Global Warming Fact or Fiction Essay

Throughout their history, humans have witnessed all the environmental imbalances they have created in the world. The unstoppable technological advances of the world have greatly contributed to the enhancement of economic progress and improvement of the quality of life. However, the phenomenal growth of the economy and the increase of the standards of living are achieved at the expense of environmental destruction that is pressing the contemporary society. Hence, as human beings are the ones responsible for taking care of and preserving nature, they should impose certain limitations in their attempts to acquire economic progress in order to protect the environment. The pivotal change in the composition of the earth’s atmospheric condition gave birth to the term global warming, leaving the whole world unnerved of the damages it is currently causing and will continue to cause. However, we should consider if global warming is true or a mere product of our imagination. Some scientists argue that what we are experiencing right now is a natural occurrence and is a part of the earth’s climate cycle. Theorists believed that the earth is currently undergoing climate cycle, wherein the planet cools then heats up. Scientists pointed out that 75 million years ago, the earth experienced ten degrees higher than today’s temperature, but still, life was sustained. On the other hand, there is a strong evidence that global warming is not a natural phenomenon but is a result of human activities. Global warming is progressing at a rapid pace, with its damaging effects leading the world more and more to its destruction (Hopwood and Cohen). Thus, this paper aims to present information that supports the claim that global warming is a fact and is threatening human life. Global warming is considered as the worst dilemma faced by humans as a result of their constant neglect of the environment. Global warming developed through the increased emissions of the noxious greenhouse gases resulting in an increase on the temperature of the earth’s surface (SciDev. Net). Global warming renders a variety of changes that affects the environment and the quality of life. As a result of humankind’s neglect and carelessness, the Earth is now experiencing extreme shifts in temperature which result in heat waves, irregular weather conditions, and rapid unfreezing of icecaps and glaciers located at the two opposite poles of the earth. As the ice caps and glaciers melt, the sea level rises, resulting in occurrences of coastal flooding. Causes of Global Warming The main cause of global warming is the widespread emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are the natural blanket of the Earth located in the atmosphere. It traps some of the light to keep the surface warmer. Over the century, the Earth’s surface temperature increased by . 5 degrees Celsius and it was believed that this was due to the increased on the concentration of the main greenhouse gases, which are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons (Hopwood and Cohen). The natural phenomenon was named â€Å"greenhouse effect† because it has a similar effect created by the glass panes of a greenhouse. The greenhouse traps the heat inside preventing large amounts of heat to go outside. The greenhouse gases selectively transmit infrared rays emitted by the sun. It traps some of the waves and permits some to travel in space. The greenhouse gases then bounce the infrared rays back on the lower atmosphere causing the increase in temperature (Hopwood and Cohen). Carbon dioxide is one of the main components of the greenhouse gases. It is produced and emitted in the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is emitted when humans exhale, when fossil fuels burn for energy, and through the deforestation of the planet (Hopwood and Cohen). The release of carbon dioxide is a biological function among humans and other animals which have a similar respiratory system. Fossil fuels are formed through the decay of the plants and animals a thousand years ago. People utilize these fossil fuels in the form of coal, oil, and natural gas to create a supply of electricity, to heat their homes, and to run their cars. The fossil fuels contain carbon which, when burned, mixes with oxygen, resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide (Hopwood and Cohen). Other greenhouse gases accumulate in the earth’s atmosphere due to the negligence of people. As they continue to strive for economic progress, they reinforce the causes of the environmental dilemma that can lead the planet to its destruction (Hopwood and Cohen). Deforestation is another cause of the production of carbon dioxide. Deforestation occurs though logging for lumber, pulpwood and fuel wood. Another factor contributing on deforestation is farming new land, which involves developing forests into farmlands and pastures. Deforestation takes away trees that absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. The less number of trees in the forest, the less carbon dioxide will be processed and made available in the atmosphere (Hopwood and Cohen). Thus, global warming is caused by humans’ unstoppable emission of noxious gases on the earth’s atmosphere and the denuding of forests. At present, the status of global warming is progressing, rendering detrimental effects to the planet and its inhabitants. Effects of Global Warming The increase of the amount of greenhouse gases present in the earth’s atmosphere has negative implications on the earth’s environmental mechanism. These effects only signify the existence of the environmental dilemma. Due to global warming, the planet is experiencing imbalances our environmental processes. The earth is suffering from heat waves, sudden unusual shifts in weather, and changes in precipitation patterns. The odd patterns of precipitation reinforced by the rise of the sea level result in coastal flooding and take away the land where people live. This circumstance induces migration, causing the population of the inland cities to escalate (â€Å"Global Warming: Early Warning Signs†). Global warming also has a direct effect on our earth’s hydrosphere. The increase in temperature contributes to the rise of sea level. The rise of the earth’s waters results from the expansion of water due to heating and the melting of glaciers and ice caps in the North and South poles (Raper and Braithwaite 311). Global warming also affects the daily lives and lifestyle of the people. It also causes a chain of events that raises extreme concern from environmentalists who are anticipating the worst scenarios resulting from this environmental issue (Hopwood and Cohen). Global warming renders both negative and positive effects in our agriculture. As for its benefits to agriculture, global warming helps to increase food production. Since one of the determinants of agriculture is climate, it is suggested that heating is better than cooling. Moreover, carbon dioxide is one of the essential factors needed by plants in making their own food. As the temperature rises, more farmlands will be available on the poles and the length of the growing season will be prolong. However, extreme rise in the temperature will cause drought that affects our crops. Extremely hot temperatures also prevent some of the crops to be planted due to the adherence of the climate (Hopwood and Cohen). Global warming also raises various health concerns. One of the most obvious effects on health is directly through heat. As the temperature of the earth continues to increase, more people will suffer from heatstroke, heart ailments, and other illnesses exacerbated by heat (Hopwood and Cohen). In addition to this, it was stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that climate change develops a wide array of adverse effects on human health, resulting in significant loss of human lives. As temperature increases at the earth’s poles, pests and insects migrate toward these areas. Some of these insects and pests carry diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever, which could lead to an increase in the number of cases documented each year (Hopwood and Cohen). Thus, if the current situation will not be addressed, global warming is foreseen to create a chain of negative implications such as the spread of diseases, occurrence of droughts and fires, heavy rainfall, flora and fauna range shift, and population changes (â€Å"Global Warming: Early Warning Signs†). Conclusion The environment is continuously violated and destructed as people strive to achieve industrialization, economic progress, and improvement of the quality of human life. As a result, global warming has emerged as an alarming dilemma that stems from our negligence and exploitation of the earth’s natural resources. Thus, global warming is not a product of our imagination but a product of our continued destruction of the environment. Global warming is brought about by the escalated concentration of greenhouse gases, causing the earth’s temperature to increase as the gases trap infrared waves and bounce them back to the earth. The increased concentration of the greenhouse gases result from the neglectful emission of components that comprise the noxious greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, the main component of the greenhouse gases, accumulates in the atmosphere as the amount of carbon dioxide recycled is reduced. Deforestation is one of the causes of the increased in the concentration of the harmful gases on the earth’s atmosphere. Global warming brings about various effects on the environment, human health, and people’s lifestyle. Although global warming has some advantages, such as prolonging the growing (of plants) season, it produces more negative implications. For instance, it can cause the spread of various diseases, the occurrence of droughts and wildfires, the unusual patterns of precipitation, and considerable shifts on the flora and fauna distribution. The sad truth is that global warming exists and continues to progress as we constantly neglect our environment. The current rate of its development causes concerns to arise, and the effects we are currently experiencing are proof of its threatening presence. Hence, as global warming continues to threaten human lives, attention and action are extremely needed not only to resolve the growing problems caused by global warming, but also to prevent further damages to the planet and its inhabitants. Works Cited Global Warming: Early Warning Signs. 1999.Retrieved May 8 2008 from http://www. climatehotmap. org/. Hopwood, Nick and Jordan Cohen. â€Å"Greenhouse Gases and Society. † University of Michigan. 1998. 18 July 2008 . Raper, Sarah C. B, and Roger J. Braithwaite. â€Å"Low Sea Level Rise Projection from Mountain Glaciers Icecaps under Global Warming. † Nature 439 (19 January 2006): 311-313. SciDev. Net. â€Å"Global Warming. † Climate Change and Energy. 2008. May 8 2008 .