when the temprature supports the bugs that spread the diseases living habitat. This is a problem now that we cannot just let slide! More About It
The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’ The reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just enough heat in the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very narrow range - this creates the conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to survive. Human beings have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the atmosphere with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If we don't start fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes to our environment. We will experience extreme temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions about the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.
Green House Effect
Do you know Green House Effect is necessary for life on the Earth, but Humans make it the main cause of trouble. Life on earth depends on energy from the sun. About 30 percent of the sunlight that beams toward Earth is deflected by the outer atmosphere and scattered back into space. A large portion penetrates through the earth's atmosphere to reach the surface of the earth. The radiation reaching the earth's surface is largely absorbed resulting in surface warming. Much of this absorbed energy is eventually re-radiated in longer infrared wavelengths. As it leaves the earth, it once again interacts with the atmosphere. Some of this re-radiated energy escapes to space, but much of this re-radiated energy is absorbed by “greenhouse gases"such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane, which slows its escape from the atmosphere. Although greenhouse gases make up only about 1 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere, they regulate our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet. This phenomenon is what scientists call the “greenhouse effect" Without it, scientists estimate that the average temperature on Earth would be colder by approximately 30 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit), far too cold to sustain our current ecosystem.
How Human Is Responsible For the Trouble?
The main cause of global warming isHuman activity. Since the time we appeared on Earth everything changed, not necessarily in good. Our main goal is to develop, to live a better life. To achieve this, we use our energy to develop all the technology that can ease our way of life. What we don't realize is that everything we do has severe consequences. Many of our works inversely effect the environment & creat problems like Global warming. Industrialization, deforestation, and pollution have greatly increased atmospheric concentrations of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, all greenhouse gases that help trap heat near Earth's surface. Humans are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb it. These gases persist in the atmosphere for years, meaning that even if such emissions were eliminated today, it would not immediately stop global warming.
Cause of Global Warming
1.“The Green house gases are the main culprits of the global warming. The green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are playing hazards in the present times. These green house gases trap heat in earth’s atmosphere and thus result in increasing the temperature of earth. The excessive emission of these gases is the major cause of global warming. The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plants and industries. These power plants and industries emit large amounts of carbon dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation and manufacture of different things. Coal is the major fuel that is burnt there. Coal produces around 1.7 times as much carbon dioxide per unit of energy when flamed as does natural gas and 1.25 times as much as oil. The coal gives out eighty percent more carbon per unit of energy it produces as compared to natural gas. Another major source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the emission from the cars and other vehicles. About twenty percent of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere comes from burning of gasoline in the engines of the vehicles. This is true for most of the developed countries. Moreover if sports bike and vehicles that are essentially designed for rough terrain, emit more carbon dioxide when used for general purpose on roads. It is always better to use vehicles designed for city driving on the city roads.. Building of these structures require a lot of fuel to be burnt which emits a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Methane The second major greenhouse gas Methane is more than 20 times as effectual as CO2 at entrapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is obtained from resources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel manufacture.
Effect Of Global Warming
On Human Health
Human health will be severely at risk if global warming continues to grow. Malaria. Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in emergency rooms and doctors’ offices . But if we don’t act to curb global warming, they will be. Scientists say that warmer weather will create ideal conditions for the insects and rodents that carry malarial and several other viruses. Heat related illnesses and deaths could increase because of hotter weather and longer heat waves. Rising temperatures could also significantly reduce air quality. This would create ideal conditions for the increase in frequency and severity of several respiratory ailments. Diseases that are spread by mosquitoes and other insects could become more prevalent if warmer temperatures enabled those insects to become established. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases directly to climate change.Climate change is likely to have wide-ranging and mostly adverse impacts on human health with significant loss of life. Children, the elderly and the poor will be most vulnerable to the human health effects from global warming. The developing world will suffer much more than the industrialized world.
On Agriculture Agriculture depends very heavily on a stable climate. Crops are very precise about the soil, moisture, temperature, carbon dioxide and other materials they require. With global warming occurring, the patterns of agricultural production are certainly going to change. Global Warming will also lead to more intense weather conditions like heavy rains and floods resulting in more and more crop destruction. These changing rainfall patterns could also shift crop diseases and pests and create water shortages in some areas. In short, Climate change will most likely bring regional shifts in production and increased demand for irrigation; if extreme weather events were to become more frequent, the outlook for agriculture could become much less favorable.
Extreme Weather Changes
•Warmer temperatures could also increase the probability of drought. Greater evaporation, particularly during summer and fall, could exacerbate drought conditions and increase the risk of wildfires.
•longer spells of intense heat or rain on different regions of earth
•rising sea levels as the polar caps will melt. Sea level is already on an all time high since its recording began. •more intense rainstorms. Warmer temperatures increase the energy of the climatic system and lead to more intense rainfall at times in some areas.
On Natural Habitats
The growth of species is an effect of global warming because the species that live in warmer climates will have an increased habitat area because of the increasing temperatures. An example of this is the mosquito. They live in warmer climates so when there are more, then they will start to occupy those new warmer climates.In the past the environment has always adopted the ongoing climatic changes on the planet. But whenever sudden changes have taken place the effects have been devastating, and same is the case with global warming. It is occurring right now and at a quick pace. The fact that earth's overall temperature for every region is going to rise considerably, it is very likely that the forest and plant population of the area will become extinct and in some places totally finish. Forest fires are likely to become more frequent and severe if the soil becomes dry. The potential impacts of climate change on forest and wildlife are poorly understood. If habitats simply shift to cooler areas, many forms of wildlife could potentially adapt to global warming, just as they have adapted to the changes in climate that have occurred over the last several million years. Unlike previous climatic shifts, however, roads, development, and other modifications to the natural environment may block the migration routes. Nature reserves, often established to protect particular species, may no longer be located in a climate hospitable to that species.
Depletion of Ozone Layer
Scientists believe that rising Global Warming will result in a weaker ozone layer. The Ozone layer protects all life on earth from the harmful Ultraviolet radiations coming from the Sun. The Ozone filters the radiations which could cause skin cancer and various other diseases. This Ozone layer has been depleting many years now. The world has been alarmed by the detection of holes in the ozone layer over Antarctica. The holes are places where the ozone is absent. Scientists say that current hole in ozone over Antarctica is two and a half times the size of Europe and is still growing. Steps are now being taken at international level to prevent preparation and use of the harmful chemical compounds that contribute adversely to the climatic changes. Saving the life preserving ozone layer is one of the most important problems facing the environment scientists today. A further depletion in the ozone could result in extinction of all forms of life.
How We Can Fight.......
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.
Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) Change a light, and you help change the world. CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.
Drive Less Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community’s mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school. When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. Buy Energy-Efficient Products If you want to buy a car or a bike choose one that offers good gas mileage. When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling Avoid products that come with e
