There are a lot of challenges that the world is facing, that includes diseases, economic inequality and threat of terrorism but this is one issue that will define ‘the contours of this century more dramatically than any other -President Obama.’
Global Warming is the gradual heating of the earth's surface, ocean and atmosphere.
Basically, the earth’s surface is constantly absorbing the Sun’s energy. Some of those energy is entrapped by green house gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide methane and nitrous oxide in the earth’s atmosphere, raising the global temperature.
Nearly three fourths of all these green house gases got into the atmosphere because of human beings burning fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are non renewable natural resources that formed millions of years ago when the remains of prehistoric plants and animals were gradually buried under layers of rock.
We currently burn these fossil fuels to heat homes, run motor vehicles, power industrial manufacturing plants and generate electricity, which fills the air with carbon dioxide in the process.
Another major green house gas is Methane, which comes from landfills, decomposition and is a byproduct of digestion.
Now why do we need to worry about global warming?
You see, hurricanes become more powerful and so do dust storms, wild fires becomes more frequent, sea level rises leading to coastal flooding and extreme heat waves can kill thousands.
It's not the humans that are affected either, so is our planet’s wild life.
Global warming messes with natural migration and hibernation patterns. It's also causing the Arctic ice to melt in a much faster rate, threatening the extinction of Arctic animals like Walruses, seals and polar bears.
Melting of ice is bad for us as well. For instance, less snow means more places for mosquitos to breed which in terms spread diseases.
Worst part is, global warming isn't slowing down any time soon. Earth's temperature has slowly been rising ever since scientists started recording it.
If we don't do something now, our planet can become so hot that it would be completely uninhabitable.
Now what are scientists doing to stop all of this?
Well, one idea is to spray sulphur particles into the atmosphere. Sulphur would block out sunlight, effectively cooling the planet.
Though this could have the side effect of changing the colour of our sky permanently to a deep purple hue.
In 2006 a doctor in the university of Arizona proposed launching a trillion tiny mirrors into outer space. This will prevent approximately 2% of sunlight from reaching the earth. Enough to cool down the planet. The only problem is, doctor’s mirror shield would cost $350trillion.
Another option is to wrap glaciers with blankets. Scientists believe covering glaciers with blankets will prevent the icecaps from melting.
Another idea is to grow algae on buildings. Algae naturally absorbs carbon dioxide so with with enough Algae, we greatly reduce the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
There's a lot of things that you could do in your homes that could have a huge effect on the environment. The obvious ways to reduce power consumption is by recycling and switching to more energy efficient light bulbs.
People might not realise how these seemingly small things can help the environment big time.
For instance, if you wash your clothes with cold water, you're gonna save 500lbs of co2 from entering the atmosphere.
Hers another thing you might have not considered, eat all your food. People throw away food mostly because they buy more than they could eat. We let it spoil and we throw it out.
We also throw out food for purely cosmetic reasons. Like the carrot is shaped kind of weird, so just toss it even though it's a perfectly good carrot.
you'll not only gonna save the earth but you'll also save money and support local small businesses.
The change will require national movement. Write letters to your city district government urging them to pass laws to cap carbon emissions and require companies to pay for the green house gases they emit.
Tell your friends to follow your example. All these things you could do.
Conclusion: That is it, we got a lot of work to do and remember, whenever everyone takes these small steps today, we can prevent global warming from running the planet.
