Signature Assignment: Final Research Paper Global Warming

“Climate change is recognized as one of the major threats to the planet in the twenty-first century” (Sarhadi, 2016, p. 1329). Global warming is no longer a figure of our imagination, it is happening right now. Global warming is more than just a change in weather patterns throughout the whole world or melting polar ice global warming has the power to change civilization as we know it to be. The consequences of this global issue will only intensify if we do not take drastic action to confront the realism of climate change. The effects of climate change will have on global warming will put all of civilization in danger more than it already is. The purpose of choosing to do my research paper on global warming is to inform people about global warming and the effects that we are able to see already and what we will continue to discover if civilization does not start making drastic changes. I am going to be conduction thorough research on global warming discussing the causes of global warming, how humans contribute to global warming, and what are solutions to global warming.

Causes of Global Warming

“The earliest models of education for the environment were based on the notion that if individuals were provided with information about the needs of the environment and how to act in more environmentally sympathetic ways, then their attitude to the environment would alter and this, in turn, would lead to pro-environmental behavior” (Boyes, 2014, p. 143). There is not just one single issue that is the cause of global warming, there are a number of reasons associated with environmental issues. Global warming has to do with the rise of the temperature of the earth that has changed life forms for thousands of years. The issues associated with global warming are divided between two classifications the natural and human contribution to global warming. For centuries the climate has continually changed because of the natural rotation of the sun as it rotates it changes the intensity of the sunlight as it moves closer to the earth.

Another cause of global warming has to do with greenhouse gases the sun’s energy comes down to earth where land and water is absorbed after the energy is taken in the earth warms up and gives off certain energy called infrared radiation. The greenhouse effect occurs when climate warming results from the atmosphere that traps heat that radiates from earth heading toward space. “Global warming is the major environmental issue caused by greenhouse gases, especially CO2. This demands urgent action to reduce or offset CO2 emission from power plants, which could be done using facilitated transport membranes (FTMs)” (Maheswari, 2017, p. 57).

Oil, coal, and natural gas are all products fueled by fossil fuel companies and the major source contributing to global warming. For over a century being able to burn fossil fuels has been able to generate the energy required to drive cars, provide power to businesses and also keep the lights on at home even today oil, coal, and natural gas is used even more to provide our energy needs. The world has for centuries been using coal for all energy needs and we have never been able to not be reliant on fossil fuels ever since. Some people think that because we have benefited off of fossil fuels for living standards improve and a rising economy that fossil fuels are not to blame for climate change but realistically it is. The amount of time that society depends on fossil fuels is the time that we will continue to have greenhouse gases exposed to the air affected humans and the growing economy much earlier than we anticipate it to. “Approximately 65 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are generated by fossil fuel combustion. Of these emissions, coal is responsible for 45 percent, oil for 35 percent, and natural gas for 20 percent” (Covert, 2016, p. 118). Fossil fuels are the main reason for climate change because of the number of greenhouse gases they release into the atmosphere, causing humans to ultimately be responsible for this change.

How Humans Contribute to Global Warming

The reason I have chosen to write my research paper on global warming is that now more than ever, global warming has increasingly been a debate on whether it is true or not but now that assumption is over. Global warming is real and the effects of it affecting humanity are real and we must act in any way we can reverse what we have done. Global warming has endless issues related to the environment as we see it all around us in the air we breathe, harmful gasses, and the ocean water when we go swimming. The past few years alone have shaken a lot of people from the high degree temperatures, forest fires destroying hundreds of homes and plants, storms that go above sea level and onto land destroying everything in its path. All of these catastrophes are not happening for no reason they are happening because mother nature is showing us what is to come if we don’t take drastic action to change what we are doing. “In addition, if people do not feel or see that they are personally affected by climate change, it will be more difficult to achieve the required changes” (De La Fuente, 2017, p. 2). We used to experience extreme weather conditions once every couple of years, but as time has gone on extreme weather catastrophes are occurring even more frequently all around the world.

Some of the ways people can help from global warming getting worse could be to reduce power consumption, there are so many times we tend to have things on around the house that are not needed. Driving around in cars that are more environmentally friendly such as the advantage of hybrid vehicles compared to a gasoline operated vehicle hybrid run better without the use of gasoline and conserves energy. In today’s society, people tend to travel more than we ever did in the past it seems like to go anywhere or do anything people prefer to travel by plane being able to fly less would definitely influence modern society but it would be for the better. In order to prolong life for everyone on earth, it means that everyone should be involved in doing something that betters the environment and not worsens it there is more carbon dioxide in our air today than there ever has been in the last hundreds of thousands of years. The air quality we breathe is greatly affected by global warming from carbon dioxide, vehicles, and power plants because of these influences around us people all over the world have respiratory diseases. The earth’s temperature will continue to rise for as long as we continue to produce greenhouse gases.

There is one thing as a society that we all have in common and that is, the effects of global warming will show us in the coming years. The longer we continue to ignore the debate on if global warming is true or just made up is the time we will regret wasting for doubting what we see right in front of us. Global warming affects the economy and our overall health and more importantly the environment around us from the water, trees, animals and even the food we consume it truly is a global disaster that will continue to affect all of us sooner or later. There is a plethora of wonderful gifts the earth offers like water, air, and space to roam around. Since there is a rise in pollution, chemicals, automobiles etc. in the past 30 years temperatures have skyrocketed certainly some degree of rising is normal every year but not at the rate we are going. “Humans have left their mark on the planet and only time will tell if their own extinction is already inscribed” (Tobin, 2016, p. 29). Greenhouse gases and global warming together raise the earth’s temperature the effects of what global warming have on humanity are real. There will continue to be flooding all around the world, polar ice caps will continue to melt, and there will be intense and harmful natural disasters that will continue to happen and be detrimental to society. Polar ice caps, however, are one of the biggest issues for society when the earth temperature goes up the ice and snow will melt causing the sea level to rise around the world.

What are Solutions to Global Warming

“Our government has a role to play, but ultimately it will be the actions of businesses and individuals that will determine the magnitude of the warming” (Time to end heated debate, 2013, p. 24). There are plenty of solutions and interventions that we can prevent from global warming worsening but they all start with how humans change the way we behave in making and consuming energy. In order to better things, both society and the government need to work together and implement more solutions and activities to better our world for the next generations to come. There are many solutions to prevent the constant rise in global warming greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere is the main culprit for global warming. With all the deforestation of the tropical rainforests in the Amazon, it causes carbon dioxide to be released into the air. After the trees are cut down in the forests they are burnt down which in turn causes more carbon dioxide to be released into the air. Reducing the number of tropical rainforests to be wiped out such as the Amazon will have a bigger effect on the amount of CO2 levels being released into the atmosphere.

 Another way we can reduce global warming is to recycle. Recycling more as a society and having it be more mandatory than an option at home is a step in the right direction. All around the world, there are piles and piles of trash in the landfills and over time paper that is left sitting breaks down then causing carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere. If we can work together to keep trash out of the landfills, it would help to save on resources and reduce greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere. Shopping smart and waste prevention are very effective in reducing greenhouse gases. When we reuse products, we buy at the store or buy less, less energy is needed to process and transport products. “It is time to comprehend that trash scattered around is harming the world. The usual idea is that ‘rubbish goes into a bin hence it is taken care of’; however, it is simply not true. Trash at the backsides of offices, near houses or nearby schools are just picked up and later into a larger heap that only a few people are aware of. What we need is an awareness campaign to counter the harmful effects of global warming by championing recycling and proper disposal of waste” (Importance of recycling, 2016, p. 4).

Some of the ways society can work together, even more, is major curbing in emissions if everyone takes time to change the little things we do day to day we can maintain an eco-friendlier environment. Using less heat and air-conditioning is a great way to conserve energy. If we drive less we save on gasoline, resulting in fewer emissions when purchasing a new car, it is best to look for cars with high gas mileage and low emissions you can also have the same results when choosing to carpool whenever possible. If society talks more to each other and educate each other on the harmful choices they make in their day to day choices than we can prevent the drastic irreversible changes that will happen in the next century.

Conclusion

Global warming is just one of the major challenges society faces in this time through my research there is very little doubt that global warming will change our climate in the next hundred years. Earth is a planet in which it allows humans to live on because of its balance, unlike Venus, which is considered too hot or Mars considered too cold. But earth, the earth has balance it is never too cold in the winter time or too hot in the summer it knows how to balance it out just right for humanity. I thought it would be a great time to talk about global warming, especially with all the natural disasters happening around the world such as forest fires, the rise of water levels and hotter temperatures. The issues that surround global warming are the causes of global warming, how we as humans have the greatest influences related to global warming and all the possible solutions we as a society can do to better the climate. There is very little doubt that in the next century global warming will forever change our climate and not for the better. The issues regarding global warming have always revolved around natural and human influences these are the reasons we are where we are.

References

• Boyes, E., Stanisstreet, M., Skamp, K., Rodriguez, M., Malandrakis, G., Fortner, R. W., . . . Yoon, H. (2014). An international study of the propensity of students to limit their use of private transport in light of their understanding of the causes of global warming. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education,23(2), 142-165. doi:10.1080/10382046.2014.891425
• Covert, T., Greenstone, M., & Knittel, C. R. (2016). Will We Ever Stop Using Fossil Fuels?†. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 30(1), 117–138. https://doi-org.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/10.1257/jep.30.1.117
• De La Fuente, A., Rojas, M., & Mac Lean, C. (2017). A human-scale perspective on global warming: Zero emission year and personal quotas. PLoS ONE, 12(6), 1–16. https://doi-org.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179705
• Importance of recycling. (2016, March 22). Daily Times (Pakistan). Retrieved from https://myottawa-ottawa-edu.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/ics/clientconfig/htmlcontent/databaseloggingproxy.aspx?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=n5h&AN=BKM2DTP20160322.14.82.00053&site=ehost-live&scope=site
• Maheswari, A. U., & Palanivelu, K. (2017). Separation of carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases using novel composite membranes. Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 95(1), 57–67. https://doi-org.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/10.1139/cjc-2016-0090
• Sarhadi, A., Burn, D., Yang, G., & Ghodsi, A. (2017). Advances in projection of climate change impacts using supervised nonlinear dimensionality reduction techniques. Climate Dynamics, 48(3/4), 1329–1351. https://doi-org.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s00382-016-3145-0
• Time to end heated debate? (n.d.). USA Today. Retrieved from https://myottawa-ottawa-edu.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/ics/clientconfig/htmlcontent/databaseloggingproxy.aspx?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=J0E230296478713&site=ehost-live&scope=site
• Tobin, K. (2016). Collaborating on Global Priorities: Science Education for Everyone–Any Time and Everywhere. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 11(1), 27–40. Retrieved from https://myottawa-ottawa-edu.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/ics/clientconfig/htmlcontent/databaseloggingproxy.aspx?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ottawa.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ1091565&site=ehost-live&scope=site