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Energy travels from the sun to the earth to heat it. The earth then radiates energy back into space. Fifth planet radiates energy back into space at the same rate it receives energy, its temperature stays the same (“Global Warming” 1). However, many gases, called greenhouse gases, are being put into the air. The increased amount Of greenhouse gases contributes to global warming (1). Greenhouse gases absorb some of the outgoing energy and send it back to earth (1). Fifth greenhouse gases send back energy for long amounts of time, the earth eats up, thus making the earth warm up.
The earth is not healthy when it keeps heating up, making a problem. Global warming is a problem. Many human activities are sending high amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Global Warming 1 Driving a car means that carbon monoxide – a greenhouse gas – is being emitted into the air. Another problem is that the trees in rainforest’s are being cut down (Sanderson 7). Trees take in carbon dioxide. With fewer trees there is more carbon dioxide in the air. The earth is increasing rapidly in temperature (1). This is what global warming is, the heating of the earth.
The increasing temperature has several effects on the earth and it inhabitants. Global warming has an impact on the world, especially wildlife. The Bush administration recommended listing the polar bear as threatened due to global warming (Burnett 1). If the habitat of polar bears is ice and ice is melting due to global warming, then polar bears have little places to live. The polar ice caps may melt in 50 years causing polar bears to drown in Arctic waters (1). If the polar bears don’t drown, they could die of starvation cause their prey will not have a habitat either.
Land plants and oceans can only absorb half of the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (“Global Warming’ 2). If plants and oceans can only absorb half of the greenhouse gases, it will not be enough to stop the polar ice caps from melting. People can help the plants and oceans slow down global warming by doing things themselves. There are ways to help stop global warming. Restriction on energy may occur in the (Burnett 2). We may not emit more greenhouse gases if this happens. A major report says, “Cleaner ways of generating electricity from AOL can help curb global warming by mid century’ (Zincked 1).
Coal is used to generate electricity, but it emits too many greenhouse gases. Nuclear power and renewable resources are starting to replace the use of coal (1 Things such as water could be used to generate electricity. However, some people will not do anything about it, but only because there is a reason why. Some people don’t believe in global warming. Myron Bell – the director of energy and global warming policy at Competitive Enterprise Institute -?? is one of those people. Bell says, “If carbon dioxide levels have indeed gone up one third in the past one hundred years… Why haven’t we seen a commensurate rise in temperature? ‘ (Sanderson 3). Bell wonders why the carbon dioxide levels have gone up one third, but the temperature hasn’t gone up the same amount. Reports have said that the oceans are heating up. “It seems to me,” Bell says, “that the atmosphere would have to warm up significantly above the previous level before that radiation could actually heat the ocean” (4). He is saying that because oceans are so vast, that the air must be heated an extremely lot more to heat them.