Environmental Issues – Global Warming Essay Example

the atmosphere. This carbo dioxide is very dangerous since it act as a blanket which traps warming and heat from the earth surface. The major cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, oil for the purpose of generating energy. Secondly global warming can be caused by the human activities such as cutting down the trees or burning of the forest for the purpose of creating pasture and plantations thus leading to deforestation which causes the accumulation of carbon dioxide and overloads the atmosphere hence destroying the ozone layer (Botkin et al., 229).

In addition to deforestation, waste management and most agricultural practices also facilitates the emission of other potential global warming gases which may include nitrous oxide and methane. According to many research reports, global warming is mostly caused human related activities. This conclusion was arrived through thorough understanding of the effect of the atmospheric greenhouse and how the activities associated with the mankind have tweaked its growth (Knowles et al., 504). As well the notable changes of the observable sun raises have also supported the judgement. The global warming as a result of atmospheric effects leads to the superheating of the earth making it dangerous to support life. Due to greenhouse effects, the sunlight would pass over the atmosphere but because of clouds or ice caps that create light-colored surfaces, the radiate heats back to the space while the incoming heat from the sun heats the earth’s surface (Roessig et al., 252). Due to superheating of the earth’s surface, some radiates will heat back to the atmosphere. While at the atmosphere, some heat may be trapped by

the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO) thus leading to global warming (Botkin et al., 230).

Burning of fossil fuels as a human activity also increases the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This causes the atmosphere to thicken as greenhouse gases increases thus more heat is held up in the atmosphere (Roessig et al., 253). The fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and petroleum products have a very content of carbon dioxide which is emitted to the atmosphere during their combustion. The scientific research have shown that a single petroleum product such as gasoline when burned produces more than 19 pounds to the atmosphere thus increasing the greenhouse effect which leads to global warming (Knowles et al., 506). According to the scientific study conducted by scientists in Sweden over 100 years ago revealed that, over the thousands of years the atmospheric temperatures have been increasing due to the emission of atmospheric greenhouse gases from industries and other human activities which facilitates the combustion of the fossil fuels. Due to industrial revolution, the study concluded that more than 500 billion tons of carbon dioxide had been release to the atmosphere leading to greenhouse effect. As a result the emission carbon dioxide and other toxic gases was regarded as the greatest contributor of the global warming trends (Roessig et al., 255).

Human activities contributes to unnatural sources of greenhouse gases which have impact on the balance of ecosystem. Natural Greenhouse gases have no negative effect on the atmosphere but human activities contributes to its excess thus the atmospheric system becomes unbalanced. The human activity like deforestation is very dangerous to the atmosphere as it destroys

the vegetation absorbs the carbon dioxide in the photosynthesis process thus reducing its concentration in the atmosphere by converting it in to storable for within the plant(Knowles et al., 507). Burning or destruction of the vegetation results into excess release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to global warming. The purpose of vegetation in the ecosystem is to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rather than to add (Botkin et al., 232).

Another human activity which global warming is decomposition of organic matter. The decomposition of animal wastes and sewerages, landfills and dams contributes to the emission of methane gases which forms a portion n the greenhouse gases. For example, when deposited organic matter underneath water surface in the dams, the bacteria on the deposits produces methane gases during the decomposition process which escapes to the atmosphere thus contributing to the greenhouse effect (Botkin et al., 233). In addition to methane gas, the natural gas will emitted to the atmosphere during the extraction operation of the oil and other gases from the mining sites. This natural gas thus contributes to the global warming. The use of agricultural chemicals such as herbicides and fertilizers produces nitrous oxide gas which forms part of atmospheric greenhouse gases which causes the superheating of the earths service. Nitrous oxide can also be released during burning of fossil fuels and decomposition of the organic matter (Roessig et al., 257).

Human activities indirectly produces water vapor in the atmosphere which holds on the mixture of greenhouse gases together thus contributing to the global warming. The water vapor in the atmosphere also provides feedback of the climatic changes. Manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons

(CFCs) by the people also contributes to the global warming since CFCs are very dangerous in the atmosphere and destroys the ozone layer. The CFCs represents the industrial chemicals, aerosols, refrigerants among others which cause a long-lasting greenhouse effect in the atmosphere (Botkin et al., 237).

Effects of Global Warming to the Environment

Global warming is very dangerous to the environment as it has projected number of effects on the ocean. Some of the ongoing effects of global warming includes glaciers melt and thermal expansion which causes seal levels to rise, corrosion of iron sheets as well as ocean surface warming which raise stratification of earth’s temperatures (Webster et al., 1844). Due to global warming, the earth is persistently warming from the both poles that is South Pole to North Pole thus causing the earth’s mercury to heat up to high degrees even in the regions near the poles. Global warming is persistently increasing the earth’s temperatures at a very high rate as the signs are surprisingly appearing all over. Global warming not only impacts on earth’s glacier and sea ice making them to melt but also creating unfavorable climate to the living organisms on earth’s setting them on move. The effects of global warming are always as a result of emissions of greenhouse gases thus leading to the environmental and social changes (Webster et al., 1845).

Effects of Global Warming on weather and Climate

Many researcher of late are agreeing that global warming is real and has a lot negative effects on earth’s climate and human activities such as agricultural activities. The cause of global warming is mostly associated with human activities but in turn it has the

negative effects on them (Botkin et al., 236). International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report on the relationship between global warming and the human activities in which the report concludes that each has impact on the other. The report also agree the reality of global warming as a result of human action. The most obvious effect of global warming is the temperature increment around the globe. According to the research conducted by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (2012), the global temperatures in average have increased by 1.4 degrees for the last 100 years as a result of greenhouse effect. The research concluded that 2012 was the 10th worldwide hottest year. Other American scientific researchers owes that global warming has caused United States to experience the warmest summers on record (Webster et al., 1846).

In addition to the world’s temperature changes due to global warming, it also has a negative effect on the weather change extremes. The weather changes due to greenhouse effect has made many of the United States to experience colder winters than normal in addition to hottest summers on record. Global warming also leads to climatic changes which causes some United Nations experience colder winters than normal as a result of long-term trends of weather changes (Knowles et al., 511). The climate in the case is referred as the long-term weather changes which have been observed for a period of time, usually many years thus the weather changes for a shorter periods of time does not amount to climatic change. Global warming sometimes can cause extreme weathers thus causing the hurricane to change due to extreme coldness or heat. Increase

in the greenhouse gases over time in the atmosphere is believed to change the climate hence hurricanes would become intense (Botkin et al., 234).

Global warming can also effect lightening as an element of weather. In this case, continuous increase in global temperatures as a result of greenhouse effect increases the number of lightning strikes which reaches the earth surface especially in the United State regions which are highly affected by frequent lightening and earthquakes. Scientist reports that around 12% lightning activity increases for every 1degree Celsius increase in the atmospheric warming. Global warming nevertheless effect the extreme weather events thus causing continuous occurrence of heat waves, blizzards, droughts and rainstorms on a greater intensity (Botkin et al., 235). The future forecast on global warming shows that with time global warming will cause significant climatic changes in the world in which the major shifts in seasonal temperatures, wind patterns and annual precipitation will be experienced. In this case, the increase in the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere leading to the increased atmospheric warming causes some regions of the world to experience increase annul rainfalls while others experience low annual rainfalls (Knowles et al., 513).

Effects of Global Warming on Plants and Animals

Global warming has a widespread and profound effects on the earth’s ecosystem. The continuous increase in the earth’s temperatures is causing the migration of plants and animals to the higher attitudes where temperatures might be low and more favorable for survival. This migration is from the equator towards the poles for the purpose of searching a range of temperatures which is favorable for survival (Roessig et al., 259). Most of the animals which migrate due global

warming are birds and insects which moves to summer climates. In addition to migration, greenhouse effects increase the range of disease-causing pathogens thus affecting the well-being of the living organisms. These pathogens especially in tropical and subtropical areas kills some plants and animal species thus causing imbalance in the ecosystem. Thus, if the greenhouse effect continues to exist, some plants and animal species will cease from existence (Knowles et al., 515).

Social Effects of Global Warming

As global warming changes the climatic conditions on the earth’s planet, the human society will also change. In this case the agricultural systems would be affected much as the growing seasons change. The seasons such as rain and drought seasons would change. It can also result to lack of snow melt, lower underground water tables, severe crop failure, increased diversity of pests as well as the shortage of livestock in the world (Roessig et al., 260). High concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affects the growth of plants while others may become less nitrous. Global warming also impact on human health as a matter of social welfare since increase in temperatures increases the mosquito borne diseases such as malaria and fever thus affecting the quality of life. Global warming can as well cause the chronic conditions the human health such as asthma which can lead to death or low quality of life (Knowles et al., 516).

How to Mitigate Global Warming

Global warming condition is not a natural condition hence its subject to eradication or reduction. To effectively address global warming as an environmental issues, it is important to reduce the emissions of toxic gaseous substances to the atmosphere hence reducing heat-trapping

conditions (Bond et al., 5921). In this case, the emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere need to be prevented. This can only be possible if the leaders formulated and implement the environmental protection laws and regulations. Since global warming is a worldwide issue, all the nations should join hands to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide which is released to the atmosphere globally. These is only achieved through passed of air pollution laws that governs most of the manufacturing firms around the world (Bond et al., 5922). These firms should be encouraged to expand the use renewable sources of energy which do not dependent of fossil fuels and coal for energy. This would transform the energy system to the environmentally friendly one thus preventing the occurrence of global warming.

Another way of reducing global warming is the holding international climate negotiations which aims to spearhead the ways of controlling the circumstances which causes world’s climate to change overtime (Johan et al., 156). The negotiation teams are likely to agree on the policies which would reduce air pollution hence reducing of the effects of global warming. For example, international negotiation can agree on the use of vehicle fuel efficiency which emits small amounts of carbon dioxide or agree on ways of creating a clean energy economy which is achieved by adopting efficient energy technologies in the manufacturing industries (Johan et al., 157).

Avoidance of the tropical deforestation and planting of more trees is a very smart strategy which can be used to reduce the occurrence of global warming effects. Vegetation is very crucial as it utilizes the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the photosynthesis process hence

reducing carbon content in the atmosphere. The usage of carbon dioxide by trees greatly reduces the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere hence reducing or prevent global warming from occurrence (Bond et al., 5925).

Conclusion

Global warming is very serious environmental issue which over the decades have been the subject of debate among the many world’s nations. Due to global warming the atmospheric temperatures tend to raise to the highest extremes thus raising concerns to the environment in terms of dramatic changes. Global warming is mainly caused by the emission of toxic gaseous substances to the atmosphere which leads to heat-trapping hence superheating of the earth surface due to destruction of the ozone layer. Generally global warming occurs as a result of human activities such manufacturing processes, agriculture, deforestation among others which results in to air pollution. The global warming becomes an environmental issue in that it results in to adverse climatic changes, pose threats on human health and other living organisms. It can be avoided by taking measures which reduces emission of carbon dioxide and supports planting of trees rather than deforestation.

Works Cited

1. Bond, Tami C., and Haolin Sun. "Can reducing black carbon emissions counteract global warming." Environmental Science & Technology 39.16 (2005): 5921-5926.
2. Botkin,Daniel B.,etal."Forecasting the effects of global warming on biodiversity." Bioscience 57.3 (2007): 227-236.
3. Johan, et al. "The potential to mitigate global warming with no?tillage management is only realized when practiced in the long term." Global change biology 10.2 (2004): 155-160.
4. Knowles, Noah, and Daniel R. Cayan. "Potential effects of global warming on the Sacramento/San Joaquin watershed and the San Francisco estuary." Geophysical Research Letters 29.18 (2002).503-741.
5. Roessig, Julie M., et al. "Effects of global climate change on marine and estuarine fishes
   

and fisheries." Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 14.2 (2004): 251-275.