Should We Worry About Global Warming Now?

     What is Global Warming? Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of Earth's surface. This is an issue that for some years now has been looked at and discussed around the world. Yet some people are not aware how seriously this issue can get, or they simply just decide not to worry about it. According to the NASA website, the global average temperature since the late 1800's has increased about 0.7-1.4 degrees F.  Moreover many experts believe that by the year 2100 the average temperature will rise an additional 2.5-10.4 degrees F. Human activities according to climatologists are responsible for the majority of global warming. For instance the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas produce carbon dioxide or CO2, which enhances the Earth's natural greenhouse effect. The clearing of land is also another activity that is contributing to global warming because it is allowing the CO2 level to build up.  Furthermore this is happening because we are getting rid of trees and plants that help remove the CO2 level that is found in the air, and that slows the escape of heat into space, which is the result of change in high temperatures that we are now experiencing. So should we be worried about global warming now? Well if you want your future generations to enjoy the benefits that this beautiful planet has given you then your answer should be YES! Global warming may not fully affect you now but in some years the damage can be irreversible. Some of the things global warming has a negative impact on are animals, ocean life, sea-levels, weather and human health.

    Global Warming may affect plants and animals by forcing them to move to new habitats because of the climate changes, and even then they may have difficulty adapting and surviving there. Take flowering plants for example, that in order to bloom need a sufficient period of winter cold and with the rise in high temperatures that may not happen. Drastic weather conditions may happen more frequently resulting in serious damage to our planet. Like changes in rainfall patterns that can cause flooding if too much rainfall or drought if not enough. Hurricanes, Tropical storms might also occur more frequently and even become more powerful. The rise in sea-level can also be due to global warming because the high temperatures are melting glacier and other large amounts of ice from the West Antarctica and other similar places in the world. This will ultimately cause flooding, erosion, loss of wetlands, and entry of seawater into freshwater areas. The high sea levels may also end up flooding some coastal cities, small islands and other regions. Diseases are another issue that can arise due to global warming; tropical diseases like malaria an dengue will be more vulnerable to spread to larger regions. The intense and long lasting heat waves may also cause more deaths, illness, hunger and malnutrition.

    Now with all these damaging consequences of global warming in mind we should think of ways we could help avoid them.  It is obvious that the damage we have created over the years will take a long time to fix, but what we can do is avoid adding more to the damage and prevent further harm to our planet. We can easily start doing this by recycling, saving energy, try to use less fossil fuel, plant more trees and plants, and deposit of toxic waste appropriately. The phrase "It is never too late to start something" right now does apply because we still have time to help fix the damages we are causing to our planet, but if don't try to do anything about it that phrase may no longer be true and it will be too late. That is why if we don't take action and do something to help prevent any more harmful damages to our planet then we are going to end up destroying it, maybe not soon but eventually in sometime that will happen. So let's not be selfish and help protect our Earth so that future generations can enjoy the benefits this planet has to offer. On that note, it is very important for us to pass awareness to our children and younger generations so that they too can help conserve out planet for the future.      

WE CAN DO IT!

By: Esther Castillo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAbATJCugs

http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/global_warming_worldbook.html

 

Comments

[Laura Sanchez]

This was very well written Esther! You have me convinced!, but I did already think that we need to change our present lifestyles because although global warming is a natural process, our influence is just speeding up the process. You had great facts to support your arguments; WELL DONE! Also, I want Luke to be able to enjoy earth when he gets older, so I am goingto follow your tips of recycling, driving a car with an alternative energy source, etc. I take the bus to school, so I am helping out in a small way already!

Written by: Laura Sanchez

[Caci Kelley]

Ever since Al Gore produced that film on global warming, I have become more aware of this hazardous yet true fact. It is scary to think that this beautiful planet that we live on is the same beautiful planet we are destroying little by little everyday. I hope people start becoming more aware of the environment. As much as I try to do some things to help out, it is very scary to think that so many people don't. I wonder what lies ahead?!!

[Roger]

Perhaps there is too much focus on the poor suffering planet and the loss of species that is imminent. Yes, that will happen, but it has happened many times through Earth's history. Each mass extinction event, which is what we are looking at here, has been followed by the survivors radiating out to adapt to and fill the empty niches.

One thing that is rare in a mass extinction is that the megafauna survive. They ALWAYS perish.

We are megafauna. We are one of the largest animals on the planet. It's not the planet we should be worrying about.