Atmospheric Issues and Global Warming
Most people today do not realize the effects Global Warming is having on our Earth and its atmosphere due to the amount of pollutions released into the air on a daily basis, the amount of solid waste that is being dumped into our landfills, due to bad life style habits such as the majority of society refusing to recycle. Scientist from around the world continuously examines changes that are occurring within our atmosphere which could potentially be life threatening. Some scientist believe that we need to make a global change now and make life style changes by using renewable resources, recycling and to simply be more environmentally cautious before thematter gets any worse, for the sake of our future generation.
Gathered information from credible sources will show that Global Warming is an issue that needs our full immediate attention and will explain problems that have already taken place within our planet, ways we can help prevent any further damage to our planet from occurring, and methods that can be used to heal the earth from damages that have already been done. Temperatures are rising, glaciers are melting and land is eroding due to global warming. I ask are we just going to sit around and wait until the earth is no more, or are we going to take a stand not only as individuals, but as Americans and educate ourselves and the world before it is too late.
There are many things in this world that are affected in a negative way as a result of global warming. According to Rodolfo and Siringan (2006), “Groundwater over-use, and land subsidence, is another key issue for our regional sea-levels to have increased”. Groundwater over-use and land subsidence is the extraction of fresh water from the earth. Once the water is extracted, the land below will start to shift, therefore changing the lands natural formation. When this occurs, the ocean in certain regions will rise due to the ground levels dropping lower than normal.
Let us not forget about storms such as: tornados, hurricanes, avalanches, mud slides and lightning storms that are all increasing in regularity and size do to the unstable atmospheric conditions. Do to the rising of warm moist air being mixed with cold air causes tropical storms such as hurricanes and tornados. Warm air in our mountains will cause avalanches and mud slides and promotes another increasing problem for certain cultures. People 50 years ago who lived in the areas where these issues were monitored as possible threats, now worry endlessly due to the increase and frequent occurrences of such horrific problems on a more regular basis due to global warming temperature rising from air pollutions (Davidson, 2006).
Do to green house gases, both natural and anthropogenic meaning manmade, produce harmful vapors such as fossil fuels which are prehistoric decaying plant and animal matter that could have lived millions of years ago, along with coal, oil and petroleum. Methane gas and carbon dioxide along with other harmful gasses are mostly created by people and come from cars, business factories, aerosol and the non-recycling of plastics. These gasses are the leading cause for a thick smoggy film to have formed in and around our Ozone layer therefore; increasing its thickness. The heat rays that enter our environment from the Sun are reflected back toward the atmosphere from our ocean’s surface. Normally these rays would exit allowing the earth’s temperatures to remain normal. Due to the Earth’s Ozone layer increasing in thickness, the heated rays are now being trapped within and cannot escape. This is causing the Earths temperatures to rise and radiation levels to increase (Gore, 2006).
Some experts say that by removing the large quantity of trees that lay in the rainforests and dry forests, we are increasing the greenhouse effect. By removing the trees we are taken away the natural process of the removal of carbon dioxide, this is increasing our greenhouse effect. Another problem with the removing of trees is the process in how they are being removed. Burning is common and not only are trees being burned but all plant life surrounding. While the burning process takes place, the trees and plants releases carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane gas back into our atmosphere thus making our problem even worse and continuing to increase our Ozone Layers thickness. (The Earth’s Future, 2008).
Let’s talk about the effects global warming has had on our Ecosystem. Putting all tree and plant life aside, animals and micro-organisms are being affected. Animals are being pulled off their natural feeding and breeding cycle causing certain species of organisms, land animals and aquatic animals to become extinct. According to Jetz, Wilcove and Dobson (2007), at least 400 bird species are going to suffer a 50 percent land range deduction by the year 2050, and over 900 birds will suffer by the year 2100. Due to a rapid atmospheric change and the destruction of animal’s natural habitats caused by humans, many of the birds that we know of today are possibly going to be nonexistent.
Now Let’s take a look at some of the oceans fish for example, some of these fish that we eat are being forced to relocate to find other available food sources do to micro foods which is normally eating by these fish are dying off due to irregular temperatures, so in return the fish are also dying off and their breeding cycle is not in sync. Other Micro-organisms, plant life, and animals all play their role with keeping the balance of earth to a normal. Micro-organisms, small animal life only seen through a microscope have a great importance here on earth. Some organisms produce lactic acid bacteria and this bacteria is how yogurt and cheese is made, while other Micro-organisms such as algae and molds play an important part with our medical research team in discovering new antibiotics.
In 2006, McMichael, Anthony, and Hales announced that over recent years studies have been taken which prove infectious diseases can manifest do to temperature rise. Both salmonella and cholera bacteria, spread more hurriedly in higher temperature areas, and our environments climate change could tilt the stability of the ecological balance and trigger infectious epidemics throughout most parts of the world.
The Federal government created the Clean Air Act on a national level for the first time in 1955. From that point there were revisions made to the act in 1963 and 1970, with the latest being in 1990. Back in 1990, legislation was forced to take action and focus on improving our Nations air quality throughout the United States. After careful consideration, congress revised the Clean Air Act in 1990 and centered its attention on lowering vehicle emissions. The new Clean Air Act mandated the use of low sulfur-fuels and other fuels that would lower acid precipitation, and ordered the “Best Available Control Technology” or (BACT), which required industries to install the latest technology in order to reduce harmful air toxins that were being released into the atmosphere. One of the benefits with the Clean Air Act is the federal government placed full responsibility on each state for non-attainment areas, but allowed each state to set mandatory deadlines for companies to install the new air quality equipment. Constantly the federal government is working on developing newer technologies that will improve air quality, and as of 1994, the EPA is designated to setting emission limits for chemicals (Legislation, 1999).
My plan to reach sustainability will consist of multiple parts.
1. I will construct a nonprofit organization that will consist of a group of people who would be willing to work hand in hand with me on getting the federal, state and local governments to focus on adding a curriculum into our school systems that will discuss all aspects of global warming. My objective is to get students to become more aware of current and past issues and to provide the children with ways they as individuals can make positive life style changes
2. The plan will also consist of holding announced town and city meetings, where adults can come and receive answers by professionals and be informed of financial reimbursements and tax deductions that are currently underway, and offer resources that will help make positive lifestyle changes among our adult community. At these meetings we will discuss the benefits of renewable energy resources and the equipment that is needed and issues relating the use of nonrenewable energy sources.
3. We will work hard on getting our federal and state governments to reward individual homeowners who convert over to the use of renewable resources by asking that each participating individual receive tax breaks and compensation for money spent.
The benefits to my plan are: renewable energy resources are the best means for our environment and release far less pollutants into the air than its counterpart, nonrenewable resources. Renewable resources are also free and can provide an infinite amount of energy to everyone in the world with the right strategy. Though to convert over to renewable resources is not yet cost efficient, I will work hard with the federal and state governments to devise a plan that will reward individuals who participate and convert their homes and buildings over to using renewable resources with tax deductions and financial reimbursements. One major benefit to my plan is, the resources that we are using now such as oil, coal, and natural gas will eventually run dry, and as demand for each increases, so will the cost. Renewable resources like water, wind and the suns light will provide a never ending supply of free energy to all, once we are equipped.
Other benefits to my plan are, once society and the majority of the world can act together and change negative lifestyle habits, our lands, wildlife, historical sites, and the human race will be able to enjoy the world without much of the worries we are now faced with. Some of the challenges my plan will face will be to find an educational strategy that will best educate individuals and communities to the point where the majority of society would be willing to take the initiative to convert from nonrenewable to renewable resource methods. One of the major problems my plan will face is working toward getting the federal and state governments to cooperate on a level that will work hard on educating society and finding the available funding for reimbursements. Other problems my plan will face will be to create cost efficient renewable energy resource equipment, so the average home owner can afford to purchase the new equipment and convert.
There are many things the government, society and the global world can do to be involved with the use of renewable energy resources.
The government could propose a plan that would offer special financial benefits for participating states that would be willing to set aside a certain amount of land that would be untouched. The funding could be based on the amount per square mile or acre, and the amount of years contracted in with a minimum of each. Another idea would be for the government to use the funding that is currently being used to locate and extract nonrenewable energy resources, and reimburse a percentage of money spent by home owners who were willing to convert over to the latest technology for the use of renewable energy resources. Tax breaks, deductions, and reimbursements could be some of the benefits. This would cut back on the removal of nonrenewable resources, therefore allowing for certain lands to be undisturbed for natural habitat. Society as a whole can start being more cautious and recycle plastics, less littering will save soil from becoming toxic, convert over to the use of renewable resources, educate their children about global warming, and become more aware of the energy used in the home by turning off appliances such as TV’s and radios when not in use.
The United Nations, need to come together and devise a strategy that would focus on helping countries that are producing the most atmospheric pollutions and solid wastes. Agreements need to be made that will bring forth stricter rules and regulations on the amount of pollutions allowed to be released into the air. Financial benefits need to be given globally to all cooperating industries, and home owners.
References
Brown, Paul. (2004, January). An unnatural disaster. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2004/jan/08/biodiversity.sciencenews
Davidson, Keay. (2006). San Francisco Chronicle: Global Warming, Storms, Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/12/MNG5HL3S611.DTL
Gore, Al., (2008). Al’s Projects. Algore.com. Retrieved June 18, 2008, from http://www.algore.com/
Jetz, W., Wilcove, D. S., Dobson, A. P. (2007, June). Projected impacts of climate and land-use change on the global diversity of birds. Fortune, 1211. Retrieved June 22, 2008, from Gale Power Search database.
Legislation. (1999). Clean Air Now. what is being done at the turn of the century to combat air pollution? Retrieved June 22, 2008, from http://www.ametsoc.org/sloan/cleanair/cleanairnow.html
McMichael, Anthony J., Woodruff, Rosalie E., Hales, Simon. (2006, March 11). Climate change and human health. Fortune, 859-869. Retrieved June 19, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Rodolfo, Kelvin S., & Siringan, Fernando P. (2006, March). Disasters. Fortune, 118-139. Retrieved June 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Scott, Jim. (2005, September). Methane gyrations last 2,000 years show human influence on atmosphere. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-09/uoca-mgl090805.php
Retrieved June 20, 2008, from
The Earths Future. (2008). Destruction of the Rainforest. Retrieved June 20, 2008, from http://www.thinkquest.org/library/cat_show.html?cat_id=216
