Global warming as defined by the US EPA (2016) is “the recent and ongoing rise in global average temperatures near the Earth’s surface.” This phenomenon is part of a long ongoing process where the surface of the Earth naturally heats up and cools down due to variations in its orbit. Additional change occurs with the chemical composition of the Earth’s atmosphere due to natural cause such as volcanic eruptions (Global Warming 2010). Throughout Earth’s history it has naturally become warmer and colder by itself. Because of this, many individuals are led to believe that the recent shift into warmer temperatures is normal and nothing to worry about. Furthermore, a general lack of understand about the causes and history behind global warming …show more content…
Under normal circumstances, after solar radiation heats the Earth a significant amount of excess heat energy is allowed to escape into space. This concept is often referred to as the greenhouse effect. The Earth is subject to massive amounts of solar radiation, where approximately thirty percent of the radiation is immediately reflected back into space (Lallanila 2015). The remaining seventy percent of radiation that passes through to the Earth is absorbed by the surface, ultimately turning into heat energy or thermal radiation. This radiation emitted by the Earth eventually passes back though the atmosphere and into outer space. However, because of the excess amount of greenhouse gas in the planet’s atmosphere, the heat produced by solar radiation is not allowed to exit into space. The gasses act like a sponge, absorbing the thermal radiation, thus causing a significant increase in temperature. To add to the severity of this issue, the deforestation of millions of acres of forests cause carbon dioxide levels to skyrocket (Lallanila 2015). Plants live off of carbon dioxide, breathing it in, similar to how humans breath oxygen. By eliminating forests and plant life, humans destroy nature’s ability to normalize carbon dioxide levels naturally. To address this major issue, approximately two hundred nations agreed to attempt to limit carbon emissions in an effort to slow global warming. Global culture has
Global warming is one of the most tumultuous topics in today’s society. Some believe it is happening as we speak, while others question its very existence, So, is it real, or is merely a hoax? There is no one answer, but evidence does overwhelmingly support the former. Surely we have all heard this word at one time or another, but few individuals actually know its true definition. Justifiably, however, global warming is not that simply explained. In layman’s terms, it is the dramatic increase in the Earth’s average air and ocean temperature since the 20th century. This increase is primarily attributed to two main culprits: the greenhouse effect and human activity, such as fossil fuel burning. In both cases, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the
Global warming refers to the rise in temperature in the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. Each year the temperature of the Earth increases gradually with an insignificant amount; however, with pollution produced by humans, the rate has increased even more compared to pre-industrial levels. According to NOAA, "Global surface temperature in 2016 was the warmest since official records began in 1880. It was the third year in a row to set a new heat record, and the fifth time the record has been broken since the start of the 21st century.” The earth is getting warmer every day and is starting to become a real problem, especially when it is approaching the threshold. The rise in temperature is so rapid that it could influence and change the composition of the world's population. In fact, the consequences of global warming are unnoticed in our daily lives because they are affecting us slowly. The rising average temperature of Earth is changing our lives for little things. There is much evidence that the Earth is warming as a result of the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Perhaps the most notable signs of global warming are the natural catastrophes like hurricanes and winter storms. The effects of global warming are different all over the world, and they affect people's lives differently. People should be concerned about global warming and its effects because we only have one planet where we can
The Global Warming theory has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Citizens of the world are being encouraged to be more environmentally conscious by others including politicians, celebrities, and world organizations. The problem with the theory lies in the fact that it has become more and more controversial as it gains publicity and attention. The basic concept behind this theory is that the earth was made with a balance of “greenhouse gasses”. These gasses are naturally occurring within the atmosphere and they essentially make the planet habitable by keeping it warm.
In order to understand the issue of global warming (also referred to as climate change), you must first understand what it means and how it happens. Global warming is a result of a process known as the greenhouse effect, in which the light and heat from the sun are trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases; which subsequently raises the average temperature on Earth. The greenhouse gases responsible for this process are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone, all of which are released into the atmosphere through naturally occurring processes (Warrick, R. & Farmer, G., 1990).
In order to understand global warming one must know exactly what it means. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, global warming is defined as “the recent and ongoing rise in global average temperature near Earth 's surface” (EPA.gov, 2014).
Global warming is the rise of average temperature in the earth’s atmosphere since the late 19th century. Since the beginning of the early 20th century, the earths mean surface temperature had increased by around 0.8 degrees. Warming of the climate system had become more obvious and scientists are 90% sure that the main cause of the increase in temperature in due to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases due to human activities such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels.
When the atmosphere is warmed it emits IR radiation, with a portion of the energy acting to warm the surface and the Earth?s atmosphere. As a result the average surface temperature of the Earth is higher than it would normally be without the atmospheric absorption and re-radiation of IR energy. This is known as the ?Greenhouse effect?. The predictions of the future of these greenhouse gasses being in our atmosphere is based on how much we put into the atmosphere and how much is consumed. One thing is for certain, there are still large controversies on how much of these gasses that are let into the atmosphere are by natural or man made processes. (2-453-454)
Global warming is the growth of Earths normal temperature due to greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation. The headache of global warming is that there are two very different sides and positions around the topic. Some scientists strongly believe that global warming is occurring and other scientists strongly believe that the whole story is fabricated and not true. While these scientists are interpreting, and observing the same data and in similar ways, they continue to draw different conclusions and use separate pieces of that data to formulate their own position and arguments. While both sides refuse to accept each other, they still do find some areas of agreement and understanding. Both agree
Global warming is a term used to describe the slow change in Earth’s overall temperature. This topic recently started being heavily recorded and studied by scientists. Politics started including it around the 1990’s. The boost of greenhouse gases caused by human burning of fossil fuels, industrial farming, and deforestation activities are what people tend to blame for
Global Warming has silently crept into our society today because of big business, lack of technology, and greed. And now with a new generation of citizens who understand what we have been doing to our earth have to stand up and do what is right. Global Warming refers to the increase in the earth’s average temperature induced by human activity. Most discussions on Global Warming today show similarities between an increase in global temperature and the increase in carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. Human activity increases the amount of these gases in the atmosphere and, as a result of the greenhouse effect, increases
Global warning has been a highly debated issue over the years. It has come to the forefront during the presidential debates as to whether global warning was true or false. There is conflicting evidence to both sides of the argument but what remains to be seen is “who has the most accurate information and is it true?” What is global warming? It is described as a steady increase of the earth’s atmosphere usually associated with the greenhouse effect which is caused by an increase in pollutants in the atmosphere. One thing that is clear is that there is a problem with that climate. The consensus is not sure as to whether it is caused by human influence or by environmental influences has yet to be seen.
Global warming, or what is now called climate change, is caused by the sunlight coming through the Earth’s atmosphere, containing greenhouse gasses, and becoming cemented between the Earth’s crust and Ozone layer. This causes an uncontrollable heating in the territory between them (“Global Warming Science”). “Even though these greenhouse gases hold the heat from the sun the greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth’s temperature suitable for life. Without the greenhouse effect Earth would be frozen and no one would be able to live on it” (“Global Warming- Britannica”). Many people believe that climate change is a myth and that it is not true due to the consequences are too harsh for a normal person to think of, the
Thesis Statement: Global warming is a growing concern of scientists and researchers who believe that it is a serious problem for our planet. The concerns and research have also been questioned and have even been called myths. Millions of people find themselves affected by these weather pattern changes and are concerned for their futures. Activists on both sides of the argument are very passionate and not afraid to attack each other in every way they can. There are many questions that are still not answered, however, we continue to see drastic weather changes to Earth. We must go beyond the arguments and learn as much as we can to stop what could possibly lead to the destruction of our planet, our way of life and our future.
In recent years, the controversial subject of global warming has been more predominantly brought to our attention. Is the threat of global warming real? Is it man-made or is this just a natural cycle of earth? Does it really affect earth’s inhabitants? Should action be taken against it? If so, what kind and to what extent? It cannot be only a coincidence that the alarmingly rapid climate change coincides perfectly with the increased amount of pollutants that humans release into the environment. The once stable climate has in recent years begun to skyrocket, thus altering the delicate structure of earthly life. This proves to be hazardous to the future of the planet; some people worry that many of the resources the environment provides that
Global warming has become a world wide issue and an issue that is causing great controversy. It is an increase in the earth's atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect resulting especially from pollution (Dictionary). Global warming is a natural process, but because of increase in certain activities this process is taking a faster and more dangerous route creating global problems. Global warming was first theorized in 1894 by Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier a French mathematician, who noticed the earth was gradually increasing in temperature. He came to the conclusion that the earth’s atmosphere was trapping solar radiation caused by the sun and reflecting this radiation back to