The Effects of Carbon Dioxide on Global Warming - Research Paper Example

CO2: a pollutant inducing global warming The concept of global warming refers to an increase in the earth’s mean temperature and its estimated continued rise into the future. It is now internationally recognized by organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that global temperature have risen on average during the past few decades and that this warming trend is having an impact upon the earth’s surface. A number of the side effects that are attributed to being the direct result of global warming are a rise in sea water levels as melting ice caps have contributed both to the quantity of water contained and in the warming temperature of the water, which causes it to take up more volume. Scientists have long blamed global warming for significant changes in the form of global rainfall causing flooding in some areas and extreme drought in others. Many of these changes are considered to be man-made as humans are directly responsible for pumping large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. CO2 is a pollutant inducing global warming. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. This chemical mixes with water vapour that comprises the clouds and typically hovers within the lower atmosphere. The presence of CO2 then traps the heat of the sun from escaping back into space and thus acts as an insulator for the planet, allowing it to warm up enough to support life. While this is a naturally occurring process, too much CO2, meaning more than the earth produces on her own, can ‘artificially’ affect the amount of heat captured within the planet’s atmosphere contributing to overheating. This trapped heat thus contributes to massive changes in the weather patterns of the planet, which can lead to devastating catastrophic events such as suddenly violent hurricanes developing just offshore reducing warning time, and large-scale flooding in previously flood-free areas. As a result, global warming is a trend that represents a significant threat to life and property on the planet surface. The production of CO2 is a natural process that is essential for most life forms on earth. External respiration, also known as breathing, is the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide involving an animal and its environment. This natural exchange of gases between the environment and any given animal takes place through the process of diffusion. The term diffusion refers to the random movement of particles in space. This movement forces the transference of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. As a result, oxygen is taken into the animal’s body because its intensity is less concentrated inside the animal’s lungs than it is in the outer environment, while carbon dioxide, because of its higher concentration inside, gets pushed out into the environment. Thus, the simple process of respiration results in releasing more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which induces pollution. Figure 1 - Atmospheric Concentration of CO2 (1855-1996) Source: Whitehouse Initiative on Global Climate Change. The carbon cycle is the process by which CO2 moves through the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere and geosphere in one of several forms. Unsurprisingly, biology plays a key role in the apparent movement of carbon between land, ocean, and atmosphere through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. As has been discussed CO2 plays a significant role in the processes of life on this planet as the metabolic break up of sugars that occurs as a result of respiration (breathing) is developed into energy which is required for movement, growth, and procreation. Plants absorb CO2 from the environment during the process of photosynthesis as long as the sun is out, and then release CO2 back into the environment during respiration at night via the following chemical reaction: Respiration: C6H12O6 (organic matter) + 6O2 6CO2 + 6 H2O + energy Photosynthesis: energy (sunlight) + 6CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2 As can be seen from the above chart, respiration is the reverse action of photosynthesis as plants release the energy held in sugars for metabolism and alter carbohydrate “fuel” back into carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is thus returned back into the atmosphere (Harrison, 2003). As a result of this process, forests have become recognized as natural barriers in preventing numerous disasters such as the rapid erosion of soil into running rivers at the same time that they provide protection and food to thousands of animals and help to ‘scrub’ the atmosphere clean of some of its excess CO2 content. In order to preserve species living in forests, a healthy ecosystem, taking into account the health of the trees, has to be preserved. However, many forests are now being cut down in the name of progress in order to open up more space for housing, planting or to use the wood for other construction needs. Deforestation has an effect on biodiversity, environment, and social settings. Forests keep the atmosphere cool because they retain moisture in the air. Cutting down the trees allows the harmful rays from the sun to reach the earth’s surface through the atmosphere as it easily penetrates a weakened ozone layer. The ozone layer is a massive layer of oxygen that acts like a giant invisible shield preventing the entry of the sun’s more harmful ultraviolet rays. When the oxygen atoms or the ozone layer reacts with greenhouse gases such as CO2, it forms carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a poison to life on earth at the same time that it reduces the amount of oxygen available on the planet. So the more carbon monoxide is formed the more oxygen is used and hence depletion in the ozone layer results (Barbalace, 2006). Deforestation also affects the water table underneath the earth. The water table is the single source for all natural drinking water for all animals on earth, including people. Cutting down the trees of the forest leads to the drying up of this underground water. Trees act as natural funnels for the replenishment of the water table every time it rains. The rainwater is caught in the upper branches of the trees, filters down the inside and outside of the tree into the ground below and the roots of the tree and then is encouraged to sink even lower instead of simply running off down the hill. This refills the supply of water in the water table. Therefore, the absence of trees simply allows the rainwater to flow along the soil surface until it reaches the ocean and becomes undrinkable (Barbalace, 2006). Even though the production of CO2 is a naturally occurring process, human activity in the past century has dramatically increased the levels of this chemical released into the environment at any given time and have overwhelmed the earth’s ability to properly filter it. It is projected that 149 Mt of CO2 were passed off in 2005 from the consumption of fossil fuels. CO2 discharges from fossil fuel consumption, including the fuel utilized for generating electricity. The burning of fossil fuels for this particular application has been reduced by 4.5 percent over the period 1990 to 2005 in recognition of its effects on the environment. The changed use of electricity-creating materials from 26 percent of needs fulfilled through other means than burning fossil fuels in 1990 to 44 percent in 2005 ensued in a reduction in emissions and thus a reduction in global impact. The use of coal and other solid fuels to create electricity diminished in this time span from 34.5 percent to 19 percent. Oil was the reason for 39.5 percent of fossil fuels used in 1990 and 37 percent in 2005 (Defra, 2005). CO2 emissions from power stations at present account for 29.5 percent of total CO2 discharges. Use of electricity altered between 1990 and 2005 by 25.5 percent, but on the whole discharges from electricity generation have only been reduced by 16 percent. Expelling CO2 as a result of electricity generation grew by 0.5 percent between 2004 and 2005 and this was due to usage of less gas and more coal and oil during generation (Defra, 2005). Increase in use of fossil fuels in any capacity will lead to climatic disasters of global proportions. Human beings are committing a crime on the ozone layer of the environment. It is also man’s responsibility to his future generations to take care of the earth’s non-renewable resources. In many areas, the burning of wood has also added to the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere. Although CO2 doesn’t pollute the atmosphere on its own – other gases which play a part in global warming are methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxides – it is the most controllable. In the year 2006, ecological groups pressed for legislation to re-establish carbon dioxide as a pollutant. A representative from the Environmental Protection Agency stated, “Because the Clean Air Act does not authorize regulation to address climate change, it follows that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, as such, are not air pollutants.” (Bornstein, 2003: 6). Carbon monoxide which is a colorless, odorless and poisonous gas is created through the incomplete burning of natural fossil fuels such as oil, gas, or coal by human beings (Corinne, 2005). Unfinished combustion is due to the lack of air for the normal combustion procedure or as the consequence of a defective heating appliance. When CO is inhaled, it mixes with the blood precluding it from assimilating oxygen. There are two possible solutions to the effects of global warming. It is in the form of mitigation or through adaptation. Mitigation method allows us to relieve the effects of global warming by attempting to reduce the impact of our activities. It is not possible to wipe out global warming totally, but we can assist reduce the dilemma. Replacing the present sources of energy with alternative sources of energy is what is referred to as mitigation. One possible substitute is solar energy, which leads to a decrease in pollution and thus results in a decrease of global warming. The other alternatives are wind energy, hydropower and geothermal power. These sources are reusable. They are available in abundance and they are clean sources of fuel. Yet another source of energy is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy can replace fossil fuels that take a much longer time to develop. However, nuclear energy has its negative effects also which may harm people and the environment. There is no argument that nuclear energy would be able to produce power resulting in electricity. Bio fuels are also good alternatives as they are safe, economical and easy to produce. Use of plant and animal wastes as the main bio fuel to produce methane is a lot more environmentally friendly than burning fossil fuels. References Barbalace, Roberta C (2006, Nov. 7,). Pollution and Global Warming, Retrieved 08.30.2009, from http://environmentalchemistry. com/yogi/ environmental /200611CO2globalwarming.html Corinne, Le Ou (2005, Jun 7,). How much of the recent CO2 increase is due to human activities? Real Climate, Retrieved 8/25/2009, from http://www.realclimate.org /index.php?p=160 Defra, (2005) http://www.berr.gov.uk /files/file43947.pdf retrieved on 30 August, 2009 Harrison, J. (2003). The carbon cycle: What goes around comes around. Retrieved August 25, 2009, from http://www.visionlearning.com /library/module_viewer.php?mid=95 Bornstein, S. (2003 August 29). Bush administration: carbon dioxide not a pollutant. Retrieved August 31, 2009, from Knight Ridder News Service Web site: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0829-02.htm Read More