Opinion: Global Warming Should No Longer Be Ignored

Via+planetsave.com

Via planetsave.com

Tyler Kelso, Staff Writer

Global Warming and/or climate change is one of the most debated topics in society the last few decades, and it has recently become a worldwide concern. This topic has been argued between citizens, the scientific community, and all the way up to high level politicians here in America. With the new information and discoveries that have been released, most developed nations have looked into the causes and solutions to fix this growing global problem.

Scientists from around the world have studied worldwide climate change dating back to the early 60’s when the topic of global warming was scarcely known around the world and of little concern to the USA.

With industry across the globe growing and changing, new issues arise every year. From carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere at extreme amounts, to the testing of nuclear weapons, the atmosphere has had a beating since the early 1900’s.

According to dictionary.com, global warming is an increase in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. There is a scientific consensus that climate change is occurring and that human activities are the primary driver.  Many impacts of climate change have already been observed, including glacier retreat, changes in the timing of seasonal events (e.g., earlier flowering of plants), and changes in agricultural productivity.

Changes in the environment such as weather, temperature, oxygen levels, carbon dioxide levels, and greenhouse gases rising will not only have an effect on mankind but also on all animals that do not have the ability to adapt along with plant life that does not have the ability to adapt.

A large amount of evidence suggests that climate temperatures have warmed up. But the temperature is not only heating above ground, it is also heating the oceans of the world causing weather to become more dangerous and consistent. For example, snowstorms have recently become so strong and large that they span from coast to coast. Also thunderstorms and super-cells have formed during parts of the year when we would normally see snow or blizzards. Drought has increased in other parts of the nation causing tremendous fires. Also, the increases in temperature has caused ice sheets to begin melting which will cause the oceans to gradually rise in the following years.

Also according to The National Resources Defense Council, melting glaciers, early snow-melt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires in the American West. Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico. Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy downpours, and increased flooding. All of those factors will damage or destroy agriculture and fisheries. Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine Meadows of Lake Tahoe could drive many plant and animal species to extinction. Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

Via vox.com

This situation is a real threat to life as we know it because with temperature change comes death of some microbial life, mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. This will not only cause tremendous effects on environments, it will also cause food shortage for humans due to the high temperature whether it is freezing or warming and that will cause apocalyptic panic around the world. But that is the worst case scenario. At this point we are still learning more and more about the current effects and the projected effects to come.

Policies have been made by many industrialized governments in an attempt to reduce climate change, but without constant action and persistent changes in industry, the effects will continue to grow and come in a much shorter time than scientists have predicted. Due to the growing world and the need for more products, the industry can not simply just shut off and change in a year. The best way to go about this is to find efficient and more natural or safe ways of producing things without polluting or spitting toxins out into the environment.

Companies such as Tesla have been producing and experimenting with electric cars so that one day possibly all of the world will be free of gas and carbon dioxide emissions.

Therefore, it is imperative that we come together and put the world’s best minds at work to help shape and cleanse the Earth and produce a brighter more healthier future.