Global Warming
Now, for the first time in Earth's history, humans may be a decisive factor in future climate change. The actions we make towards the temperature of the earth and the depletion of the ozone layer are irreversible. A warmer future could result from present-day human activities releasing large amounts of heat-trapping gases into the air. These "greenhouse gases" are part of the reason for the 1F (.5C) rise in global average temperature documented over the past 100 years. If the Earth's temperature continues to rise as predicted, future global warming could happen faster than any climate change of the last 10,000 years. If so, future variations in local climate could be even more disruptive than those of the past. Fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide when burned, are used to generate electricity; heat and light homes and workplaces; power factories and run cars. Unless we reduce population growth and use of fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will double by sometime in the middle of the next century. The future of Earth's climate may depend partly on the buildup of heat-trapping gases, primarily carbo
As the atmosphere becomes richer in these gases, it becomes a better insulator, retaining more of the heat provided to the planet by the Sun. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas followed by methane and nitrous oxide. Climate does change all the time, but it changes slowly. The Congress of the United States has so far refused ratification, partly to protest the exemption of developing nations from efforts to reduce emissions. In 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 150 countries pledged to confront the problem of greenhouse gases and agreed to meet again to translate these good intentions into a binding treaty. Also investing in a new hybrid vehicle is without a doubt a smart decision for the environment. Through years of abuse and neglect, the situation continues to worsen. By 2004, 75 percent of Canadian federal vehicles are to run on alternative fuels, such as methanol and ethanol. For example, things as simple as: car pooling, keeping your vehicle well-maintained, using energy efficient appliances, etc. This treaty, which has not yet been implemented, calls for the 38 industrialized countries that now release the most greenhouse gases to cut their emissions to levels 5 percent below those of 1990. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than McDonald 4doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. In the United States, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, product manufacturers, local utilities, and retailers have collaborated to implement the Energy Star program. We are all generally guilty of contributing to the effects of Global Warming: In the United States, approximately 6. These new practices have causes a change in the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the build-up of "greenhouse gases". International cooperation is required for the successful reduction of greenhouse gases.
Common topics in this essay:
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Greenhouse Gases,
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Kyoto Protocol,
Energy Star,
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Atmospheric Research,
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methane nitrous oxide,
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Acceptance Essays
