible global climate change prevention plan. (Power

Scorecard)
 4
Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
Even though generation of electricity is the main source of burning fossil fuel one cannot

overlook the massive contribution that vehicular population has. In the United States alone

nearly 40% of the U.S. release of carbon dioxide is due to the burning of fossil fuels-gasoline

and electricity in our homes (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Personal vehicles

are a major cause of global warming.

Collectively, cars and trucks account for nearly one-fifth of all US emissions, emitting

around 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of

gas. About five pounds comes from the extraction, production, and delivery of the fuel,

while the great bulk of heat-trapping emissionsmore than 19 pounds per gallon

comes right out of a cars tailpipe. In total, the US transportation sectorproduces nearly

thirty percent of all US global warming emissions, more than almost any other sector.

(Car Emissions & Global Warming)

Global warming impacts climate change and the earths ecosystems. Climate change increase

the frequency and strength of extreme events (such as floods, droughts, and storms) that threaten

human health and safety. The rising in sea levels is also a reflection of the causes of global

warming. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a whole page

designated to climate change and how it affects agriculture, ecosystems, energy, human health,

etc. In the article Climate Impacts on Human Health it states that climate change can have a

range of impacts on physical, mental, and community health. Goes on to state how our air quality

is being deceased and polluted by greenhouse gases.

 5
Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
One could go on about the causes of global warming and the things that contribute to the

problem. Yet, displaying the solutions and taking action will reduce the amount of greenhouse

gases. When it comes to electrical pollution some methods of electricity production produce no

or few carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions - solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear

systems particularly. Power plants fueled by agricultural crop wastes, livestock wastes, and

methane collected from landfills. Pertaining to vehicular pollution the solution would be to

reduce the amount of fossil fuels that are being burned. Having more fuel-efficient vehicles,

cleaner fuels, and electric vehicles.

Man, cannot control how nature contributes to global warming, for it is an uncontrollable

variable. The variable we can control is our own conscientious actions we that we inflict upon

our environment. Mans induced deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels, are the top two

problems resulting from mans actions. One must start now by limiting the amount of greenhouse

gas that spew into the atmosphere. For it can only better the ecosystems of the world and

improve human and animal life.

 6
Malik J. Norman
Professor Turgeon
UWRT 1101-007
4 April 2017
Works Cited

"American Meteorological Society." Amazonian Deforestation and Regional Climate

Change: Journal of Climate: Vol 4, No 10. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Car Emissions and Global Warming." Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 15 Mar.

2017.

"Climate Impacts on Human Health." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 13 Jan.

2017. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

"Electricity and Climate Change." Electricity and Climate Change. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

"Exclusive Video: Polar Bear Cannibalizes Cub." National Geographic. National

Geographic Society, 17 Feb. 2017. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Global Warming." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Rinkesh. "Natural and Man-Made Causes of Global Warming." Conserve Energy Future.,

24 Dec. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Tropical Deforestation and Global Warming." Union of Concerned Scientists.Web. 20

Feb. 2017.