Global Warming NewsGlobal warming news has changed quite a bit recently. As a child, I can remember my mother explaining to me why we couldn't buy aerosol cans anymore. She taught me about CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and how it was believed that they were contributing to a hole in the ozone layer. Being a very inquisitive girl, I read more about the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and other environmental issues. When I spoke with my classmates and teachers about what I was learning, I quickly realized that not only were they not concerned...they didn't believe any of the scientific evidence. That was the 1970s. And unfortunately it is only now, 3 decades later, that people are finally willing to discuss these issues as reality and begin to address the causes. Global Warming Definition: Global warming is the gradual increase in temperature of the Earth’s surface air and oceans. This increase in temperature is resulting in massive glacial melting and a rise in sea level. The climate changes have led to thousands of animal, plant, and insect extinctions each year. Predictions made in 1995 indicated that global temperatures would increase by 1.4 - 6.3 degrees by the year 2100. At the time this was a very alarming prediction. Today scientists calculate an increase of 2.5 - 10.4 degrees in the same time frame, illustrating just how fast this problem is accelerating. Although there are some natural causes of global warming, such as solar variations and volcanoes, the overall impact of these natural causes is minimal. The good and bad news on global warming is that it is a man-made phenomenon…which means we CAN control it. It is important to remember that, however bleak the predictions may be, they are based on projected green house gas emissions. These predictions, and indeed the final outcome, are completely in our power. We have an ethical and spiritual responsibility to accept this power and begin to address the changes man-kind has inflicted on the environment.
Coming soon! Book reviews Upcoming events Global Warming Articles (submit yours today!)
Return from Global Warming News to Home
|
