Must know facts about Global Warming

Global Warming is one of the most important issues that humanity is facing in its current history. It is surprising however that so many people know so little about the problem.

So, what exactly is global warming?

The term Global Warming is used to designate the phenomenon of increase of the average surface temperature of the planet due to a variety of effects, mainly attributed to greenhouse gases. The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane and they share the quality that they are absorbing heat and thus prevent the said heat to escape the planet.

According to studies that have been conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States, the overall temperature of the planet has increased with nearly one degree Celsius in the past century alone, which might not sound like a lot, but it actually is – and has the potential of tipping the balance in nature towards a side that is not favorable for anyone living on the planet.

What facts about Global Warming should every responsible citizen know?

Listed below are several basic points about Global Warming that might be a good idea to be acquainted with:

• The greenhouse gases that are causing the Global Warming effect – methane and carbon dioxide are actually vital for the sustenance of life on the planet. The reason that they are having such a negative effect on that very same planet is the fact that they are being produced in too big a quantity over the past century or so.
• Though it is not determined with a hundred percent certain, human activities might very well turn out to be the main contributing factor to the over-emittance of those greenhouse gases.
• It is not possible to eradicate the negative effects on climate that Global Warming has, because the greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for years at a time and there is no way to remove them using technology and science. The only way to remove them is to wait out until they have disappeared naturally, while at the same time reduce the production of new excessive batches of greenhouse gases.
• Climate studies that have been conducted by a number of independent weather researchers and institutions have concluded that the last two decades of the 20^th century have been the hottest ones in the history of the past four centuries. This fact is often cited as the surest prove that global warming is indeed very real (because, believe it or not, there are people who do not think such a thing exists).
• According to recent scientific studies, the level of the see on a global scale is going to rise with 7 to 14 inches in the following century alone due to the effects of Global Warming.
• The one place on Earth that is going to suffer the most from the effects of Global Warming is the Arctic. The negative effects are already heavily felt there with constant reports of ice-caps melting, which leads to disappearance of whole eco-systems. Global Warming is indeed a disaster for the Arctic as we know it.
• The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment report for 2000-2004 period is one of the most important documents related to the study of Global Warming. According to the report, the temperatures in Alaska, Western Canada and Russia have risen twice the global average in the said period alone.
• The Montana Glacier National Park in the United States used to have as many as 150 glaciers in 1910. Today, due to the effects that Global Warming has had on the environment, their number was drastically decreased – today there are just 25 glaciers in Montana.
• Global Warming is not affecting glacier and ice caps alone. Due to the greenhouse effect and pollution, coral reefs are suffering the worst ever bleaching in their history. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is said to being destined to disappear in the foreseeable future.
• Wild forest fires, severe tropical storms and heat waves around the globe are an indication of the serious effects that Global Warming is having on the weather in planetary scale.
• In the past century, sea levels have risen with 7 inches due to the effects that Global Warming is having on the environment around the globe. Seven inches might not sound very scary, but in reality that is more than the rise in sea levels that has been registered in the previous 2000 years combined. The matter becomes even more dire when we think about the fact that there are over a hundred million people on the planet that are living within 3 inches of the sea level, not to mention that some of the largest cities in the world are built on endangered coastal areas.
• The rate with which humans are emitting carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas that is causing all the problems – is much faster than the rate in which plants and trees are able to absorb it – which is cited as being the main contributor to the greenhouse effect.
• The melting of the glaciers is going to have two main – and potentially disastrous effects. On one hands water levels are going to rise significantly. On the other hand the melting is going to cause water shortages in areas that do not have access to other natural water sources.
• The Industrial Revolution which took place in the 18^th and the 19^th century in Europe, followed by the rest of the planet, caused a rapid increase in burning fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coil. This contributes greatly to the mass production of greenhouse gases and is also considered to be the main reason for the increase of the number of people who are suffering from asthma and other severe respiratory diseases on a global scale.
• The best way to contribute to the fight for protecting the environment is to optimize the waste management process at your home. Also you should teach your kids about it.