The only known planet with life on it, a series of very precise and intricate circumstances has enabled us to live on Earth. Not only can organisms live due to this setting, but every beautiful thing existing on the planet can too. A scientific journey has taken place to form every snowflake that falls in the Denali National Park. Perfect conditions led to each grain of sand lining the Eastern Seaboard. The wonders of nature are so delicate. Unfortunately, humans are jeopardizing this perfect balance that has been given to us. Since the 1700’s, 337 billion metric tons of carbon have been discharged to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. Half of these emissions have occurred since the 1970’s (Boden et al.). Obviously, our …show more content…
The water is also used for showers and sinks. In the warm summer months, the bioreactors absorb sunlight and can provide a unique shading device. When the algae have run their course, they double as a source of biomass. This can be used to generate electricity. A nearby university can process the algae for methane and hydrogen as well. When this fuel is used for the generator in the building, all CO2 emissions will go back into the bioreactors. Excess algae can be used in food and pharmaceutical industries. The name of this complex architectural design is SolarLeaf. SolarLeaf is a renewable and sustainable energy source that can be used on new buildings as well as existing buildings. The only building to incorporate this architectural scheme is the Bio Intelligence Quotient (BIQ) building, although developers in the Middle East and Hong Kong are looking into this self sustaining building. The glorious structure gains spectators’ attention as it is described as a giant, green, glowing lava lamp (Ferris, 26-27). The glass on the inside of the chamber can double as a decorative glass treatment to add character to the apartments. As for efficiency, light energy is converted to biomass at a rate of 10% and light is turned into heat energy at a rate of 38%. In comparison, photovoltaic systems have an efficiency of 12-15% and solar thermal systems 60-65%. Biomass is also easily stored with virtually no energy loss. As this system is further researched,
Does the high level of Carbon Dioxide (C02) possibly harm the Earth’s planetary biosphere, or has it already done so; in fact, many worldwide scientists have protested that the Earth is at its ‘tipping point’ but no efforts have been adapted to save the biosphere? A support of this controversial topic; congressional meeting and testimony, is from one of the top U.S. climate scientists, James Hansen to Former Vice President Al Gore, with an emphasis on the cause of C02. Beyond the ozone layer is atmospherically holey, Earth’s temperature is rising, and the climate changing conversely, one that people trivialized the most is: Global warming. Increasingly, subject to concern not only via online discussion, magazine and
Modifying our behaviors to reverse the effects of global warming will be a challenge for the entire world, but it is essential that we do so. We must preserve our planet for the future generations to ensure
Since the Gilded Age when industries became more powerful, the United States has been one of the countries with the biggest effects on nature. The levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have increased radically and are already affecting the Antarctic, our seaboards, and our climate. Even with the evidence provided by the scientists documenting
We have all heard statistics over how unmitigated global warming can lead to rising sea levels, increased temperatures, lower rates of precipitation. The Congressional Budget Office recently found that climate change, if unmitigated, would create costly damage not only to the United States’s economy, but also to the world as a whole (source). Despite a scientific and general consensus that climate change is real and a problem, actual committed action against climate change has been disappointingly slow, until recently. We also know the cause of climate change. The United States EPA finds that “Carbon dioxide accounts for most of the nation’s emissions and most of the increase since 1990” (EPA). What we don’t know is a solution.
The overwhelming majority (97%) of carbon dioxide in the earth 's atmosphere comes from nature, not from man. Volcanoes, swamps, rice paddies, fallen leaves, and even insects and bacteria produce carbon dioxide, as well as methane. According to the journalScience (Nov. 5, 1982), termites alone emit ten times more carbon dioxide than all the factories and automobiles in the world. Natural wetlands emit more greenhouse gases than all human activities combined. (If greenhouse warming is such a problem, why are we trying to save all the wetlands?) Geothermal activity in Yellowstone National Park emits ten times the carbon dioxide of a midsized coal-burning power plant, and volcanoes emit hundreds of times more. In fact, our atmosphere 's composition is primarily the result of volcanic activity. There are about 100 active volcanoes today, mostly in remote locations, and we 're living in a period of relatively low volcanic activity. There have been times when volcanic activity was ten times greater than in modern times. But by far the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions is the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It produces 72% of the earth 's emissions of carbon dioxide, and the rest of the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the other oceans also contribute. The human contribution is overshadowed by these far larger sources of carbon dioxide. Combining the factors of water vapor and nature 's production of carbon dioxide, we
Climate change, specifically in reference to C02 Emissions released by human use of fossil fuels and their consequential effects on the environment, is perhaps one of the most pressing issues we, not just as Americans, but as human beings face in our lifetimes. Though it may sound like a sensationalist statement the facts are hard to deny. In May of 2013, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Scientific American, in “Carbon dioxide: From nuisance to resource?” contends that in order to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere scientists should figure out a way to recycle it. Scientific American continues this discussion by stating that a prize should be offered in 2020 to award a science team that comes up with the best way to capture the carbon dioxide and turn in into the building blocks to create something else. This author proposes this plan in order to ensure that the effects of global warming can be reduced, and that carbon dioxide will not continue to hurt the Earth. These educators urge scientists to discover a way to stop the effects of carbon dioxide on the Earth.
The discovery of fossil fuels led to times of intense economic and social globalization, as well as several advances in scientific knowledge. With these advanced technologies humans could create and do more than at any other point in history. Because of these fossil fuels, the world is how it is today. But these technologies have a setback. In recent decades, human activities have released ever-greater volumes of greenhouse gases into earth’s atmosphere, enough to affect global climate.
All of these factors have significant effects on the environment globally, and will lead to many issues not only environmentally but also in the way we live and how countries interact. Although some readers may object, saying that we can prevent these things if we start taking actions now. Many scientists who have studied the environment have stated that the results of our actions are irreversible, and we can only maintain the level of environmental disparity. With this knowledge in mind, I call everyone to take actions to limit the amount of greenhouse we emit and try to reduce waste by recycling. While most people have been told this countless times by a countless number people, now is the time to act. Because while we can’t reverse these actions we can prevent the world from becoming an even worse place than it will already become. Because in 100 years due to environmental issues we have created the arctic and the world will be a worse place than it is
Today carbon emissions are the highest they have been in the world since the industrial revolution and if we don't change, we could destroy whole ecosystems. According to recent studies the united states is the leading producer of carbon emissions in the world. We need to address the issue and start a cause for change before everything is damaged.
Elizabeth Kolbert’s Field Notes from a Catastrophe was my first in-depth look into climate change, global warming, and the contribution of humans to these things. Global warming was something I vaguely knew about before reading this book, but it never really caught my attention or seemed like a major issue in the world. After reading Field Notes from a Catastrophe, I realized that it is in fact a major issue that must be addressed by every community. In this essay I will argue that it is our job as the human race to do all that we can to take care of our planet and reduce the amount of global warming that humans are responsible for. This essay is significant because this is our world.
In the article “What they don’t tell you about climate change,” authors discuss the issues related to climate change while describing key suggestions to help combat the issue. As stated in the text, there has been a global goal to keep global temperature “well below 2°C hotter than pre-industrial times.” This goal had not been met, while carbon dioxide emissions are simply not enough to “limit the rise in temperature successfully.” Moreover, the authors have claimed that “Stopping the flow of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is not enough. It has to be sucked out, too.” This process, however, is very difficult and “nearly improbable.” Other alternatives including mass chemical filters, carbon dioxide binds to from carbonated rocks, and
50 years of innovation and urbanization, we were blinded by the city lights and smokes that we do not seem to see the importance of taking good care of our environment, especially the nonrenewable sources. The consumers’ needs quickly became wants, and for the producers, wants simply mean profit, and profit is money. Money is everything to people nowadays. We would resort to everything that could provide us even the littlest amount of money, no matter what the repercussions would be, thus, the destroying of the resources. We are slowly killing the planet but we cannot see it because we are too busy trying to get things we believe we need. It is said that the earth’s weight is still the same as it was first created. Come to think of it, we do give and take with the nature, we take its resources, invent something useful that we consume, but we give it back as waste and
Everyday society evolves, new technologies and ideas are born, although life seems perfect there are many reasons to be scared. Ever since the industrial revolution started the production of carbon dioxide has gone up in tremendous quantities. Because of this increase in greenhouse gases the earth has experienced drastic changes. These changes are the reason for why humanity should be scared, humans have control of many things but weather and natural disasters are not something we can control. On the other hand, society has taken steps to diminish the production of carbon dioxide, although this process may take time to make a significant impact it provides humanity with a reason to feel like our situation will improve. It is easy to feel good about these current efforts towards resolving climate change. However, to make a serious impact on the problem, we need to diminish our carbon dioxide footprint significantly, and
The debate surrounding global climate change affects millions of people. In fact, the rate at which our climate temperatures are changing due to greenhouse gas emissions is alarming. Carbon dioxide is the number one greenhouse gas emission that human beings so efficiently and effectively emit into the atmosphere. It 's all around us, all the time. Scouring our air, and our lungs. According to the data in a study done by the E.P.A. in 2013, Carbon Dioxide accounted for approximately 82 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. Warmer temperatures, depleting glacial ice sheets and increased ocean acidity are just a few of the growing concerns seen around the globe. But, nothing concerns scientists and engineers more