Causes And Effects Of Global Warming

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Causes and Effects of Global Warming Aside from war, poverty, and crime, one of the major world issues is global warming. Global warming is a phenomenon caused by the hole in the ozone layer. This hole allows ultraviolet, also known as UV, rays to cover the Earth like a blanket since the purpose of the ozone layer is to block these rays. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the air that wraps the UV rays around the Earth which causes the warming of the Earth. In understanding what global warming is and what causes it, we can better understand how to prevent global warming and preserve our Earth. The ozone layer is the layer in the atmosphere that protects from the sun’s harmful UV or ultraviolet rays. Over …show more content…
As previously stated the main purpose of the ozone layer is to filter out UV rays from the sun that are harmful to life. Without complete protection from these UV rays, the rays are allowed to move deeper into the Earth’s atmosphere. As the rays move deeper they are wrapped around the Earth like a blanket by the chemical carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is put into the air by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. According to ucsusa.org, “Global warming is caused primarily by putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when coal, oil, and natural gas are burned to generate electricity or to run our cars. Carbon dioxide spreads around the planet like a blanket, and is one of the main gases responsible for the absorption of infrared radiation (felt as heat), which comprises the bulk of solar energy.” This quote is evidence of how the hole in the ozone layer allows UV rays to be wrapped around the Earth causing the warming of the …show more content…
These include the melting of the ice caps and sudden climate change. National Geographic states: “The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole. Since 1906, the global average surface temperature has increased between 1.1 and 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius)–even more in sensitive polar regions. And the effects of rising temperatures aren’t waiting for some far-flung future–signs of the effects of global warming are appearing right now. The heat is melting glaciers and sea ice, shifting precipitation patterns, and setting animals on the move.” This evidence states that global warming is causing relatively rapid climate change, the melting of ice caps, and the migration animals out of their natural habitats. National Geographic goes deeper into the melting of ice caps by stating, “Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain glaciers, ice sheets covering West Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.” Also, native species are moving away from Antarctica while invasive species are growing in numbers. According to National Geographic, “Bill Fraser has tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins on Antarctica, where their numbers have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years...Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have moved farther north or to higher, cooler areas...Some invasive species are thriving. For example, spruce bark

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