Al Engler's 'The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History'

Article Summary The article written by Al Engler discusses the possibility that the increase of carbon dioxide in the air is a leading cause in forwarding the effects of global warming. Due to the increase of this (and other) greenhouse gases, consequences of global warming will continue to escalate until we put a stop to adding to the natural greenhouse effects with our own carbon emissions. However, as Engler states, “The problem is capitalism.” Because fossil fuels provide billions of dollars to the industry in the United States and Canada, they are still pushing the use of fossil fuels instead of more renewable and environmentally-friendly sources of energy (such as solar or hydroelectric). This use of fossil fuels majorly impacts the air and atmosphere due to the carbon dioxide that is released whenever it is used. Engler refers to a book, “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History” by Elizabeth Kolbert, which he then analyzes and adds his own points to. One point that he adds is about the threats that the surging growth of carbon dioxide can have on our air, atmosphere, oceans, and even Earth’s biodiversity. The rising acidity in the oceans show that the excess of carbon dioxide is starting to affect our Earth. With the sizes of coral reefs diminishing and marine life suffering, it is evident that the Earth is being affected by the rise of carbon dioxide gases. Another point that …show more content…
The effects that happened back then due to this were catastrophic. The Earth’s temperature escalated greatly. The ocean was also affected back then with similar things that are happening now. The coral reefs shriveled away and marine life was also majorly affected. Aerobic organisms that live there asphyxiated due to the acid that seeped into the oceans. To summarize, the author Al Engler considers the probability of disastrous consequences due to increasing carbon dioxide in the