Well, global warming is the gradual increase of temperature on the whole earth over time. Global warming will change patterns in rain, sea level, and will have a big impact on plants, animals and humans. Global warming has been in effect since the mid 20th century. The main cause of global warming has been the increase of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit gases into the thermal infrared range. Greenhouse gas levels have been increased by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. Deforestation will cause a rise in greenhouse gases and therefore contribute to global warming because trees intake the carbon dioxide we breathe out and give off oxygen for us to breathe. With the depletion of millions and millions of trees, we loose the process thats occurs with the trees in which the "trees [act] as lungs..." (Pollan 174). Without this breathing pattern, the Earth will choke, which is what happens during global warming. Global warming has not only been because of human intervention, volcanoes and solar radiation have done damage to the Earth for years and years before industrialization even began.
Not only will global warming cause the temperature to rise, but it will also cause the sea levels to rise, in turn causing the change in the amount and pattern of rainfall. Extreme weather events will also become more likely and more hard-hitting. We have seen an increase in devastating tropical storms in the past couple of years.
So what do we do? We have this huge problem facing us, our world is becoming hotter and hotter, and eventually will not be livable for human beings. The main problem is the emission of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). As I mentioned before we breathe out CO2 and trees take it in, so without those trees to take it in, and with more and more factories and cars put on the streets that emit CO2, it become a huge problem. So, in order to get rid of the problem, we have to reduce our output of CO2. Switching to hybrid cars (or even no cars at all), and planting plenty of trees are a great way to get this done. Recycling and watching the places where your food comes from to ensure it is grown naturally and without pesticides are also great ways to reduce carbon emissions. These are all small steps, but they will add up in the end and we will be able to see results, and if not us, future generations will be much happier!
