GLOBAL WARMING

Global Warming

“Global warming” refers to the gradual warming of global-average temperatures due to the slowly
increasing concentrations of man-made atmospheric greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide. In
other words, it refers to an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere, especially a
sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change.

Causes of Global Warming

Global warming is caused by excessive quantities of Greenhouse Gases emitted into Earth's near-
surface atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are both man-made and occur naturally, and include a number
of gases, including:

• carbon dioxide
• methane
• nitrous oxide
• chlorofluorocarbons
• water vapor

(a) Natural Sources of Greenhouse Gases

Optimal amounts of naturally occurring greenhouse gases, especially water vapor, are necessary
to maintain the Earth's temperature at inhabitable levels. Without greenhouse gases, Earth's
temperature would be too cold for human and most other life.

However, excessive greenhouse gases cause Earth's temperature to warm considerably which
cause major, and occasionally catastrophic, changes to weather and wind patterns, and the severity
and frequency of various types of storms.

(b) Greenhouse Gases Generated by Mankind

The scientific community as a whole has concluded that naturally occurring greenhouse gases
have remained fairly constant over the past several hundred years.

Greenhouse gases directly and indirectly generated by mankind, though, have increased radically
for the past 150 years, and especially in the past 60 years.

Major sources of greenhouse gases generated by mankind are:

• Burning of fossil fuels, which includes oil and gas, coal and natural gas.
• Chlorofluorocarbons, commonly used in refrigeration, cooling and manufacturing applications.
• Methane, which is caused by emissions from landfills, livestock, rice farming (which uses
methane-emitting bacteria), septic processes, and fertilizers.
• Deforestation

Effects of Global Warming

The effects of global warming are both consequential and widespread, and will continue to be
catastrophic.
(i) Effects of Global Warming on Polar Ice Caps and Melting Glaciers

Melting glaciers, polar ice caps and other frozen grounds are causing, and will continue to
cause, a plethora of problems for mankind and all living species. The most pressing problems include:

• Rising sea levels, which lead to flooding and displacement and death of possibly millions of
people.
• Fresh-water polar ice caps melting into salt-water oceans alter the ocean gulf-stream patterns
that regulate temperatures. This process leads to major temperature-pattern changes around
Earth.
• The changing landscapes and higher temperatures in polar regions will endanger countless animal
and plant species, and irretreivably alter the balance of the ecosystem.
• Ice caps and glaciers serve as sunlight reflectors, bouncing high-temperature sun rays back into
space and away from Earth. When these natural structures have diminished greatly or vanished,
Earth will be further warmed as the darker oceans absorb much of the sun ray heat.

(ii) Extreme Weather

Weather-
eather-Related Effects of Global Warming

As a result of global warming processes, extreme weather-related effects will continue to impact
Earth:

• Droughts and Heat Waves:

Although some areas of Earth will become wetter due to global warming, other areas will
suffer serious droughts and heat waves.

• Hurricane Intensity and Frequency:

All the hurricanes in a short period of time will get stronger in their intensity and the
frequency of hurricanes hitting countries will become higher.

(iii) Global Warming Effects

Effects on Mankind

Among the direct effects on mankind of global warming are:

• Homeless refugees displaced by flooding, hurricanes and drought.

• Increased hunger due to food shortages because of loss of farmable land
• Spread of diseases, such as malaria and lyme disease, due to the migration of disease-carrying
insects with warmer, wetter weather and more standing bodies of water in the northern
hemisphere.
• Economic hardships caused by catastrophic conditions, such as those in the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina.
• War and conflicts over shrinking resources.

Solutions to Stop or Slow Global Warming

Solutions to slowing or stopping global warming lie in mankind's ability to slow and stop activities
that inject greenhouse gases into Earth's atmosphere. There are many easy solutions to reduce global
warming and its impact. First of all, people should understand the problem and take measures
accordingly to save the world.
 • gases. For e.g.
People should reduce the usage of electrical appliances which emits green house gases
the refrigerator releases chloro fluro carbon (CFC) and the incandescent light lamp emits 300
pounds of carbon dioxide a year. This can be replaced by a compact fluorescent light bulb which
saves much energy.

• Follow RRR-
RRR-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Recycle People should not dump waste products in the ground.
Plant products, food waste, vegetable dump undergoes anaerobic decomposition i.e. they break
down to produce methane, a green house gas instead of oxygen. Hence the product usage and
wastage should be reduced or recycled for a healthy atmosphere.

• Trees absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide.

dioxide Many trees should be planted since they involve
in photosynthesis, food preparation with the help of sunlight. During this process, trees absorb
carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. Also, existing forests should be saved and usage of plant
byproducts shouldn’t be wasted.

• Usage of green power prevents 300 kg of carbon dioxide to be emitted into the atmosphere.
atmosphere The
electricity obtained from the renewable resources like wind and water is called green power. The
cost is also low in case of green power.

• Insulation of the ceiling of a house and power saving is the important factor to reduce global
warming. The electric appliances should be switched off instead to hold it in stand by mode.
This will save more power since stand by mode consumes 40% of the energy.

• People should use only energy efficient appliances.

appliances Thermostat should be used for air
conditioners since it reduces the temperature automatically.

• Consumption of organic food should be increased because organic soil absorb large amount of
carbon dioxide. Buying local food reduces the consumption of fuel. Cows emits large amount of
methane due to their vegetarian diet. Hence meat consumption should be reduced. Also tetra
packs should be used instead of tinned food.

• Periodic maintenance of the vehicles helps in efficient usage of fuel and reduces release of
green house gases. Proper inflation of tyres should be done and fuel wastage should be avoided.

• Teaching neighborhood and friends about the cause and impacts of global warming and methods
can reduce it.

• Conservation of forests also forms a factor to reduce global warming.

Reducing global warming and mitigating its effects will require a combination of enlightened
public policy, corporate commitment and personal action. The good news is that the world’s leading
climate scientists have agreed that there is still enough time to address the problem of global warming
if we act now, and enough money to get the job done without undermining national economies. Hence,
as individuals, we should be concerned about the environment and stop the incoming danger due to
global warming.