The Problem of Global Warming in Todays Society - Article Example

Global Warming Name Institution Course Tutor Date Global warming Global warming is the continuous rise in the temperature of the earth’s climate system whereby oceans experience increase in warming. According to, Six, Ogle, Conant, Mosier, & Paustian, (2004, 256), the average temperature of the sea and air at the Earth’s surface increases, for example since early 20th century, there has been 0.8 degrees Celsius increase in the global sea and air temperature. The article seeks to understand the problem of global warming in today’s society, and the solutions on how to prevent the continued problem of global warming in the society. In today’s society, it is apparent that human activities have great influence to the warming of the ocean and atmosphere, thus leading to changes in the global water cycle, rice of the average global sea level, reduction in the ice and snows, as well as changes in various climate extremes. As articulated by Meinshausen, Meinshausen, Hare, Raper, Frieler, Knutti, & Allen, (2009, 1160), the differing sensitivity of the greenhouse gas concentration leads to the rising estimates of the global surface temperature. However, the impacts of global warming in future are expected to vary from region to region globally since some regions will experience different patterns and amounts on precipitation, and the probable growth in the subtropical deserts. For instance in the Arctic, warming might be strong where there will be continued retreat in permafrost, sea ice, and glaciers (Dutta, & Radner, 2009, 189). In the today’s society, there are increased changes in the extreme weather events, such as droughts, heavy rainfall, species extinctions, heat waves, and ocean acidifications all resulting from changing temperature regimes. In today’s society, global warming is caused by too much emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, acting as a blanket, warming and trapping heat to the planet. It is apparent that human activities such as burning of the fossil fuels, which include; oil, coal, as well as natural gas with the aim of getting energy leads to global warming. Bopp, Aumont, Cadule, Alvain, & Gehlen, (2005, 19) postulated that, cutting down of forests together with burning of trees in order to create plantations and pastures, leads to high accumulation of carbon to the atmosphere, thus overloading the atmosphere. Ultimately, various activities of waste management, as well as agricultural practices lead to release of more potent global warming gases, like the nitrous oxide, and methane. Meinshausen, et al. (2009, 1160) pointed out that greenhouse gases are capable of trapping heat to the atmosphere especially during burning of petroleum where there is release of carbon dioxide at a high rate into the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the loss of forests worsens the problem of global warming in today’s society because the moment a person clears the forests, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere tends to increase because carbon dioxide is supposed to be used by the cut down plants and trees. Consequently, the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere remains there to trap more heat. Global warming influences social and environmental changes from the increased emissions of greenhouse gases. There is increased rise in the sea levels because of thermal expansion, together with melting of the ice sheets and glaciers, as well as warming of the ocean surface that result to the temperature stratification. It is likely to have no glaciers in the Glacier National Park because the rate of retreat continues to increase. Moreover, there is growth in the ocean circulation together with ocean acidification from the carbon dioxide emitted through human activities. Additionally, the amount of oxygen dissolved in the ocean happens to decline in combination with some adverse impacts in the ocean life. Global warming has great effects in the earth’s climate patterns, as well as living things. In the today’s society, global warming is sensed from the fact that there are changes in the weather patterns, such as fires because of hot and dry weather where millions of acres of land are burned down. However, Norby, & Luo, (2004, 297) claimed that global warming is likely to cause early leafing of the plants and trees in many regions together with movement of the species to some raised latitudes and bird migrations especially in Europe. The wildlife is affected in that there is increased drowning of some polar bears as they are forced to swim longer distances looking for ice floes. Human health is affected by the severe waves that lead to many deaths because agricultural practices are affected whereby there is food shortage. The increased heat waves have serious impact on human health, such as aggravate present medical conditions, and heat stroke. Moreover, there is growing air pollution leading to great implications to human health, and growing problem in the electricity supply, change of seasons, and destruction of the coral reefs. According to Held, & Soden, (2006, 5689), the today’s society is experiencing food insecurity because of global warming whereby food production has gone down because of high temperature and increased rate of extreme climate events together with modified weed, pathogens, and pests. The change of weather patterns resulting from global warming leads to human health problems since there are many changes in the air, water, ecosystem, economy, food quality, agriculture, and settlements together with industries. Water resources are affected by global warming whereby there are changes in the river flows as the fresh water system are affected because of precipitation variability. Ultimately, the arid and semi-arid areas are greatly affected by changes in the fresh water system, for example in Mediterranean basin and North-Eastern Brazil. There is migration of people from the increased climate change leading to severe drought, coastal flooding, and shoreline erosions. Global warming is a problem that can be solved through different ways including; recycling, as well as buying of the local produce. There should be an action to eliminate the rate of release of heat-trapping gases emitted in the atmosphere in order to reduce the warming. Jacobson, (2004, 2916), suggested that, global warming should be solved by introduction of climate-friendly power, adaptation choices, together with means of transport. Watterson, (2008, 113) warned that global warming can only be solved through human activities whereby human being should reduce emissions through reduction of personal carbon emission into the atmosphere through recycling rather than burning of coal and oil that are likely to emit high carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. According to Dutta, & Radner, (2009, 192), global warming can reduce through stopping of deforestation whereby human engage into activities of planting more trees, but not cutting down trees and leaving the land bear. Consequently, these trees and plants will consume the released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for their survival. There should be a step to fight misinformation where people lack information about global warming, thus engaging in activities increasing global warming effects. It is clear that large percentage of global warming is caused by manufactured emissions, thus the need of information about global warming and its consequences to the man. The leaders and policy makers are urged by Vecchi, & Soden, (2007, 4326), to interrupt and look at the dangers and impacts of rising temperatures from the industrial activities. Apparently, industries should be careful as they emit gases into the atmosphere and engage in recycling activities as well as atmosphere cleaning whereby they treat the gases before emitting them into the atmosphere. Hanna, Huybrechts, Steffen, Cappelen, Huff, Shuman, & Griffiths, (2008, 337) claimed that, people should starts from their homes whereby they observe their activities and the machines they use such as vehicles. However, it is necessary to use fuel that is environmentally friendly and best to the economy to avoid release of carbon dioxide. People should avoid air leaks from their homes. People should reduce the portion of emissions by consuming products that do not have high amount of waste and it is good to use the programmable thermostat together with power strips and upgrading the refrigerator and air conditioner. People should use electricity monitor and change the light bulbs, buying less stuffs, greening homes and transportation, exploring nuclear, reviving up of the renewable, and use of zero carbon technologies, as well as use of energy efficient goods together with phasing the fossil fuels. It is necessary to stop the use of many appliances, avoid the use of plastic bags, and reduce the usage of fertilizers. In general, global warming is a problem in the today’s society. It is apparent that there has been increased scientific understanding of global warming whereby a number of scientists relate the issue with increased concentration on the greenhouse gases that result from human activities. Global warming is highly driven by emission of carbon dioxide from the cement production, land use activities such as the deforestation, as well as fossil fuel combustion. People should change their activities and avoid using technologies leading to emission of carbon into the atmosphere. References Six, J, Ogle, M, Conant, T, Mosier, R & Paustian, K 2004, The potential to mitigate global warming with no‐tillage management is only realized when practised in the long term. Global change biology, 10(2), 155-160. Held, M & Soden, J 2006, Robust responses of the hydrological cycle to global warming, Journal of Climate, 19(21), 5686-5699. Meinshausen, M, Meinshausen, N, Hare, W, Raper, C, Frieler, K, Knutti, R & Allen, R 2009, Greenhouse-gas emission targets for limiting global warming to 2 C. Nature, 458(7242), 1158-1162. 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