Global warming: A threat to life
The planet earth is facing an acute crisis in the form of global warming. Citizens of the earth, no matter who they are, and wherever they are, all are equally affected. Global warming is showing its “Ecosigns” (Achenback and Heidi 1) such as changing monsoon pattern, expanding arid regions, fluctuating seasons, decreasing fresh water, and rising sea levels. There are different opinions about global warming, as some believe that it is a political stunt that shows up only during election time (Horgan), whereas others link it to anthropogenic actions. The global warming and the resultant climate changes are due to uncontrolled human exploitation of the earth, and its resources, thereby emitting large volume of …show more content…
For instance, Achenback and Heidi states the words of George Philander a climate expert at Princeton University, humans are now “‘geological agents”’ that can alter climatic change (1). The factories that were mushroomed in different parts of the world, especially after the industrial revolution, offshore and onshore oil explorations, internal combustion engines, and deforestation have equally polluted both land and water. “‘We have created the environment in which our children and grandchildren are going to live”’, says Tim Barnett of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Achenback and Heidi 2). Greenhouse gases driven temperature rise would result in an increase in evaporation of methane, another greenhouse gas, which is dissolved in lakes, and otherwise emitted at a slower rate (“Human and Natural”). The methane gas, like any other greenhouse gases would accumulate in the earth’s atmosphere, and trap the sunlight, thereby aggravating global …show more content…
Alaska and snow wrapped Andes are heating up. Globally, the temperature is up by one degree Fahrenheit over the past century (Achenback and Heidi 1). Sea level has also climbed up over the past century, creating havoc among many island nations such as the Maldives. Achenback and Heide narrates the story of a widow named Nuzahan Bibi in Bangladesh who makes her living by cultivating rice in paddy fields, but now in jeopardy due to rise in sea level that swallowed her paddy fields (2). Since from the industrial revolution, “we have already pumped out enough volume of greenhouse gases to warm the planet for many decades to come” says Achenback and Heidi (2). Therefore, the situations are going to worsen in the coming decades, and the Kyoto protocol adopted in Kyoto, Japan (“Kyoto protocol”), a path breaking step to control emission is inadequate due to less availability of time. The Jerry Mahlman of the National Center for Atmospheric Research says, “‘it would take 40 successful Kyotos”’ (Achenback and Heidi
The planet earth is facing an acute crisis in the form of global warming. Citizens of the earth, no matter who they are, and wherever they are, all are equally affected. Global warming is showing its “Ecosigns” (Achenback and Heidi 1) such as changing monsoon pattern, expanding arid regions, fluctuating seasons, decreasing fresh water, and rising sea levels. There are different opinions about global warming, as some believe that it is a political stunt that shows up only during election time (Horgan), whereas others link it to anthropogenic actions. The global warming and the resultant climate changes are due to uncontrolled human exploitation of the earth, and its resources, thereby emitting large volume of …show more content…
For instance, Achenback and Heidi states the words of George Philander a climate expert at Princeton University, humans are now “‘geological agents”’ that can alter climatic change (1). The factories that were mushroomed in different parts of the world, especially after the industrial revolution, offshore and onshore oil explorations, internal combustion engines, and deforestation have equally polluted both land and water. “‘We have created the environment in which our children and grandchildren are going to live”’, says Tim Barnett of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Achenback and Heidi 2). Greenhouse gases driven temperature rise would result in an increase in evaporation of methane, another greenhouse gas, which is dissolved in lakes, and otherwise emitted at a slower rate (“Human and Natural”). The methane gas, like any other greenhouse gases would accumulate in the earth’s atmosphere, and trap the sunlight, thereby aggravating global …show more content…
Alaska and snow wrapped Andes are heating up. Globally, the temperature is up by one degree Fahrenheit over the past century (Achenback and Heidi 1). Sea level has also climbed up over the past century, creating havoc among many island nations such as the Maldives. Achenback and Heide narrates the story of a widow named Nuzahan Bibi in Bangladesh who makes her living by cultivating rice in paddy fields, but now in jeopardy due to rise in sea level that swallowed her paddy fields (2). Since from the industrial revolution, “we have already pumped out enough volume of greenhouse gases to warm the planet for many decades to come” says Achenback and Heidi (2). Therefore, the situations are going to worsen in the coming decades, and the Kyoto protocol adopted in Kyoto, Japan (“Kyoto protocol”), a path breaking step to control emission is inadequate due to less availability of time. The Jerry Mahlman of the National Center for Atmospheric Research says, “‘it would take 40 successful Kyotos”’ (Achenback and Heidi