Sunday, October 7, 2007

Global Warming-Fact or Myth?

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What do you think global warming is? Well, according to the dictionary, the definition is the increase in average temperature of the earth's near surface air and oceans in recent decades and it's projected continuation. Now, I don't know about you but I believe that this is happening to our Earth. Some people say it's not true and that all of what is happening is just a natural process and that the ice caps are supposed to be melting and the water levels are supposed to rise. I don't think so.

Scientists agree that the global average temperature is about 0.6 degrees Celcius(just over 1 degree Farenheit) than it was a century ago and in the past 200 years the CO2 levels have risen by about 30%. Do you think we should be worried? I do. You might ask what the cause of the warming is. The human contribution to global warming is adding large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide accummulate in the atmosphere and trap heat that normally would exit into outer space. When we use electricity from coal-fired plants, heat our home with oil or gas, or drive cars, we are adding to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Another source of greenhouse gases is deforestation. Deforstation is a significant source of greenhouse gases, because fewer trees means less carbon dioxide turning into oxygen.

The long term consequences of global warming include ocean warming and sea-levels rising, coastal flooding, heat waves, glaciers melting,and arctic and antarctic warming. The impacts that the long-term effects will have on our Earth are diseases spreading, early spring arrival, plant and animal range shifts and population changes, downpours and heavy snowfalls, flooding, drouts, fires, and coral reef bleaching.
In a recent article I read, the great lakes have been getting lower and lower water levels and more and more cattails and plant life taking over. Could this be the plant range shifting? Is this a sign of what is happening? Now, do you beleive in global warming? I do. This has been Gabby7 for HCHS Newsblog.

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