Global Warming

By: Jose Hernandez

What is Global Warming

• Global warming is the result of the earth heat temperature heating up

• Most recently, temperatures have been rising, causing more issues for the environment, animals, animal habitats, and humans

Causes of Global Warming

• CO2 emissions• Urbanization • Industrialization• Pollution

Greenhouse Effect

• Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect"–

• Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping.

Gases that Contribute to the Greenhouse Effect Include:

Water vapor:The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate.

Gases that Contribute to the Greenhouse Effect Include:

Methane:• A hydrocarbon gas

produced both through natural sources and human activities

Carbon dioxide (CO2): Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by a third since the Industrial Revolution began.

Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:

• Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds of entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications

On Earth, Human Activities are Changing the Natural Greenhouse

Over the last century the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).

Effects of Increased Greenhouse Gases

• On average, Earth will become warmer. • Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures,

but others may not.

Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.

Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO2, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently.

Types of Pollution

• Air pollution • Water pollution• Soil pollution• Noise pollution • Radioactive pollution• Thermal pollution

Air Pollution

• Air Pollution – is defined as any contamination of the atmosphere that disturbs the natural composition and chemistry of the air

Water Pollution

• Water pollution involves any contaminated water, whether from chemical, particulate, or bacterial matter that degrades the water's quality and purity

Soil Pollution

• Soil pollution aka land pollution, is contamination of the soil that prevents natural growth and balance in the land whether it is used for cultivation, habitation, or a wildlife preserve. An example is landfills.

Radioactive Pollution

Radioactive pollution is rare but extremely dangerous, and even deadly, when it occurs

Because of its intensity and the difficulty of reversing damage, there are strict government regulations to control radioactive pollution

Thermal Pollution• Thermal pollution is excess heat

that creates undesirable effects over long periods of time. It usually comes from:

power plants, urban sprawl, air pollution particulates that trap

heat, deforestation, loss of temperature moderating

water supplies.

Natural Cycles of Nature

• Volcanic eruption • Volcanos are one of the main natural instigators of

global warming. The role of volcanic eruptions on each climate effect is described below. They contribute to ozone depletion, as well as to both cooling and warming of the earth's atmosphere.

Polar Wobble

• Polar wobble is another natural way that creates global warming.

• The theory of “Polar Wobble” suggests that there have been geologically rapid shifts in the relative positions of the poles and the axis of rotation of the Earth, creating calamities such as floods and tectonic events.

Natural Cycles of Nature

• There are other natural factors leading to global warming but these are two of the most important

The Effects of Global Warming

• Rising sea levels• Loss of habitats• Extreme weather conditions with rising temperatures,

and other hazards such as forest fires. • The melting of the glaciers and ice shelves all over the

world could cause global warming to accelerate because less and less of the sun’s energy would be reflected away from the earth.

SOLUTIONS

Even though Global Warming is a problem there are also solutions to help stop or at least slow down its process.

Political Solutions

• Countries can work together to monitor CO2 emissions

• They can create treaties in which each country agrees to cut down on the use of fossil fuels

• They can also work together to create sustainable designs for the future of food and waste.

Political Solutions

• Countries can work together to create laws and regulations that relate to climate change.

• Systems such as the Cap and Trade model in which carbon trading markets can be operated.

• Countries can also try to inspire the media and the public to fight global warming.

Physical Solutions

You can also do simple things at home to cut down on all the CO2: – unplugging TVs, stereos equipment, computers, battery

chargers and a lot of other technology gadgets

If we don’t do anything to try to solve this major issue it may mean the extinction of all humanity and pretty much destroy the earth as we know it.

• Past human actions have already committed the planet to a warmer future. When we extract and burn fossil fuels such as coal or petroleum, we cause the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping "greenhouse gases" into the atmosphere.

Though natural amounts of CO2 have varied from 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm), today's CO2 levels are around 400 ppm. That's 40% more than the highest natural levels over the past 800,000 years. We also can tell that the additional CO2 in the atmosphere comes mainly from coal and oil because the chemical composition of the CO2 contains a unique fingerprint.

Global warming is no longer a theory and it is no longer something that only future generations will face. Changes to our planet are being documented daily in the media.

If we could try to make the small and large changes to our lifestyles; if we could lessen our dependence on fossil fuels, if we could learn to create less waste and live within the laws of nature – then maybe we could turn this ship of doom around.

Conclusion

We are already witnessing the signs of global warming in rising sea levels, rising temperatures, and extreme weather conditions; let us hope that we can rise up and change our world now before it is too late and we are engulfed in this phenomenon that has taken us by storm.