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The common question that gets asked a lot these days, both in the classroom and by those genuinely interested in our environment is, is global warming real? To answer that question properly we need to look at answering the question what is global warming? By doing so it will help us to develop our own list of facts on global warming so we can make our own informed decision on whether or not global warming is real.

What is Global Warming?

Simply put global warming is the warming of the Earth’s temperature. This applies both to the Earth’s surface temperature and to the Earth’s air temperature. The Earth’s atmosphere contains many different kinds of gases, some of these Scientists have termed greenhouse gases (these are mostly water vapour and carbon dioxide). The purpose of greenhouse gases is to help the earth maintain a constant temperature. Without greenhouse gases then the earth would lose a lot of heat both from itself and from the heat generated because of the sun called solar radiation. This would mean the earth would be a lot cooler then it is now, an extreme example would the cold planet Pluto. Excess greenhouse gases means that the Earth cannot release excess heat generated both from itself and again from solar radiation. This causes a slow gradual temperature increase in the lower atmosphere which causes the Earth to be warmer then it should. In short, while greenhouse gases are needed to create a solar balance, emitting excess greenhouse gases in the form of carbon dioxide and methane only cause the Earth to retain heat rather then having solar balance.

What causes Global Warming?

The burning of fossil fuels, mainly petroleum and coal has been shown as the major cause of global warming. By burning and using petroleum, coal and in making petroleum based products (like plastics) creates a by-product. This by-product is carbon dioxide. Since carbon dioxide is one of the primary greenhouse gases it tends to remain in the Earth’s atmosphere causing the imbalance we spoke about. As of 2003, the concentration of carbon dioxide is over 50% higher than it was before the start of the industrial revolution in the late 1800’s the period in time when we started the burning of fossil fuels.

How Serious will Global Warming Be?

We don’t really know for sure and there is much debate on the topic. Some scientists are still trying to argue is global warming real and what causes global warming, something that in my opinion is just wasting valuable time when we should be considering how to combat its effects. The consensus of opinion is that there will be a warming of about 0.2 degrees Celsius (about 0.4 deg. F) every 10 years for the next 100 years or so. This might not sound like a lot but all this heat trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere is what is directly causing changes to arctic ice melting, glacier disappearance and changes impacting habit and the animals that live there.

More Facts on Global Warming

1. Global warming refers to a warming of the average global temperature. It does not exclude cooling in some locations on the earth. In fact, it is true that some locations are cooling while the globe is warming on average. But it is also true that some areas are warming faster than the global average. This is precisely what is happening in the Arctic.

2. 2004 was the hottest year on record since 1990

3. Heat waves have been responsible for some 26,000 deaths in Europe during the summer of 2003. Rising summer temperatures cause over $16 billion in damages to agriculture and other industries.

4. Yearly Forest fires continue to intensify in areas already ravaged by their effects. 2007 saw dramatic fire in California

5. A massive ice shelf the size of Rhode Island broke off from Antarctica in 2002.

6. Glaciers continue to disappear and melt in the north in places like British Columbia and Alaska at an alarming rate.

7. The Polar Bear is the first species to be considered in danger as a direct result of climate change and global warming.

Is Global Warming real?

I’ll leave you to answer that question for yourself, but I think it is hard to not overlook the facts on global warming and the issues causing climate change in our world today. What can be done to stop global warming? I think the first step is knowledge about what causes global warming and having a world wide unified effort to help curb its effect on our lives.

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