Global warming is a term used to describe the results of man-made pollutants that are offsetting the naturally occurring greenhouse gases of the planet which causes an increase in the average global temperature. It is a subject that attracts great debate and causes tumultuous arguments worldwide. According to all scientific studies conducted, if the manifold sources of greenhouse gasses such as factories, power plants and automobiles are not severely reduced soon, the weather systems on earth will obliterate life as we know it in the relatively near future. The question of global warming has been a subject of discussion in some publications that attempt to describe what is happening and to suggest ways that we, ordinary citizens, might help make a change.
Global warming starts when sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits the earth’s surface. Since life began, not all of the sun’s solar energy is absorbed by the planet because almost a third of it is reflected back to space. Atmospheric gases work like the glass of a greenhouse to trap some of the solar energy that would have been reflected and then heats the earth enough to support life (Gilman, 1989). It is a delicate balance to get just the right temperature but man-made sources are adding more of these gasses into the air which works to increase the temperature.
Global warming is proved by the well-documented obliteration of the glaciers in the artic and the less recognized thermal expansion of the oceans. Thermal expansion is surmised by measured increases in sea levels over the last century (Trenberth, 1997). A reduction of snow cover and ice will have important consequences for locations at higher latitudes that depend on these as sources of water that now runs downhill much faster and for places at lower elevations that will tend to get drowned under the extra water, especially in the winter and spring months. It is also assumed that cloud composition will change which could amplify the greenhouse effect. Wanton changes may occur in vegetation patterns, changing the types of plants that can be grown in different regions, which will force changes in human adaptations. The evaporation rate will be increased which will speed the drying effect of soil between rainfalls which will result in drier conditions in many regions. This faster water recycling rate will also cause heavier rainfall amounts and increases in the number of extreme rainfall events experienced each year. Higher and heavier rainfall combined with higher temperatures will cause increased tropical storm intensity (Trenberth, 1997).
One solution to the global warming issue is to create cleaner cars by using alternative fuels. Some possible forms of alternative fuels are vegetable oil which can be substituted for diesel fuel and ethanol as an effective gasoline additive (Science Daily, 2009). These kinds of bio-fuels are made from easily replenished plant sources and release no pollutants into the air.
Energy from hydrogen is also an environmentally friendly gas. The benefit of hydrogen is that it only produces water vapor which would perhaps help the planet but it is not yet widely available and distribution would be a problem (“Alternatives to Oil”, 2002). But having cleaner cars is not going to solve the problem alone. There also needs to be a new approach to how we power our homes and businesses. Geothermal energy comes directly from the earth as steam and can be used for less complex or mobile applications. “In thousands of homes and buildings across the United States, geothermal heat pumps use the steady temperatures just underground to heat and cool buildings, cleanly and inexpensively. Geothermal energy has the potential to play a significant role in moving the United States (and other regions of the world) toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy system” (“Geothermal Energy”, 2006). Solar power is used to power everything from homes and businesses to vehicles. It is an abundant, non-polluting and free energy resource as long as the sun shines (“Solar Generation”, 2003). “Solar power is a prime choice in developing an affordable, feasible, global power source that can substitute for fossil fuels in all climate zones around the world” (“Solar Generation”, 2003).
Oil and coal have served us well over the last few centuries. It is clear that without these resources, the innovations of the industrial age would not have happened and the populations of the world would still be mostly agrarian. They have been the lifeblood of our economy for so long that it is hard for us to think about letting them go, especially when not all are convinced of the dire consequences of their use. However, even these people con recognize that these types of fossil fuels are limited and very costly, particularly in light of the nearly decade-long wars the United States has been fighting in the Middle East. It seems clear that if ‘we’ choose not to do anything to reduce the use of materials that contribute to global warming, or keep trying to insist that a problem does not exist, it will soon no longer be a question of if, but when, the planet will no longer sustain life as we know it today.
Works Cited
“Alternatives to Oil.” Disposable Planet? BBC News UK. (2002). Web.
“Geothermal Energy: Tapping the Energy in the Earth’s Core.” Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). (2006). Web.
Gilman, Robert. “What’s Wrong with the Climate?” In Context. (1989). 2009. Web.
Science Daily. (2009). Web.
“Solar Generation Report.” Greenpeace. (2003). Web.
Trenberth, Kevin E. “Global Warming: It’s Happening.” National Center for Atmospheric Research. (1997). 2009. Web.