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Essay on The Great Debate on Global Warming

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The cause of global warming has been a debate between scientists and experts for numerous years. In fact, Svante August Arrhenius, a Swedish chemist, first predicted global warming would occur in 1896 (Harris 16). Researchers who agree it is naturally caused insist the greenhouse effect has many natural causes. Others agree that the cause of the Earth’s increase in temperature is just part of a continuous cycle. These researchers argue that solar activity plays a huge role in the issue of global warming. Therefore, based upon the myth of the greenhouse effect, cyclical patterns, and research on solar activity, global warming is not a man-made dilemma. When greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, similar to the way greenhouse panes …show more content…

The greenhouse effect will continue naturally. Methane makes up thirteen percent of greenhouse gases (Hopwood & Cohen 2). Wetlands are accountable for most of the natural methane concentrations polluted into the air because they contain bacteria that produce this gas during decomposition (Sources and Emissions 5). For this reason methane is often called swamp gas (Hopwood & Cohen 6). As part of their digestive process, termites release methane. Also, Oceans, rivers, and estuaries are populated with marine plankton and fish that create methane when they digest too(Sources and Emissions 5). Cows breathe out methane when they burp (Harris 10). Natural hydrates, mud volcanoes, gryphons, steam vents, wildfires, wild animals and bubbling hot springs expel methane in nature(Sources and Emissions 6). The causes of methane emissions are limitless, but it is evident that it is not a manageable greenhouse gas. The final greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide, is “laughing gas.” It is colorless, has a sweet sent, and makes up six percent of the total greenhouse gases. Naturally, it is discharged from oceans and bacteria that populate in soils. It can also be found in human and animal waste. Since 1750, nitrous oxide levels have been on the rise. Although nitrous oxide does not contribute to the greenhouse gases as much as carbon dioxide and methane do, it is important to suppress this gas because it remains in the atmosphere for a very long time (Hopwood & Cohen 7).

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