Global Warming

Global warming is a serious ongoing problem worldwide and it is caused by human induced carbon dioxide emissions. The most vulnerable part of the earth is its atmosphere. In comparison to the earth, the atmosphere is like a thin coat of varnish. The suns radiation enters our atmosphere in the form of light waves. Some of that energy is re-radiated back into space in the form of infrared waves and some of those infrared waves are trapped in our atmosphere, which is a good thing because that is what keeps our climate livable. However, global warming pollution, such as carbon dioxide, has caused greenhouse gases to thicken our atmosphere. This is causing more infrared waves to become trapped in our atmosphere, and the result is increased global temperatures.

Studies and scientific evidence show a link between population and an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. Fossil fuels supply 90% of the world’s energy. The clearest culprit in global warming is burning fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, diesel, organic-diesel, petrol, organic-petrol, and ethanol. 72% of the totally emitted greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide, 18% Methane and 9% Nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide emissions therefore are the most important cause of global warming. The emissions of carbon dioxide have been dramatically increased within the last 50 years and are still increasing by almost 3% each year. A study was done by scientist Roger Revelle to measure the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels at Mauna Loa, Hawaii and here is what he discovered. Starting his measurements in 1958 found that carbon dioxide was rising at a significant rate after only a few years of his experiment.

Along with the increase of carbon dioxide population has also increased. Many scientists believe that humans evolved about 165,000 B.C. from that time, to the time Christopher Columbus sailed in 1492 the population on earth had only reached ½ billion people. By 1776, around the beginning of the industrial revolution, population reached 1 billion people. In 1945 the population reached 2 billion. Today the population is at about 6.5 billion people, and by the year 2050 the population is expected to reach 9.1 billion people. It took 10,000 generations for the population to reach 2 billion and then in one human lifetime the population quadrupled. An increase of population at that velocity means an increase in the need for all types of energy.

According to the U.S. department of energy, we, the United States, are the largest contributor to global warming at 30.3%.

Global warming has been occurring gradually over the past century, but some of its negative consequences are just being realized. The scientific evidence shows that humans are the main cause of increased global temperatures. As we continue down the road of burning fossil fuels and using non-renewable resources we are releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and creating a catastrophic scenario. However, the fight against global warming has begun, and our best tool for the battle is knowledge. We are experiencing a planetary emergency. We need to take action now.