Global Warming

What is global warming? Global warming is the increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere. This can be caused by greenhouse gases that trap heat that would otherwise leave the Earth. It is a type of greenhouse effect. The exchange of incoming and out going radiation that warms the Earth is referred as the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses are gasses in the atmosphere that absorbs radiation. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, common greenhouse gasses includes carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide. The increased amount of greenhouse gasses traps more heat, increasing the Earth's temperature day by day.

Ever since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, humans have been burning fuels at a high rate, contributing to the increase of greenhouse gases. Current day contributions to greenhouse gases would include the production of electricity, transportation, manufacturing, and forestry. The production of electricity makes up 33% of greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation makes up 28%, manufacturing makes up 11%, agriculture makes up 8%, and forestry makes up 14%.

Global warming has many effects. Below is a list of global warming's impacts.

• Rising seas - can flood fresh water marshlands, low cities and islands
• Rainfall patterns alterations - droughts in one area, flooding in another
• Increased chance of extreme events - ex: flooding, hurricanes, storms, droughts
• Melting ice caps and glaciers - species lose their habitats
• Animal populations vanishing - following widespread habitat loss
• Spread of diseases - diseases, such as malaria, can migrate to warmer regions
• Loss of plankton because of warming seas - it can topple the entire ecosystem

What you can do:
- Inform others about this growing issue
- Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Use less heat or air-con
- Take more public transport and drive less
- Turn off electrical appliances when not using them
- Use energy-efficient products


Genesis 2:15 - The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

Sites Used:
http://www.nmsea.org/Curriculum/Primer/Global_Warming/fossil_fuels_and_global_warming.htm
http://www.livescience.com/37821-greenhouse-gases.html
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-effects/
http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm