Global Warming

Definition of Global Warming:

Gradual increase in the earth's surface temperature.

What is global warming?

Basically, global warming is the recent increase in the average air and ocean temperature of the Earth as well as its What expected is so continuation.

controversial about it is the actual potential for danger and its causes. Though natural events like volcanoes and solar changes have caused small rises in temperatures over time, many believe that greenhouse gas emissions have a large part in this and that even if the emission levels stabilize, temperatures may continue rising for another thousand years or more. It isi projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that the average global surface temperature will

Global Warming
probably rise another 1.1-6.4 C (2.0 to 11.5 F) during this century. Right now the average temperature of the Earth is about 13 C, or 56 F. Increasing temperatures can lead to rising sea levels, extreme weather Global events warming and can changes also in precipitation. affect

agriculture and glacier retreat and can facilitate the spread of disease and the extinctions of species.

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Many

countries gas

have

been

working to

to

reduce global

greenhouse

emissions

prevent

warming; some have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol for this purpose. However, others feel that this is either ineffectual or unnecessary. Nevertheless, it is important to get the main idea that the Earth is a precious thing and needs taking

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care of. Whether the world is going to get flooded out or not, we should take action and make decision for the good of the Earth. With developed nations like the United States

emitting

the

most

greenhouse

gases,

poorer

countries like Africa are at the greatest risk of the effects of global warming. Australia suffers because of the hole in the ozone directly above it. Europe seems to be more interested in effecting change in

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the effects of global warming than the United States is. A lot of people are concerned that global warming may mean the end of the world; some consider it doomsday. Environmental groups have launched campaigns to inform people of the possible effects of global warming. However, many are trying to downplay the potential risks associated with global warming. For instance, fossil fuel organizations like the American Petroleum Institute and Exxon Mobil have launched campaigns reducing the bad image of fuel.

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CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING:
Global Warming is increasing the earths average temperature. The Green house gases are the main culprits of the global warming. house carbon oxide hazards are in The gases green like

dioxide, playing the present

methane, and nitrous

times. These green house gases trap heat in earths atmosphere and thus result in increasing the temperature of earth. The excessive emission of these gases is the major cause of global warming. The major source of carbon dioxide is the power plants. These power plants emit large amounts of carbon dioxide produced from burning of fossil fuels for the purpose of electricity generation. Coal is the

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major fuel that is burnt in these power plants. Coal produces around 1.7 times as much carbon dioxide per unit of energy when flamed as does natural gas and 1.25 times as much as oil. The coal gives out eighty percent more carbon per unit of energy it produces as compared to natural gas. Another major source of carbon dioxide in

Global Warming

t he atmosphere is the emission from the cars and other vehicles. About twenty percent of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere comes from burning of gasoline in the engines of the vehicles. This is true for most of the developed countries. Moreover if sports bike and vehicles that are essentially designed for rough

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terrain, emit more carbon dioxide when used for general purpose on roads. It is always better to use vehicles designed for city driving on the city roads. Buildings, both commercial and residential source Building of of represent global these a larger warming structures

pollution than cars and trucks. requires a lot of fuel to be burnt which emits a large amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The second major greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, which causes global warming, is Methane. Methane is more than 20 times as effectual as CO2 at entrapping heat in the atmosphere. Methane is obtained from resources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel manufacture. Almost in all parts of the world, rice is grown on flooded

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fields. When fields are flooded, anaerobic situation build up and the organic matter in the soil decays, releasing methane to the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide, which is a colorless gas with a sweet odour, is another green house gas. The main sources of nitrous oxide include nylon and nitric acid production, cars with catalytic converters, the use of fertilizers in agriculture and the burning of organic matter. Greater emissions of nitrous oxides in the recent decades are leading globalwarming.

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Another of all

major carbon

cause dioxide

of

global

warming entering

is the

deforestation. Deforestation is to be blamed for 25% release atmosphere, by the cutting and burning of about 34 million acres of trees each year. Trees collect the CO2 that we breathe out and give away from various other sources, and they give back oxygen that we breathe in. Thus, cutting of trees is leading to greater

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concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Greater urbanization, requirement of land for factories and buildings, requirement of timber are all reasons that are leading to deforestation, which in turn is leading to global warming.

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Impacts of Global Warming:
Global warming will have serious impacts on the environment and on society. Higher temperatures will cause a melting of ice in Greenland and Antarctica. This will accelerate the rise of sea level. The speed at which global warming is expected to occur in the 21st century is faster than most plant and animal species will be able to cope with. Some

will adapt but others will suffer and may become extinct. Global warming will affect agriculture. New crops will be able to be grown in areas that are currently too

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Global Warming
cold to support them. However, more pests and diseases may offset any benefits higher temperatures may have. Water resources will also be

affected. Some reservoirs may dry up if temperature increases, especially if rainfall also decreases. Rising sea levels may pollute fresh groundwater supplies with salt water. Global warming will also affect human health. There may be more heat-related illnesses in hotter summers, and increased breathing problems as higher temperatures increase air pollution in cities,

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reducing air quality. The malaria mosquito may also be able to spread to other regions of the world where it is currently too cold to survive and breed.

More extreme weather, for example storms, floods and droughts will have severe impacts on the environment and on society. The poorest people in society will unfortunately be those least able to cope with global the impacts of warming.

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PREVENTION OF GLOBAL WARMING

Practical effort to things save you our can planet do by gas personally to help in the Global reducing emissions.

greenhouse

Make sure you re-cycle newspapers, glass bottles, tin cans, and magazines. Reuse your shopping bag plastic instead of getting new ones each time you go to the market. Place a brick or something heavy into a plastic bag and place it into your toilet drum. This will cause it to fill faster and use less water each time you flush.

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Donate your unwanted clothes. Turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth. Turn off electrical devices (lights, fans, TV,computers, etc.) when they are not in use. Use Energy Efficient appliances. They will save you about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. Check for leaks (toilets, faucets, pipes, irrigation systems, etc.). Install a low-flow shower head Car pool to work school if possible. or

Ride your bike instead of driving. Youll get your daily exercise while youre at it! Have showers instead of baths. Plant native and/or drought-tolerant plants. Some grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees do not need to be watered as frequently.

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These are just a few things you can do. By having a conservation awareness mind, you will find other ways to contribute to the effort of saving our planet.

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