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Abdulaziz Alghamdi
Tim Conerd
ENG 2010
4/25/2014
ENGLISH GLOBAL WARMING
Global change is definitely one of the biggest environmental and humanitarian crisis of
our time. Presently, global warming is one of the serious issues that the global population is
facing as it has created effects on agriculture and on the quality of life. Global warming refers to
the unbalanced and continuing rise in the average temperature of Earth's climate system. Global
warming causes real and measurable effects and the greatest contributor to global warming is
human activities that continue to exploit nature. In principle, global warming refers to the rising
of the average temperature in the atmosphere of planet earth that may result from human causes
or from natural causes (Haldar 10). This quote helps to show the effects on global warming. I
think that there are causes and effects on Global warming because first, global warming is
a principle threat to the existence of all living organisms on earth, such that if right
measures are not put in place, second, there are bigger chances for more harm by global
warming, and third global warming has increased the threat of natural disasters.
Causes of global warming
According to research, the human population has created a significant difference between
living and planet earth in which the result has been the existence of natural disasters reported
over the past a hundred years. Ideally, the rise of global temperature started mid twentieth
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century because of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions to earth’s atmosphere (Maslin 9).
Environmentalists agree with the fact that the global temperatures have increased by 0.5 degrees
and will be on an increasing trend for years to come. Researchers suggest that 1990 was the
hottest year of the twentieth century with scientists indicating that the global temperatures would
rise by at least 3 degrees within the next a hundred years. First, air pollution and the greenhouse
effect are the principle causes of global warming as the former is through factory emissions and
vehicle gases (Maslin 10). The final is through the entrapment of gases by green houses that help
the sun to cool off, hence influencing the globe to experience higher temperatures.
Over the years, the ozone layer has also experienced depletion as the atmosphere has
allowed the penetration of harmful gases that heat up the earth. In principle, the ozone layer is
the outermost layer of the atmosphere that prevents the damaging of the earth’s surface from
radiations that are cancerous. The depletion of the ozone layer due to the heating up of the
atmosphere and the resulting puncturing of the same (Ozone Holes) has allowed cancer-causing
radiations to penetrate the earth leading to global warming. Further, the sulfur dioxide gas
released during volcanic activities also causes global warming as they tend to cause blockage of
the sunlight from reaching the earth’s surface and therefore, changing the global temperatures.
With the rise of the global population, there has been an increase in human activity
especially on forest as many attempt to achieve lands to settle in, which has led to the increased
deforestation levels and decreased crop cover. Deforestation causes global warming because the
cutting down of trees decreases the production of oxygen by plants and increases the
concentration rates of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In principle, plants take in carbon
dioxide and produce oxygen during the process of photosynthesis in which if forest cover
decreases then there would be plenty of harmful carbon dioxide for human beings. On the other
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hand, the increased use of fertilizers that contain nitrogen oxide as compared to the conventional
animal manure has also led way for increased global temperatures as these fertilizers have heat
storage capabilities.
Nitrogen oxides have higher heat retention capacities compared to carbon dioxide and
when they get into the atmosphere, they destroy the ozone layer faster therefore, allowing the
penetration of ultraviolet rays. The burning of fossil fuels on a daily basis is another cause of
global warming because these fuels contain high levels of carbon (Haldar 11). Burning them
increases carbon levels in the atmosphere as there is no complete consumption of the same. In
the end, the increased establishment of industries and continued human activities continues to
rise, the global temperatures because the harmful toxins that destroy the ozone protection layer
and therefore asserting. The primary cause of global warming is due to human activities, a
leading cause is the burning of fossil fuels to drive cars, electricity use, and operating our homes
and businesses. Energy from the sun is main source of all the energy for our climate
System, and this energy is always changing.
Effects on Global Warming
Global warming creates a change in the climate and environment. Global warming
creates a dramatic climate change and can lead to pollution. Global warming climate change has
an effect on the environment. Due to the global warming glaciers have shrunk, rivers and lakes
have been destroyed, plants and animals have been affected by the weather change, and trees
have stopped growing. Many scientists have created prediction for the future environment on the
effects of global climate change. Global warming affects the weather. Higher temperatures could
lead to increase in wildfires, droughts, rainfall, and heavy hurricanes. Global warming affects
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health. The warmer the weather allows deadly mosquitoes to travel further distances. Also, hotter
weather increases carbon dioxide and pollution in the air increasing chances of asthma and
allergies. This helps to show some of the effects on global warming. Severe heat waves and
temperature can result in a huge number of heat-related deaths.
Global warming has influenced immense natural disasters such as hurricanes, tropical
storms, and flooding because of the increase in the sea levels. Scientists predict that seawater
would submerge coastal cities hence destroying established infrastructure, which would stand
development of many developed nations. This can also cause the loss of lives therefore making
this environmental issue to attract human and research interest. Additionally, the probable effect
of global warming on the human population would be a rise and outbreak of both waterborne and
airborne diseases due to the increase in atmospheric temperature (Singer and Hodge 170).
Furthermore, the death toll will rise because of the rise in atmospheric temperatures,
which will lead to the drying up of the wetlands and influence drought (Casper 123). The result
of this would be a malnourished and starving population, which would have a huge impact on the
global population. Global warming will also influence the extinction of species by 2050
according to environmentalists, which would be the sixth mass extinction in history. In principle,
this effect would create discomfort for the human population because humans cannot live
without diverseness in population and this could influence the extinction of over a million
species. By 2100, ocean acidification and the rise of global temperatures will influence the
disappearance of coral reefs and present a danger for the ecosystems because a significant
number rely on them for survival (Casper 2). In addition, deserts would increase because of the
limited rainfall caused by decreased evaporation, which will in turn affect the agricultural human
activity and the crop production levels. Eventually, global warming would prove to be a principle
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threat to the existence of all living organisms on earth, which would be a social-economic effect
(Singer and Hodge 172).
Fighting Global Warming
I believe that global warming is too massive a problem for one person to solve, it is an
environmental issue. People can personal choices to teach others the effects on global warming
and how we can fight against global warming. People can inspire others to take care of the
environment and participate in collective smart decisions. Global warming can be addressed by
reducing the amount of heat-trapping emissions. People can use less electricity and take action
towards reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. Reducing the demand for fossil fuels, reduces
global warming, by using energy more wisely. Government and corporates can plan an important
role in reducing global warming by: expanding the use of renewable energy, increasing vehicle
fuel efficiency, placing limits on polluters towards emitting, building a clean energy economy,
reducing tropical deforestation, and implementing effective and good national and regional
climate policies. In order to avoid the occurrence of dangerous global warming, we need to
reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 50% by the year of 2050.
Cars are one of the biggest factors of carbon dioxide in the air. The burning of fuel in cars
and trucks and the emissions created as a result of this burning is causing global warming to
increase on a daily basis. Carpooling with other people are an important factor in reducing global
warming the less cars people drive on the highway leads to less emission being used on the
atmosphere Therefore, carpooling is an earth friendly way to reduce global warming.
Replacing plastic water bottles and reusing them is an important method to reduce global
warming. Plastic water bottles can create a large amount of garbage in landfills. Thus, by using
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plastic water bottles with a reusable bottle, this reduces the carbon dioxide and methane gases in
the atmosphere. This is similar to recycling because recycling is important to the environment.
Recycling can help keep landfills less full and reduce the carbon footprint.
There are many simple and relatively easy ways to reduce global warming. A person can
reduce the amount of carbon use they leave behind by making smart decisions and caring for the
environment. Many people have failed to understand that global warming can be reduced if
people make a conscious decision.
Conclusion
In summary, global warming is a principle threat to the existence of all living organisms
on earth because the causes and effects of this environmental concern could be terrible for the
future populations. However, the concerns and possible effects of global temperatures have
attracted concern from environmentalists and nations to establish sustainable and long-term
strategies to prevent the situation from becoming uncontrollable. The first attempt to combat
global warming was in 1997 where there was the signing of the Kyoto protocol, but the
resolutions passed by that agreement have not been successful in minimizing the effects of this
global challenge (Haldar 112). The improvement of the atmosphere is important and this would
sustain life on planet earth through the increase of forestation activities, which would maintain
carbon dioxide levels that would not be harmful to the atmosphere (Dincer 179). Further, the
human population should develop policies that would improve the conservation of the
environment rather than increasing the depletion of living condition because of global warming.
Many of the causes of global warming are preventable meaning that changing the human
activities to those that are economic friendly would be important in reducing the levels of
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emissions for global warming gases. Lastly, I think that the entire human race should understand
the need to protect the environment in order to prevent global warming from making planet earth
inhabitable and strongly be aware on the cause and effects on global warming. I strongly think
that global warming is something very important in our world.
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Works Cited
Casper, Julie K. Changing Ecosystems: Effects of Global Warming. New York: Infobase Pub,
2010. Internet resource.
Dinçer, İbrahim. Global Warming: Engineering Solutions. Dordrecht: Springer, 2010.
Haldar, Ishita. Global Warming: The Causes and Consequences. New Delhi: Mind Melodies,
2011. Print.
Maslin, Mark. Global Warming. Stillwater, MN: Voyageur Press, 2007. Print.
Singer, Merrill, and Hodge G. ,Derrick. The War Machine and Global Health: A Critical
Medical Anthropological Examination of the Human Costs of Armed Conflict and the
International Violence Industry. Lanham, Md: AltaMira Press, 2010. Internet resource.
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Works Cited Attachments
1. Title: Changing Ecosystems: Effects of Global Warming
Electronic Textbook
By: Casper, Julie K
http://www.alibris.com/Changing-Ecosystems-Effects-of-Global-Warming-Julie-Kerr-CasperPhD/book/12603141?matches=22
This book is about global warming. According to the book global warming has increased
dramatically in the past century at an unnatural rate. Scientists believe that humans contribute to
the real cause of global warming today. Many activities humans are involved in--from burning
fossil fuels for energy to massive deforestation--are contributing to the atmospheric warming at
an alarming rate. Experts believe that in the future human induced damage will cause severe
problems in the distribution of species and their critical habitats, increase the occurrence of
severe weather and droughts, contribute to rising sea levels, and create problems in health and
quality-of-life that will affect everyone on Earth.
My paraphrase/summary
This citation was very interesting and allowed me to learn more about global warming. I leared
that humans are the real cause of global warming and that there are ways to help reduce global
warming. It is important to reduce global warming otherwise it could lead to other consequences.
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Casper, Julie K. Changing Ecosystems: Effects of Global Warming. New York: Infobase Pub,
2010. Internet resource.
2. Title: Global Warming
Energy Technology
By: Dincer, Ibrahim
http://www.worldcat.org/title/global-warming-engineering-solutions/oclc/567139632
Global Warming: Engineering Solutions goes beyond discussing the definition and causes of
climate change, and offers concrete solutions for solving global warming. Innovative and
forward-thinking engineering solutions are needed to tackle global warming’s threat to the
planet, and this book offers numerous methods to address global warming’s identified causes.
My paraphrase /summary
I thought that this citation was very helpful. It helped me learn about carbon dioxide and other
emission pollution. It was useful in explaining the relationship between global warming and
thermodynamics. The book Global Warming: Engineering Solutions was very interesting and
discussed the major threats of global warming from an engineering perspective. I learned the
importance of preventing and controlling global warming through engineering.
Dinçer, Ibrahim. Global Warming: Engineering Solutions. Dordrecht: Springer, 2010.