If the Earth continues to warm as predicted, the temperature of the Earth's surface may be 3°C warmer by the end of the than it was in 1990, and maybe as much as 6°C.
So what are the causes of global warming?
The key contributors to global warming are carbon dioxide and other pollutants released in to the atmosphere. We use Non-renewable (fossil) fuels like natural gas, coal and oil, to power nearly everything we use in life. However all these materials will run out, and all harm the environment.
However we continuously use these substances, and we are going to pay. The issue of global warming concerns us all and the effects of global warming can have are far too much risk to be ignored.
DANGEROUS HEAT
Firstly, burning fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide. The excess carbon dioxide acts like a huge plastic bag around the earth letting all the heat in and hardly any of the heat out. This makes the earth get hotter and if it gets any worse will eventually melt the polar ice caps, flooding the big cities like London and even New York! We know this, yet we still insist on using more and more, in fact its annual increase is currently 0.5%. This doesn't sound very much but if we carry on cutting down all our trees (the only converter of Oxygen to Carbon Dioxide) for grazing land for cattle, for our fast food restaurants it will become impossible to get rid of! Even the carbon dioxide we breathe out will cause that little bit more of a problem for the earth.
ACID KILLS
Burning fossil fuels also releases Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen oxide, these both make acid rain. Firstly these two mix with oxygen in the air creating Sulphur Oxide and Nitrogen Oxide, these then mix with water vapour in clouds and then acid of pH value 4 falls freely from the sky. It defaces building, kills plants and animals. This acid rain can travel and as a result fishes can die in one country from sulphur dioxide that was made thousands of miles away in another country!
Yet we still insist on using coal and oil which sets off deadly poisons into the atmosphere.
• Carbon dioxide is the main pollutant released into the atmosphere it comes from road vehicles and by burning fossil fuels in power stations, in factories and in the home.
We do this by:
• Watching a television
• Using the Air Conditioner
• Turning on a Light
• Using a Hair Dryer
• Listening to a Stereo
• Riding in a Car
• Playing a Video Game
• Washing or Drying Clothes
• Using a Dish Washer
• Using a microwave
• CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) from aerosols, air-conditioners, foam packaging and refrigerators. These are the most damaging of the green house gasses.
• Methane is released from decaying organic matter such as peat bogs, swamps and waste dumps.
• Nitrous oxide is given out from car exhausts, power stations and agricultural fertilisers.
Us in the MEDC’s (More Economically Developed Country) are known as ‘energy guzzlers’, we burn to much fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas producing huge levels of carbon dioxide (co2) enhancing the greenhouse effect. Research shows that there has been a 30-40% increase in last 100 years. We release fuels mostly by our use of transport, globally there is approximately 500 million ownerships of cars! We are known to have a ‘Love Affair’ with cars, ‘Car Is king’ in the USA.
Us ‘Gas Guzzlers’ buy 30 million litres of petrol per day! This proves petrol is just too cheap.
65 million cars are produced every year, 20 million coming from the USA.
The world’s use of transport contributes a lot to Global warming.
So how does this actually affect the world?
- Human Health- Climate change can occur; Climate change may affect people's health. For example, heat stress and other heat related health problems are caused directly by very warm temperatures and high humidity. Untreated, heat stress can be a very serious medical problem. Scientists suspect that, in many places, global warming will increase the number of very hot days that occur during the year. More hot days increases the possibility of heat related health problems. Ecological disturbances, air pollution, changes in food and water supplies, and coastal flooding are all examples of possible impacts that might affect human health. Especially increasing pollution effecting people who suffer from asthma. Disease causing insects are migrating into latitudes and altitudes never before infested including the U.S. There are about 60 million more cases of malaria every year.
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Ecological systems- Climate change may adjust the world’s habitats and ecosystems. Animals may not be able to live in extremely; all living things are included in and rely on these places. Many of these places depend on a delicate balance of rainfall, temperature, and soil type. A rapid change in climate could upset this balance and seriously endanger many living things.
Most past climate changes occurred slowly, allowing plants and animals to adapt to the new environment or move somewhere else. However, if future climate changes occur as rapidly as some scientists predict, plants and animals may not be able to react quickly enough to survive. The ocean's ecosystems also could be affected for the same reasons hot temperatures all the time and habitats may be lost to the animals that do not live in the sea but live near the beach, ocean water is warming killing coral and many species of fish.
- Rising sea level- The ever rising sea level can result in loss of beach and causing flood risks, threatening coastal areas of such countries as the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Egypt. Many Pacific islands are in danger of disappearing entirely. Florida and California and other states within 100 meters of sea level will be covered by ocean water. Also it could put large parts of China under water.
- Global warming may make the sea level to rise. This is because warmer weather makes glaciers melt. A glacier is a large sheet of ice that moves very, very slowly. Some melting glaciers add more water to the ocean. Warmer temperatures also make water expand. When water expands in the ocean, it takes up more space and the level of the sea rises. Less sunlight is reflected into the atmosphere, warming the earth even more. Sea level may rise between several inches and as much as 3 feet during the next century. This will affect both natural systems and manmade structures along coastlines. Coastal flooding could cause saltwater to flow into areas where salt is harmful, threatening plants and animals in those areas. Increased heat in the atmosphere is quickly shrinking the polar ice cap, even so much that there has been 40% melted in places in the last 10 years threatening polar bears and retreating glaciers. Oceanfront property would be affected by flooding, and beach erosion could leave structures even more vulnerable to storm waves. Whether we move back from the water or build barricades in the face of a rising sea, it could cost billions of dollars to adapt to such change. Coastal flooding also may reduce the quality of drinking water in coastal areas.
- Crops and food supply- One thing that is good that the colder parts of the world may now be able to grow crops as before it was to cold and the climate was not right for the crops to be grown. Global warming may make the Earth warmer in cold places. People living in these places may have a chance to grow crops in new areas. But global warming also might bring droughts to other places where we grow crops. In some parts of the world, people may not have enough to eat because they cannot grow the food that they need.
- Unpredictable weather- Weather is becoming more unpredictable, with hurricanes, floods and droughts intensified. All we know about the fire in Colorado and surrounding states. Nevada, Utah and other states more than 100 meters above sea level will become far hotter and it will turn once fertile earth into implantable dust.
How can we help prevent Global Warming?
There are a number of solutions that individuals can do but we can’t prevent Global Warming as a whole. Cars are an important part of life for most people. But cars also cause pollution and release a lot of greenhouse gases into the air.
Fortunately, there are some cars that are better for the environment these are called ‘Zero Emission’ cars. These cars can travel longer on a smaller amount of gasoline. They don't pollute as much, either. Using these kinds of cars can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the air. They can run on a part electric motor and oil, and it is does 60 miles to the gallon and has to be recharged, one make is a Toyota Prius.
We can use renewable energy; it’s become a UK government policy that all energy companies by 2010 use 10% from renewable or power energy companies face fines.
We can use alternative forms of energy wind, solar, geothermal, waves, HEP, biomass.
Wind energy- can be good for the UK because we are the windiest European country, and the UK being an island can have wind generated at sea.
There are already new wind farms in Scotland, Kent, and north east and west Pennines.
This disadvantage of having wind energy is that it can be unpredictable, they can trap birds and wind generated at sea can interfere with fishing lines. They can also be an eyesore and noisy for the public.
Solar energy- the sun varies and it’s difficult to store and is expensive.
Hydro electric power –cheap, not variable, but need fast flowing rivers and is not universal.
Geothermal energy- it’s clean, infinitive but never solves all energy needs and is restricted to volcanic areas which there isn’t in the UK.
We individuals can help prevent Global warming, by being Eco- friendly. 60% of energy in the home is wasted ‘The house that follows the sun’.
So are we doing our bit? The problem with the UK at the moment is we are too lazy and we don’t want to change our lifestyle. What we really need to do though is use more public transport rather than our own transport to reduce the number of vehicles on the road so there’s less releasing of fossil fuels. So the government should possibly improve public transport and increase oil prices.
We can Save Electricity, whenever we use electricity we help put greenhouse gases into the air. By turning off lights, the television, and the computer when you are finished with them, can help a lot and we can buy energy saving goods. For example energy saving light bulbs.
Many things, like computers, TVs, stereos, and VCRs, have special labels on them. The label says "Energy" and has a picture of a star. Products with the energy star label are made to save energy. Buying products with energy star labels will help protect the environment.
We can stop cutting down trees and plant more as it reduces greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air.
We can recycle cans, bottles, plastic bags, and newspapers. When you recycle, you send less trash to the landfill and you help save natural resources, like trees, oil, and elements such as aluminum. You can help the environment if you buy recyclable products instead of non-recyclable ones. Look for the recycle mark – three arrows that make a circle – on the package. Recyclable products are usually made out of things that already have been used. It usually takes less energy to make recycled products than to make new ones. The less energy we use, the better.
