Mans Destruction to Nature and Climate - Essay Example

and Number Geography In the past 5,000 to 10, 000 years the earth's temperature has increased by approximately ten degrees. The average rate of change was one degree per thousands of years. However, due to human modifications (chemicals, destroying of nature, factories, farms, freeways, urban developments, etc.), the temperature change can be several degrees per century is Richard C. J. Somerville's argument. Somverille (2000) states, "It's certainly not feasible that we're going to solve the underlying cause of greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere in a decade, or even twoWe had a Victorian Industrial Revolution.

We had sweatshop, polluted cities, coal-burning power plants, and industry and so forth. Then we got tired of the loss of quality of life associated with that kind of crowding, social inequity, and pollution. And through sets of rules and through inventive technology, we invented a better systemwe're talking about global warming." Somverille believes that humans are causing the climate changes, ozone depletion, and global warming. He states, "What we really need is a global technology policy to try to accelerate the rate of development of clean technologies, and to help especially the developed world" On the other hand, Dr. Fred S. Singer believes that although humans do contribute to climate change on a local scale.

Singer (2000) "climate change is a natural phenomenon. Climate keeps changing all the time. The fact that climate changes is not in itself a threat, because, obviously, in the Last Name 2 past human beings have adapted to all kinds of climate changes. Climate change is a natural phenomenon. Climate keeps changing all the time. The fact that climate changes is not in itself a threat, because, obviously, in the past human beings have adapted to all kinds of climate changes." He stated that during the years of 1900-1940, the temperature increased and that was before the use of energy.

Then the climate cooled between the years of 1940-1975. Cooling and warming does not mean that it has been warming. Manmade chemicals such as aerosols have a very short life span and models are tweaked. Hence, we cannot prove that humans are contributing to this so-called "warming" is his argument. I find Somerville's argument more compelling. His argument is quite persuasive as the actions and consequences of humans are quite obvious. With so much technology, construction of manmade materials, products, and developments, we are destroying nature and with that come imbalance and severe consequences. I.e.

, the removal of trees results in the loss of homes for wildlife and leads to their disappearance and the increase of carbon dioxide as plants and trees help in its exchange and provide cleaner air. I also believe that models are construed and tweaked. Models must be validated and the only way is by observation in order to understand what really is happening in the atmosphere. The example of man's destruction to nature and climate I would like to use is the deforestation, which as Rhett (2003) reports, "can provide quick income to the poor and significant revenues to companies.

Extracting forest resources in an expedient manner can be very profitable, no matter the long term consequences." The writer also explains that deforestation affects water supplies, which in turn affects flood/drought cycles. This, in turns, affects climate and temperature. Pollution, oil mining, massive fires for land clearing, etc. all affect nature's system and balance. I.e., massive fires increase the dry season and as Rhett states, "Millions of fish die every year during the dry season as temperatures rise and dissolved oxygen levels plummet in small bodies of water.

" The atmosphere and climate are affected by the earth, water and land. References Rhett (2003). Rain Forest Questions & Answers/Interview. Retrieved March 8, 2006, from http://mongabay.com/interview.htm Schneider, S. H. (2000). PBS Online and WGBH/NOVA/FRONTLINE. Retrieved March 8, 2006, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/debate/schneider.html Singer, Dr. F. S. (2000). ). PBS Online and WGBH/NOVA/FRONTLINE. Retrieved March 8, 2006, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/warming/debate/singer.html