Global Warming-A Brief Primer
Sunday, December 16th, 2007 by Global Warmer Subscribe To Our Feed
There is little debate that the earth is undoubtedly warming. It has been the subject of intense debate for decades now. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and industrial gases from fossil fuels play a huge role in why our environment is changing so rapidly.
With projections of an increase between 2.5 and 10.5 degrees by the year 2100, it is really nothing to take lightly. According to some scientific studies, the main gas causing Global Warming, CO2, or carbon dioxide, has increased in our atmosphere by as much as 30 percent over the last 100 years. That is a significant increase to say the least.
Causes of Global Warming
The number two source of pollution to our atmosphere is undoubtedly transportation. In fact, cars and other vehicles represent at least 20 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere.
Power plants also play a huge role in polluting the atmosphere. Nearly 600 of the United States power plants do not have to play by new emission standards, what they like to call are “grandfathered” in. This means there is no cap on smog and acid rain producing pollutants that can be emitted from these plants. Power plants actually account for 36 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and 32 percent of mercury emissions.
Consequences of Global Warming
- Sea level rise, which will eventually increase beach erosion and flooding from coastal storms.
- Precipitation changes are inevitable which will increase or decrease the risk of droughts and floods all over the world. Significant storms are already on the rise.
- Deadly heat waves will continue. The summer of 1995 when 669 people died from heat exposure, and the 250 in the summer of 1999 was just a sign of things to come.
- There are obvious threats to biodiversity and to public health as well.
Evidence that Global Warming has Begun
- Shifting ranges of infectious diseases-Diseases that were not known to be a problem in areas such as the United States have shown their ugly head. Malaria has been reported as far north as New York, New Jersey and Michigan.
- Sea levels have risen between 4 and 10 inches in the last century. The destruction of beaches and wetlands are also taking place around the world.
- Glaciers and significant snow melt has been taking place on 5 continents since 1995, 5,400 square miles to be exact.
- Summer droughts and winter floods are becoming the norm.
- Storms are becoming more frequent and more brutal, hence Hurricane Katrina.
What if the recent rise in infectious disease was caused by the increase in temperature? Scientists believe it definitely plays a role in this and in the plant and animal shifts throughout different parts of the world. Living things are simply trying to adapt to the changing environment and they will ultimately kill humans through sickness and disease. For example, as the climate changes, disease carrying mosquitoes and other rodents move to new areas and in turn infect a population of people. Diseases such as malaria, encephalitis, West Nile virus and dengue fever will continue to be on the rise in all areas of the world, including the United States.
The only way to reverse the affects of Global Warming, and prevent further damage is to change how we power our economy. Most importantly, fossil fuels will have to be replaced with organic, non-toxic materials for our world’s vehicles. This of course, is already in the works in several areas of the world. The semi-recent release of hybrid electric and gas vehicles is just one example.
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