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Global warming has become a prevalent issue as Of late, given our increased acknowledgement of our own complicity and role in the dramatic increase in global warming in recent years. Global warming can happen for a number of reasons, but the most commonly cited one is the greenhouse effect, in which carbon emissions flow between the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere and outer space, increasing in volume within the atmosphere (EPA, 2014). This essentially keeps solar radiation trapped in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping and making temperatures rise further.
Global warming is a very urgent, immediate issue that human intervention plays a big part in, both in our role in facilitating and minimizing contributions to global warming. Human activities have a significant impact on global warming, not the least of which through our contribution to the increase in carbon emissions and physical waste on the planet. Through our industrialized, globalizes lifestyles and economy, we use a tremendous amount of power, usually sourced from oil and fossil fuels (Wear, 2004).
Due o this, the use of power plants, cars and electricity pumps carbon emissions into the air, where they contribute even further to the greenhouse effect. What’s more, our manufacturing of non-biodegradable products like plastics and the like is leading to the filling up of our world’s landfills, taking up more and more space on the planet and emitting more and more methane gas, which is another greenhouse gas into the atmosphere (EPA 2014). It is through these things and more that human activities play a large role in lobar warming, and directly links our own consumerist lifestyles with the increase in world temperatures.
One of the scariest things about global warming is its ability to dramatically affect our way of life if we do not curb our greenhouse emissions. Sea levels can rise drastically, spilling over into the land where people, plants, and animals live in. The polar ice caps can melt, also causing massive destruction, and much less habitable land will be available for people and animals to live on. TO that end, it is absolutely vital hat we take changes to minimize our emissions and environmental impact so that Global warming can somehow be reversed and even fixed for the continuation of life on the planet.
On an individual level, there are many things that people including myself can do to minimize the effects of global warming. Many of these things more or less add up to simply using less power and fewer non-biodegradable goods. Turning off lights when they are not being used, investing in more energy-efficient appliances, and even investing in alternative power sources such as solar power and wind power re significant steps we can take to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint.
Using cars less, in favor of mass transit or bicycles, is another way to reduce greenhouse gases in significant ways. Focusing on using recyclable products and biodegradable goods is another way to reduce the burden on the world’s landfills. Other ways we can get involved as individuals is to involve ourselves in group efforts, like joining environmental groups or writing to our local legislators to help pass laws and regulations requiring reduction of roundhouse emissions.