Is Mankind Dangerously Harming the Environment - Assignment Example

Although deforestation is contributing heavily to the excess of CO2 in the atmosphere, a larger portion is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal. Fossil fuels are burned by factories, vehicles, and electricity-producing power plants to name a few sources. The vast majority of this excessive fuel consumption and its poisonous, pollutant, and greenhouse-enhancing byproducts are located in the U.S., Europe, and Russia. Human pollution is changing the climate of our earth and has increased global warming in the past half-century.

The effects are being felt worldwide, not just in the U.S. where most of the CO2 emissions are generated. In the UK., for example, four of the five warmest years for more than three centuries have occurred in the last 10 years. Scientists predict that in 50 years, annual temperatures in the southeast of England could be at least three degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer, on average, than they are now (Climate Crisis 2000). Global warming is further evidenced by the well-documented melting of glaciers along with the thermal expansion of the oceans, which have contributed to an increase in sea level over the past century of about six inches in that country.

(Trenberth 1997). The opponents to the regulation of greenhouse gasses claim reducing CO2 emissions would be too costly to a business, therefore, hurt the economy. The economic consequence of doing nothing is far greater than solving the problem through legislation. If ‘we’ choose not to do anything or to insist a problem does not exist, there will cease to be a ‘we’ as weather patterns become overtly hostile and air, water, and food supplies will either become non-existent or too poisonous to sustain life.