Global Warming

Human Acts and How it Contributes to Climate Change

Global warming is one problem that threatens the whole planet . It is such a serious problem and its effects prove to be so devastating that it affects all life on the planet . Global warming is caused mainly by humans . To understand how humans contribute to global warming . It is important to know the underlying principles about global warming

Last year , a United Nations panel indicated that human activity has been a very likely ' influential factor when talking of climate change . Human activities may

most likely be blamed for the one degree Fahrenheit increase in the Earths average surface temperature since 1990 (Global Warming

Global warming is related to a so-called greenhouse effect . The greenhouse effect is similar to how a greenhouse works . Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide , water vapor , ozone and methane traps heat within the Earth 's atmosphere . This is actually a natural process because without it , the Earth would be so could that it could not sustain today 's thriving ecosystems . What makes it so negative is that the increasing amount of greenhouse gases , particularly carbon dioxide , as a result of human processes and activities (West , What is the Greenhouse

There are now more than six billion people on the planet and the existence of such a number of human beings is a threat to sustainability because the number is five times more than what the planets natural resources could sustain . More so , population is expected to balloon to 12 billion in the next 50 years . And in the past 50 years , carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rose , the ozone layer is reduced rainforests have declined by 50 percent , etc . The situation would be a lot worse once the population doubles within 50 years (Frisco

Not only does overpopulation have serious economic implications , it also has negative effects on environment . The presence of 6 billion people in the planet alone is a major factor that aggravates global warming . As humans take in oxygen , they release carbon dioxide which is the main greenhouse gas that is responsible for the initial effects of climate change . The more the people on the planet means more carbon dioxide emissions

On another aspect , with overpopulation comes more demand for vehicles and vehicles is also one major contributor of greenhouse gases . It is estimated that 33 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States come from vehicles . The US is also the largest oil consumer in the world at 20 .4 million barrels per day . Vehicles that have poor mileage have greater effects on climate change . A Dodge Durango that covers a distance of 12 miles for a gallon of fuel emits an estimate of 800 pounds of carbon dioxide whereas a Honda Insight that covers 61 miles on a gallon of fuel produce less carbon dioxide emissions estimated at only 161 pounds . Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV ) are also more harmful as it is made to be driven on rough terrain . It is very harmful when used in the city (Causes of Global Warming

Deforestation is another major contributor of greenhouse gases . It may be blamed for 20 to 25 percent of all carbon emissions (Causes of Global Warming . Deforestation is also linked to overpopulation . Rising population crowds the already existing areas allotted for residential purposes and there comes a need to denude forest areas to be turned into residential areas . This is a two-pronged problem because more people means more carbon dioxide emissions and less forest areas mean that there are less trees that would help absorb carbon dioxide

Thirty-four million acres of trees are being cut down each year . The destruction of forests also adds to the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere . Temperate forests are also being lost which absorbs two million tons of carbon every year

Human also demand for energy . Aside from using fossil fuels in vehicles , fossil fuels , coal in particular is being used to produce electricity . About 50 percent of America relies on coal in the production of electricity despite of the availability of cleaner energy sources . It makes up of 93 percent of emissions coming from electricity production and in emissions in the US in 2002 . It is also a fact that coal produces more carbon dioxide emissions compared to oil (Causes of Global Warming Alternative energy sources include solar , wind and hydroelectric energy These energy sources produce no amount of greenhouse gases

On the other hand , nuclear energy is one energy source that has garnered much attention because it produces large volumes of energy without greenhouse emissions but provides another threat which is radiation . France is one country which deeply relies on nuclear energy Eighty percent of its electricity are produced by nuclear reactors . The French nuclear company , Areva , already signed a deal to construct two nuclear reactors in China for 12 billion . India is the next prospect as well as Indonesia , Argentina , Chile , Vietnam and Turkey which are open to nuclear energy . However , the word nuclear ' has been associated with much fear because it has very destructive potentials when used as a weapon . Despite much fear of nuclear technology , it would definitely slow down global warming in a concentrated international effort to use it to replace coal plants (Scoblic ,

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There are various steps that can be taken to slow down or even reverse the effects of global warming but it should start in educating the people on the facts about global warming . Universities are now taking part in educating students about global warming . Global warming issues are now being incorporated in class lectures with the prospect of preparing children to deal with the worsening crisis . Some professors even noted that the issue has already been integrated in their course syllabus . There are even schools that made learning about climate change an interactive experience . At Lewis and Clark College in Portland students engaged in a debate among fellow students regarding global warming pretending to be presidential candidates 'Teach-In ' at Colleges ,

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The Kyoto Protocol is another step that would potentially reduce emissions . Under the protocol , signatory countries must agree to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a certain cap . Initially , Australia and the US refused to sign the protocol but now , only the US remains as Australia agreed to ratify the protocol last year under a new leadership . US President George Bush refuses to ratify the protocol on the ground that developing countries should also be included and that reducing emissions would have a harsh economic implication on the United States (West , Should the United

Global warming is indeed a terminal problem for the planet . It is human acts that aggravated the situation and it is only proper that human acts prevent such a catastrophe from happening . It is important to make a move know for the sake of the future generation of human beings and the planet itself

Works Cited

Global Warming . The New York Times . Accessed May 4 , 2008 , fromWest , Larry . What is the Greenhouse Effect . Accessed May 4 , 2008 , fromFrisco , Chris Fick . 28 March 2007 . Global Warming is Really Happening Accessed May 4 , 2008 , from

Causes of Global Warming . EcoBridge . Accessed May 4 , 2008 , fromScoblic , Peter J . 23 April 2008 . Nuclear Spring . pp .18-20

Community College Week . 25 February 2008 'Teach-In ' at Colleges Focuses on Effects of Global Warming

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