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Climate Changes towards Global Warming For centuries human race has had a very strong detrimental influence upon natural environment. One of the largest areas of environmental concern is human-induced climate change. Through technological advancements human beings have accelerated earth on its course towards destruction. Here we clearly see that current state of development of the technology and the dependence of industries on energy resources lead our planet to some critical point where further on improvement may be under doubts.
This involves economical, political and social issues among which it is necessary to mention the fact that current state of development cannot operate successfully without abusing natural environment as it is doing now. As terrible as the situation currently is it is a wonder that people seem to display such a lack of interest in the ecological downfall of their planet. Two of the better known contributing factors to earths accelerated change in climate are the burning of Fossil Fuels and forest fires; both of which are leading causes of the greenhouse effect, and both of which can be reduced to acceptable levels. The future of planet earth lies in the hands of humanity: hands that push the world towards destruction. (Bates) The leading cause of climate change, human-induced or otherwise, is the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect occurs when solar radiation which has been absorbed by the earths surface is re-released into the air, but is prevented from leaving the earths atmosphere due to various gases which deflect it downwards and prevent its escape. This results in an overall warming of the earths atmosphere.
If the average temperature of the earth were to rise or fall even a few degrees annually mass flooding or another ice age could easily occur. It was estimated in 1994 by the United Nations Environment Program that the worlds average temperature will rise one and a half degrees Celsius by the year 2025, and that ocean levels will rise twenty centimeters in the same given time. As little as these changes sound, they possess the potential of creating international chaos. The main human-induced contributions to the greenhouse effect are the previously mentioned burning of Fossil Fuels, and forest fires. Occurrences such as these release carbon emissions into the air. Researchers have found that the current amount of carbon in the earths atmosphere is more then double what is deemed safe, and continues to rise.
The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbons (commonly referred to as CFCs). Forest fires and the burning of Fossil Fuels are leading producers of carbon dioxide. Methane is an agricultural byproduct and comes into effect due to sources such as sheep and cattle. CFCs are used as aerosol propellants and as refrigerants CFCs are odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable and chemically inert.
They are responsible for the breakdown of the earths protective ozone layer, and are able to remain in the atmosphere for over a century. Other ozone depletes are chemicals used in fire extinguishers, some forms of CFC substitutes, and various solvents. (Stehr) Although many of these problems and their causes sound too scientific to involve society as a whole, they are in arguably caused or heightened by the human race. In a Prentice-Hall Canada Incorporated secondary school textbook, it is stated that in order for an issue to be considered a social problem many people must consider it to be harmful or destructive to society and many people must believe that something can and should be done about the problem. Clearly, climate change, which possesses the ability to put the human race into extinction, is harmful and destructive to society. It cannot be argued that something that puts an end to society is not a social problem. A 1992 study of Canadian youth showed that almost seventy percent of those surveyed believed that environmental issues were a very serious social problem.
If such a large percentage of children were able to recognize environmental issues as a serious problem it cannot be argued that a large percentage of adults are not aware of the issue. What can be done to reverse the problems caused by human-induced climate change? What preventative measures can be taken against worsening the problem? (Newman) Though it will take years to correct society's previous mistakes, and though some environmental damage is irreversible, many small, simple measures can be taken to lessen the problem. If people were to refrain from, or cut back on, aerosol use worldwide, the chlorofluorocarbon levels would drop significantly. Also, the use of public transit or car pooling would lessen the amount of harmful emissions released into the air by the burning of gasoline, which many individuals partake in everyday habitually.
It would also be beneficial is people were to keep the burning of any unnatural products to an absolute minimum, reducing the amount of harmful chemicals emitted into the earths atmosphere. None of these tasks are complicated, yet society has become so accustomed to so many environmentally detrimental activities, that it would initially seem incredibly difficult to perform these simple tasks. It is not a lack of knowledge that continues to cause societal and environmental harm, but rather a lack of realization and action towards knowledge. (Newman) Human-induced climate change is obviously a serious social problem. All members of society should be ashamed that humanity has caused so much destruction through selfish and ignorant behavior. In time, the effects of human-induced climate change could be greatly reduced if people were to take simple measures against aggravating the already hazardous conditions. It is the lack of action taken by humanity that causes human-induced climate change to remain, and to worsen as, a social problem As the inevitable end of the world draws near, society is coming closer and closer to having nothing but itself to blame.
There are possible solutions to the problem but they depend largely upon scientific research and development that did not yet come up with decent and economical invention to make changes. Without changes the world is going to face many difficulties rather shortly therefore we can only hope that scientific thought will rise as high as problems that our society currently has. Bibliography: Bates, Albert K. Climate in Crisis: The greenhouse Effect and what we can do. Summer town, Tennessee: The Book Publishing Company, 1990. Environmental Defense.
web 2 / 16 / 04 EPA. web 2 / 6 / 04 Environmental Defense. web 2 / 15 / 04 Global Warming and Climate Change. web Grove, Richard H. Ecology, Climate and Empire. Colonialism and environmental history 1400 - 1940.
Cambridge. Lamb, Hubert H. , 1982: Climate history and the modern world. London. Newman, Lucile (Eds. ), 1997: Hunger in History, Food Shortage, Poverty and Deprivation.
Oxford. Stehr, Nico / von Storch, Hans (Eds. ), 2000: Eduard Bruckner - The Sources and Consequences of Climate Change and Climate Variability in Historical Times. Dordrecht.
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Research essay sample on Burning Of Fossil Fuels Earths Atmosphere
