Global Warming!

Global Warming. These two words are possibly the most powerful of the 21st century. If you know anything about the topic, you know that we have a major crisis on our hands, and that it is the responsibility of every single one of us to take action. There are those who say, “It doesn’t affect us, so why should we worry about it?” Its effects may not be noticeable now, but they will be soon. This natural phenomenon is beginning to attract international attention, and leaders from all over the world are gathering to discuss what needs to be done.

What does global warming mean to you, though, as an individual? Does it simply mean that the world is getting hotter and that there will be no more snow days? Does it mean that the Earth is dying? Does it mean that our way of life will change? Moreover, are you willing to do something to combat its effects?

The overall impression I get from society today is that we all believe in global warming and fear its effects, but do not wish to devote any time to the cause. None of us on an individual level are powerful enough to reverse the effects of global warming. Only by working collectively can we hope of finding solutions to the problem. That is why I am here today: to persuade you to do whatever you can to educate others about this topic.

Let’s start off with the basics. Global warming is defined simply as an increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. Another concept that goes along with the temperature change is what is known as the Greenhouse Effect. This is the phenomenon by which certain gases, toxic gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, build up in the lower atmosphere and prevent heat from the Sun's rays from escaping into space. The Earth is taking the most hit from these impacts.

Do you remember the ice storm that occurred earlier this year? Do you remember how Lexington looked afterwards, so beautiful and deadly covered in mountains of snow and ice? Now, when the sun came out, this Winter Wonderland began to disappear. The ice and snow immediately began to melt. The same thing is happening to our polar ice caps. Currently there are over 6,000,000 cubic miles of water that compose the ice at our North and South poles. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, if all glaciers melted today the sea levels would rise about 230 feet, creating catastrophic amounts of flooding in lower-level lands. People would drown, houses destroyed, animals dead, entire cities residing underneath the depths of much larger oceans. Luckily, that’s not going to happen overnight, but sea levels will inevitably and gradually rise, and we need to work as fast as possible to avoid a devastating destruction of parts of the environment.

Another rapidly growing problem is subsidence. In simple terms, subsidence means that as beaches and coastal regions become more fertile, they slowly begin sinking into the water. So not only are the sea levels slowly rising, but the land is also subsidizing at a pace never seen before. Within the past century, the Mid-Atlantic and the Gulf Coast have lost a total of 6 inches of land. This may seem like a very minute amount, but that’s only one hundred years. Imagine the numbers in one thousand years. Ten thousand years. Slowly but surely, this number will continue to grow, unless we begin working to find a remedy.

Another major effect of global warming is one that we have already experienced. As the temperature of oceans rise, so will the probability of more frequent and stronger hurricanes. The 2005 Hurricane season was the worst ever recorded in history, with over 2,280 deaths and causing a hefty $128 billion in damage. Hurricane Katrina alone will be remembered in history as the antagonist of New Orleans.

A final, extremely important corollary will be the increased probability of droughts and heat waves. While some areas of Earth will become more humid due to this change, others will suffer from severe droughts, changing the environment in which we live in. Deserts could become seas, tundras could become plains, and forests could become deserts, all because of the rapidly growing problem of global warming. Water is already considered a rare commodity in many parts of the world, and if conditions continue to worsen, it could lead to conflicts, war, famine, and no doubt death. While Africa would receive the lion’s share, even prosperous areas like Europe would be dearly affected.

The direct consequences of global warming on individuals are very hard to predict. The combination of violent storms, rapid changes in local climates, disruption of the water cycle, and extinction of plants and animals will probably cause local food shortages and the interference of infrastructure in many regions around the world. The pandemic anxiety over global warming will damage the world economy, as will population shifts when citizens from coastal areas are forced to move inland by rising sea levels. It will cause conflict and collapse at every level of society.

Then again, if we are prepared, we may be able to make a difference and save ourselves and our wondrous planet. The real question is will we be able to come together as a planet to make the best out of a difficult situation, or continue disregarding the obvious problem and lay it off on the following generations? It is time to make a change in how our society cares for each other. We can start by being educated about global warming and continue with the desire to do something to combat it.

Sources
Internet-http://www.greatdreams.com/climate/climate-CO2-2000.gif
Internet-http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/5-deadliest-effects-of-global-warming/276
Internet-http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarmingandhealth/a/gw_deaths.htm
Chart of Emissions of greenhouse gases
http://media.nowpublic.net/images//89/f/89fc7426a24ac7a85f9bce6f42bd2709.jpg
Book-The Ravaging Tide-By Mike Tidwell
Documentary-The Inconvenient Truth