Globalwarming

Global Warming:
Introduction
Causes
Effects
Treatment
Ethical Issues
What is Global Warming?
Global warming is the increase in the average

temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans
since the mid-20th century and its projected
continuation. According to the 2007 Fourth
Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global surface
temperature increased by
0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) during the 20th
century.
What is Global Warming?
Most of the observed temperature increase since

the middle of the 20th century has been caused by
increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases,
which result from human activities such as the
burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Global
dimming, a phenomenon of increasing
atmospheric concentrations of man-
made aerosols, which affect cloud properties and
block sunlight from reaching the surface, has
partially countered the effects of warming induced
by greenhouse gases.
Global Warming:
Introduction
Causes
Effects
Treatment
Ethical Issues
What Causes Global Warming?
Greenhouse Gases
Global warming is caused by the emission of
greenhouse gases. Just as a greenhouse traps in
heat in order for plants to grow in cold
temperatures, greenhouse gases keep heat in our
atmosphere. On the positive side, greenhouse
gases keep Earth's climate warm and livable;
however, the drastic rise of greenhouse gas
emissions in recent years means that the
temperature may continue to rise until it is no
longer bearable.
Greenhouse Gases List

As we mentioned earlier greenhouse gases are the
gases which trap the solar radiations and trigger a
rise in temperature levels on the planet. There are
various greenhouse gases, the most prominent
ones being carbon dioxide and
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). But the greenhouse
gases list also includes a few gases we know, but
we didn't know that they were termed as the
greenhouse gases
Greenhouse Gases List

As we mentioned earlier greenhouse gases are the
gases which trap the solar radiations and trigger a
rise in temperature levels on the planet. There are
various greenhouse gases, the most prominent
ones being carbon dioxide and
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). But the greenhouse
gases list also includes a few gases we know, but
we didn't know that they were termed as the
greenhouse gases.
Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:
Water Vapor: Water vapor is the gaseous form of

water, which is produced due to evaporation of
water and/or sublimation of ice. Water vapor,
approximately constitutes about 33 to 66 percent
of greenhouse gases, thus becoming the most
prominent constituents of greenhouse gases list.
Carbon Dioxide: Recent estimates reveal, that the

concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's
atmosphere has increased to 387 parts per million
by volume. This gas features second in the
greenhouse gases list, constituting 9 to 26 percent
of greenhouse gases.
Methane: It is one of the most potent greenhouse

gases with a global warming potential of 25
averaged over a century. The capacity of methane
to trap heat is 20 times more than that of carbon
dioxide.. Studies reveal that the amount of
methane in the atmosphere has gone up from 700
parts per billion in 1750 to 1745 parts per billion
in 1998, which constitutes 4 to 9 percent of
greenhouse gases.
Nitrous Oxide: Nitrous oxide is another important

greenhouse gas, which can cause a high impact on
global temperatures. This gas is an important,
naturally occurring regulator of the stratospheric
ozone, which tends to react with the ozone and
contribute to greenhouse effect. Averaged over a
century, the impact of nitrous oxide per unit
weight is 298 times more than that of carbon
dioxide.
Ozone: Ozone constituting approximately 3 to 7

percent of greenhouse gases. As a greenhouse
gas, ozone absorbs the infra red energy that is
emitted by the earth. The irregular pattern of
ozone concentration across the globe, makes it
difficult for us to determine the potential of this
gas, but it's assumed that the radioactive forcing of
ozone present in troposphere is approximately 25
percent more than that of carbon dioxide.
Haloalkanes: Haloalkanes which contain bromine

and chlorine lead to depletion on ozone layer. The
haloalkanes, also referred to as alkyl halides,
consist of a group of chemical compounds
comprising of alkanes and one or more than one
halogen linked to make them a type of organic
halide. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) form the
most widely known haloalkanes, which are
harmful for the environment.
1. Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions
from fossil fuel burning power plants
Our ever increasing addiction to electricity from coal
burning power plants releases enormous amounts of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 40% of U.S. CO2
emissions come from electricity production, and burning
coal accounts for 93% of emissions from the electric
utility industry. Every day, more electric gadgets flood the
market, and without widespread alternative energy
sources, we are highly dependent on burning coal for our
personal and commercial electrical supply.
2. Global Warming Cause: Carbon dioxide emissions
from burning gasoline for transportation
Our modern car culture and appetite for globally
sourced goods is responsible for about 33% of
emissions in the U.S. With our population
growing at an alarming rate, the demand for more
cars and consumer goods means that we are
increasing the use of fossil fuels for transportation
and manufacturing. Our consumption is outpacing
our discoveries of ways to mitigate the effects,
with no end in sight to our massive consumer
culture.
3. Global Warming Cause: Methane emissions
from animals,agriculture such as rice paddies, and from Arctic
seabeds
Methane is another extremely potent greenhouse gas,
ranking right behind CO2. When organic matter is broken
down by bacteria under oxygen-starved conditions
(anaerobic decomposition) as in rice paddies, methane is
produced. The process also takes place in the intestines of
herbivorous animals, and with the increase in the amount
of concentrated livestock production, the levels of
methane released into the atmosphere is increasing.
Another source of methane is methane clathrate, a
compound containing large amounts of methane trapped in
the crystal structure of ice. As methane escapes from the
Arctic seabed, the rate of global warming will increase
significantly.
4. Global Warming Cause: Deforestation, especially
tropical forests for wood, pulp, and farmland
The use of forests for fuel (both wood and for charcoal) is
one cause of deforestation, but in the first world, our
appetite for wood and paper products, our consumption of
livestock grazed on former forest land, and the use of
tropical forest lands for commodities like palm oil
plantations contributes to the mass deforestation of our
world. Forests remove and store carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere, and this deforestation releases large amounts
of carbon, as well as reducing the amount of carbon
capture on the planet.
5. Global Warming Cause: Increase in usage of
chemical fertilizers on croplands
In the last half of the 20th century, the use of chemical
fertilizers (as opposed to the historical use of animal
manure) has risen dramatically. The high rate of
application of nitrogen-rich fertilizers has effects on the
heat storage of cropland (nitrogen oxides have 300 times
more heat-trapping capacity per unit of volume than
carbon dioxide) and the run-off of excess fertilizers
creates ‘dead-zones’ in our oceans. In addition to these
effects, high nitrate levels in groundwater due to over-
fertilization are cause for concern for human health.
Global Warming:
Introduction
Causes
Effects
Treatment
Ethical Issues
What are the effects of Global Warming?
Global Warming Effect: Rise in sea
levels worldwide
Scientists predict an increase in sea levels
worldwide due to the melting of two massive ice
sheets in Antarctica and Greenland, especially on
the East coast of the U.S. However, many nations
around the world will experience the effects
of rising sea levels, which could displace millions
of people. One nation, the Maldives, is already
looking for a new home, thanks to rising sea
levels.
Here are some pictures of the effects of Global
Warming in other country:
Before After
Global Warming Effect: More killer storms
The severity of storms such as hurricanes and cyclones is
increasing, and research published in Nature found:
“Scientists have come up with the firmest evidence so far
that global warming will significantly increase the
intensity of the most extreme storms worldwide. The
maximum wind speeds of the strongest tropical cyclones
have increased significantly since 1981, according to
research published in Nature this week. And the upward
trend, thought to be driven by rising ocean temperatures,
is unlikely to stop at any time soon.”
Before After
Global Warming Effect: Massive crop failures
According to recent research, there is a 90% chance that 3
billion people worldwide will have to choose between
moving their families to milder climes and going
hungry due to climate change within 100 years.
“Climate change is expected to have the most severe
impact on water supplies. “Shortages in future are likely to
threaten food production, reduce sanitation, hinder
economic development and damage ecosystems. It causes
more violent swings between floods and droughts.”" –
Guardian: Global warming causes 300,000 deaths a year
Before After
Global Warming Effect: Widespread extinction of
species
According to research published in Nature, by 2050, rising
temperatures could lead to the extinction of more than a
million species. And because we can’t exist without a
diverse population of species on Earth, this is scary news
for humans.
“Climate change now represents at least as great a threat
to the number of species surviving on Earth as habitat-
destruction and modification.” Chris Thomas,
conservation biologist at the University of Leeds
Global Warming Effect: Disappearance of coral reefs
A report on coral reefs from WWF says that in a worst
case scenario, coral populations will collapse by 2100 due
to increased temperatures and ocean acidification.
The ‘bleaching’ of corals from small but prolonged rises in
sea temperature is a severe danger for ocean ecosystems,
and many other species in the oceans rely on coral reefs
for their survival.
“Despite the oceans’s immensity — 71 per cent of the
Earth’s surface with an average depth of almost 4km
(2½m) — there are indications that it is approaching its
tipping point. For reefs, warming waters and acidification
are closing in like a pair of jaws that threaten to make
them the first global ecosystem to disappear.”
Before After
Global Warming Effect: Melting Polar Ice Caps
Of the many things that global warming brings to our
detriment, the melting of the polar ice caps is probably the
most disastrous, which brings about many interrelated
dangers. One of which, is the rise of sea levels, where
studies show that there is a possibility this would rise as
high as 23.3 inches by the year 2100. Melting ice caps will
also cause the desalination of the ocean, because these
gigantic ice caps are made of fresh water. This
desalination will greatly affect the ocean currents and
marine species, which depend on the salinity of the water.
Furthermore, with no more white ice caps, the amount of
sunlight reflected back into space would decrease, making
the Earth warmer and rapidly facilitate the process of
global warming.
Before
After
Global Warming:
Introduction
Causes
Effects
Treatment
Ethical Issues
Treatment for Global Warming.
What is the government doing to stop global warming?
The government is doing many things to help stop global warming.
The government made a law called The Clean Air Act so there is less
air pollution. Global warming is making people get very bad illnesses
that could make them disabled, very sick, and sometimes even
die. The Clean Air Act is making many companies change their
products to decrease these problems. Part of the law says that you
may not put a certain amount of pollutants in the air. Hairspray and
some other products, like foam cups, had this problem. Making and
using these products let out too much volatile organic compounds
(VOC’s), ozone-destroying chemicals (chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s),
and related chemicals (such as CO2) into the air. Now, almost all of
these products have a label on them telling people what this product
can do to the environment and many people. By 2015 all products
listed on the Clean Air Act will have this label on them:
Here are ways to reduce the effect of Global Warming:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable
products instead of disposables. Buying products with
minimal packaging (including the economy size when that
makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And
whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass
and aluminum cans. If there isn't a recycling program at
your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about
starting one. By recycling half of your household waste,
you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
Change a Light Bulb

Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt
incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of
the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use
two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.
Drive Less and Drive Smart

Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline,
walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your
community mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling
to work or school.
Plant a Tree
If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During
photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give
off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric
exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully
counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic,
manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb
approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
Global Warming:
Introduction
Causes
Effects
Treatment
Ethical Issues

Globalwarming

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Globalwarming

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Global Warming:

Global warming is the increase in the average

Most of the observed temperature increase since

Greenhouse Gases List

Greenhouse Gases List

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Water Vapor: Water vapor is the gaseous form of

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Carbon Dioxide: Recent estimates reveal, that the

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Methane: It is one of the most potent greenhouse

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Nitrous Oxide: Nitrous oxide is another important

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Ozone: Ozone constituting approximately 3 to 7

Here are some examples of greenhouse gases:

Haloalkanes: Haloalkanes which contain bromine

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Change a Light Bulb

Drive Less and Drive Smart

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