Global Warming

Global warming is perhaps one of the most pressing issues of our time, and for that of the generations to come ahead of us in the future. Environmental scientists tell us that if the globally rising temperatures increase by just 1 degree celsius more per year, planet earth and its residents, including people, plants, animals, and all other life forms, will be in grave danger of being wiped out. Already, at the present moment, the effects of global warming are visible all around us, and it comes down not only to individual action against the same, but also collective action starting with big corporations, and joined with and supported by the governments across the world. There are several tenets to global warming meaning that there are many factors that act as the causes of global warming and there are several ways to mitigate it, that are, yet, under research of how to efficiently put them to use in the world.

The Greenhouse Effect

There are certain gases that trap heat within their particles, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. While these gases are somewhat important, this is only true to a certain extent. If left in excess in the atmosphere, the trapped what in these gases can bring on extremely dire consequences, which we refer to as global warming.

There is a layer between the surface of the earth and the ozone layer which we refer to as the atmosphere. The atmosphere consists of a combination of gases, some essential and some not, that make it up. The greenhouse effect refers to when greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane bounce around the atmosphere, unable to get out of there, and heat up the planet, i.e. cause global warming. This term is taken from actual greenhouses where heat is meant to be trapped inside large greenhouses where plants are stored and grown.

The greenhouse effect is one of the primary causes of global warming, but these greenhouse gases (GHGs) come mostly from human activities on the earth’s body. We deem these human activities the causes of global warming, so let’s take a further look at what these activities entail.

Causes Of Global Warming

Over the last few centuries, ever since human beings discovered the power of power, quite literally, we have never looked back. The electricity that came from coal mines and trains that were powered by this electricity, vehicles that were built to use fossil fuels, etc. are all contributive causes of global warming. Let’s take a more detailed look into the same as the causes of global warming are listed below:

• Fossil fuel usage
• Industrialisation
• Deforestation
• Manufacturing or production methods
• Increasing population

Fossil Fuel Usage

Fossil fuels refer to non-renewable sources of energy such as oil, petroleum, coal, etc. that have taken millions of years to form and pollute the environment a lot upon their usage. These fossil fuels are burnt and their fumes are major causes of global warming. Not only do they poke holes in the ozone layer but they also get trapped and create the greenhouse effect, causing global warming and continually heating up the earth. Fossil fuels are used for electricity, powering vehicles, and several other greenhouses emitting procedures that add to the dire effects of global warming.

Industrialisation

The process of industrialisation, especially industrialisation that takes the model of the English Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, creates a lot of pollution. The processes of factories emit tonnes of greenhouse gases causing immense global warming. Other factors also go into it, such as transportation which uses fossil fuels, improper waste disposal systems, among several others.

Deforestation

Deforestation is a facet of urbanisation, wherein to create more space for more urbanised cities, as we have seen in Western models where cities are full of grey buildings rather than green trees. Trees and plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen in its place, which is why deforestation is incredibly dangerous and a massive causal factor for global warming.

Manufacturing And Production Methods

The methods of manufacturing and producing everyday consumer goods are often not very sustainable and are major causes of global warming. For example, the production of cotton clothes uses tonnes of gallons of water. Even agricultural practices produce a whole lot of methane, a greenhouse gas.

Increasing Population

As the population of a country and the world increases, as it has been at an increasing rate over the last few centuries, the needs of this population also increase at the same rate. To keep up, industrialisation increases, urbanisation increases, thus cutting down more trees than before, having to match up to consumption demands raises the production levels as well. Thus, increasing population is one of the common factors of most of the causes of global warming.

Effects Of Global Warming

The most obvious of effects of global warming is that the planet gets hotter and hotter by the day, which then leads to severe temperature conditions where biodiversity ecosystems may not prosper or even survive, and even human populations may be wiped out due to the severity of weather conditions. The primary effects of global warming have been listed below as follows:

• Increased prevalence of natural disasters: natural disasters are caused by disturbances in the processes of the earth, and when this is purposely disturbed by human activities, the prevalence of them increases. In the last few decades, we have seen a lot more tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, etc. than before, as effects of global warming
• Melting glaciers and rising sea levels: as the planet becomes hotter, the glaciers and icecaps across the world continue to melt, thus raising the sea level. The consequence of a rising sea level is the loss of space on the earth’s land surface, which puts several island nations at the threat of submerging fully, among several other effects of global warming
• Biodiversity losses: as the effects of global warming continue in the form of melting snow, forest fires, floods, etc. the biodiversity ecosystems of these areas affected are lost. We have already lost several species of wildlife and biodiversity as a result of global warming