Global warming, it’s a topic rarely discussed yet if affects people on such a large scale. Record breaking temperatures, devastating storms, artic ice depletion and the endangerment of wildlife are all occurring because of the alarming presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In the case of climate change there are many questions, what are greenhouse gases and how do they affect the atmosphere? What role does global warming play in ones daily activities? What impact does global warming have on ecosystems? How can this destructive process be stopped?
When sunlight reaches Earth’s surface, it can either be reflected back into space or absorbed by Earth. Once absorbed, the planet releases some of the energy back into the atmosphere as …show more content…
In this way, greenhouse gases act like a blanket, making Earth warmer than it would otherwise be. This process is commonly known as the “greenhouse effect”. In fact according to the EPA (2015) in 2013, CO2 accounted for about 82% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The EPA (2012) also claimed that methane is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the United States from human activities. Methane's lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than carbon dioxide but CH4 is more efficient at trapping radiation than CO2. Pound for pound, the comparative impact of CH4 on climate change is more than 25 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period proved by research conducted by the EPA (2015). In 2013 according to the EPA, nitrous oxide accounted for about 5% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. This element is naturally found in the atmosphere but human activities such as agriculture, fossil fuel combustion, wastewater management, and industrial processes are increasing the amount of N2O in the atmosphere. This chemical killer is so potent that the molecules stay in the atmosphere for an average of 114 …show more content…
Sudden changes in temperatures can even affect the air people breathe. Abrupt shifts in climatic trends worsen air quality and attribute to the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Air particulates smaller than 2.5 micro-meters can lead to respiratory issues when inhaled by humans EPA (2015). Most particulates are produced naturally, but humans can contribute to the littering of our atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. These byproducts of human activity include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds. Due to the continuation of temperature rise, the spread of vector disease are prone to increase in the following years. Vectors include fleas, ticks and mosquitos. As global temperatures change the time and geographical location where these vectors reside is drastically increased. Scientists project that warmer temperatures from climate change will increase the frequency of days with unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant, and a component in smog. According to the EPA people exposed to higher levels of ground-level ozone are at greater risk of dying prematurely or being admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems. Ground level ozone can damage lung tissue reduce lung function, and inflame airways. Devastating natural disasters and tropical storms have a direct correlation to
When sunlight reaches Earth’s surface, it can either be reflected back into space or absorbed by Earth. Once absorbed, the planet releases some of the energy back into the atmosphere as …show more content…
In this way, greenhouse gases act like a blanket, making Earth warmer than it would otherwise be. This process is commonly known as the “greenhouse effect”. In fact according to the EPA (2015) in 2013, CO2 accounted for about 82% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. The EPA (2012) also claimed that methane is the second most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted in the United States from human activities. Methane's lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter than carbon dioxide but CH4 is more efficient at trapping radiation than CO2. Pound for pound, the comparative impact of CH4 on climate change is more than 25 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period proved by research conducted by the EPA (2015). In 2013 according to the EPA, nitrous oxide accounted for about 5% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. This element is naturally found in the atmosphere but human activities such as agriculture, fossil fuel combustion, wastewater management, and industrial processes are increasing the amount of N2O in the atmosphere. This chemical killer is so potent that the molecules stay in the atmosphere for an average of 114 …show more content…
Sudden changes in temperatures can even affect the air people breathe. Abrupt shifts in climatic trends worsen air quality and attribute to the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Air particulates smaller than 2.5 micro-meters can lead to respiratory issues when inhaled by humans EPA (2015). Most particulates are produced naturally, but humans can contribute to the littering of our atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. These byproducts of human activity include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile organic compounds. Due to the continuation of temperature rise, the spread of vector disease are prone to increase in the following years. Vectors include fleas, ticks and mosquitos. As global temperatures change the time and geographical location where these vectors reside is drastically increased. Scientists project that warmer temperatures from climate change will increase the frequency of days with unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant, and a component in smog. According to the EPA people exposed to higher levels of ground-level ozone are at greater risk of dying prematurely or being admitted to the hospital for respiratory problems. Ground level ozone can damage lung tissue reduce lung function, and inflame airways. Devastating natural disasters and tropical storms have a direct correlation to