Research and Discussion: Politics and the Environment - Coursework Example

I have collected some evidence about the Earth getting warmer by observing trees in my vicinity. In warmer conditions, the trees get thicker and form thick rings. Comparing new trees with older ones helped me understand the difference thus younger trees have thinner rings compared to the current thick rings in trees as a result of warmer conditions. The warm conditions are attributed to Global Warming. Another cause of global warming is air pollution that occurs when air in the atmosphere gets contaminated with toxic substances, chemicals and gases.

The level of these toxic materials is high enough to harm human beings, animals and plants. (Miller and Spoolman 2008) mention that according to World Health Organization, “one of every six people on the earth (more than 1.1 billion people) live in an urban area where outdoor air is unhealthy to breathe”, much of which comes from the industries and factories burning and emitting lethal chemicals into the air. These emitions into space contribute to Global Warming. I stay in an urban area, and my observation is that electrical power plants, chemical industries, metal and paper factories emit toxic gases into the air.

Since urban areas have more factories and industries, these have high level of air pollution than rural areas. With increased emitions into the atmosphere by the growing industrialization brought by urbanization, the ozone layer is tampered with leading to an increased global warming as the ultra-violent rays are scattered hence warmer conditions. Plastic bags are a big hazard to our ecosystem and also cause Global warming. Plastics cannot be recycled into something else. They are made up of polyethylene which is a non-degradable material and just changes its shape when burnt without changing its form.

It is believed that a plastic bag takes thousands of years to decay entirely. “6.9 billion bags” are used in the world every year, and almost “30 million” of them end up clustering at dumpsites per year (James & Grant, 2005). So, they continue to be present in our surroundings as a permanent problem. I believe that the hitch actually arises when people do not dispose of the plastic bags properly. This is unethical disposal that becomes the real trouble for the environment as it results to warmer conditions hence global warming.

An example at hand was the construction of Alaskan or Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to transfer oil from the North Slope of Alaska to the northern most ice-free port in Valdez, Alaska (Fairbanks Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2010). It is a 48-inch wide and 800 miles long pipeline, carrying 12% of America’s oil. The project was completed in 1977 with a budget of $8 billion. To prevent thawing, more than half of the pipeline is built above the ground; and, where it is underground, it is entrenched in a cavernous ditch, insulated with gravel padding.

The pipeline is a man-made wonder and attracts visitors from all around the world. This kind of infrastructure construction contributes to global warming as they result in warm temperatures. There are unfound belief by some scientists using statistical information from internationally recognized research institutes that condemns the way various environmental organizations make misleading scientific evidence and argues that we make decisions on the use of our resources based on inaccurate information. This