Greenhouse gasses - Assignment Example

Green house gases: Green house gases are those gases that release radiations into the atmosphere and have direct adverse impact on overall atmosphere. This could be in form of global warming, rising of sea levels that contribute to floods, melting of glaciers with Greenland ice cap already headed down the melting lane .Human activities are held responsible for this especially those that emit carbon dioxide directly into the atmosphere.In 1820 a French mathematician Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier introduced the concept of green house gases and termed them as those that trap heat from earth surface and release them into the atmosphere.

The 19th century alone saw increase of 10 percent in carbon dioxide concentration in the earth’s atmosphere thanks to the burning of fossil fuels. It is being said that the Industrial revolution has contributed 40 percent to carbon dioxide and it is being estimated that if the activities continue at such pace the global temperature would rise by staggering 2 degree centigrade by 2050.The main constituents of green house gases are carbon dioxide itself, nitrous oxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, besides these gases, deforestation is a serious threat and every tree cut gives rise to emission of more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Deforestation results in rise in number of floods and droughts because the trees stop the flow of floods. This climate change will hit different parts of the world in different manner and it is being believed that dry regions would get further drier and temperatures would soar in those parts of the world where as cold and wet regions would get further wet and temperatures will remain low throughout the duration of year.The overall climate change will affect the available natural water, with rise in sea levels, the salt water would join the ranks of fresh water resources, and this can also result in increasing level of sediment.

Existence of ”Dead Zone” with low concentration of oxygen would be on a more frequent display .The Overall Scenario will have direct implications on human life in form of asthmas and other respiratory illnesses associated with heat waves and different environmental conditions.Ecology constitutes the study of overall natural system that encircles plants, animals, woodlots, lakes, and human beings themselves. Strong relationship exists between human beings and their surroundings. The mankind has a great impact on how the surroundings are today and how they will be 50 to 100 years down the lane.

The Ecosystem in itself is at a great threat from this situation with plants and animals direct victims. Evidences have already been found that ecosystem has felt the impact of global warming. Several wild life animals are extinct now, water and the sea life is at equal threat from all the contamination, however Clean Water Act has been brought into act to ensure cleanliness in surface water Counter measures must be taken against all these sources of nuisance. This could be in form of reduction of solid waste, industrial wastes, need for forestation, stopping the use of plastic bags, reducing the use of vehicles that emit large percentage of carbon dioxide, use rechargeable batteries, focus on use of alternate energy resources that are environment friendly.

References : Archer, D., & Pierrehumbert, R. T. (2010). The warming papers. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.